There’s something uniquely American about packing up the car, turning up the radio, and hitting the open highway with nothing but possibilities ahead. From the sun-drenched coastal curves of California’s Pacific Coast Highway to the breathtaking heights of the Blue Ridge Parkway, America’s roadways offer adventures that no other form of travel can match. These legendary routes tell the story of a nation—winding through small towns where diners still serve pie just like they did fifty years ago, stretching across painted deserts where the horizon seems endless, and climbing mountain passes that leave you literally above the clouds.
Whether you’re looking to rediscover the classic Route 66 experience or find solace among the towering redwoods, these thirty epic American road trips promise memories that last far longer than the odometer miles they cover. Gas up, grab your map, and get ready to discover why sometimes the journey truly is the destination.
#1 California 1
California 1, also known as the Pacific Coast Highway, runs along the stunning California coastline. Famous for its dramatic ocean views, cliffs, and scenic towns, it’s one of the most beautiful drives in the world. Stretching from Orange County to Mendocino, it combines natural beauty with classic California charm.
Image source: Diliff
#2 Oregon Coast Highway
The Oregon Coast Highway runs along the entire Pacific coastline of Oregon, offering rugged cliffs, sandy beaches, and historic lighthouses. Known for its dramatic views and access to coastal towns, it’s a perfect mix of natural beauty and local charm. The route is also famous for year-round ocean storms and whale watching.
Image source: JT Perreault
#3 Overseas Highway
The Overseas Highway links mainland Florida to Key West, stretching across 113 miles of bridges and islands. Known for its incredible ocean views, it feels like driving on water. Built along old railroad tracks, the highway offers a one-of-a-kind tropical road trip through the Florida Keys.
Image source: United States Department of Transportation
#4 Hana Highway
Hana Highway winds along Maui’s lush coastline, connecting Kahului to the small town of Hana. Famous for its 600 curves and dozens of waterfalls, this narrow road is all about the journey, not the destination. Drivers pass rainforests, ocean cliffs, and hidden beaches, making it one of Hawaii’s most scenic drives.
Image source: Historic American Engineering Record; Library of Congress HAER HI-75-179
#5 U.S. Route 163
U.S. Route 163 cuts through the heart of Monument Valley, showcasing some of the most iconic desert scenery in the American Southwest. Famous for its towering red rock formations and wide open skies, this route feels like driving through a classic Western film, capturing the spirit of the Navajo Nation lands.
Image source: King of Hearts
#6 U.S. Route 101
U.S. Route 101 is a legendary highway that follows the Pacific coastline from Washington to California, passing through forests, beaches, and iconic cities. One of its most famous landmarks is the Golden Gate Bridge, where travelers cross into San Francisco with breathtaking views of the bay and the open ocean beyond.
Image source: Frank Schulenburg
#7 Route 66
Route 66 is the most legendary road trip in America, stretching from Chicago to Los Angeles. Known as the “Mother Road,” it’s packed with vintage diners, quirky roadside attractions, and classic Americana. Driving this route feels like stepping back in time, capturing the spirit of old-school cross-country travel.
Image source: Dietmar Rabich
#8 Blue Ridge Parkway
The Blue Ridge Parkway stretches through the Appalachian Mountains, connecting Virginia and North Carolina. Known for its gentle curves and stunning mountain views, it’s especially famous in fall when the leaves turn brilliant colors. This route also passes historic sites, hiking trails, and overlooks, making it a perfect blend of nature and history.
Image source: Chrishash1991
#9 San Juan Skyway Scenic And Historic Byway
The San Juan Skyway loops through Colorado’s rugged San Juan Mountains, passing historic mining towns, alpine passes, and dramatic cliffs. Known for its jaw-dropping views and steep switchbacks, this high-altitude route offers a perfect mix of natural beauty and Wild West history, especially along the famous “Million Dollar Highway.”
Image source: Achilles45645
#10 Alaska Highway
The Alaska Highway stretches over 1,300 miles from British Columbia to Alaska, crossing remote wilderness, mountain ranges, and wide-open tundra. Built during World War II, it’s both a historic engineering feat and an epic adventure road, offering drivers endless natural beauty and a true sense of isolation.
Image source: Qyd
#11 Washington State Route 20
Washington State Route 20, also known as the North Cascades Highway, crosses the rugged North Cascades Mountains. Known for its steep climbs, alpine lakes, and glacier views, it’s one of the most scenic mountain drives in the Pacific Northwest. The route also connects to charming small towns and remote hiking trails.
Image source: Anthony Maw
#12 U.S. Route 40
U.S. Route 40 stretches coast to coast, from Atlantic City, New Jersey, to Utah, passing through historic towns, farmlands, and mountains. Known as the “Main Street of America” before Route 66, it offers a look at the country’s changing landscapes and history, from colonial sites to western plains.
Image source: Famartin
#13 Great River Road
The Great River Road follows the path of the Mississippi River, stretching through 10 states from Minnesota to Louisiana. It’s known for its mix of history, culture, and natural beauty, passing through small river towns, wetlands, and historic sites. This route offers a deep look at America’s heartland along its most famous river.
Image source: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
#14 U.S. Route 50 In Nevada
U.S. Route 50 in Nevada is known as the “Loneliest Road in America.” It cuts across wide-open desert, remote mountains, and tiny towns, offering incredible solitude and big skies. This route is all about the adventure of isolation, where drivers experience the true vastness of the American West.
