road trip

American  

[rohd trip] / ˈroʊd ˌtrɪp /

Or road-trip,

noun

1. a long journey, especially one that is recreational or spontaneous, taken in an automobile.

   She met many new friends on her solo road trip around North Wales.

2. a journey taken by a sports team to play away games.

   The second game is the season's first road trip, and will be at San Antonio.

---

verb (used without object)

road tripped, road tripping

1. to take a long journey in an automobile, especially recreationally or spontaneously.

   We road tripped to California over summer break.

Etymology

Origin of road trip

First recorded in 1860–65; 1900–05 road trip for def. 2

Example Sentences

A woman who was taking a toilet break while on a road trip in the Australian outback ended up getting stuck waist-deep in a pit latrine after it collapsed.

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026

In June 2024, a group of Penn State meteorology and atmospheric science researchers set out on a road trip along the East Coast in a modified 2013 Toyota Sienna.

From Science Daily • Apr. 21, 2026

This road trip continues a series exploring California’s overlooked scenic highways, inspired in part by artist Earl Thollander’s “Back Roads of California,” whose sketches and travel notes celebrated a slower way of seeing.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

Jessica and a friend were set to leave for a long road trip to a fantasy convention in South Bend, Indiana.

From Slate • Apr. 6, 2026

“It’s about a mom and daughter who go on a road trip together, but then all sorts of things go wrong.”

From "A Soft Place to Land" by Janae Marks