For many, the appeal of flying has worn thin. Travelers are ditching airports for the open road, making the journey just as important as the destination. The shift favors spontaneity, a kind of freedom unavailable by air, and sights — quirky roadside attractions, small-town diners and gorgeous landscapes — that leave a lasting impression. Spanning coastlines, mountain ranges and open highways, this roundup maps seven classic American road trips.
Florida Keys Scenic Highway, Florida
Sunset from Mallory Square, Key West
Loggerhead hatchling at The Turtle Hospital
Photo courtesy of The Turtle Hospital
Miami might be a world-renowned destination, but even locals need an escape now and then. The drive along the Overseas Highway offers just that — a slow, scenic road trip ending in Key West.
The road appears unassuming at first, but the experience shifts once the route leaves the mainland and enters the Keys. The farther south the drive continues, the more the pace slows and the scenery begins to take over.
The Overseas Highway runs 113 miles through the Upper, Middle and Lower Keys, with turquoise waters on both sides for much of the journey. Notable stops along the way include John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo, where visitors can view the reef from a glass-bottom boat; The Turtle Hospital in Marathon, which rehabilitates injured sea turtles; and the Seven Mile Bridge, which links the Middle Keys to the Lower Keys.
At the southern end of the drive is Key West, a town known for its laid-back pace and eclectic character. Among its highlights are Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park, the Southernmost Point Buoy and Mallory Square, where nightly sunsets draw crowds.
Blue Ridge Parkway, Virginia to North Carolina
Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina
Biltmore Estate, Asheville, N.C.
Photo courtesy of The Biltmore Company
The Blue Ridge Parkway, affectionately known as “America’s favorite drive,” is especially popular among fall travelers eager to see the brilliant foliage that blankets the mountainsides. But the 469-mile journey is just as compelling in other seasons. The winding road takes drivers through the Appalachian Mountains, where motorists can visit Shenandoah National Park and Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Begin the journey at the parkway’s northern end, near Waynesboro, Va. Along the way, stop at the Humpback Rocks Visitor Center, where you can stroll by preserved mountain farm buildings and access a section of the Appalachian Trail. As the parkway winds south through Virginia, make a pit stop in Roanoke, known for its breweries, boutiques and street art.
North Carolina offers its own standout stops, including Little Switzerland, a tiny town founded in the early 1900s to mimic an Alpine resort. In Asheville, explore Southern Appalachian arts and crafts alongside a thriving live-music scene and tour the Biltmore Estate, a 250-room Gilded Age mansion set on 8,000 acres that was built by George Vanderbilt at the end of the 19th century. End the journey in Cherokee, at the edge of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Coastal New England, Connecticut to Maine
Cadillac Mountain, Acadia National Park, Maine
This classic road trip traces America’s northeastern coastline, linking historic ports, seaside towns and rugged shorelines across several states, much of it following U.S. 1, a time-tested route for coastal road-trippers.
There is a variety of places where you could start, but one good option is Mystic, Conn., a historic maritime village that was once central to the region’s shipbuilding industry. Farther north, in Massachusetts, Boston offers landmark sights such as the Paul Revere House and the Bunker Hill Monument, while Salem, less than an hour’s drive away, is known for its 17th-century witch trials.
Continue along the coast, and you’ll reach Kennebunkport, Maine, where whale-watching, beaches and a working harbor are part of daily life. Many travelers opt for a lobster boat tour before sampling clam chowder or lobster rolls at casual waterfront restaurants.
Kennebunkport, Maine
End the drive at Acadia National Park, home to Cadillac Mountain, the highest point along the North Atlantic seaboard. From October to March, it is the first place in the United States to see the sun rise. With its granite peaks, rocky shoreline and historic carriage roads, the park offers a fitting finale to a coastal New England road trip.
Route 66, Illinois to California
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Gateway Arch National Park, St. Louis, Mo.
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Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo, Texas
Photo by Sheeyam Shellvacumar/Unsplash
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Blue Swallow Motel, Tucumcari, N.M.
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Santa Monica Pier, Calif.
Often called “the Mother Road,” Route 66 winds through a series of small towns that greet travelers with glowing neon signs, classic diners and vintage motels. Although traffic declined after the rise of the Interstate Highway System, Route 66 is still a haven for tourists seeking a slice of classic Americana.
