The long-awaited Great American Road Trip series — following Transportation Sec. Sean Duffy, his wife, and eight of their children as they travel the country together in honor of America 250 — was released on Wednesday. In an age where educators and politicians continue to prioritize divisive Marxist ideology over American history and society makes no effort to hide just how anti-family it has become, the series seems to be a much-needed breath of fresh, patriotic air.
The six-part series highlights the unique beauty of American landmarks and cities, including Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Boston, Fort Worth, and more. But the Duffys don’t just travel to their destinations. They also intentionally immerse themselves in the individual experiences there.
“While the Duffy family couldn’t go everywhere, we tried to select a wide range of destinations from all corners of the country to offer a snapshot of America’s remarkable diversity,” Great American Road Trip Executive Director Tori Barnes told The Federalist.
Ahead of its release, the nonprofit behind the series shared with The Federalist the first episode, in which the Duffys launch their first trip from Washington, D.C., and travel to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
After a send-off from President Trump at the White House, the family made their way to see the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, as well as walk the historic streets of Philly.
Although the country offers its fair share of history lessons and classic museums, the series also shows the family sharing unique experiences with current-day Americans. In a later episode also shared with The Federalist, the family travels to Texas, where Sec. Duffy and his kids — despite a lack of musical coordination, as oldest daughter Evita Duffy-Alfonso admits — learn a line dance and enjoy farm life.
Civic Education Without America Hatred
In the first episode of the series, the Duffy kids hear about the founding and early years of the nation. On the family’s first historical stop to see the Liberty Bell, Sec. of the Interior Doug Burgum — who oversees the national parks throughout the country — discusses the first reading of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia before the Revolutionary War was won. He emphasizes the courage of the signers and their commitment to independence under threat of treason. This honor for the founders was echoed at the Duffys’ next stop, Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776.
It’s no secret that years of encroaching cultural Marxism and DEI obsessions have seeped into governments and schools across the nation, hell-bent on diminishing and caveating the achievements of the founders. Such ideology has led to the production of anti-American propaganda and messaging across museums and national parks basically telling citizens to be ashamed of their home. Although the Trump administration has launched efforts to rid public institutions of this kind of rot, years of damage have already been done as countless children grew up absorbing it.
That’s what makes the simple presentation of American exceptionalism in this first episode of The Great American Road Trip refreshing. No scholarly debates, no in-the-weeds caveats, just the declaration that our founders were brave and we owe our way of life to them. Yes, it’s elementary information, but returning to the basics can cut through ideological noise.
Although the first episode of The Great American Road Trip does not explicitly mention the cultural and political debates surrounding anti-American messaging in museums and national parks, it emphasizes the historical locations themselves rather than the messaging that may or may not be there, and that focus arguably functions to counter radicalism. The point of the series is to inspire Americans to see America for themselves, and as Barnes noted in a statement, “Loving and celebrating America should be a nonpartisan pursuit.”
Grassroots Americans Are the Heart of the Nation
Another notable aspect of the series is how it appears to rely on everyday Americans to tell the story of America. For example, when the family travels to Texas, Sec. Diffy visits employees at CRH — the “leading company that provides asphalt and concrete in America.”
“You don’t have many of our interstates unless you have plants like this to make sure those roads stay operational … and keeps you and your family safe,” Sec. Duffy said. Later in the episode, in which Duffy spends time learning about ranch life from a cowboy, he noted he has “the utmost respect for the cowboys and ranchers that do this work every single day.” They “make America great.”
The episodes also highlight local restaurants and businesses the family visits on the way.
[READ: 37 All-American Diners, Hash Houses, And Greasy Spoons To Fuel Your Summer Road Trip]
It’s Not a Road Trip Without the Family
Like every reality TV-style show, The Great American Road Trip has its moments of silly family drama and goofy interview dialogue. But there’s no doubt that amid the “controlled chaos” of their adventures, the love this family has for each other is what gives the road trip series its meaning.
Birth rates are dangerously low. Families continue to be torn apart by radical ideologies and policies that don’t value life or traditional structures. But saving America starts in the family. Road trips are a uniquely American way to spend time with family and develop these bonds. The series with the Duffys shows siblings who laugh with each other, parents who know the particular personalities of the little ones entrusted to them, a family praying together before bed, eating together, and teasing one another. Even if some of the interactions throughout the show are scripted, its emphasis on experiencing America as a family may be its most inspiring aspect.
With high gas prices and persistent affordability issues, taking a long road trip and paying for certain experiences may not be possible for some families. But there are ways to scale it down or create meaningful learning experiences close to home.
Even though gas prices may be high, “a road trip is still the most affordable get away for families — especially large ones!” Barnes told The Federalist. “The Great American Road Trip is a campaign to inspire families to fall in love with America,” which can include “rediscovering your own state, or even your hometown, too.”
The Great American Road Trip website links to dozens of stops throughout the U.S. that could be worked into a road trip. There are also plenty of great resources with pro-American messaging that families can use to explore America without even leaving the house.
