About Us

Welcome!👋 We’re Jonathan and Kelly, the founders of Road Trip Locals. In 2019, we started traveling with our pup, Lincoln, and quickly found out we all love the road. Soon, we packed up our things, moved across the country (to be MFFLs 🏀 - #mavsfansforlife - when we’re not on the road), and committed to adventuring more.

With Lincoln in tow, road trips are the most realistic form of travel for us, and because we both work full-time, we tend to stay in one place for more than a few days. We didn’t know it yet, but this is how the Road Trip Local was born. (<— Click that link to read more of our story!)

man, woman, and dog outside of restaurant

2019

man, woman, and dog in front of national forest sign

2020

man woman and dog standing on Coral Pink Sand Dunes

2021

man woman and dog standing on top of mountain summit

2022

2023

2024


In 2019, we spent: one week in Virginia Beach, VA • one week in Raleigh, NC • one week in Asheville, NC

In 2020, we spent: one week in Houston, TX • 10 days in Dallas, TX • one night in Scranton, PA (any Office fans here?!) • two weeks near Winsor, CT • one month in Charlotte, NC • two months in Virginia Beach, VA • two months in Bryson City, NC • one week at a Llama Ranch and Rescue outside of Houston, TX • one week in New Orleans • plus we took a 6-week road trip through New Mexico!

In 2021, we settled into two distinct “seasons” for our lives: a basketball season and a travel season. During our 2021 travel season, we took a 3.5-month road trip through Colorado and Utah, spending: one week in Trinidad, CO • two weeks in Durango, CO • 10 days in Carbondale, CO • a long weekend in Denver, CO • one month in Winter Park, CO • one week in Moab, UT • one week in Salt Lake City, UT • one month in Kanab, UT

In 2022, we spent the basketball season’s All-Star break with one week in Napa Valley, CA, and one week in Yosemite. For our 2022 travel season, we took a 5-month road trip through Ontario and New England, spending: two weeks in Ohio • one week in Ocean City, MD • three weeks in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada (between Toronto and Niagara Falls) • two weeks in VT • a long weekend camping at Schoodic Peninsula in Acadia National Park • three weeks near Lake Placid, NY • one month in Campton, NH • three weeks in Ellsworth, ME, near Acadia NP • three weeks in Attleboro, MA (including Halloween night in Salem!)

In 2023, we spent All-Star break in Yellowstone’s winter wonderland. (We went back to Yellowstone for a long weekend in mid-May to visit Yellowstone in all four seasons in one calendar year!) Part 1 of our 2023 Travel Season was a three-week Great Alaskan Road Trip to see Alaska’s 8 national parks. Part 2 was a 2.5-month Rocky Mountain Road Trip, spending: one week in Denver, CO • five days in Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks • three weeks in Calgary, Canada • 10 days roadtripping the Icefields Parkway • one night in Waterton Lakes National Park • one week near Glacier National Park • three weeks in Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks • one week in Grand Junction, CO • one day at the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta (during the 2023 solar eclipse!)

In 2024, after falling in love with every Yellowstone season, we bought and renovated Lincoln’s Lodge, just one mile from the park's North Entrance. After a quick winter road trip to Big Bend National Park, we visited Yellowstone in January, February, April, May, July, and November, with a 10-day summer road trip back to Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, Glacier, and Grand Teton National Park. Then, we switched things up for our 2024 Travel Season, taking a winter road trip, with one night in Lafayette, LA • one night in Biloxi, MS • one night in Sarasota, FL • two nights in Key Largo, FL • two nights in Florida City, FL • two nights in Marathon, FL • three nights at Harry Potter World in Orlando, FL • three nights in Charleston, SC • 4 nights in Virginia Beach, VA • three nights in Ocean City, MD • one night in Columbia, MD • four nights in Frederick, MD • and 5 nights in Charlotte, NC

Our Road Trips

candy shop building, beach view, cider flight, and dog looking into sunset
man standing on porch overlooking trees and dog standing in White Sands National Park
dog sitting on Great Sand Dunes National Park and man hiking on edge of cliff
man and woman on side of building and man with umbrella looking at rainbow

About Road Trip Locals (RTLs)

When we hit the road, we quickly fell in love with the freedom of road-tripping and realized just how much there is to see Stateside. After exploring so many incredible places, we created Road Trip Locals to help you discover their magic, too!

Through our detailed Travel Guides, cozy Yellowstone Cabins, and Travel Blog, we’re here to make planning unforgettable road trips across the US and Canada easier than ever. Whether you’re dreaming of national parks, coastal getaways, or small-town charm, let us help you discover the adventure waiting just beyond the next turn!

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