Plan Your Trip
Road Trips & Scenic Drives
Fill up the gas tank and buckle up. Everyone knows road-tripping is the ultimate way to see America. You can drive up, down, across, around or straight through every state in the continental US. Revel in yesteryear along Route 66, marvel at spectacular sunsets on the Pacific Coast Hwy, or take in sublime scenery in the Appalachian Mountains or along the mighty Mississippi.
Road-Tripping Tips
Best Experiences
Dazzling coastal scenery on the Pacific Coast Hwy; the charming, rarely visited destinations on Route 66; dramatic sunsets over the Appalachian Mountains on the Blue Ridge Pkwy; listening to Memphis blues at a jumping music joint off the Great River Rd.
Key Starting Points
Chicago or Los Angeles for Route 66; Seattle or San Diego for the Pacific Coast Hwy; Waynesboro, VA, or Cherokee, NC, for Blue Ridge Pkwy; Itasca State Park, MN, or Venice, LA, for Great River Rd.
Major Sights
Grand Canyon on Route 66; Point Reyes National Seashore on the Pacific Coast Hwy; Peaks of Otter on Blue Ridge Pkwy; Shawnee National Forest on Great River Rd.
Route 66
For a classic American road trip, nothing beats good ol’ Route 66. Nicknamed the nation’s ‘Mother Road’ by novelist John Steinbeck, this string of small-town main streets and country byways first connected big-shouldered Chicago with the waving palm trees of Los Angeles in 1926.
Why Go?
Whether you seek to explore retro Americana or simply to experience big horizons and captivating scenery far from the madding crowd, Route 66 will take you there. The winding journey passes some of the USA’s greatest outdoor attractions – not just the Grand Canyon, but also the Mississippi River, Arizona’s Painted Desert and Petrified Forest National Park, and, at road’s end, the Pacific beaches of sun-kissed Southern California.
Other highlights along the way: old-fashioned museums stocked with strange and wondrous objects from the past, Norman Rockwell–ish soda fountains, classic mom-and-pop diners, working gas stations that seem to have fallen right out of an old James Dean film clip, and ghost towns (or soon-to-be ghost towns) hunkering on the edge of the desert.
Culturally speaking, Route 66 can be an eye-opener. Discard your preconceptions of small-town American life and unearth the joys of what bicoastal types dismissively term ‘flyover’ states. Mingle with farmers in Illinois and country-and-western stars in Missouri. Visit Native American nations and contemporary pueblos across the Southwest. Then follow the trails of miners and desperadoes deep into the Old West.
When to Go
The best time to travel Route 66 is May to September, when the weather is warm and you can take advantage of open-air activities. Take care if you travel in the height of summer (July and August) as the heat can be unbearable – particularly in desert areas. Avoid traveling in the winter (December to March), when snow can lead to perilous driving conditions or outright road closures.
The Route
The journey starts in Chicago, just west of Michigan Ave, and runs for some 2400 miles across eight states before terminating in Los Angeles near the Santa Monica Pier. The road is a never-ending work in progress, as old sections get resurrected or disappear owing to the rerouting of other major roads.
ROADSIDE ODDITIES: ROUTE 66
Kitschy, time-warped and just plain weird roadside attractions? Route 66 has got ’em in spades. Here are a few beloved Mother Road landmarks to make your own scavenger hunt:
A A statue of legendary lumberjack Paul Bunyan clutching a hotdog in Illinois.
A The Black Madonna Shrine in Pacific, MO, and Red Oak II outside Carthage, MO.
A The 80ft-long Blue Whale in Catoosa, OK.
A Devil’s Rope Museum, Cadillac Ranch and Slug Bug Ranch in Texas.
A Seligman’s Snow Cap Drive-In, Holbrook’s WigWam Motel and Meteor Crater in Arizona.
A Roy’s Motel & Cafe in Amboy in the middle of California’s Mojave Desert.
History of the Mother Road
Route 66 didn’t really hit its stride until the Great Depression, when migrant farmers followed it as they fled the Dust Bowl across the Great Plains. Later, during the post-WWII baby boom, newfound prosperity encouraged many Americans to hit the road and ‘get their kicks’ on Route 66.
