Top 23 Iconic Road Trips Across the United States

Scenic Drives Across the U.S.

From the dramatic California coast to the history-lined thoroughfares of New England, the U.S. is brimming with scenic drives, some more stunning than others. Take the 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway, for example, meandering past limestone caverns, clear mountain springs, and Appalachian majesty, offering different panoramic vistas depending on the season.

Moreover, sometimes it’s not just nature but also human-made sights that make the trip memorable. As you cruise along Chicago’s Lake Shore Drive, the view to the west includes iconic feats of American architecture such as the Willis Tower, once the tallest building in the world. On U.S. 1 from Key Largo to Key West, travelers pass over coral reefs on the Seven-Mile Bridge, arriving at marinas where they can hand-feed tarpon and enjoy margaritas at beach bars.

1. Hana Highway, Maui

The T-shirts all say: “I survived the road to Hana.” The journey can take more than two and a half hours to travel the 52 miles from Kahului to Hana, as you snake past steep sea cliffs lush with blooming mango trees, ideally stopping to buy banana bread from roadside stalls and take in the Jurassic vistas at every turn. In tiny Hana, a town on eastern Maui, a cinder cone shields a red-sand beach where nudists and endangered monk seals bask idly in the sun. Just beyond where the Road to Hana terminates, about 30 minutes further, are the must-visit Pools of Oheo, a gently cascading, seven-tiered gulch in Haleakala National Park.

2. Blue Ridge Parkway, the Carolinas and Virginia

The nearly 469 miles of blacktop twisting through the Great Smoky Mountains and Shenandoah National Parks cater to travelers seeking Appalachian overlooks. This panoramic drive offers breathtaking views for all seasons, with undulating slopes of color in autumn and a bounty of forest canopy in summer. Nature enthusiasts can even pan for emeralds, amethyst, rubies, topaz, and gold in the mineral-rich Appalachian mountains. The parkway is a paradise for bird watchers, with hundreds of species and an incredible diversity of trees.

3. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago

The architectural marvels of Chicago display a showstopping skyline along this urban drive. From the blocky staircase of the Willis Tower to the Belle Époque elegance of Burnham and Root’s Rookery, and the stark post-Bauhaus designs of Mies van der Rohe, Lake Shore Drive is an undeniable architectural treasure. This picturesque 15-mile stretch should be punctuated with a stop at Millennium Park to visit the iconic Cloud Gate sculpture (also known as “The Bean”).

4. 17-Mile Drive, California

The scenic 17-Mile Drive loops around California’s stunning Monterey Peninsula. Stretching from Pacific Grove to Carmel, this road, privately owned by Pebble Beach, skirts the Pacific coast while providing surfers, seal colonies, and spectacular sunset views. It’s well worth the $11.25 entry fee. Adjacent to the 17-Mile Drive, the Monterey Bay Aquarium features sunlit kelp-forest tanks, petting pools, and an impressive million-gallon tank hosting giant sharks and sea turtles.

5. U.S. 1, Florida Keys

Leaving the mainland for Florida’s Keys, adventurers enter a paradise filled with beach bars, water sports, and enthusiastic Parrotheads. From Key Largo to Key West, the Overseas Highway strings together islands like beads, showcasing lighthouses, underwater coral reef parks, and the Seven-Mile Bridge, one of the longest bridges globally. At the docks in Islamorada, travelers can hand-feed bait fish to tarpon, some measuring over six feet long. Further on Big Pine Key, keep an eye out for the charming residents at the National Key Deer Refuge.

6. Route 12, Utah

The red rock grandeur of Utah is showcased on State Route 12, which winds between Capitol Reef and Bryce Canyon national parks. This 124-mile strip features quirky small towns with very little traffic. Enjoy the breathtaking sandstone canyons and bluffs that line the narrow ridgeline road known as The Hogback. Be sure to stop at Escalante’s artsy log-and-sandstone Kiva Koffeehouse, open Wednesdays to Sundays from April to October, to recharge with a stunning view of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

7. Bluebonnet Trail, Texas

Bluebonnets are beautiful blue wildflowers seen in the U.S. Southwest, particularly in Texas (the official state flower) from March to May. Start your journey in Austin, home of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, and then embark on an eastward drive along U.S. Route 290. You’ll not only see these stunning flowers blooming along the roadside but also in full force in Brenham, your halfway point to Houston. For up-to-date information on the best bluebonnet patches to see, visit Brenham’s official tourism website and make your way to Houston to see them at Buffalo Bayou and Hermann parks.

