The Best Road Trips in America
There is no better way to see this country than from behind the wheel. We have spent years filming national parks and public lands from coast to coast, and a lot of that work happened on the road, watching the landscape change mile by mile out the windshield. These are 15 of the best drives in the United States, the routes worth building a whole trip around.
Some are short scenic byways you can drive in an afternoon. Others are cross-country hauls that eat up weeks. All of them deliver the thing a great road trip is supposed to: the feeling that the journey matters as much as where you end up.
Top 15 Road Trips in the USA
1. Utah’s Mighty 5
Five national parks in one state, all within a few hours of each other. The Mighty 5 loop connects Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, and Arches through some of the most dramatic red rock country on the planet. Plan at least a week. Two weeks is better. See our full Utah national parks road trip for the route.
2. Historic Route 66
The Mother Road runs about 2,400 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica across eight states. It is no longer a single continuous highway, but the surviving stretches deliver pure Americana: neon motels, diners, ghost towns, and roadside oddities. Give it two to three weeks to do the whole thing justice.
109 public lands destinations are under threat. Get the free weekly briefing that 25,000+ people use to stay informed and take action.
3. Pacific Coast Highway
California State Route 1 hugs the Pacific from the redwoods of the north to the beaches of the south, with the cliffs of Big Sur as the centerpiece. Cool ocean air, crashing surf, and turnout after turnout begging you to stop. Note that landslides occasionally close sections of Big Sur, so check current road status before you go.
4. Blue Ridge Parkway
America’s longest linear park runs 469 miles along the Appalachian crest from Virginia to North Carolina, connecting Shenandoah National Park to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. There are no billboards and no trucks, just ridgeline views, overlooks, and old mountain culture. Fall color here is among the best in the East.
5. The Road to Hana
On Maui, this winding coastal road delivers more than 600 curves and 50-plus one-lane bridges on the way to the town of Hana. Waterfalls, black sand beaches, and rainforest line the route. It is short in miles but takes all day, and the drive itself is the destination.
6. Going-to-the-Sun Road
This 50-mile engineering marvel crosses the heart of Glacier National Park, climbing over Logan Pass on the Continental Divide. It is only fully open in summer, roughly late June or July through October depending on snow, and Glacier uses a vehicle reservation system in peak season, so check current requirements before your trip.
7. Olympic Peninsula Loop
U.S. 101 circles Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, looping past rainforest, glacier-capped peaks, and wild Pacific coastline, almost all of it within or beside Olympic National Park. In one day you can stand in the Hoh Rain Forest and on a sea-stack beach. See our guide to the best things to do in Olympic National Park.
8. Highway 50, the Loneliest Road in America
U.S. Route 50 across Nevada earned its nickname for the long, empty stretches between tiny towns. For travelers who love wide-open space and big sky, that emptiness is the appeal. It also passes near Great Basin National Park, one of the least-crowded parks in the system.
9. Avenue of the Giants
This 31-mile drive through Humboldt Redwoods State Park in Northern California winds among the tallest trees on Earth, some older than 1,000 years. Step out of the car and the silence under the canopy is something you will not forget. Pair it with our guide to Redwood National Park just up the coast.
10. Kancamagus Highway
New Hampshire’s Kancamagus, often just called the Kanc, runs about 35 miles through the White Mountains with no gas, no services, and no commercial development, just mountains, waterfalls, and forest. It is one of the premier fall foliage drives in New England.
11. Vermont Route 100
Route 100 runs the length of Vermont through the heart of the Green Mountains, past covered bridges, farm stands, and classic New England villages. It is the foliage drive that built Vermont’s reputation. Much of it threads Green Mountain National Forest.
12. Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway
In South Dakota’s Black Hills, this byway packs pigtail bridges, narrow rock tunnels framing Mount Rushmore, and the wildlife of Custer State Park into a tight, thrilling loop. It runs through Black Hills National Forest and is one of the most engaging short drives in the country.
13. John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway
This parkway links Grand Teton National Park to Yellowstone, connecting two of the greatest landscapes in the country in a single short drive. With the Tetons in the rearview and geysers ahead, it is a highlight reel of the northern Rockies. See our guides to Grand Teton and Yellowstone.
14. Natchez Trace Parkway
This 444-mile parkway traces an ancient travel corridor from Natchez, Mississippi, to Nashville, Tennessee, following a route walked for thousands of years. No trucks, no billboards, and a string of historic sites along the way make it a quiet, immersive Southern drive.
15. Trail Ridge Road
Trail Ridge Road crosses Rocky Mountain National Park and climbs above 12,000 feet, making it one of the highest continuous paved roads in the country. You drive through three life zones into the alpine tundra, with views that stretch for miles. It is seasonal, open roughly late May through October, and the park uses a timed-entry system in peak months. See our guide to Rocky Mountain National Park.
How to Plan Your USA Road Trip
A great road trip rewards planning, but not over-planning. A few things to think through before you pull out of the driveway.
- Pick a theme. National parks, coastlines, fall color, or history. A focus keeps the route coherent.
- Map it, then trim it. Most people try to cover too much ground. Build in buffer days and shorter driving days.
- Know your seasons. Several of these drives, including Going-to-the-Sun and Trail Ridge, are only open in summer and may require reservations.
- Book ahead for camping. Popular campgrounds fill months in advance through Recreation.gov.
- Budget for gas and food. Fill up before remote stretches and pack a cooler for the long empty miles.
For maps, checklists, and the gear we actually use, see our road trip planning tools.
The 2026 Reality
As of 2026, several of these drives carry seasonal access and reservation requirements that did not exist a decade ago. Glacier’s Going-to-the-Sun Road and Rocky Mountain’s Trail Ridge Road both use timed-entry or vehicle reservation systems in peak season, and Big Sur on the Pacific Coast Highway still sees occasional landslide closures. Always check current road status, opening dates, and reservation rules with each park or state agency before you commit to a date. The roads themselves are as good as ever.
