Chasing Dhabas and Sixes: The Great American Road Trip

The road stretches ahead, full of stories at every turn. This summer, a new kind of American trip calls, one where the sound of a music meets the taste of a dhaba, where cricket games light up Texas, and Bollywood’s shine lingers over Chicago’s skyline. In 2025, road trips are still America’s favorite way to explore, a chance to see new places and feel at home. From a grand temple in Jersey to the cheers of Major League Cricket in Oakland, from Route 66’s bright signs to the Pacific Coast’s cliffs, we’ve planned a season of drives that feed the heart and the stomach.

So pack the snacks, play some A.R. Rahman, and take the scenic route. Long drives bring big laughs. Side trips lead to temples, snack stops, movie-like moments. This is travel as connection, to family, to culture, to the joy of music through open windows.

The American road trip is a story with deep roots. In 1903, Horatio Nelson Jackson drove a Winton from San Francisco to New York, showing the car’s power. Steinbeck called the highway “the mother road”; Kerouac made it a song. Today, roads like Route 66 carry new tales, dhabas serve naan to truckers, and Bollywood music plays at gas stations. From Chicago’s samosa stalls to California’s gurdwaras, these highways weave South Asian culture into America’s heart, setting the stage for national and regional adventures.

A stop in Robbinsville, New Jersey, reveals BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Akshardham, the largest Hindu temple outside India. Its marble towers, carved with gods and dancers, rise from the pines like a vision. Inside, quiet surrounds, with visitors praying barefoot. Open 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., closed Tuesdays, it needs free timed tickets on weekends. The temple is a peaceful place, its beauty a sign of faith in a new land.

In Oklahoma, India Palace in Moore serves crisp parathas and spicy pickles, a haven for travelers. The menu, full of North Indian dishes, connects Punjab to the plains, its neon sign a light on I-40. In California, the I-5 Gurdwara Circuit runs from Sacramento to San Jose. At the Sikh Center of the Pacific Coast in Selma, langar, a free meal for all, fills a shaded courtyard with dal and roti. The air is warm with service, the heart of Sikhism, as volunteers share food with everyone.

Major League Cricket’s 2025 season, from June 13 to July 14, lights up the journey. Thirty-four games play out at three places: Oakland Coliseum, California; Grand Prairie Stadium, Texas, near Dallas; and Broward County Stadium, Florida, near Fort Lauderdale. Tickets start at $20, a deal for a sport that’s small but growing. MLC, supported by investors planning growth, aims to go from six teams to ten, with cricket in the 2028 Olympics as a boost. Driving times shape the trip: Oakland to Dallas, 25 hours; Dallas to Fort Lauderdale, 17. Each route ties to a game, mixed with cultural stops, making cricket a summer highlight.

The Mojave spreads wide under a deep purple sky, Route 66 stretching like a film. Near Oklahoma City, a neon sign glows, India Palace. Inside, the air is warm with cumin and chatter, steel plates piled with parathas and aloo gobi. A TV shows highlights from a Major League Cricket game at Grand Prairie Stadium, where a big hit flies into the Texas night. The dhaba, tucked near I-40’s path along Route 66, feels like a meeting of cultures, its tables full of travelers seeking spice and rest.

Route 66, a 2,448-mile path from Chicago to Santa Monica, is America’s classic cross-country drive. From Chicago’s samosa stalls to Texas cricket fields, it’s a journey through a changing nation, alive with dhabas and festivals.

Plan Your Route 66 Trip
Ready to hit Route 66? Here’s what you need to know:

The Great River Road, following the Mississippi for 2,069 miles from Minnesota to Louisiana, sings with music and stories. In Clarksdale, Ground Zero Blues Club serves catfish and Southern heart, a nod to the region’s depth. From river towns to nearby temples, this national journey weaves immigrant tales with South Asian culture, offering a summer of discovery.

Plan Your Great River Road Trip
Ready to follow the Mississippi? Here’s what you need to know:

The Pacific Coast Highway, a 380-mile road from San Francisco to Los Angeles, is like a Bollywood movie. Cliffs line the ocean, sparkling like a film star’s smile. At the Golden Gate Bridge, My Name Is Khan’s setting, a photo catches dramatic style. In Big Sur, curry stops like Nepenthe offer spice among pines. In Los Angeles, Pioneer Boulevard in Artesia is a Little India full of memories, with snack shops and bright lehengas. This West Coast drive is perfect for a quick summer escape.

Plan Your Pacific Coast Highway Trip
Ready to drive the PCH? Here’s what you need to know:

The Natchez Trace Parkway, a 444-mile path from Tennessee to Mississippi, offers calm. Tree-lined and slow, it’s full of Civil Rights history, signs mark Freedom Riders’ struggles. Nearby, Atlanta’s BAPS temple hosts festivals, and Southern food adds flavor. This Southern drive is a peaceful regional getaway.

Plan Your Natchez Trace Parkway Trip
Ready to explore the Natchez Trace? Here’s what you need to know:

Colorado’s Million Dollar Highway, a 25-mile stretch of U.S. 550, excites. Sharp turns and mountain views need focus; a soak at Ouray’s hot springs calms the ride. Nearby dhabas and distant cricket games add culture to this short Rockies drive, ideal for a weekend trip.

Plan Your Million Dollar Highway Trip
Ready to tackle the Million Dollar Highway? Here’s what you need to know:

The Blue Ridge Parkway, 469 miles from Virginia to North Carolina, waits. Hurricane Helene’s landslides closed parts; recovery aims for 2026. When open, its mountain views and nearby festivals shine. This Appalachian drive is a regional gem for future summers.

Plan Your Blue Ridge Parkway Trip
Ready to drive the Blue Ridge? Here’s what you need to know:

These roads, Route 66, the Mississippi, the PCH, were once America’s dream, a simple story. Now they carry new tales, bhajans, cricket shots, parathas. Whether you’re chasing a big hit under the lights of Grand Prairie Stadium, finding peace in the quiet of a Robbinsville temple, or posing for a Bollywood-style photo against the Pacific’s shine, this summer invites you to make the road yours. Pack the samosas, let the music play through open windows, and drive toward the unexpected. The trip, across miles, memories, cultures, offers something lasting. And when you return, the chai will be ready, warm with the stories you’ve found.

Happy driving! 🚗✨

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