The best road trips in the USA are Route 66, the Pacific Coast Highway, and Going-to-the-Sun Road, followed by the great national park drives of the West, the Blue Ridge Parkway in the East, and one-of-a-kind escapes to Hawaii, Alaska, and the Florida Keys. No country packs more variety into a tank of gas: you can chase desert red rock, alpine tundra, ocean cliffs, and geyser basins, all on paved, well-signed roads built for the journey rather than the shortcut.
This is our ranked guide to eleven American drives worth crossing an ocean for. Each one is pulled straight from the RoadAtlas catalog with real distances, durations, and seasons, so you can match a route to the time you have and the season you are traveling in. For the full interactive picture, open the map and plot your own line across the country.
The best USA road trips at a glance
| # | Route | Region | Distance | Best season | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Route 66 | Chicago to Los Angeles | 3,940 km | Spring, fall | 14 to 21 days |
| 2 | Pacific Coast Highway | California | 1,055 km | Summer, fall | 4 to 7 days |
| 3 | Going-to-the-Sun Road | Montana | 80 km | Jul to Sep | 2 days |
| 4 | Southern Utah Parks | Utah | 740 km | Mar to May, Sep to Nov | 7 to 9 days |
| 5 | Grand Teton to Yellowstone | Wyoming | 320 km | May to Oct | 4 to 5 days |
| 6 | Blue Ridge Parkway | Virginia to N. Carolina | 755 km | May to Jun, Sep to Oct | 5 to 6 days |
| 7 | Beartooth Highway | Montana, Wyoming | 110 km | Late Jun to Sep | 1 to 2 days |
| 8 | Road to Hana | Hawaii (Maui) | 84 km | Year-round | 1 to 2 days |
| 9 | Seward Highway | Alaska | 202 km | May to Sep | 1 to 2 days |
| 10 | Overseas Highway | Florida | 230 km | Nov to Apr | 1 to 2 days |
| 11 | Million Dollar Highway | Colorado | 40 km | Late spring to early fall | 1 day |
1. Route 66
Nothing else says American road trip quite like the Mother Road. Route 66 runs 3,940 km from Chicago to the Santa Monica Pier, stitching together neon motels, roadside giants, ghost towns, and desert diners across eight states. Give it 14 days at pace, or 18 to 21 to do it justice, and travel in spring or fall to dodge the worst of the Southwest heat. This is the drive that invented the format, and it still delivers. See the full Route 66 guide for the stop-by-stop plan.
2. Pacific Coast Highway
California Highway 1 hugs the coast for 1,055 km, and few stretches of tarmac on Earth photograph better. From the Golden Gate Bridge you thread through Santa Cruz, Monterey, and Carmel before the show-stopper: Big Sur, where the road curls over Bixby Creek Bridge and past McWay Falls tumbling onto the sand. Allow 4 to 7 days and drive it north to south in summer or fall for the clearest skies. It anchors our scenic coastal drives collection for good reason. Full details on the Pacific Coast Highway page.
3. Going-to-the-Sun Road
Only 80 km long, this is the most concentrated dose of mountain drama in the country. Going-to-the-Sun Road is the single route that crosses the Continental Divide inside Glacier National Park, climbing past hanging valleys, waterfalls that spill across the pavement, and grizzly bears grazing the roadside. Give it two full days, and come between July and September, the short window when the whole road is plowed and open. Plan it on the Going-to-the-Sun Road guide.
4. Southern Utah Parks Traverse
Five national parks in one 740 km line makes this the finest desert road trip in America. From St. George and Zion you move through Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, and Goblin Valley to the Moab parks and Monument Valley, a slow burn of hoodoos, arches, and red rock canyons. Budget 7 to 9 days, and travel in spring or fall when the desert is mild rather than scorching. It is a highlight of our desert roads hub. See the Southern Utah Parks itinerary.
5. Grand Teton to Yellowstone
For wildlife, nothing on this list beats the 320 km corridor from Jackson Hole into the world's first national park. The jagged Teton skyline gives way to moose meadows and bison herds, then to Yellowstone's geysers, prismatic hot springs, and the wolf-and-bison theatre of the Lamar Valley. Plan 4 to 5 days between May and October, and start early each morning when the animals are out. The Grand Teton to Yellowstone guide has the daily breakdown.
