The Automobile Opens the Map
As automobiles became more dependable and roads improved, Americans gained a new freedom: the ability to travel long distances on their own schedules.
Motels, Diners and Roadside America
Businesses developed to serve motorists. Motels, gas stations, diners, tourist attractions and roadside signs became familiar parts of the American landscape.
Travel Becomes Part of Everyday Life
Road trips changed how families vacationed and how people thought about distance. The automobile turned many places that once seemed remote into destinations that could be reached in a day or two.