- Rob Taylor, a Florida-based road trip expert, has traveled to 48 states with his family.
- Taylor focuses on educational trips, visiting lesser-known destinations for unique experiences.
- He recommends stopping at under-the-radar destinations in Alaska, Utah, and on the East Coast.
International destinations can be awe-inspiring — but road trips around the states can feel just as unique, from New England to the coast of Alaska.
That’s according to Florida-based road trip expert Rob Taylor, who has traveled to 48 states. Over the last 13 years, he and his husband, Chris, have driven their two kids to 30 states.
“The US is so large, and you can get such variation in experiences, activities, landscapes, cuisine, and culture from one corner of the country to another,” he told Business Insider. “We’re making our way. Eventually, we will hit all of them.”
Regarding family road trips, Taylor seeks out lesser-known destinations where the kids can learn something new.
“So much of our travel specifically focuses on education and making sure that we’re not just going to theme parks,” he said. “We’re actually out there doing programs with the rangers and educators.”
Typically, Taylor takes the kids out of school three to four times a year for up to two weeks at a time. He added that the educational factor makes teachers more supportive of their travels during the school year.
“That’s why we feel OK pulling them out of school as much as we do,” Taylor said. “We’ve never had a complaint that we’ve missed too much school.”
Taylor shared with BI his favorite hidden-gem road trip stops around the US for families — and some are in popular states you wouldn’t expect.
