The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word ROADSIDES
R
O
A
D
S
I
D
E
S
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "places along the way" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case places along the way = roadsides.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does ROADSIDES mean?
ROADSIDES noun- The area on either side of a road.