Road trips — the quintessential American family activity. When I was younger, my mother and I would load up the minivan and head out on an adventure. We would hit amusement parks, lakes and national parks and find whatever fun we could along the way.

This year, consider packing up your car with snacks and some good tunes and head to the Southwest. It's prime for a classic summer road trip, but if you're trying to escape the snow, then heading to the American Southwest is one of the best ways to spend a winter vacation.

Here are some of the best Hilton Hotels in the Southwest for your trip.

Lots of Hilton properties to choose from

No matter where you go, chances are that you’ll find a Hilton hotel. If you head over to Hilton’s website and do a search for a city in the Southwest U.S. and zoom out, you'll see just how many hotels there are.

Typically, when I go on a road trip, I try to spend as much time as possible in the location itself, which means that I might spend the entire day in one spot, stopping at a roadside hotel in between. Hilton offers several brands (such as Hampton Inn, Home2 Suites and Hilton Garden Inn) that can be found on many interstate highways. That means plenty of opportunities to redeem Hilton Honors points at almost every stop and nearly every price point.

A Grand Canyon adventure

For a visit to the Grand Canyon in Arizona, the South Rim and the North Rim both have something to offer. So either stick near the south in Flagstaff, or head north toward Page.

In Flagstaff, consider staying at the Hampton Inn & Suites Flagstaff East or the DoubleTree Flagstaff. At Hampton, you’ll enjoy free breakfast for the family, free Wi-Fi and on-site laundry facilities.

The DoubleTree offers breakfast to Hilton’s top tier elite members, and all guests enjoy DoubleTree’s free famous cookie at check-in. And because it’s an all-suites property, you’re guaranteed room to stretch out.

Rates at the DoubleTree range around 50,000 points a night, while the Hampton Inn can be had for roughly the same rate.

Page offers the Home2 Suites by Hilton Page Lake Powell. I've stayed there before and recommend it. A stay in August 2022 would set you back 50,000 Honors points. For that price you’ll get free breakfast, a roomy suite and free Wi-Fi.

Page is a great jumping off point for the Grand Canyon North Rim, Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon, the Monument Valley in Utah and the Navajo Nation.