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The Friday before Memorial Day is always National Road Trip Day and serves as the official kickoff of the summer road trip season. To celebrate, we collected our favorite road trip movies to get you in the mood. Check out our list inside.

Countless Americans hit the road each year over the long weekend to visit friends and family, while paying homage to their American heroes. A recent survey found by National Day Calendar suggest an overwhelming majority prefer driving as the leading choice for reaching their summer destinations. According to The Vacationer, 80 percent of Americans are going to take a road trip this summer. Many have already hit the road for Memorial Day weekend.

Whether you’re seeking adventure, visiting family and friends, or making a business connection, road trips are often a rite of passage. National Road Trip Day is about making this vacation season all about the journey to the destination.

Each year National Day Calendar announces the Official Destination for National Road Trip Day. This year that placed is Pontiac, Illinois.

Founder of National Day Calendar, Marlo Anderson, will lead a road trip through Illinois in celebration of National Road Trip Day, including the iconic Route 66. Other activities and events are also happening in Pontiac for the celebration.

They chose the city of Pontiac, because it is a hidden gem located along the historic Route 66. The quaint town offers the perfect backdrop for a road trip with its historic landmarks, vintage shops, and unique restaurants. Pontiac is the perfect destination for anyone looking to experience the charm of small-town America and the nostalgia of Route 66.

Whether or not you choose to hit the road this weekend to a nearby or far away town, is totally up to you. If you plan to stay in and dream of the road trips to come, that’s fine too. We have the perfect thing to get you in the spirit of travel and adventure.

Check out 15 beloved road trip movies below:

1. ‘Johnson Family Vacation’ (2004)


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2. ‘RV’ (2006)


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3. ‘Road Trip’ (2000)


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4. ‘Bad Trip’ (2021)


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5. ‘We’re the Millers’ (2003)


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6. ‘Thelma & Louise’ (1991)


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7. ‘Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle’ (2004)


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8. ‘Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion’ (1997)


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9. ‘National Lampoon’s Vacation’ (1983)


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10. ‘Little Miss Sunshine’ (2006)


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11. ‘Green Book’ (2018)


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12. ‘Dumb & Dumber’ (1994)


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13. ‘End of the Road’ (2022)


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14. ‘Sideways’ (2004)


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15. ‘To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar’ (1995)


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