Family road trips never go out of style. But they do get predictable. Even when you set out with the best of intentions, you’re still dealing with a bunch of children here. You can’t get too rowdy, otherwise, you’re being unsafe. Still, how do you avoid a road trip in which the kids are just glued to their screens in the back of the minivan? Fun car games and great playlists can help ease the tedium, but having a great route in the first place is crucial.

Creating a safe and fun road trip hardly means you have to stick to the predictable routes, and yes Route 66, we’re looking at you! With roaring rivers, mountain peaks, legendary North American wildlife, and some excellent beach towns on the below itineraries, we’ve scoured the land — and Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula, too — to bring you the most epic options for rolling out for fun and adventure along some routes you might not have considered.