The USA is known for its extensive and jaw-dropping road trips. In fact, the road trip was born in America, with writers such as Jack Kerouac immortalizing the road trip for generations to come. Then, where better to experience the thrill of a road trip and unleash your sense of adventure than in one of the 50 states of America.
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The Best Road Trips in the USA
This guide will detail some of the most famous- and rightly so- road trips in the US and how you can experience these for yourself.
Route 66
Route 66 is the original road trip and the one that most visitors to the USA think about as soon as you mention ‘road trip’. Linking Chicago to Los Angeles, the road passes through 8 states. Consisting of Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and California, the road stretches as far West as you can get, culminating at Santa Monica Pier, just outside of Los Angeles. Not only is Route 66 on many traveler’s bucket lists due to its fame, but whether you want to only travel down a portion of the still intact road, or simply want to visit the iconic Route 66 sign on the pier, it is easy to find a section of the road that suits you and your family.
However, to travel down such an iconic road, you will need a suitable vehicle that can accommodate all of your family’s needs, and so you should look to find a used RV for sale. Not only can these cut down on the cost of your road trip, but RV’s can help to both provide accommodation and transport means so that you can focus on the views rather than the practicalities of your stay.
Overseas Highway
The Overseas Highway is extremely unusual in that it is a manmade road that traverses and links many of the islands in the Florida Keys all the way down to Key West in the South, only a few miles off the coast of Cuba. The Overseas Highway is special in that you will be surrounded by the uninterrupted ocean wherever you go, allowing you access to many of the piers and State Parks that make the Keys so sought after as a vacation destination. For instance, John Pennekamp State Park on Key Largo gives you a welcome break from driving with its luscious views and activities, such as snorkeling and scuba diving.
Black Hills Loop
If you want to take a road trip down one of the roads less traveled, the Black Hills Loop is a beautiful and yet underrated drive that does not often make many of the top ten lists. Although the road is a mere 31-meter stretch, the astonishing beauty of the Black Hills will have you driving as slowly as possible, with its mountainous and forest regions giving drivers an equal pleasure. Not only is this an easy way to explore the overwhelming landscapes of South Dakota, but it is a great place to access walking trails and other activities in the Badlands area.
Hana Highway
If you are looking for interesting road trips, why not choose something a little bit different? The Hana Highway in Hawaii may not be on mainland USA, but it is just as beautiful, if not more so, than the best of the USA road trips. If you have 5 hours and 62 miles to spare, then you should take the time to experience the breath-taking waterfalls and tropical gardens, and the famous amount of winds in the road, all set within the verdant tropical rainforest.
Blue Ridge Parkway
The National Parks are the best place to find a road trip that you will remember forever, with the service preserving the most unmatchable areas of beauty in the USA. There is nowhere more astounding for road trips, however than the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia. This National Highway is what road trips are all about, encapsulating the American landscapes with overlooks over the Appalachian mountains. During the drive, you might even have the chance to experience America’s wonderful wildlife opportunities, with sightings of black bears not uncommon on the parkway, and many picnics and cycling areas available to help you to get closer to nature.
Alaska Highway
If you want to go North, the Alaska Highway is for you, a route that lends itself to the perfect road trip. The highway is completely paved and will allow you to see some of the best sights in the Yukon Territory and beyond. Of all the sights that you will experience on the Alaska Highway, you will get to see the Continental Divide which separates two river drainage systems in the Americas, the Ice Field Mountains, and the Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge. Your last stop will be the Delta Junction, where the road stops and you will reach your journey’s end.
Great River Road
The USA’s River Road is amazingly long, covering 10 states in between Minnesota and the Gulf of Mexico. The best thing about the River Road, however, is that it allows you to seamlessly experience the great Mississippi River for yourself, which many travelers only dream about.
Not only is it an easy route to follow, with unique signs to direct you along the way, but the road is also monumentally important to preserve both cultural and historical assets of the United States. Along the way, you will also be able to stop at attractions such as the Delta Blues Museum, Effigy Mounds National Monument, and state parks such as Redfoot Lake.
Olympic Peninsula Loop
Another popular loop which you can enjoy in the United States is the Olympic Peninsula Loop. This trail takes you through Olympic National Park, as well as giving you ample rest breaks to enjoy popular activities such as fishing, experiencing nature, and enjoying the tranquillity of its lakes and forests. From isolated beaches to dramatic forests and hills which you could lose yourself in, there was never a more scenic, shorter road trip than that of the Olympic Peninsula Loop.
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I love going on road trips! I haven’t been on one in the USA yet so this will be really helpful for when I go. The Alaska Highway reminds me of the roads in Canada and looks really pretty.
I’m so excited! I’ve done 2 of these roadtrips already, and I live in Canada. I have done the Alaska Highway, which is one of the most breathtaking drives I’ve done, and I’ve also done the Blue Ridge Parkway. Route 66 hopefully will be next, or at least part of it.
I definitely have heard of Route 66 and Pacific Coast Road before, but the rest were new to me. I think one of the best ways to explore the states in via Road Trips, but then that needs a lot of time, and like you said, an RV to make the overall cost economic.
I’m a native to the US and I’ve only been on Route 66! I really want to do Blue Ridge or Alaska. But really, I’d do any of them! I love road trips. Thanks for adding places on my bucket list 🙂