Top 10 Road Trips in the USA

We have asked our customers to vote for their favourite road trips in various parts of the world, and we are pretty pleased with the response we got. We have compiled the top road trip destinations across the United States in this concise list. We hope that one of the items in this list will be your road trip of choice the next time you want to go on a cross-country tour of America.

1. The Big Sur, California

Found along the classic Route 1 (which covers almost the entire length of the state), the Big Sur is over 90 miles of beautiful scenery and is such a pleasure to drive through. You can start from the central coast in San Simeon and end at Carmel. People might say that this route is extremely overrated (no thanks to its great popularity), but you will find out for yourself how breathtaking the views are.

The Big Sur is nestled between the gorgeous Santa Lucia Mountains and its redwood groves, and the sapphire waters of the Pacific Ocean where you can find a lot of sea lions on the rocky beaches. A long weekend in late spring or early fall will be perfect, during which you can enjoy outdoorsy activities under the golden Californian sun, such as beach-combing in the Jade Cove, picnics, and hikes in the Santa Lucia Mountains.

2. Route 1, California

If you wish to see the glory of California in its entirety, then make sure to make the Route 1 trip. The route stretches along the entire length of the state, and is credited by many motoring enthusiasts as a great introduction to the romantic road trip culture of the United States. Driving through this route is perfect the whole year round, however, you must not be scared of the infamous horrors of the gridlocks in Los Angeles.

Driving through Route 1 will bring you to the exciting destinations of Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Point Reyes National Seashore, and Santa Cruz. The route is around 745 miles long, so make sure you can plan your road trip accordingly.

3. The Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina and Virginia

The Blue Ridge Parkway is the closest you can get to the legendary Appalachian trail. Stretching for 489 glorious miles along the southern part of the Appalachian Mountains, the Blue Ridge Parkway connects two important national parks in the region, the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina and Shenandoah of Virginia.

Driving the whole parkway is definitely worth it, but if you have limited time, you can begin your trip in Asheville, North Carolina and head on to Boone. Plenty of charming picnic locations and hiking trails peppered with red maples, tulip trees, and dogwood can be found.

4. Highway 61, Louisiana and Minnesota

With 1,400 miles of open road, Highway 61, or fondly called as the "Blues Highway", links the cities of New Orleans and Wyoming. The highway gained its music-related nickname thanks to the region’s unique musical culture, as well as for its role in the Great Migration of African Americans (where they uprooted from the Mississippi Delta to the cities of Chicago and St. Louis) during the early to late 20th century.

The highway also figures in an urban legend involving Robert Johnson—it is said that the renowned blues guitarist has met the devil right where Highway 61 meets Highway 49. You might not meet the devil while driving through Highway 61, but you will definitely see a lot of interesting scenery.

5. The Million Dollar Highway, Colorado

For a drive through one of the most charming locales in the United States, head on over to the Million Dollar Highway in Colorado. Prepare to be transported back to the Old West by traversing through the Ouray and Silverton mining towns to the very summit of the Red Mountain Pass.

Also, be prepared to drive through difficult road conditions—there are plenty of hairpin turns and vertical drops that are not recommended for the nervous, fainthearted driver.

6. The San Juan Skyway, Colorado

Drive through the renowned San Juan Mountains in Colorado through this scenic skyway, which is an All-American Road and an important part of the Colorado Scenic and Historic Byway System.

The San Juan Skyway stretches 233 miles in the southwest part of the state and directly passes through the heart of the mountains.

7. Seward Highway, Alaska

You can begin your Alaskan road trip at Anchorage, which is connected to the port town of Seward (right smack in the gorgeous Resurrection Bay) by the Seward Highway.

The highway stretches for 127 wonderful miles, where you will pass by large glaciers, dramatic fjords, boreal forests, and various Alaskan wildlife such as beluga whales, Dall sheep, seabirds, and even eagles.

8. Hana Highway, Hawaii

Located in Maui, Hawaii, the Hana Highway is not one of those easy road trips—in fact, the roads can be extremely tricky; even serpentine. However, the rewards are amazing—driving through the Hana Highway will let you experience the wonders of Hawaii, including its pristine forests and charming surf towns.

The Hana Highway is also known as "The Road to Hana", and starts in Paia. The coastal drive spans 60 miles of open road, and is best enjoyed on a convertible—just make sure you have plenty of sunscreen on.

9. The Red Rock Scenic Byway, Arizona

Also known as the Route 179 (a rather generic name, according to our customers), the Red Rock Scenic Byway in Arizona is the perfect destination for motoring enthusiasts who want to enjoy panoramic views of the unique and gorgeous rock formations the region is known for.

While rather short (at 7.5 miles) compared to the other items on this list, this scenic byway is perfect for those who want to enjoy hiking and biking along the mountains.

10. Sea Islands, Georgia

Located along the coastal barrier islands of Georgia, the Sea Islands route is perfect for nature enthusiasts who want to experience the once exclusive enclaves of the rich. The islands are connected by a series of bridges and causeways, and it is best to start at St. Simons and end at Jekyll, which was once the stomping ground of ultra-rich American industrialist families such as the Pulitzers and the Rockefellers.