‘PBS Idea Channel’ Explores Why Americans Love Road Trips

PBS Idea Channel host Mike Rugnetta explores why Americans love road trips in a recent episode of the series. More specifically, Rugnetta examines how the construction of highways, the end of war rationing, and the increase of automobile ownership all contributed to this sort of American cultural mythology surrounding road trips.

Planning on going on a road trip across America at some point? Well, you’re not alone, because for some reason AMERICANS LOVE ROAD TRIPS. Planning road trips, going on road trips, going to famous places and calling it the best road trip ever. We’ve got a whole genre of films dedicated to the “road movie,” On The Road was an incredibly famous book from the beat generation. But when does a drive become a road trip? Today on Idea Channel, we dig into the how, why, and what America loves about road trips, all filmed while on the road, of course!