Electric vehicle ownership is on the rise in the USA – the amount of registered EVs in the country tripled from 2016 to 2020 (to 1.8 million), while registrations were up 60% in the first quarter of 2022, compared with the same period in 2021. To meet this need, charging stations are popping up across North America, from vast national parks to buzzy cities, and that means a holiday with your EV has never been easier. Here are our favourite destinations for a low-impact road trip.

Those looking to take an iconic American road trip in their EV would do well to consider California’s Big Sur. Along this 87-mile (139km) route, stretching between Carmel-by-the-Sea and San Simeon, there are 78 EV chargers in total, as well as plenty of stirring spots to stay and charge up. Larger groups should check out this coastal self-catering Airbnb, which can host up to nine people and is located just along the coast from Big Sur village. Or try eco-friendly haven Ventura Big Sur, which is equipped with eight Tesla chargers and two regular chargers. 

Sticking with California's Central Coast, EV road-trippers can't go wrong with a pitstop in Ventura. The pretty city is a gateway to the Channel Islands National Park – a rugged string of isles known for their sea caves and abundant marine life – and is packed with little boutiques and seafood spots. You now can charge up right on the harbour: five SemaConnect charging stations have been installed here. 

The Sunshine State is packed to the brim with incredible scenery, but nowhere more so than at the Everglades National Park, a biodiverse wetland that's home to manatees, crocodiles, alligators and dolphins. Head to Long Pine Key Campsite, located within easy reach of the Southern Glades, where you’ll find a SemaConnect J-1772 Level 2 charger at the nearby Ernest Coe Visitor Center. Or to explore the equally gorgeous Big Cypress National Preserve, set up camp at Monument Lake Campground and make the most of the charging facilities at Big Cypress Oasis Visitor Center. 

Thanks to the National Park Service’s Green Parks Plan, EV charging stations are easy to come by while you’re enjoying the most impressive landscapes in America. Make a beeline for Cape Cod National Seashore, where you’ll find plenty of idyllic bays to stretch out in, sand dunes to frolic in and salt marshes to clamber across. There are four SemaConnect J-1772 Level 2 chargers at Wellfleet Town Hall, near Wellfleet Hollow State Campground, as well as a 17 kW Tesla plug at Brewster’s Captain Freeman Inn.

Discover why sustainable travel in the US has never been easier

Do you hear the call of the wild? The Yukon is committed to boosting its EV charging infrastructure – the government, in conjunction with Natural Resources Canada, is hoping to install some 200 charging stations across the region. Right now Marsh Lake Campground, located at the northern tip of its namesake lake in southern Yukon, is easily one of the most beautiful spots to discover. The scenic area is best known for its wildlife and if you visit in spring, you can enjoy the theatrical show put on by thousands of swans migrating here (there’s even a festival in their honour every April). Nearby, you’ll find a Level 3 FLO charging station that's open 24 hours a day.

Skyline Drive, which beats a 105-mile (169km) path along the brow of the Blue Ridge Mountains, is Shenandoah's crown jewel – and that's saying something in a park filled with wildflower-flooded meadows, waterfalls and woodland. Happily, it's easy to explore in an electric vehicle. There's a charging station at Skyland (mile 41.7 and 42.5), a rustic-modern lodge whose high elevation offers sweeping views of the mountains. 

Love this? Follow our Facebook page for more travel inspiration

At the blindingly beautiful Jasper National Park in the heart of the Canadian Rockies, you’ll find emerald lakes, steaming hot springs, enormous glaciers and wandering bears. But you’ll also find plenty of places to charge your electric car, thanks to a partnership between Parks Canada and Tesla. For a fabulous place to stay, check out Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, a five-minute walk from a Tesla charging station. Rooms here are spacious and comfortable, plus there’s a lakefront pool in which to unwind (needless to say, the views are jaw-dropping).

These are the most beautiful weekend road trips in Canada

If you're dreaming of a city break with your EV, set your sights on Washington DC. There are hundreds of charging points across town, in neighbourhoods from quaint Georgetown to buzzing Dupont Circle. Luxurious and historic in equal measure, the Watergate Hotel also has its own charging points and makes a great base. It was the site of the Watergate Scandal 50 years ago and today its distinctive curved façade still stands out among the city's many Neoclassical buildings.

America's very first national park is keeping up with the EV trend too. There are six charging points across Yellowstone, in locations close to some of the park's most breathtaking wonders, from Old Faithful to Yellowstone Fishing Bridge. Once you're all set, strike into the park to discover spurting geysers, kaleidoscopic springs and wildlife from bears to bison. You can charge up at the North and West entrance too.

Of bison and bears: why Yellowstone reminds us of our place on the planet

There's been a push to install more electric vehicle charging stations across Vancouver Island, known for its wild, windswept beaches and its artsy cities. Make your base in Victoria, British Columbia's vibrant capital – there's a good choice of charging stations in the Downtown area, which has busy shopping streets and gorgeous harbour views. Push north and you can also charge up in Tofino, a village on the Clayoquot Sound with legendary surf. 

Unsurprisingly, Motor City is a leader when it comes to electric vehicles in the States. In fact, Israeli company Electreon is set to install a stretch of road that will wirelessly charge EVs as they pass. For now, though, you can charge up at plenty of stationary locations across Detroit. There are a couple of points in hip Corktown – where favoured foodie spots include Slows Bar BQ – and plenty in Downtown, close to Campus Martius Park and store-packed Woodward Avenue. 

Among Hawaii's population, there's been a 35% increase in electric vehicle ownership in the past year. And happily for EV road-trippers the infrastructure is set to catch up. Around £2.5 million ($3m) has been set aside to build EV charging stations on Oahu and Kauai. At present, many charging points are concentrated around Honolulu, Hawaii's beachy capital. Juice up and then strike out to experience more of Oahu's treasures, from the surfers' beaches of the North Shore to the poignant Pearl Harbor National Memorial.

30 reasons why you should visit Hawaii

Toronto is often praised for its green credentials, from its huge number of LEED-certified buildings to its excellent public transport system. And it's a great option for a holiday with your electric vehicle too, with charging locations within easy reach of landmarks including the CN Tower, Royal Ontario Museum and High Park. The city is set to add more than 30 on-street public EV charging stations throughout 2022 too. 

You hardly needed another reason to visit Washington’s Olympic National Park, a one-million-acre treasure trove of ancient forests, hulking mountains and rugged coastlines. But it also has a great network of EV chargers. The best place to refuel (both yourself and your vehicle) is at Kalaloch Lodge, perched on Kalaloch Creek, which is a couple of minutes’ walk from a SemaConnect charging station with four spaces. Choose between private cabins, rooms in the main lodge or tent pitches in the campsite, while a feast of locally sourced food can be found at the Creekside Restaurant.

Now discover the surprising national park facts you didn't know