Drivers often depart from Chicago, heading southwest and stopping in St. Louis at Gateway Arch National Park. Farther along, outside Amarillo, Texas, is Cadillac Ranch, a public art installation featuring 10 Cadillacs buried nose-first in the ground; visitors are encouraged to add their own spray-painted graffiti.
As the route continues through New Mexico, old-fashioned fuel stations and motor inns dot the landscape. One of the most well-known is Tucumcari’s Blue Swallow Motel, listed on the National Register of Historic Places and often cited as the inspiration for the motel featured in Disney’s animated film “Cars.”
The final leg of the drive brings motorists into California, ending at the Santa Monica Pier, where the Route 66 “End of the Trail” sign marks the journey’s conclusion.
Pacific Coast Highway California
Bixby Creek Bridge, Big Sur
Hearst Castle, San Simeon
Often referred to collectively as the Pacific Coast Highway — though officially designated as California State Route 1 and known as the Cabrillo Highway along much of the Central Coast — this bucket-list drive spans more than 656 miles, tracing the Golden State’s dramatic coastline. The route offers access to soaring cliffs, redwood groves tucked into Big Sur’s inland canyons, seaside villages and iconic landmarks such as Hearst Castle, the lavish hilltop estate built by newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst in the early 20th century.
Santa Barbara is a popular starting point, thanks to its easy access from Los Angeles and its position at the southern end of California’s Central Coast. From Santa Barbara, the drive to San Francisco takes about six hours without stops, making it ideal for a leisurely multiday trip.
An upscale coastal town, Santa Barbara is known for its Spanish Colonial architecture and windswept beaches. Stearns Wharf, one of California’s oldest working piers, offers casual seafood restaurants, souvenir shops and an aquarium housed in the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center.
The next stop is San Simeon, which is home not only to Hearst Castle but also to the Piedras Blancas State Marine Reserve, where thousands of elephant seals migrate every year.
Elephant seals, Piedras Blancas State Marine Reserve
Farther north, the route passes through Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, then continues through Santa Cruz, a popular spot for surfers to catch waves. The drive ends in San Francisco, home to the cherished Golden Gate Bridge, the city’s most recognizable landmark.
The Mighty Five, Utah
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Angels Landing, Zion National Park
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Hoodoos, Bryce Canyon National Park
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Petroglyphs, Capitol Reef National Park
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Delicate Arch, Arches National Park
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Canyonlands National Park
For travelers seeking adventure over relaxation, Utah’s Mighty Five road trip delivers a landscape-driven itinerary built around five national parks: Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef and Zion.
Most trips begin in Las Vegas, about three hours’ drive from Zion National Park. The famously scenic Zion is home to rock formations such as Angels Landing, which you can climb on a challenging trail that ends with sweeping views of sandstone cliffs. (Permits are required for the hike, and are available through a lottery.)
Zion isn’t the only destination to offer amazing experiences. At Bryce Canyon National Park, visitors can walk among the hoodoos, distinctive rock spires carved by erosion. Just outside the town of Moab, Arches National Park is full of the massive sandstone structures for which it’s named, while Capitol Reef National Park is best known for its preserved petroglyphs — ancient carvings Indigenous peoples etched into canyon walls. Canyonlands National Park rounds out the trip with expansive views of landscapes shaped by rivers over millions of years.
Before setting out, travelers may want to purchase the $80 America the Beautiful Pass, which covers entrance fees at national parks throughout the U.S. The savings can be put toward souvenirs or a guided excursion that ventures deeper into Utah’s remote desert terrain.
Richardson Highway, Alaska
Worthington Glacier
Dall sheep
For many travelers, Alaska is synonymous with cruises, but the Richardson Highway offers a scenic alternative via land. Begin in Fairbanks, where the 366-mile route heads south through boreal forest and broad river valleys along the Tanana River before skirting the edge of the Chugach Mountains.
The drive continues along mountain ranges, river valleys and waterfalls, with frequent wildlife sightings, including Dall sheep clinging to rocky slopes. One of the highway’s highlights is Worthington Glacier, an ice sheet that is visible just steps from the road.
The journey ends in Valdez, a small coastal town framed by fjords and an active fishing harbor. Waterfront restaurants showcase fresh Alaskan seafood, while cruises into Prince William Sound offer close-up views of sea lions gathering to feed on salmon.
Valdez Harbor