Travel trends come and go, but one thing that never gets old is a good old-fashioned road trip. New Zealanders were basically raised on a combination of annual road trip vacations with the family and endless American movies, which always get us in the mood.
Though we’ve compiled what we consider to be the ultimate list of road trip-themed movies to amp up the travel inspo, we’d also like to suggest that you keep it local and see a bit more of New Zealand. After all, driving from Las Vegas to New Mexico may be entertaining when Rowan Atkinson is trying to win $2 million from Rat Race tycoon Donald Sinclair, but the reality is that we have plenty to see here at home.
While taking off from home is always an option, we’ll guess you’ve covered quite a bit more of your immediate surroundings over the past two years. So, our hot tip is to pick up a bargain domestic flight, then book a Budget Rental Car to explore the less-travelled path. Budget doesn’t have an under-25 fee, so getting to that tiny house in the woods isn’t going to cost you thousands in surcharges.
To get the creativity flowing, here are eight of our favourite road trip movies of all time.
Crossroads, 2002
If you ask just about any millennial woman to name what is, in their opinion, the most important road trip movie of all time, many will name Crossroads. A coming-of-age story starring our lord and saviour Britney Spears, alongside Zoe Saldaña and Taryn Manning, Crossroads has everything we want in a road trip movie: female friendship, a brooding man, a convertible car, a banging soundtrack, and an enemies-to-romance storyline. They definitely made the great American road trip look like a very good time.
Nomadland, 2020
If the nomadic, van-living life is what you yearn for, then Nomadland is peak inspiration. Written, produced, edited, and directed by Chloé Zhao, and starring Frances McDormand, Nomadland tells the story of Fern (McDormand), who decides to embark on a nomadic life when she loses her job shortly after the death of her husband. This film goes a step further than simply showing a fictional story, though, with cameos from real-life nomads Linda May, Swankie, and Bob Wells, who all play fictionalised versions of themselves. The film also won three Oscars, including Best Actress for McDormand, Best Director for Zhao, and Best Picture.
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, 1994
Now hailed as iconic — and responsible for bringing a positive portrayal of LGBTQIA+ people to the mainstream in the ‘90s — The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert premiered at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival. The film follows two drag queens (played by Hugo Weaving and Guy Pearce) and a trans woman (Terence Stamp) as they travel through the Australian desert, from Sydney to Alice Springs, via the Simpson Desert and Coober Pedy. Hijinks ensue, of course, but who could forget that shot of the silver dress on top of the bus?!
Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion, 1997
When Romy White (Mira Sorvino) and Michele Weinberger (Lisa Kudrow) receive an invitation to their 10-year high school reunion, the blonde besties devise a plan to help them get to the party and impress the people who were awful to them in school. With a new convertible (courtesy of Ramon, played by Jacob Vargas) and a snazzy new flip phone, the pair head for Tuscon, Arizona to face the cool kids — and the not-so-cool kids — from their past. Thankfully, it’s not so difficult to borrow a car these days to drive cross-country if you don’t have one of your own. Places like Budget Rental Car have plenty of options.
Thelma and Louise, 1991
A true classic starring Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon (and directed by Ridley Scott), Thelma and Louise is arguably one of the most iconic road trip films of our time. Released in 1991, this movie stirred up some controversy for, apparently, spreading hate for men — but TBH, we just love a film about female friendship. With an iconic road trip (which always leads to shenanigans), an unfortunate murder, and a cameo from Brad Pitt, we’ll take a road trip through the US with our bestie and skip the rest.
The Fundamentals of Caring, 2016
When Ben (played by Paul Rudd) moves to England to become a carer for 18-year-old Trevor (played by Craig Roberts), who has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, he doesn’t expect to embark on a road trip adventure of a lifetime. But after convincing Trevor’s mum to trust him, he turns Trevor’s fascination with roadside attractions into just that. On their journey, they meet Dot (played by Selena Gomez) and visit many of the “Big Things” on their way to see the world’s deepest pit — but really, this film is about hope and second chances, which is something we all need from time to time.
National Lampoon’s Vacation, 1983
If a cross-country road trip in America has always been on your bucket list, then National Lampoon’s Vacation has probably been on high rotation at your house at some point. Tracking the well-travelled roads between Chicago and Southern California, Clark Griswold (played by Chevy Chase) just wants to spend more time with his wife and kids, but what he doesn’t expect is a series of unfortunate events that make this quite the adventure.
Rat Race, 2002
If comedy is your favourite flavour of entertainment, then Rat Race will provide the wacky road trip inspo you require. Starring Rowan Atkinson, John Cleese, and Whoopi Goldberg, this comedy kicks off when a casino magnate (Cleese) selects six punters at random to compete for two million dollars. Thus starts a hilarious Amazing Race-esque competition, where six families travel from Las Vegas to New Mexico in a scavenger hunt to take out the cash. Even better, they’re all forced to find transportation along the journey, and we’re not entirely sure why something as simple and reliable as a rental car — like the ones available at Budget — was never considered.
Almost Famous, 2000
William Miller has always struggled to fit in, but when he’s hired to write a story about a band named Stillwater for Rolling Stone. While he’s referred to as “the enemy” at first, the rock journalist quickly embeds himself into the Stillwater inner circle and finds himself riding along with the band on tour. Starring Kate Hudson, Frances McDormand (and with appearances by Zooey Deschanel and Anna Paquin), Almost Famous is the movie for anyone who dreams of taking a road trip with all their closest friends — ideally with the backdrop of America in the ‘70s.
