Travel

4 Great Road Trip Playlists for Your Cross Country Trek

One of the great ways to see the United States is to get in the car and just drive across the country. A method you can use to add a regional feel to your trip is to develop playlists for songs that will tell you all about what it means to visit a great American city or a part of the country that beckons visitors from all over the world.

Northeastern Playlist

New York CityImage via Flickr by Randy Le’Moine Photography.

The cities of the American Northeast have inspired some of the most iconic songs in music. As you get ready to stroll around the state of New York and the various parts of New England, be sure that you have this song list ready to go.

  • “New York, New York” – Frank Sinatra
  • “Weekend In New England” – Barry Manilow
  • “Atlantic City” – Bruce Springsteen
  • “Angel of Harlem” – U2
  • “Autumn in New York” – Tommy Dorsey
  • “Boston Tea Party” – The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
  • “(I’ll Take) Manhattan” – Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart
  • “Englishman in New York” – Sting
  • “Allentown” – Billy Joel
  • “Old Cape Cod” – Patti Page

Atlantic Coast Playlist

Atlantic CoastImage via Flickr by vladeb.

As your trip takes you out of the Northeastern part of the United States, it will take you along the Eastern Seaboard and down along the Atlantic Coast towards Florida. As you move from the coast of Maryland to the Florida Keys, you will need this playlist to keep you company.

  • “Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce” – Elvis Presley
  • “A Baltimore Love Thing” – 50 Cent
  • “For Baltimore” – All Time Low
  • “City of Gainesville” – Less Than Jake
  • “I’m in Miami Trick” – LMFAO
  • “Miami” – Will Smith
  • “Birmingham” – Randy Newman
  • “Key West” – Chris Clavin
  • “Miami 2 Ibiza” – Swedish House Mafia and Tinie Tempah
  • “Theme From Miami Vice” – Jan Hammer
  • “Tallahassee Lassie” – Freddy Cannon

America’s Heartland Playlist

Americas HeartlandImage via Flickr by afiler.

People from all over are attracted to the wide-open spaces of American’s Heartland. From Ohio down through the Midwest, there are plenty of songs you can bring with you that will help you to enjoy the air as it moves through your hair.

  • “Kansas City” – Wilbert Harrison
  • “Cleveland Rocks” – Ian Hunter
  • “Chicago” – Kate Voegele
  • “Chicago (We Can Change the World)” – Graham Nash
  • “Detroit Rock City” – Kiss
  • “Holy Toledo” – Crystal Bowersox
  • “Lisbon, OH” – Bon Iver
  • “Omaha Stylee” – 311
  • “What Made Milwaukee Famous” – Rod Stewart
  • “Wichita Linemen” – Glen Campbell

Pacific Coast Playlist

Pacific CoastImage via Flickr by trawin.

Just imagine driving along the Pacific Coast with the sea salt in the air, the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks, and the sound of this playlist coming out of your car stereo.

  • “San Bernardino” – The Mountain Goats
  • “Santa Monica” – Everclear
  • “Save Me San Francisco” – Train
  • “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” – Tony Bennett
  • “I Love L.A.” – Randy Newman
  • “Irvine” – Kelly Clarkson
  • “San Francisco (Wear Some Flowers in Your Hair)” – Scott McKenzie
  • “Malibu” – Hole
  • “Malibu Gas Station” – Sonic Youth
  • “Out in L.A.” – Red Hot Chili Peppers

A great music playlist can enhance any drive through the United States. While you prepare for your next leisurely drive through one of America’s picturesque regions, be sure you put the right song list together.

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Paul Tomaszewski is a science & tech writer as well as a programmer and entrepreneur. He is the founder and editor-in-chief of CosmoBC. He has a degree in computer science from John Abbott College, a bachelor's degree in technology from the Memorial University of Newfoundland, and completed some business and economics classes at Concordia University in Montreal. While in college he was the vice-president of the Astronomy Club. In his spare time he is an amateur astronomer and enjoys reading or watching science-fiction. You can follow him on LinkedIn and Twitter.

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