4 Exceptional EV Road Trips Across the U.S. Curated by Electric Vehicle Experts

The classic American road trip is transforming with the growing popularity of electric vehicles. Each year sees a surge in charging stations—2023 recorded a 20% increase in the U.S., with projections for even more in 2024.

In addition to saving on fuel and reducing your environmental impact, EV road trips encourage you to pause and recharge (both your vehicle and yourself) while exploring every facet of a destination, from local grocery store parking lots to its historic landmarks.

“Electric vehicles provide endless possibilities to travel almost anywhere without contributing to carbon emissions,” states Bruce Redman Becker, architect and proprietor of Hotel Marcel, a fully solar-powered and electric hotel in New Haven, Connecticut (which conveniently features plenty of EV charging stations). We sought insights from various EV enthusiasts about their favorite electric road trip routes across the country.

Connecticut’s Scenic Coast

Recommended by: Bruce Redman Becker, owner and architect of Hotel Marcel, the first fully electric hotel in the U.S..

Bruce Redman Becker’s passion for electric vehicles extends beyond his emissions-free Hotel Marcel; he is also the chairman of the Electric Vehicle Owners Club in Connecticut and has been an EV driver since 2011. A Yale School of Architecture graduate, Becker favors scenic drives along New England’s coast, particularly the Connecticut shoreline.

Starting fully charged from Hotel Marcel, embark on a picturesque coastal route from New Haven to Mystic, making a stop in the charming town of Old Saybrook. Stretch your legs at Connecticut’s largest shoreline park, Hammonasset Beach State Park, where you'll find on-site charging stations. Savor oysters at Shell & Bones on New Haven’s waterfront, and in Mystic, discover the buzz surrounding Shipwright’s Daughter, featuring a menu from a 2024 James Beard Chef award finalist.

Nearby Scenic Drives

EV drivers can feel assured about their range in Connecticut, which offers over 360 public EV charging stations and at least 23 Tesla supercharging locations throughout the state. Becker also suggests taking your EV to the Appalachian Trail in the northwest region, noting, “Hikers can access quite remote areas with EVs.” Connecticut has approximately 49 miles of this iconic trail.

Accommodations

Hotel Marcel New Haven, part of the Tapestry Collection by Hilton, features 24 charging stations. While you wait, enjoy a meal at the eco-conscious BLDG restaurant. Located in Saybrook, one of Connecticut’s oldest towns at the confluence of the Connecticut River and Long Island Sound, Saybrook Point Resort & Marina offers four Tesla charging stations, and the Whaler’s Inn in Mystic provides two Tesla charging stations.

Detroit to Michigan’s Lakes

Recommended by: Nick Fitzpatrick, cofounder & head of design at Grounded, an EV RV startup

You don’t have to own an RV to experience vanlife. With RVshare, the Airbnb of RV rentals, you can choose from over 100,000 vehicles available across the U.S. Now partnering with Grounded, it offers EV RV rentals from Detroit.

Nick Fitzpatrick, cofounder and head of design at Grounded, describes his favorite road trip as their inaugural journey in the new Grounded G2, looping through Michigan and into the Upper Peninsula. “The highlight was just after crossing the Mackinac Bridge,” Fitzpatrick recalls. “We drove along a scenic road hugging Lake Michigan, with a beautiful warm glow from the sunset flooding into the cabin.”

After their initial charge at Meijer, a family-run convenience store in Gaylord during the early hours, they enjoyed a round of “parking lot disc golf” to pass the time. “Most of our charging occurred at Meijer grocery stores, and they deserve recognition for their dedication to installing EV chargers across Michigan and beyond,” notes Fitzpatrick. They also charged at Northern Michigan University, which provided a crucial overnight charge in Marquette, a port city on the southern shore of Lake Superior.

