Many people get inspired by the thought of driving off into the distance in search of an adventure. There’s something magical about the prospect of the open road and Hollywood has a unique way of showcasing that on a screen. Watching a movie as a family, especially one that’s about travel is a great way to spend time together, and may even lead to your next dream vacation! Here are the best road trip movies of all time that are family-friendly.
1. RV (2006)
This family road comedy film stars the late Robin Williams as Bob Munro, a successful company executive trying to rekindle precious family time between himself, his wife and their two teenage children by going on a much-needed vacation to Hawaii. After a disaster at a work event, his unreasonable boss throws the anticipated family trip into jeopardy by insisting Munro attend a meeting in Colorado to salvage the situation or lose his job.
In an attempt to save their vacation, Munro hires an RV from a dodgy dealer and tells his family they’ll be travelling to the Rockies, but doesn’t tell them about the meeting. What follows is a hilarious story of a dysfunctional family that must band together to overcome a series of mishaps on the road, ultimately reminding them of the bond between them. If you feel like you and your family need some quality time together, this movie is a great reminder about the importance of that!
2. Cars (2006)
In this animated Pixar movie, Owen Wilson voices Lightning McQueen, a hotshot racecar on his way to California to compete in a tiebreaker race. After McQueen and two other cars tie in the final of the Piston Cup championship, the race is scheduled for one-week later in California.
During McQueen’s trailer transportation to California calamity strikes. Driver Mack drifts off to sleep and is startled by four reckless streetcars who startle him, and this causes McQueen to fall out of the trailer. The next morning Lightning wakes up lost and has to find his own way to California. On the way, his journey is full of ups and downs and new friends. Cars is a lovely homage to the golden days of Route 66 and will make you want to explore America as soon as the movie ends.
3. The Bucket List
As two men diagnosed with terminal cancer find themselves sharing a room together, they begin to form a friendship. Carter Chambers is a mechanic and Edward Cole is a wealthy billionaire.
Carter has been writing a list of things he hopes to do before kicking the bucket, but when he finds out that he only has a year left to live he bitterly discards the list. Cole finds the list in their shared room encourages Carter to pursues his dreams, offers to join him on his journey and foot the bill.
While this isn’t a typical road trip movie, we couldn’t leave this story of friendship and adventure of the list. It reminds us all that life is full of the unexpected and we must try to live each day to the fullest as much as possible.
4. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)
Walter Mitty works as a negatives assets manager at Life magazine, mostly managing images from a photojournalist called Sean O’Connell. Inspired O’Connell’s images, Mitty often daydreams of embarking on adventures of his own.
With the magazine moving from print to digital and Mitty’s job under threat, O’Connell sends over his last round of negatives for Life magazine along with a gift for Mitty. O’Connell also sends a message to Mitty saying that he believes negative #25 is the “essence of life” and should be on the cover for the final issue. However, the negative is missing.
Mitty looks at the other negatives for a clue as to where O’Connell may be, spurring him to go across the length of the world to hunt down the all-important negative for the final issue. Parts of his journey, of course, includes an epic road trip. This film is a heroic testimony to the spirit of adventure.
5. Wizard of Oz (1939)
So hear us out, there’s a road, it’s yellow and made out of brick and there’s a trip. This famous classic American musical starring Judy Garland as Dorothy is known to all. After a neighbour is bitten by Toto, she threatens to euthanise Dorothy’s beloved dog. So Dorothy runs away with Toto from the farm she lives on with Aunt Em and Uncle Henry.
Shortly after she meets a fortune teller, who warns Dorothy that her Aunt Em is unwell because Dorothy has left her, so she races back to the farm as a storm approaches Kansas. On arrival, she finds that her aunt and uncle have hidden away in the storm cellar. They are unable to hear her knocking and so Dorothy takes shelter in her room.
The storm arrives and blows the house away to a magical land called Oz. This beautiful tale captures how taking a journey into the unknown can be a rewarding experience, and that there’s no better way to appreciate home!
6. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is the name of the magic car that has been re-built by a widower and oddball inventor known as Caractacus Potts. Although he struggles to make ends meet, he and his two children are happy.
After the children see a broken down car in the local scrap yard, they beg their father, Potts to save it. He manages to pull some strings together and buy the vehicle. Potts transforms the car into a working machine, and the children name it Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Potts then tells his children a story in which the car has magical powers.
This film is a great one to watch as a family! Embrace your free child and journey into a magical world created by an inventor where curiosity is the highest currency.
What else would you add to this list? What are your favourite road trip movies? Share your top picks in the comments!
