Hey, I'm Devendra Singh, welcome to US Travel Spots . Let me tell you, America has some truly incredible roads. Ocean highways, moun...
Let me tell you, America has some truly incredible roads. Ocean highways, mountain passes, endless desert stretches, and coastal drives that look like something out of a movie. Whether you're chasing sunsets along the Pacific or crossing bridges over open ocean in the Keys, there's really nothing like a great American road trip.
So here's what I put together for you, the top 10 road trips across the United States, counted down from ten to one. These are the drives that people finish and just can't stop talking about. Let's get into it.
Number 10, the Overseas Highway in Florida
Do you know this drive honestly feels more like flying over the ocean than driving on a road? The Overseas Highway runs about 113 miles from Miami down through the Florida Keys, all the way to Key West. You basically hop from island to island across a chain of bridges, with turquoise water stretching out in every direction.
The best part is the Seven Mile Bridge, seven full miles of road sitting right over open ocean. It's one of those moments where you just have to roll the windows down and take it all in.
Along the way you pass through Key Largo, Islamorada, and Marathon before reaching Key West, which has this laid back feel that's hard to find anywhere else.
Make time for Bahia Honda State Park, home to some of the best beaches in Florida, and don't miss a sunset at Mallory Square in Key West. You could do this drive in a day, but honestly, give it two or three.
Number 9, the Blue Ridge Parkway from Virginia to North Carolina
There's a good reason people call this one America's favorite drive. This 469 mile road winds through the Appalachian Highlands, connecting Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina.
The speed limit stays low here on purpose. This road was built for slowing down, not rushing through. You'll pass rolling green mountains, wildflower meadows, misty valleys, and lookout points where the ridge lines stack up as far as you can see.
Mabry Mill is one of the most photographed spots in Virginia, and the Linn Cove Viaduct is amazing, the road literally wraps around the side of a mountain.
If you make it to Asheville, North Carolina, you're in for great food, good breweries, and a genuinely fun art scene. One tip worth remembering, try to go in October. The fall colors on this drive are something else.
Number 8, Route 66 from Illinois to California
You honestly can't make a road trip list without this one. Route 66 runs roughly 2,400 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica, and it's been an American icon since 1926.
A lot of the original road has been replaced by highways now, but long stretches of the old route are still there, and that's exactly where the magic happens.
You'll pass through eight states, from the flat plains of Oklahoma and Texas to the painted deserts of Arizona and New Mexico. Stop at the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, grab pie at an old diner in Tucumcari, and check out the ghost towns scattered along the way.
The neon signs, the old motels, the roadside oddities, it all feels like stepping into a time capsule. This drive was never really about getting somewhere fast. It's about soaking in a piece of American history one mile at a time.
Number 7, the Great River Road from Minnesota to Louisiana
Here's one I think deserves way more attention than it gets. The Great River Road is a huge 3,000 mile route that follows the Mississippi River from northern Minnesota all the way down to the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana.
It's one of the longest road trips in America, and honestly, one of the most overlooked. You'll pass through 10 states, and the scenery keeps changing the whole way, forests and bluffs up north, wide open farmland through the middle, and moss covered bayous once you hit Louisiana.
But the real reason to do this drive is the culture. Blues music in the Delta, barbecue in Memphis, beignets in New Orleans. This route is a genuine feast for your senses.
If you love good food, good music, and real American culture, this one is for you.
Number 6, Going to the Sun Road in Montana
This drive is short, but it's honestly unforgettable. Going to the Sun Road is a 50 mile stretch through Glacier National Park in Montana, and it's one of the most dramatic mountain roads anywhere in the world.
The road climbs all the way up to Logan Pass at 6,646 feet, with steep cliffs on one side and huge drop offs on the other.
You'll see glacial lakes, waterfalls pouring right over the road, alpine meadows, and if you're lucky, mountain goats and even grizzly bears.
Just know the road is only fully open from around late June to mid September, and it gets pretty busy in summer, so getting there early in the morning really helps.
If you love mountains and wild scenery, put this one on your list.
Number 5, the Pacific Coast Highway in California
We're halfway through the list now, and this one's a big deal. The Pacific Coast Highway runs along California's coast, and the most famous section stretches about 120 miles from Monterey down to San Luis Obispo, right through Big Sur.
