6 Best Road Movies of All Time

By Vlad Zakh · March 19, 2026

The open road is cinema’s favorite metaphor for self-discovery. Nebraska has an elderly father insisting on traveling to claim a sweepstakes prize, Y Tu Mama Tambien sends two teenage boys and an older woman to a remote beach, and Little Miss Sunshine loads a dysfunctional family into a battered van. Rain Man, Thelma & Louise and Easy Rider round out the six.

Nebraska (2013)

IMDb ★ 7.7 RT 90% Metacritic 86

A son drives his confused, ageing father across the Midwest to claim a sweepstakes prize that isn't real.

Directed by Alexander Payne · 1h 55m · Rated R

Nominated for 6 Oscars29 wins & 171 nominations

Where to watch

Rent: JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Y Tu Mamá También (2001)

IMDb ★ 7.7 RT 90% Metacritic 89

A road-trip comedy that turns unexpectedly melancholy about class and mortality.

Directed by Alfonso Cuarón · 1h 46m · Rated NR

Nominated for 1 Oscar39 wins & 48 nominations

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

IMDb ★ 7.8 RT 91% Metacritic 80

A dysfunctional family road-trips a young girl to a beauty pageant she barely wants to attend.

Directed by Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris · 1h 42m · Rated R

Won 2 Oscars73 wins & 112 nominations

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Rain Man (1988)

IMDb ★ 8.0 RT 88% Metacritic 65

A fast-talking hustler discovers his estranged brother is an autistic savant during a cross-country road trip.

Directed by Barry Levinson · 2h 14m · Rated R

Won 4 Oscars27 wins & 26 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max Amazon Channel, MGM Plus, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Thelma & Louise (1991)

IMDb ★ 7.6 RT 87% Metacritic 89

Two friends' weekend getaway spirals into a fugitive run from the law across the American Southwest.

Directed by Ridley Scott · 2h 10m · Rated R

Won 1 Oscar24 wins & 52 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Easy Rider (1969)

IMDb ★ 7.2 RT 84% Metacritic 85

Two bikers' cross-country trip to sell drugs becomes a snapshot of a fractured late-60s America.

Directed by Dennis Hopper · 1h 36m · Rated R

Nominated for 2 Oscars12 wins & 14 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

6 Best Road Movies of All Time

Nebraska (2013)

Y Tu Mamá También (2001)

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

Rain Man (1988)

Thelma & Louise (1991)

Easy Rider (1969)

You might also like

23 Best Ensemble Cast Movies of All Time

6 Best Grandparent and Grandchild Bond Movies

6 Best Independent Spirit Award Best Feature Winners

50 Movies to Watch Before You Turn 30

6 Best Small-Town America Movies

25 Best Road Trip Movies of All Time