8. North Shore Drive, Minnesota

The shoreline of Lake Superior in Minnesota reveals glacial beauty. In Duluth, a walking path along the lake highlights the city’s attractions, including a stunning rose garden and an aerial bridge. Nearby, visitors can see ocean tankers anchored in the last inland port of the St. Lawrence Seaway, waiting to transport iron or grain across the globe. Driving from Duluth to Two Harbors takes about 30 minutes, where you’ll admire the shimmering water on the right and birch and northwood maples on the left. Don’t miss Split Rock Lighthouse, now a museum, overlooking Lake Superior’s rugged coast.

9. Trail Ridge Road, Colorado

Welcome to the highest continuously paved road in the U.S. Trail Ridge Road begins at the Beaver Meadows Entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park, reaching an elevation of 12,183 feet. Travelers may spot elk, deer, and bighorn sheep above the tree line in the dramatic tundra. After two to three hours of driving, you’ll arrive at Grand Lake, Colorado’s largest natural body of water, where year-round lake sports await. However, note that Trail Ridge Road is not a year-round route and typically opens from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

10. Kancamagus Highway, New Hampshire

While the White Mountains serve as a year-round sportsperson’s paradise, the autumnal colors are truly spectacular along New Hampshire’s 34.5-mile Kancamagus Highway. Leaf-peepers flock here in October to see the vibrant maples, alder, and birch trees displaying their full technicolor glory. Spring offers beautiful wildflowers such as yellow violets and wood anemones. This route starts in Lincoln and ends in Conway, taking about two to three hours. However, take your time to stop and explore the White Mountains on foot, with highlights such as the half-mile hike to Sabbaday Falls, a three-tiered waterfall accessible right from the road.

11. Going-to-the-Sun Road, Montana

This awe-inspiring public works project weaves through the spine of the Rockies, showcasing Glacier National Park’s snow-covered peaks, sub-alpine meadows, and lakes along the Continental Divide. This 50-mile stretch takes about two hours to drive, but snowdrifts can reach up to 100 feet in winter. Consequently, Going-to-the-Sun Road remains open only when conditions allow, ideally in the summer months. To enrich your road trip, consider attending a class at the Glacier Institute to learn more about the local geology and ecosystem.

12. Highway 101, Oregon

Oregon’s Pacific shoreline is unique, as it is entirely owned by the state and thus open to the public. The roughly 400 miles of beaches off Highway 101 offer unobstructed natural vistas. Between Port Orford and Brookings, fierce sea cliffs contrast with pastoral farmland and roaming cattle in Oregon’s small towns. Be sure to pull over when you spot the roadside Tyrannosaurus rex at the Prehistoric Gardens, home to life-size dinosaur replicas staged amid the lush rainforest landscape.

13. Olympic Peninsula Loop, Washington

Highway 101 loops around the Olympic Peninsula, encompassing one of the largest wilderness areas in the continental U.S. Driving counterclockwise from the base of the peninsula, visitors climb into the Hoh Rain Forest, dominated by ancient Sitka spruce and western hemlock. From Hurricane Ridge, about 18 miles off the loop from Port Angeles, you can see the San Juan Islands. At low tide, the pools on Olympic beaches teem with starfish, sand dollars, and crabs. Moreover, film aficionados will want to visit the spooky logging town of Forks, but if you’re looking for accommodations, consider heading to the Lake Quinault Lodge. The entire loop takes about six hours without stops.

14. Route 6, Massachusetts

The easternmost portion of Route 6 links together Cape Cod’s network of sand dunes, beaches, marshes, tidal ponds, and charming fishing towns. This route leads to Provincetown’s lively music festivals and art galleries, to the bay side for family-friendly beaches, or the ocean side for stunning panoramas of the Cape Cod National Seashore. For an unforgettable experience, consider booking a whale-watching boat tour between May and October to catch a glimpse of New England’s majestic humpback whales.

