American Road Trip: The Roads You HAVE To Drive!

We’re huge fans of road trips, particularly those last-minute load-up-the-car-and-dash type of road-trips. The freedom of having your own vehicle and the open road is something you rarely get to experience on other types of holidays. Each day will be vastly different, and with no one telling you what to do, it’s easy to make a great road trip out of any amount of time.

Many things can make a fantastic road trip, and everyone’s opinion differs on what these are. But whether you’re looking for breathtaking mountain landscapes, impressive coastlines, rich historical landmarks, or just simply roads that are thrilling to drive, the U.S. has it all.

We’ve put together some of the best roads you have to drive in the U.S.

Route 1

Image via Flickr by Kai Lehmann

This is probably the road that first jumps to mind when you think of American road trips. I’ve done it recently myself, and it does not disappoint. Running along the majority of the California Pacific Coast, this road provides you with a variety of stunning coastline views and fabulous beaches, as well as and some of the most famous cities in the United States.

Route 12

This 124-mile road reaches heights of 9.000 feet while travelling between Capitol Reef National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah. This is a road for the mountains lovers.

Densely forested areas give way to the bald mountains around the city of Boulder before following a narrow ridge across the red canyons of the Grand Staircase Escalante, a large U.S. national monument protected area.

Going-to-the-Sun Road

Image via Flickr by Jeremy Bronson

Not only does this road boast an incredible name, but it has the scenery and attractions to back it up. This 50-mile road sits within the Rocky Mountains and the Glacier National Park in Montana. One of the road’s biggest appeals is that it crosses the Continental Divide at Logan Pass, a popular starting point for hiking and backpacking trips.

The unusual name comes from the Going-to-the-Sun Mountain, which dominates the view from Logan Pass.

Tail of the Dragon

Sticking with great names, next up is Tail of the Dragon. We’ve looked at roads with impressive coastlines, mountains, and natural importance, so now it’s time for something for the thrill-seekers. This is a road for the driving fanatics.

Although only 11 miles long, this popular road has a staggering 318 curves to navigate. Despite bordering the Great Smoky Mountains and Cherokee National Forest, this road will not allow for much sightseeing. Both eyes will be firmly set on the road as you compete with sports cars and motorbikes to make the most of the Tail of the Dragon experience.

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Unfortunately, there are many things you can’t control when planning a road trip in the U.S.  You’re always at the mercy of the weather, especially in some of the high mountain roads we’ve covered. Storms can appear out of nowhere, and traffic is always unpredictable, especially in large cities. However, by basing your road trip around one of these impressive roads, you’re bound to have a journey to remember, regardless of the hiccups you meet along the way.