Image source: Mobilus In Mobili
#15 Beartooth Highway
Beartooth Highway is a high-altitude road winding through Montana and Wyoming, offering jaw-dropping views of rugged peaks, alpine lakes, and sweeping valleys. Climbing to nearly 11,000 feet, it’s one of the most dramatic mountain drives in the U.S., especially popular with adventure seekers heading to Yellowstone.
Image source: Trevor Darley
#16 U.S. Route 25e
U.S. Route 25E crosses through the Cumberland Gap, a historic mountain pass connecting Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. Known for its role in early westward expansion, the route offers beautiful Appalachian scenery. Today, drivers can experience both natural beauty and a sense of American history along this historic corridor.
Image source: AppalachianCentrist
#17 South Dakota Highway 87
South Dakota Highway 87, also called the Needles Highway, winds through the Black Hills, known for its sharp granite spires and narrow rock tunnels. It’s a short drive, but packed with dramatic scenery, wildlife, and hairpin turns. This scenic route is a highlight for anyone exploring Custer State Park.
Image source: Navin75
#18 Utah State Route 12
Utah State Route 12 crosses through some of the most stunning desert landscapes in the U.S., linking Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef. Known as “A Journey Through Time Scenic Byway,” it passes red rock cliffs, slot canyons, and ancient fossils. Every mile offers a new look at Utah’s unique geology.
Image source: Jason J. Corneveaux
#19 Skyline Drive
Skyline Drive runs along the crest of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, offering 105 miles of stunning views through Shenandoah National Park. Known for its peaceful overlooks and wildlife sightings, it’s especially popular in fall when the mountains light up with colorful leaves. This scenic route also connects directly to the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Image source: Shenandoah National Park
#20 Lake Shore Drive
Lake Shore Drive runs along Chicago’s Lake Michigan shoreline, offering stunning views of both the water and the city’s famous skyline. Known for its blend of urban energy and natural beauty, this iconic route passes parks, beaches, and museums, making it one of the most scenic urban drives in the U.S.
Image source: J. Miers – User: (WT-shared) Jtesla16 at wts wikivoyage
#21 Trail Ridge Road
Trail Ridge Road crosses Rocky Mountain National Park, reaching elevations over 12,000 feet. Known as the highest paved road in the U.S., it offers sweeping alpine views, wildlife sightings, and dramatic tundra landscapes. The route connects Estes Park and Grand Lake, showcasing Colorado’s rugged mountain beauty at every turn.
Image source: Dariusz Kowalczyk
#22 Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway
The Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway stretches from Oregon to California, linking volcanic landmarks like Crater Lake and Mount Shasta. Known for its dramatic geology, the route passes lava fields, crater lakes, and ancient calderas. It’s a journey through the volcanic history that shaped the Pacific Northwest’s rugged landscape.
Image source: Semionk (talk · contribs)
#23 Seward Highway
The Seward Highway runs from Anchorage to Seward, offering some of Alaska’s most dramatic scenery. Drivers pass glaciers, rugged mountains, and the waters of Turnagain Arm, where beluga whales are often spotted. This route is known for its wild beauty and easy access to outdoor adventures along the Kenai Peninsula.
Image source: Xnatedawgx
#24 Going-To-The-Sun Road
Hana Highway winds along Maui’s lush coastline, connecting Kahului to the small town of Hana. Famous for its 600 curves and dozens of waterfalls, this narrow road is all about the journey, not the destination. Drivers pass rainforests, ocean cliffs, and hidden beaches, making it one of Hawaii’s most scenic drives.
Image source: Lankyrider
#25 Natchez Trace Parkway
The Natchez Trace Parkway follows an ancient travel route that stretches from Mississippi to Tennessee. Known for its peaceful scenery and rich history, the road passes through forests, wetlands, and historic sites. With no billboards or commercial traffic allowed, it’s a quiet, scenic drive perfect for exploring the Deep South’s natural beauty.
Image source: Carol M. Highsmith
#26 Kancamagus Highway
New Hampshire Route 112, better known as the Kancamagus Highway, winds through the heart of the White Mountains. It’s famous for its stunning fall foliage, attracting leaf peepers every autumn. With no billboards or businesses along the way, it’s a peaceful, scenic drive focused entirely on nature.
Image source: Theletterm1973
#27 U.S. Route 61
U.S. Route 61, known as the “Blues Highway,” stretches from Minnesota to Louisiana, following the Mississippi River. It’s legendary for its deep ties to American music history, especially blues and rock. Along the way, travelers pass through iconic cities like Memphis and New Orleans, experiencing both cultural history and river landscapes.
Image source: McGhiever
#28 Park Loop Road
Park Loop Road is the main scenic drive through Acadia National Park in Maine. It winds past rocky coastlines, dense forests, and granite peaks, offering easy access to some of the park’s most famous sights. This short but stunning loop gives visitors a perfect overview of Acadia’s natural beauty.
Image source: Tony Webster
#29 California State Route 190
California State Route 190 crosses through Death Valley, one of the hottest places on Earth. It offers a rare chance to drive through extreme desert landscapes, from salt flats to colorful canyons. Known for its otherworldly scenery, this route highlights the unique geology and harsh beauty of the Mojave Desert.
Image source: Adbar
#30 California State Route 18
California State Route 18, also called the Rim of the World Highway, winds through the San Bernardino Mountains. Known for its sweeping views over valleys and distant cities, this high-altitude road connects mountain towns and popular outdoor spots. It’s a scenic gateway to hiking, skiing, and year-round recreation.
Image source: Kspencerfan
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