Almost as soon as it came of age, though, Route 66 began to lose steam. The shiny blacktop of an ambitious new interstate system started systematically paving over Route 66, bypassing its mom-and-pop diners, drugstore soda fountains and once-stylish motels. Railway towns were forgotten and way stations became dusty. Even entire towns began to disappear.
Preservation associations of Mother Road fans sprung to action to save remaining stretches of the historic highway soon after Route 66 was officially decommissioned in 1985. Upgrades are being planned to line up with the route’s 100th anniversary in 2026, which we hope will ensure you can still get your kicks on Route 66 for years to come.
Getting Lost
You need to be an amateur sleuth to follow Route 66 these days. Historical realignments of the route, dead-ends in farm fields and tumbleweed-filled desert patches, and rough, rutted driving conditions are par for the course. Remember that getting lost every now and then is inevitable.
Resources
Before you hit the road, arm yourself with useful maps and key insider tips to help you make the most of your trip.
Lonely Planet’s Route 66 Road Trips Itineraries and planning advice to pick the best routes.
Here It Is: Route 66 Maps with directions (traveling both east-to-west and west-to-east) that you’ll want to take along for the ride; available from booksellers.
Historic Route 66 (www.historic66.com) Excellent website, with turn-by-turn directions for each state.
Route 66: The Mother Road This book by Michael Wallis is a fascinating look at the history of the great road with old photographs bringing it all to life.
Pacific Coast Highway
The classic West Coast journey through California, Oregon and Washington takes in cosmopolitan cities, surf towns and charming coastal enclaves ripe for exploration. For many travelers, the real appeal of the Pacific Coast Hwy is the magnificent scenery – wild and remote beaches, cliff-top views overlooking crashing waves, rolling hills and lush forests (redwoods, eucalyptus trees) – that sometimes lies just beyond a city’s outskirts.
Why Go?
The PCH is a road trip for lovers, nomadic ramblers, bohemians, beatniks and curiosity seekers keen to search out every nook and cranny of forgotten beachside hamlets and pastoral farm towns along the way. It’s both an epic adventure for water babies, surfers, kayakers, scuba divers and every other kind of outdoor enthusiast, and an insanely scenic route for laid-back road-trippers who dream of cruising alongside the ocean in a cherry-red convertible.
When to Go
There’s no very bad time oo drive the PCH, although northern climes will be rainier and snowier during winter. Peak travel season is June through August, which isn’t always the best time to see the road, as thick fog blankets many stretches of the coast during early summer (locals call it ‘June Gloom’). The shoulder seasons before Memorial Day (ie April and May) and after Labor Day (September and October) can be ideal, with sunny days, crisply cool nights and fewer crowds.
The Route
Technically ‘the PCH’ is one of several coastal highways, including Hwy 101, stretching nearly 2000 miles from Tijuana, Mexico, to British Columbia, Canada. The route connects the dots between some of the West Coast’s most striking cities, starting from surf-style San Diego, through hedonistic Los Angeles and offbeat San Francisco in California, then moving north to equally alternative-minded and arty Seattle, WA.
When the urban streets start to make you feel claustrophobic, just head back out on the open road and hit the coast again, heading north or south. The direction doesn’t really matter – the views and hidden places you find along the way make for rewarding exploring.
You could bypass metro areas and just stick to the places in between, like the almost-too-perfect beaches of California’s Orange County (‘the OC’) and Santa Barbara (the ‘American Riviera’); wacky Santa Cruz, a university town and surfers’ paradise; redwood forests along the Big Sur coast and north of Mendocino; the sand dunes, seaside resorts and fishing villages of coastal Oregon; and finally, the wild lands of Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, with its primeval rainforest and bucolic San Juan Islands, served by coastal ferries.
BEFORE YOU HIT THE ROAD
A few things to remember to ensure your road trip is as happy-go-lucky as possible:
A Join an automobile club that provides members with 24-hour emergency roadside assistance and discounts on lodging and attractions; some international clubs have reciprocal agreements with US automobile associations, so check first and bring your member card from home.
A Check the spare tire, tool kit (eg jack, jumper cables, ice scraper, tire-pressure gauge) and emergency equipment (eg flashers) in your car; if you’re renting a vehicle and these essential safety items are not provided, consider buying them.
A Bring good maps, especially if you’re touring off-road or away from highways; don’t rely on a GPS unit – they can malfunction, and in remote areas such as deep canyons or thick forests they may not even work.
A Always carry your driver’s license and proof of insurance.
