It's the dog days of summer, making it the perfect time to grab some friends or get the family together and plan a cross-country summer road trip. There's something so relaxing about packing up the car and enjoying your favorite country songs as you take in the American landscape outside the window. So hit the road with these country songs on your road trip playlist.
Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Penned by Willie Nelson, "On The Road Again" was written about life on the road on tour. The singer-songwriter wrote and performed it for the film Honeysuckle Rose. The song earned the performer a Grammy Award for Best Country Song. Ethan Miller/Getty Images Originally performed by Tom Cochrane, "Life is a Highway" is the ultimate road trip song. The 2006 cover by Rascal Flatts just makes you want to get out on the open road as you bask in Y2Country nostalgia. Sam Morris/Getty Images Whether you stan FGL or consider this one a guilty pleasure, the romantic megahit lists the main objective of a road trip: "roll my windows down and cruise." It fits the travel theme and it's a fun singalong for travel buddies. Jason Kempin/Getty Images Another sing- and drive-along from more recent times, Maren Morris makes us want to hit the road in a retro ride. In addition, her introductory hit "My Church" is a great one for living out one of its themes: driving around and listening to your favorite country songs. Ethan Miller/Getty Images A key in putting together the best road trip playlist is making sure every passenger digs your selections. Statistically, those unimpressed by your knowledge of 21st century country bangers are probably Swifties. For more by Tim McGraw, consider the title track of the 2013 album this Keith Urban and Taylor Swift collaboration is from, "Two Lanes of Freedom." Mickey Bernal/WireImage Rucker's cover of Old Crow Medicine Show's classic song is one that dang near everyone loves to sing along with. It's guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser in the car. Rich Polk/Penske Media via Getty Images If you are, say, driving to New Orleans or Las Vegas then you definitely qualify as a "Highway Vagabond" and as such, this song is a necessity for your road trip playlist. Martin Philbey/Redferns Every worthwhile road trip makes you wistful for the good times once they're over. Keith Urban's "Days Go By" reflects on life's fleeting moments and encourages us to make the most of every day. Ebet Roberts/Redferns You probably won't make Amarillo by morning, even if you live in Texas ( that state is huge), but it's the spirit of this George Strait standard that counts. Photo by David Warner Ellis/Redferns Country? Check. Roads? Check. John Denver's all-American voice? Oh yeah. This is a road trip must. Getty Images/Getty Images The light-hearted tone of this and other Roger Miller hits makes them songs that should entertain the whole family. Plus, "road" is right there in the title. Hulton Archive/Getty Images Originally written by Geoff Mack, the song was first made popular by Lucky Starr in 1962. Its lyrics follows the narrator as they sing about all the places they've been. Cash's deep voice really adds to the story in a way that makes it timeless."On The Road Again," Willie Nelson
"Life is a Highway," Rascal Flatts
"Cruise," Florida Georgia Line
"'80s Mercedes," Maren Morris
"Highway Don't Care," Tim McGraw, Keith Urban and Taylor Swift
"Wagon Wheel," Darius Rucker
"Highway Vagabond," Miranda Lambert
"Days Go By," Keith Urban
"Amarillo by Morning," George Strait
"Take Me Home (Country Roads)," John Denver
"King of the Road," Roger Miller
"I've Been Everywhere," Johnny Cash
This story originally ran on March 25, 2019. It was updated on July 25, 2023.
READ MORE: The Ultimate Road Trip for George Strait Fans, From Marina Del Rey to Amarillo