6. Blue Ridge Parkway
The most beautiful drive in the eastern United States runs 755 km along the crest of the Appalachians, with no billboards, no commercial traffic, and no stoplights. Named overlooks appear every few kilometres above unbroken hardwood forest that turns gold and crimson each October. Its two best windows are late spring for rhododendron bloom and early fall for colour, so aim for May to June or September to October across 5 to 6 days. Explore the Blue Ridge Parkway route.
7. Beartooth Highway
One of the highest paved roads in North America, the Beartooth Highway switchbacks from Red Lodge, Montana up to a tundra plateau above 3,000 metres, past glacial lakes and views that run for a hundred miles. You can drive the 110 km in a few hours, but pair it with Yellowstone's northeast entrance and give it two days. The season is brutally short, roughly late June to September, because snow closes the pass the rest of the year. See the Beartooth Highway guide.
8. Road to Hana
Maui's Hana Highway crams 620 curves and 59 bridges into 84 km of rainforest coastline, and the driving is the point. You pass bamboo groves, black-sand beaches, and waterfalls dropping straight into the sea, ideally over two unhurried days rather than one rushed loop. It is drivable year-round, which makes it a reliable winter pick when the mainland routes are snowed in. Plan your stops on the Road to Hana page.
9. Seward Highway
Alaska's most accessible great drive runs 202 km south from downtown Anchorage to Seward, tracing Turnagain Arm past tidal flats, hanging glaciers, and beluga whales offshore. It is an easy paved road, but the scenery demands constant stops, so treat it as a full day or spread it over two with a night in Seward. The window is May to September, when the Kenai Peninsula is green and the days are long. Details on the Seward Highway guide.
10. Overseas Highway
US-1 leaves the Florida mainland and drives out to sea, crossing 42 bridges over 230 km of turquoise flats to reach Key West, the southernmost point in the continental United States. The Seven Mile Bridge and Bahia Honda are the headline moments, with pelicans on every railing and water on both sides. It is a winter route, best from November to April when the humidity and hurricane risk drop, and one to two days is plenty. See the Overseas Highway guide.
11. Million Dollar Highway
Colorado's most famous 40 km caps the list. The stretch of US 550 between Silverton and Ouray climbs over Red Mountain Pass through old mining country, with tight curves, sheer canyon walls, and no guardrails to spoil the view. It is a single day of driving, or two if you add a hike, and it runs from late spring to early fall before snow returns. It is a standout among our mountain passes. Full notes on the Million Dollar Highway page.
If you only do one
Drive Route 66. No other route captures the whole idea of the American road trip in a single line: the coast-to-coast scale, the Americana, the shifting landscapes from Illinois cornfields to the Mojave. If you have two weeks and want the definitive experience, this is it. Short on time? The Pacific Coast Highway gives you the most concentrated beauty per day and needs less than a week, which makes it the better pick for a first, shorter visit.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best road trip in the USA?
Route 66 is the most iconic and complete American road trip, running 3,940 km from Chicago to Santa Monica through eight states. For pure scenery in a shorter trip, the Pacific Coast Highway along California's coast is the strongest alternative, drivable in 4 to 7 days.
What is the best time of year for a USA road trip?
It depends on the region. Late spring and early fall suit most of the country, including Route 66, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Utah parks. High mountain roads such as Going-to-the-Sun and the Beartooth Highway only open from about July to September, while the Florida Keys are best in winter, from November to April.
How long do you need for a road trip across the USA?
A coast-to-coast drive like Route 66 needs 14 days at a fast pace and 18 to 21 days to enjoy it. If you want a great American road trip without crossing the country, most of the routes here, from the Pacific Coast Highway to the Southern Utah parks, fit comfortably into 4 to 9 days.
Which US national park has the best road trip?
Glacier National Park's Going-to-the-Sun Road is the single most dramatic park drive, and the Grand Teton to Yellowstone corridor is the best for wildlife. For a multi-park epic, the Southern Utah traverse links five national parks in one 7 to 9 day route.
Are American road trips good for electric vehicles?
Several are well suited to EVs, including Route 66, the Pacific Coast Highway, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Overseas Highway, all of which have charging along the way. High alpine roads like Going-to-the-Sun and the Beartooth Highway have sparser coverage, so plan charging stops before you climb.
Ready to plan your American road trip? Start with the Route 66 guide for the definitive cross-country experience, browse our scenic coastal drives for the coastal options, and open the interactive map to build your own route across the United States.
