The Great American AI Road Trip

From playlists to pit stops—AI just became your new copilot.

Ryan Tungseth
May 15, 2025

The Great American AI Road Trip

You’ve got the itch. A long weekend. Maybe a beat-up cooler and a playlist that still thinks it’s 2010.

This summer, let’s plan something better—with AI.

Whether you're dreaming up a camping getaway, a solo drive across the Dakotas, or a National Parks family tour, AI can be your best copilot—minus the weird trail mix choices.

4 Ways to Let AI Plan Your Perfect Trip

1. Build a Personalized Itinerary

Prompt:

“Plan a 5-day road trip from [your location] with daily stops for hiking, budget-friendly camping, and one unique local food stop per day.”

Tools to try:

ChatGPT with Browsing for real-time park info and closures
Perplexity.ai to find weird museums, food trucks, or hiking spots

2. Create the Ultimate Playlist

Prompt:

“Create a playlist for a road trip through the Badlands. 80% classic rock, 10% Americana, 10% surprise tracks.”

Let AI match your mood—or your route.

3. Pack Smarter

Prompt:

“What should I pack for a 3-day car camping trip with kids under 10? Include comfort items that make it feel fun.”

You’ll get gear suggestions, snacks, and maybe a few sanity-savers.

4. Make It a Story

Planning a trip? Or starting a saga?

Prompt:

“Write the backstory of a traveler named Riley on a mission to find the best pie in the Midwest. Add a twist at each major stop.”

Let the road inspire the plot—or the plot inspire the road.

Prompt of the Week

“Plan a road trip for someone who hates planning but loves adventure.”
Try it. Let AI surprise you.

Your Summer Just Got Smarter

From dream trips to gear lists to vibe-check playlists, AI helps you make travel fun again, without the 42-tab research marathon.

We’ll keep dropping ideas like this every Thursday.

📬 Forward this to a friend who needs a vacation.
Or hit reply and tell us: What’s your dream AI-powered getaway?

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