You've probably already seen this drive in movies or on social media, and yes, it really does live up to the hype.
Rugged cliffs drop straight into the Pacific, the Bixby Creek Bridge arches over a massive canyon, and the redwood trees grow so tall they block out the sky.
Make sure you stop at McWay Falls, an 80 foot waterfall that drops right onto a beach. Grab lunch in Carmel by the Sea, and go slow. Every single curve on this road opens up a view worth pulling over for.
Number 4, the Hana Highway in Maui, Hawaii
This one takes us over to the island of Maui. The Hana Highway is a 64 mile road with over 600 curves and 59 bridges, winding through some of the most lush, tropical scenery you'll find anywhere in the country.
The drive from Kahului to Hana takes about 3 hours without stopping, but you won't actually make it without stopping, because you genuinely won't be able to help yourself.
Black sand beaches, bamboo forests, waterfalls pouring right off the cliffs, and lookout points with views for miles.
Visit Waianapanapa State Park for its famous black sand beach, and keep driving past Hana to the pools of Ohe'o for an incredible spot to swim.
A lot of people turn around right at Hana, but honestly, the road beyond it is just as beautiful. This drive rewards you for being patient.
Number 3, the Loneliest Road in America, Nevada
If you love wide open spaces, do you know this one is going to speak straight to you? US Route 50 across Nevada earned the nickname the Loneliest Road in America from a well known magazine back in 1986, and the name has stuck ever since, for good reason.
This 287 mile stretch runs from Ely to Fernley, passing through huge desert basins, rugged mountains, and tiny towns that feel frozen in time.
There are stretches where you genuinely won't see another car for 30 minutes or more. It's just you, the desert, and an endless sky, and instead of feeling empty, it actually feels really peaceful.
Check out Sand Mountain, a massive dune rising right out of flat desert, and the old mining town of Eureka.
This drive isn't about packed schedules or nonstop sightseeing. It's about that rare feeling of real freedom and open space that's getting harder to find these days.
Number 2, the Million Dollar Highway in Colorado
Coming in at number two is a 25 mile stretch of US Route 550 between Silverton and Ouray in southwestern Colorado, known as the Million Dollar Highway.
Don't let the short distance fool you, this is genuinely one of the most thrilling drives in the whole country. The road cuts through the San Juan Mountains with steep drop offs, tight switchbacks, and no guardrails in a lot of spots.
In summer the peaks fill with wildflowers, and in fall the aspens turn bright gold and orange against snow dusted mountain tops. It's jaw dropping no matter when you go.
Ouray is known as the Switzerland of America and has genuinely amazing natural hot springs, and Silverton is a beautifully preserved old mining town that feels like stepping back in time.
If you want scenery, a bit of adrenaline, and mountain beauty all in one short drive, this is the one.
Number 1, Utah's Mighty Five Loop
And taking the top spot, Utah's Mighty Five. This loop covers roughly 900 miles and connects all five of Utah's national parks, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, and Arches.
It's genuinely one of the greatest drives on Earth. Every single park brings something completely different.
Zion has huge red canyon walls and the famous Angels Landing hike. Bryce Canyon is full of thousands of orange and red rock towers called hoodoos that look like they belong on another planet.
Capitol Reef is the quiet one, full of painted desert scenery. Canyonlands feels raw and wild. And Arches gives you over 2,000 natural stone arches, including the famous Delicate Arch.
Even the drive between the parks is incredible, red rock corridors, open desert, and dramatic canyon roads that make you pull over again and again just to look.
Plan at least a week for this one, so each park gets the time it deserves. This loop takes the top spot because honestly, no other drive in the country packs in this much natural wonder in a single trip.
So what did I take away from putting this together
That's the full list, the top 10 best road trips in the United States. From tropical ocean highways to lonely desert roads to mountain passes way up high, this country genuinely has an amazing range of road trips to offer.
Here's what stood out to me the most while writing this. Not one of these drives feels anything like another. One minute you're crossing open ocean on a bridge in the Keys, and a few spots later you're standing completely alone on a desert road in Nevada with nothing but sky around you.
If you've got questions about any of these road trips, just drop a comment.
Devendra Singh, US Travel Spots
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