Nearby Scenic Drives

Just about 225 miles from Detroit, Indiana Dunes National Park features a network of hiking and biking trails along the shores of Lake Michigan. For those seeking a longer adventure—over 500 miles from Detroit—Isle Royale National Park awaits on an island in Lake Superior, the largest of the Great Lakes.

Accommodations

Fitzpatrick parked the Grounded RV at various Hipcamp sites throughout their journey.

California’s Route 66 from Pasadena to Santa Monica

Recommended by: Ariel Fan, CEO of GreenWealth Energy, an EV charging company

Santa Monica aspires to be the most EV-friendly city in the nation, featuring over 332 public charging stations, including 21 free options, and boasts more than 4,400 registered electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. Ariel Fan, CEO of GreenWealth Energy, an EV charging company headquartered in Pasadena, mentions that one of her favorite EV routes is from her home in Pasadena—a vibrant and walkable alternative to L.A.—to Santa Monica.

The Taiwanese American EV entrepreneur recommends charging at the Arroyo Electric Vehicle Charging Depot in Pasadena, which offers 26 powerful public chargers. While your vehicle charges, explore the galleries of ArtCenter College of Design located just across the street. This college is renowned for its Transportation Design program, where the future of EVs may be envisioned.

“Santa Monica is less than a 45-minute drive away,” Fan shares. From there, enjoy a scenic drive along the Pacific Coast Highway to visit spots like the Getty Villa or the sea caves at El Matador State Beach. “The Getty has also made strides to accommodate EV drivers by providing free charging for visitors, ensuring I never have to worry about running low on battery while exploring the coast,” says Fan.

Nearby Scenic Drives

To experience more of Route 66 in California, travel to the city of Needles, located 275 miles away. Make a stop in Barstow, a town in San Bernardino County, where you can visit the Route 66 Mother Road Museum set in a 1911 hotel, the Calico Ghost Town, and the Mojave National Preserve.

Accommodations

Fan suggests staying at the Santa Monica Proper Hotel, which provides EV charging for valet-parked cars. Santa Monica features numerous EVgo and ChargePoint chargers in its parking lots, making it easy to recharge your vehicle while you explore the area.

Exploring the Colorado Rockies through Glenwood Canyon

Recommended by: EV Explored, Patrick Anderson and Liv Leigh

Liv Leigh and Patrick Anderson share their extensive road trips exceeding 1,000 miles in their Ford Mustang Mach-E on their blog, EV Explored. They had no prior experience with electric vehicles before acquiring their first EV in 2021 but quickly adapted by taking a road trip across Colorado and down to San Diego.

One of their preferred routes is through the Colorado Rockies along I-70, which Anderson finds convenient due to the abundance of charging stations. “One of my favorite segments of Interstate in the entire U.S. is through Glenwood Canyon in western Colorado,” he remarks. “It’s incredibly scenic and a feat of highway engineering.”

Leigh faces mobility challenges, making EV driving particularly difficult. Many of the charging stations they encounter are not wheelchair accessible. “Gas stations typically have a button to request assistance and often provide accessible restrooms,” notes Anderson. “We’ve discussed this in our videos and hope that charging companies will take notice and ensure their stations are inclusive for all users.”

While Aspen has long been a popular destination, Glenwood Springs is rapidly emerging as a hotspot for EV drivers, thanks to its hot springs and a growing number of charging stations.

Nearby Scenic Drives

Two of Colorado’s most eco-conscious towns—Glenwood Springs and Aspen—are powered entirely by renewable energy. The state is also in the process of electrifying all 26 of its scenic and historic byways. The Top of the Rockies Scenic Byway is a fully electric 82-mile route dotted with chargers and offers stunning views of Mount Elbert and Mount Massive. From Aspen, you can journey across the Continental Divide and follow the Arkansas River.

Accommodations

Aspen Meadows Resort features two electric vehicle charging stations. In Glenwood Springs, both Glenwood Hot Springs Resort and Glenwood Springs Inn offer charging stations for EVs.