15. Anchorage to Valdez, Alaska

The journey from Anchorage to Valdez, connecting Glenn and Richardson highways, trails past prehistoric glaciers and into mountain ranges with countless unnamed peaks. Along the 300-mile route in Palmer, stop to admire domesticated musk oxen, a product of Alaska’s stunning landscape known for its premium wool. The Trans-Alaska Pipeline is occasionally visible along the way. The final descent into Valdez includes a breathtaking 30-mile drop from Thompson Pass (at 2,678 feet elevation) to sea level, accentuated by the impressive waterfalls of Keystone Canyon, ultimately leading into Prince William Sound.

16. Lemhi Pass, Montana and Idaho

Meriwether Lewis first approached the Rocky Mountain backbone at Lemhi Pass (7,323-foot elevation) in 1805. Instead of finding a route to the Pacific Ocean, Lewis gazed at more mountains stretching out before him. Venture here in July to witness men dressed in buckskin traveling on dugout canoes at the annual Lewis and Clark Festival in Great Falls, about three hours from Beaverhead Rock State Park. Determined visitors with four-wheel drives can take in the historic views from either Beaverhead Rock State Park in Montana or the Salmon-Challis National Forest in Idaho.

17. Silverado Trail, California

This road trip treats travelers to mouthwatering cuisine amidst picturesque scenery. Flanked by vineyards and wineries, the Silverado Trail on the eastern side of Napa Valley offers an endless array of vino choices, alongside some of the finest meals in American culinary history. For a taste of excellence, try the Estate Collection tasting flight at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, where a 1973 cabernet made headlines for surpassing French wines in a blind taste test. Additionally, don’t miss the renowned three-Michelin star restaurant French Laundry in Yountville.

18. Ocean Drive, Newport, Rhode Island

Spanning 10 miles, this coastal route is rich in historic mansions and splendid water views. The Gilded-Age “cottages” along Ocean Drive, which follows Ocean Avenue, feature opulence that rivals the surrounding maritime scenery, including homes built for titans such as the Vanderbilts, Astors, and Morgans. War enthusiasts will want to visit Fort Adams, which served as a U.S. Army post from the early 19th century until World War II.

19. Park Loop Road, Maine

The loop through Acadia National Park can be completed in one hour when summer tourists aren’t clogging the 27-mile roadway. However, take your time to appreciate the high ridgelines, sheer cliffs, and rugged coast along the North Atlantic. Don’t miss Thunder Hole, a cavern where crashing waves create spectacular plumes of foam. If you have extra time, hop on a lobster fishing boat and take home your fresh catch for dinner.

20. Highway 143, Tennessee

Travel the 12.5 miles along Highway 143 in the Roan Highlands of the Appalachian Mountains to see uninterrupted slopes blanketed in heather and early summer’s purple rhododendron blossoms. The highlands feature unique “balds,” which are summits covered in grassy expanses instead of trees. Stop to explore on foot with a walk at Carvers Gap, located just across the North Carolina border.

21. Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, Michigan

This brief 7.4-mile drive along Lake Michigan’s shore offers glimpses of the majestic Sleeping Bear Dunes, dense forest canopies, and expansive freshwater lakes. You can complete the trip in less than 30 minutes; however, ensure you stop at various view points along the way. Before closing the loop, cross a covered bridge that was reconstructed from one built by Pierce Stocking in the 1960s. For a longer trip, continue five minutes up South Dune Highway to take in a view of Glen Lake from the top of the “Dune Climb,” a towering sand mound estimated to reach about 450 feet.

22. The High Road to Taos, New Mexico

The scenic 77-mile route between Santa Fe and Taos offers stunning vistas of ancient pueblos, deserts, forests, and wildflower meadows alongside artist colonies in quaint 17th-century adobe towns. The High Road to Taos Scenic Byway showcases Chimayo, a haven for art and history, while providing canyon views over Truchas Peak, which rises to 13,102 feet. Whichever direction you choose, enjoy vibrant towns filled with culture and activity. If you find yourself there during a hot summer, consider catching a concert at the Santa Fe Opera.

23. Highway 2, Nebraska

Sandhills, which are grass-covered sand dunes, cover nearly a quarter of Nebraska. These hypnotic dunes undulate as far as the eye can see. Driving along any stretch of Highway 2, which runs 52 miles from the South Dakota border to Grand Island, provides expansive views of the Great Plains and pastoral land. The sand dunes lie in the heart of the Central Flyway Migration Corridor; watch for cranes at the Crane Trust Nature & Visitor Center just off Highway 2 in Wood River.