A If you’re an international traveler, review the USA’s road rules and common road hazards.
A Fill up the tank often, because gas stations can be few and far between on the USA’s scenic byways.
Blue Ridge Parkway
Snaking for some 469 miles through the southern Appalachian Mountains, the Blue Ridge Pkwy is the land of great hiking and wildlife-watching, old-fashioned music and captivating mountainous scenery – all of which make for a memorable and easily accessible road trip.
Construction on the parkway began in 1935 under President Franklin D Roosevelt, part of his slate of New Deal projects that helped put people back to work during the Depression. It was a huge effort that took over 52 years to complete, with the final section laid in 1987.
Why Go?
Although it skirts dozens of towns and a few metropolitan areas, the Blue Ridge Pkwy feels far removed from modern-day America. Here, rustic log cabins with rocking chairs on the front porch still dot the rolling hillsides, while signs for folk-art shops and live bluegrass music joints entice travelers onto side roads. History seems to permeate the air of these rolling backwoods, once home to Cherokee people and later to early colonial homesteads and Civil War battlefields.
There are great places to sleep and eat. Early 20th-century mountain and lakeside resorts still welcome families like old friends, while log-cabin diners dish up heaping piles of buckwheat pancakes with blackberry preserves and a side of country ham.
When you need to work off all that good Southern cooking, over 100 hiking trails can be accessed along the Blue Ridge Pkwy, from gentle nature walks and easily summited peaks to rough-and-ready tramps along the legendary Appalachian Trail. Or clamber on a horse and ride off into the refreshingly shady forests. Then go canoeing, kayaking or inner-tubing along rushing rivers, or dangle a fishing line over the side of a rowboat on petite lakes. And who says you even have to drive? The parkway makes an epic trip for long-distance cyclists, too.
When to Go
Keep in mind that the weather can vary greatly, depending on your elevation. While mountain peaks are snowed in during winter, the valleys can still be invitingly warm. Most visitor services along the parkway are only open from April through October. May is best for wildflowers, although most people come for leaf-peeping during autumn. Spring and autumn are good times for bird-watching, with nearly 160 species having been spotted in the skies over the parkway. Expect big crowds if you go during the summer or early autumn.
The Route
This rolling, scenic byway connects Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park with Great Smoky Mountains National Park, winding back and forth across the North Carolina–Tennessee border. Towns include Boone and Asheville in North Carolina, and Galax and Roanoke in Virginia, with Charlottesville, VA, also within a short drive of the parkway. Major cities within range are Washington, DC (140 miles), and Richmond, VA (95 miles).
Detour: Skyline Drive
If you want to extend your journey through this scenic region, you can do so by hooking up with Skyline Dr. The northern terminus of the Blue Ridge Pkwy meets up with this 105-mile road (which continues northeast) around Rockfish Gap.
Travel along the road is slow (speed limit 35mph), but that forces you to take in the amazing scenery (wildflowers on the hillsides in spring, blazing colors in autumn and gorgeous blue skies in summer). Shenandoah National Park surrounds Skyline Dr and has an excellent range of hikes, some of which scramble up mountain peaks and offer panoramic views. There are campgrounds in the park as well as lodges – nearby attractions include the lively mountain town of Staunton and an elaborate cave system at Luray Caverns.
One caveat: you will have to pay to travel along Skyline Dr ($25 per vehicle for a seven-day pass). This is not a toll, but rather an admission charge for visiting Shenandoah National Park. Expect heavy traffic on weekends.
Resources
Lonely Planet Blue Ridge Parkway Road Trips From three-day escapes to five-day adventures, these road trips are packed full of expert advice and inspirational suggestions.
Blue Ridge Parkway (www.blueridgeparkway.org) Maps, activities and places to stay along the way. You can also download the free Blue Ridge Parkway Travel Planner.
Hiking the Blue Ridge Parkway By Randy Johnson; has in-depth trail descriptions, topographic trail maps and other essential info for hikes both short and long (including overnight treks).
Skyline Drive (www.visitskylinedrive.org) Lodging, hiking, wildlife and more: the complete overview of the national park surrounding this picturesque drive.
Great River Road
Established in the late 1930s, the Great River Rd journeys from the Mississippi’s headwaters in northern Minnesota all the way to the river’s mouth on the Gulf of Mexico near New Orleans. For a look at America across cultural divides – north-south, urban-rural, Baptist-bohemian – this is the trip to make.
