Road Trips in the United States
The road trip is woven into the fabric of American identity, and the United States offers an unrivaled network of scenic highways, historic routes, and byways that showcase the country’s staggering diversity. From coastal cliffs to desert canyons and mountain passes, few nations reward a driver quite like this one.
American road trips range from cross-country odysseys like the historic Route 66 to concentrated scenic drives through a single national park or mountain range. The country’s excellent road infrastructure, roadside culture, and endless small towns make self-driving the quintessential way to experience its landscapes.
Many of these routes are destinations in themselves, engineered marvels that cling to cliffsides or thread through alpine passes. Whether you have a week to loop through Utah’s national parks or a month to cross the continent, the open road offers a uniquely American sense of freedom and discovery.
Top Road Trips#
Route 66, Chicago to Los Angeles The Mother Road runs some 2,400 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica, a nostalgic ribbon of Americana threading through eight states. Though largely replaced by interstates, its surviving stretches are lined with vintage diners, neon motels, and quirky roadside attractions. Driving Route 66 is a journey through the golden age of the American automobile and the mythology of the open road.
Pacific Coast Highway, California California’s Highway 1 hugs the Pacific coastline for hundreds of miles, delivering nonstop ocean views, dramatic cliffs, and charming seaside towns. The stretch through Big Sur, where the road clings to sheer bluffs above crashing surf, is among the most beautiful drives on Earth. Along the way, travelers pass elephant seal colonies, redwood groves, and the glittering coastline of Southern California.
Blue Ridge Parkway, Virginia and North Carolina The Blue Ridge Parkway winds 469 miles along the crest of the southern Appalachian Mountains, connecting Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains national parks. This leisurely, commercial-free scenic drive is famous for its misty mountain overlooks and blazing autumn foliage. Countless trailheads, waterfalls, and Appalachian craft centers invite lingering along the way.
Overseas Highway, Florida Keys The Overseas Highway carries US-1 for 113 miles across 42 bridges, skipping from island to island all the way to Key West. The Seven Mile Bridge, soaring over turquoise water, is the drive’s unforgettable centerpiece. The journey feels like driving across the ocean itself, ending in the laid-back, southernmost town in the continental US.
Going-to-the-Sun Road, Montana Going-to-the-Sun Road climbs over the Continental Divide through the heart of Glacier National Park, a 50-mile engineering marvel carved into sheer mountainsides. The narrow, hairpin-laced route reveals glacier-carved valleys, alpine meadows, and cascading waterfalls. Snow keeps the high sections closed for much of the year, so the summer driving window is precious and often crowded.
Utah’s Mighty 5, Utah This grand loop links all five of Utah’s spectacular national parks: Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, and Zion. The drive traverses an otherworldly landscape of red-rock arches, hoodoos, slot canyons, and towering mesas. Scenic byways like Highway 12 connect the parks through some of the most dramatic desert scenery in the American Southwest.
Great River Road, Mississippi River The Great River Road follows the mighty Mississippi for some 3,000 miles from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, tracing the nation’s most storied waterway. The route passes river bluffs, antebellum towns, blues juke joints, and the birthplaces of American music. It offers an intimate portrait of the heartland, from the northern headwaters to the bayous of Louisiana.
Beartooth Highway, Montana and Wyoming The Beartooth Highway climbs to nearly 11,000 feet through a dizzying series of switchbacks near Yellowstone’s northeast entrance. Often called the most beautiful drive in America, it crosses a high alpine plateau of tundra, snowfields, and glacial lakes. The road is only open in summer, and even then travelers may encounter snow at the breathtaking Beartooth Pass.
Natchez Trace Parkway, Tennessee to Mississippi The Natchez Trace Parkway follows an ancient corridor once traveled by Native Americans, settlers, and boatmen for 444 miles from Nashville to Natchez. This tranquil, commercial-free parkway is dotted with historic sites, burial mounds, and sections of the original sunken trail. Its gentle pace and rich history make it a meditative drive through the Old South.
The Loneliest Road, US-50, Nevada US-50 across Nevada earned its nickname the Loneliest Road in America for its vast stretches of empty high desert and basin-and-range scenery. The route crosses remote mountain passes and passes ghost towns and Pony Express stations. The sheer solitude is the appeal, offering a hypnotic, wide-open drive through the heart of the Great Basin.
Big Sur, Highway 1, California The Big Sur stretch of Highway 1 is often singled out as the crown jewel of the Pacific Coast, where the Santa Lucia Mountains plunge straight into the sea. Iconic stops include Bixby Creek Bridge and the waterfall at McWay Cove that spills onto a hidden beach. Every curve reveals a new vista of surf-battered cliffs, making it a drive to savor slowly.
Historic Columbia River Highway, Oregon The Historic Columbia River Highway was America’s first scenic highway, an elegant early-1900s route through the lush Columbia River Gorge. The road winds past a string of spectacular waterfalls, including the towering Multnomah Falls. Graceful stone bridges and viewpoints like the Vista House showcase the gorge’s dramatic beauty and pioneering engineering.