10 routes for your next American road trip

On the road

10 routes for your next American road trip

Road trips are nearly as American as apple pie, and for good reason. The variety of landscapes and ecosystems across the U.S. makes any journey as enjoyable and rewarding as the final destination. But the multitude of options can sometimes make choosing a route more difficult. If you want to plan a road trip but don’t know where to go, here are 10 options to get you started.

Blue Ridge Parkway

Often nicknamed "America’s favorite drive," this 469-mile road takes us from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina, traversing the Blue Ridge Mountains, a subrange of the Appalachians.

Though the route avoids major cities, there is no shortage of resting areas and stop sites along the way. Key highlights of this route include a stop at Humpback Rocks to see the fall foliage, the Terrapin Mountain and Arnold Valley Overlook, the Peaks of Otter, Mabry Mill, and Crabtree Falls.

Redwoods to Crater Lake

Starting in the Redwood National and State Parks, this route takes you from California to Oregon in about five to six hours—that is, if you don’t stop at all. There are numerous attractions and must-see landscapes along the way, but we’ll name just a few: the Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Battery Point Light, Stout Grove, Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve, Upper and Lower Table Rock, and Wizard Island.

Florida Keys Overseas Highway

This short but vibrant route takes you across 113 miles and 42 bridges, island-hopping through the Florida Keys. An ideal route for sea lovers, the Overseas Highway offers stunning ocean views, beaches, and plenty of seafood to enjoy. Highlights of this route include John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, the Seven Mile Bridge, Bahia Honda State Park, and Duval Street.

The Cascade Loop Scenic Byway

If you want to experience Washington state’s natural beauty, this is the route for you. A 440-mile-long road, it contains three well-known scenic byways—the Stevens Pass Greenway, the North Cascades Highway, and the Whidbey Scenic Isle Way—and takes you across nine distinct regions that showcase the diversity of the Pacific Northwest.

Going-to-the-Sun Road

Dating back to the 1920s, this route may be short—a mere 50 miles—but it has remained extremely popular. Traversing Glacier National Park in Montana, it connects its east and west entrances via the 6,466-foot-high Logan Pass. Recommended stops include Lake McDonald Lodge, the Trail of the Cedars, the St. Mary Falls trail, and the Logan Pass Visitor Center.

Black Hills to Badlands

Looking for what to do in South Dakota? Look no further. From the Black Hills in Custer State Park to Badlands National Park, this route is one of the best ways to experience these nearby yet very different landscapes. Popular stops include the Badlands Loop Road, Needles Highway, Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial, Wind Cave National Park, and the Mammoth Site.

Olympic Peninsula Loop

A scenic drive through Washington's Olympic National Park, this roughly 300-mile loop mainly follows U.S. Route 101 and offers a mix of coastal scenery, rainforests, and mountain views. Highlights of this route include Hurricane Ridge, Lake Crescent, the Hoh Rainforest, Ruby Beach, the Quinault Rainforest, and Cape Flattery, the northwesternmost point of the contiguous U.S.

Grand Canyon to Sedona

Located about 110 miles apart and connected by Arizona State Route 89A, these are two extremely popular destinations for good reason. Grand Canyon, one of America’s most recognizable landmarks, offers stunning views from locations such as Mather Point, the Yavapai Geology Museum, or the Bright Angel Trail. A short drive away, Cathedral Rock, Doe Mountain, and the Chapel of the Holy Cross are some of the highlights of Sedona.

The Great River Road

While this route in full may not be for everyone, its different sections can serve as a roadmap for a variety of trips. Following the course of the Mississippi River, this network of roads spans more than 2,000 miles across ten different states, from Minnesota to Louisiana. Among its iconic stops, we can find Lake Itasca, Cahokia Mounds, the Gateway Arch, Memphis’s Beale Street, and New Orleans, just to name a few.

New England Coast

There is no set route to travel through coastal New England, but road trip enthusiasts often start in New Haven, continuing through Providence, Boston, Salem, and Portsmouth, before heading north to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. Must-see stops include Ocean Drive, the Freedom Trail, Cape Cod, and Ogunquit.