From iconic natural wonders to vibrant cities and historic towns, an American road trip is a rewarding and memorable experience.
There’s something special about hitting the open road and exploring at your own pace. It’s one of our favorite ways to travel. From 1 week to 4 weeks or more, there are many options for American road trips!
So whether you’re looking for the best scenic drives in the US, the best national park road trips, or just looking for US road trip ideas to add to your wish list, you’re sure to find some great road trip destinations in the US on our list of the best road trip destinations.
How to Plan a Great American Road Trip
With so many great American road trips to choose from, it can be hard to decide which one is the best to plan!
Here are some factors to consider when comparing the best places to take a road trip in the USA
Time of Year
The sheer size of the United States means that some American road trips are better than others, depending on the time of year.
Looking for the best winter road trips in the U.S.? Check out road trips in the Southwest and Southeast.
If you’re looking to travel in the fall, check out our best Northeast road trips for spectacular foliage.
Looking for the best summer road trips? Well, you have so many choices, and there are many states, including road trips to Alaska, that are perfect for this time of year.
The U.S. West Coast road trip is one of the most popular routes. If you’re considering exploring California, the best time to visit depends on whether you’re heading north or south, so be sure to plan your trip accordingly.
Interests
When deciding on the ultimate road trip destination to the United States, it’s a good idea to consider the types of things you like to do.
Do you enjoy exploring national parks in the great outdoors? If so, renting an RV and embarking on one of the best RV road trips on our list is a great option.
You’ll need this book to plan your hike – very detailed and helpful, as many parks have unreliable mobile reception.
If you like history and small towns, there are great historical road trips in the US (like Route 66) to choose from. Themed road trips are a great way to explore the country.
The best road trips vary from person to person, so consider your preferences and plan your U.S. road trip around them.
Cars on the open road – the best road trips in the USA
Planning a long road trip? If you are planning to purchase a car or RV for a road trip, we use and recommend Wise Transfer. Great exchange rates that are quick and easy to set up. Please click here to learn more.
How much time do you have?
It’s easy to get excited about road trips in the US and then try to overcommit to them. Less is more. Use Google Maps to map out your US road trip route and make sure you don’t spend too much time driving.
Who’s coming?
Whether you’re looking for the best road trip ideas for couples, the best road trips for families, or the best road trips to take with friends, it’s important to tailor your trip to each person’s needs.
Best U.S. Road Trips
Here are some of the best U.S. road trips to take to appreciate the diversity and natural beauty of this country.
Plan to do them alone, or join them for the ultimate American road trip.
Pacific Coast Highway 1
Best Southern California Road Trips for Pacific Coast Highway and Ocean Views
Route: San Francisco, CA to Los Angeles, CA
Distance: 460 miles
Duration: 1 week
Route Summary
One of the best 1-week road trips (and perhaps the most iconic) is undoubtedly the coastal trip along California’s beautiful Highway 1 or the Pacific Coast Highway.
While the road stretches over 600 miles from Dana Point to Mendocino County, the most popular and spectacular stretch is the drive from Los Angeles to San Francisco.
Route Highlights
Some of the highlights of this 400+ mile drive include Santa Monica and Malibu in the Los Angeles area, charming and laid-back Santa Barbara, the quirky surf towns of Pismo Beach, and of course the spectacular Big Sur and Monterey Peninsula on the Central Coast.
While the drive itself may only take a day or two, we recommend that you spend a week or more on this road trip to really take in all the amazing sites, natural beauty and quintessential California beach towns.
While driving from north to south is most popular because you are always on the coastal side of the highway, you can also easily backtrack.
The best time to go
California’s year-round good weather makes it a good time to take this road trip any time of the year.
Note, however, that since it is one of the best road trips from Southern California, it does get very busy during the summer months.
Blue Ridge Parkway
Tunnels on the Blue Ridge Parkway – one of the best road trips in Virginia
Route: Oconaluftee, NC to Rockfish Gap, VA
Distance: 469 miles
Duration: 3-5 days
Route Summary
The Blue Ridge Parkway, which runs for nearly 500 miles through North Carolina and Virginia, is one of the most iconic road trips in North America.
Construction of the road began in 1935 to connect the Great Smoky Mountains National Park with Shenandoah National Park. It has been the most visited attraction in the national park system almost every year since the mid-1940s and is undoubtedly one of the best road trips in North Carolina.
The reason is simple: with breathtaking scenery, historic landmarks and thousands of wildlife species (birds, bears, deer, etc.), the Parkway offers the best taste of unspoiled America.
The Blue Ridge Parkway begins at U.S. 441 in Oconaluftee in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Cherokee, North Carolina.
It ends at Rockfish Gap, the southern entrance to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, and the road name was changed to Skyline Drive and runs through the entire park. Of course, if you want to travel from north to south, simply reverse the route.
How long it takes to drive through Blue Ridge Parkway depends entirely on how often you want to stop for the night along the way. If there is no traffic, the speed limit on the Parkway is usually 45 miles per hour, with some areas having slower speed limits.
So if there’s no traffic and you don’t make multiple stops, you can probably complete the entire trip in 12 to 13 hours. But what’s the fun in that?
Most people who want to see the sights tend to do the drive in 3 to 5 days, but you can easily spend a week in the towns along the way and never get bored.
Route Highlights
There are too many highlights to summarize in a short paragraph, but I definitely recommend that you spend a few days in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park exploring Asheville and the surrounding area.
From there, head north for hiking and fishing in the Pisgah and Cherokee National Forests and the charming mountain towns of Boone and Blowing Rock, North Carolina.
Virginia’s must-see attractions include Roanoke, George Washington and Jefferson National Forests and, of course, Shenandoah National Park.
Best time to go
Our favorite time to explore the area is in the fall. The tourist crowds are smaller, the weather is cooler and the amazing leaf colors make the Blue Ridge Mountains magical.
