A change of scenery, learning about different cultures and landscapes, encounters with new people—it’s all there, waiting to transform us.

In this issue, we debut a new regular column, Side Roads, by longtime ROVA contributor Erin McGrady, in which she’ll share stories from her road-tripping history and adventurous life.

Also, read about Route 66’s evolution from a freedom-giving highway to a nostalgic road trip; we look at America’s history 250 years on from the Declaration of Independence; Seniye Groff enters a new phase of life as she embarks on a solo road trip; and Cara AnnMarie shares how she can be both a Hollywood star and an RV adventurer.

In our Places section, Aidan Breaux takes a look at the beauty of Joshua Tree in winter; Mike Hipple gets weird in the Southwest; Allison McClain Merrill shares five great road trips from Detroit; and Catherine Mines explores Louisiana’s Cajun Country.