Why Go?
The sweeping scenery alongside North America’s second-longest river is astonishing, from the rolling plains of Iowa down to the sunbaked cotton fields of the Mississippi Delta. Limestone cliffs, dense forests, flower-filled meadows and steamy swamps are all part of the backdrop – along with smokestacks, riverboat casinos and urban sprawl. This is the good, the bad and the ugly of life on the Mississippi.
Small towns provide a glimpse into American culture: there’s Hibbing, MN, where folk-rocker Bob Dylan grew up; Brainerd, MN, as seen in the Coen Brothers’ film Fargo; Spring Green, WI, where architect Frank Lloyd Wright cut his teeth; pastoral Hannibal, MO, boyhood home of Mark Twain; and Metropolis, IL, where you’ll find Superman’s quick-change phone booth.
The southern section of this route traces American musical history, from rock and roll in St Louis to Memphis blues and New Orleans jazz. And you won’t go hungry either, with retro Midwestern diners, Southern barbecue joints and smokehouses, and Cajun taverns and dance halls in Louisiana.
When to Go
The best time to travel is from May to October, when the weather is warmest. Skip the trip in the winter (or else stick to the South), to avoid snowstorms.
The Route
The Great River Rd is not a single highway, but a series of linked federal, state and county roads that follow the Mississippi River as it flows through 10 different states. The one constant wherever you are is the green paddle-wheel sign that marks the way. Major urban areas that provide easy access to the road include New Orleans, Memphis, St Louis and Minneapolis.
OTHER GREAT ROAD TRIPS
| ROUTE | STATE(S) | START/END | SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES | BEST TIME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rte 28 | NY | Stony Hollow/Arkville | Catskill Mountains, lakes, rivers, hiking, leaf-peeping, tubing | May-Sep |
| Old Kings Hwy | MA | Sagamore/Provincetown | historic districts, period homes, coastal scenery | Apr-Oct |
| Natchez Trace Hwy | AL/MS/TN | Nashville/Natchez | history, archaeological sites, scenic waterways, biking, camping, hiking | Mar-Nov |
| Beartooth Hwy | MT | Red Lodge/Yellowstone | wildflowers, mountains, alpine scenery, camping | Jun-Sep |
| Alpine Loop Backcountry Byway | CO | Ouray/Lake City | mountains, views, valleys, abandoned mines | Jun-Sep |
| Great River Rd | IA | Effigy Mounds National Monument/Keokuk | scenic views, riverside beauty, little-visited towns & villages | May-Sep |
| Hwy 61 | MN | Duluth/Canadian border | state parks, waterfalls, quaint towns, hiking | May-Sep |
| Hwy 2 | NE | I-80/Alliance | grass-covered sand dunes, open vistas | May-Sep |
| El Camino Real | TX | Lajitas/Presidio | desert & mountain landscapes, hot springs, hiking, horseback riding | Feb-Apr & Oct-Nov |
| Sawtooth Scenic Byway | ID | Ketchum/Stanley | jagged mountains, verdant forests, backpacking, hiking, wildlife-watching | May-Sep |
| Turquoise Trail | NM | Albuquerque/Santa Fe | mining towns, quirky museums & folk art, cycling, hiking | Mar-May & Sep-Nov |
| US 50 | NV | Fernley/Baker | epic wilderness, biking, hiking, spelunking | May-Sep |
| Historic Columbia River Hwy | OR | Portland/The Dalles | scenery, waterfalls, wildflowers, cycling, hiking | Apr-Sep |
| Monument Valley | UT | Monument Valley | iconic buttes, movie-set locations, 4WD tours, horseback riding | year-round |
| VT 100 | VT | Stamford/Newport | rolling pastures, green mountains, hiking, skiing | Jun-Sep |
| Kancamagus Hwy | NH | Conway/Lincoln | craggy mountains, streams & waterfalls, camping, hiking, swimming | May-Sep |
| Maui’s Road to Hana | HI | Paia/Hana | jungle waterfalls, beaches, hiking, swimming, surfing | year-round |
Resources
The Great River Road (www.experiencemississippiriver.com) ‘Ten states, one river’ is the slogan for this official site, which is a great resource for history, outdoor recreation, live music and more.