The United States is a huge country with many places to see. It has 52 states full of incredible cities, deserts, mountains, valleys, canyons... Every corner to discover is fascinating. And how about going through some of its most popular routes or some little known ones by car? Thousands of kilometers ahead, without rushing... It doesn't sound bad at all. Who hasn't dreamed of taking a road trip along Route 66 or the West Coast?
There are so many routes to do that it is difficult to choose among so many, but here are my favorite routes. Some I have done, some I have only done a section and some I have pending, studied in detail to enjoy them shortly.
In this post I tell you about the 10 best road trip the United States that you will love and that you will surely want to do. Let's get some inspiration!
Personally, I lose landscapes. Whether they are deserts, valleys, mountains, volcanoes, beaches, coasts... it doesn't matter. I am fascinated by these long roads that you find in the United States, straight lines that never end.
THE 10 ROAD TRIPS IN THE UNITED STATES THAT YOU WILL LOVE
1. Route 66
If we talk about Road Trip through the United States, the first route that comes to mind is Route 66. A classic that has been the protagonist of many books, movies and songs.
This highway was opened in 1926 to connect Chicago and the Santa Monica beach in California. Crossing a total of 8 states along more than 3,900 kilometers.
The 8 states it passes through are Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. If you are thinking of doing this route you should take into account about 10 or 12 days.
If you do Route 66, don't miss these places: Route 66 Start Sign, Cadillac Ranch, Ed Galloway's Totem Pole Park, The Painted Desert, Delgadillo's Snow Cap Drive-In, Shea's Gas Station Museum, Lou Mitchell's, Wigwam Motel and the Santa Monica Pier. But I explain it much better in the post:
2. Going-to-the-Sun Road
This route is not as long as the previous one. It is a long mountain road of a hundred kilometers in the northeast of the state of Montana, where you can enjoy a natural wonder as spectacular as Glacier National Park. The variety of fauna and flora will leave you speechless. Also, be prepared to find sheep, goats and all kinds of animals.
It is a route that closes in winter, with the first snowfall that begins to block the road and it does not open until spring. Find out about the weather conditions.
Bicycle lovers, without a doubt, this is an opportunity to travel one of the most beautiful routes in Montana with your bike.
3. West Coast
The West Coast road trip is also one of the most popular driving tours in the United States. The stops that you cannot miss on the Road Trip along the West Coast are Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas and national parks such as the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Monument Valley or Antelope Canyon. Although there are many more places, and I recommend that if you want to do it, don't miss my California articles. Where I tell you in detail all the most beautiful places in this state.
You can concentrate only on doing the route along the west coast in California and add some destination in Nevada. Although if you have time I advise you to do the route from Seattle to San Diego. It is a very complete route and if you want to see everything, the minimum is two to three weeks.
4. California State Route 1
If you don't have that much time to do the entire West Coast route, the California route is one of the most beautiful.
This highway crosses the state of California along the Pacific coast for a total of 1,055 kilometers. The southernmost point of the highway is in Orange County and the northernmost point in Mendocino County.
If you decide to tour it, start in San Francisco and don't miss the following stops; San Jose, Santa Cruz, Monterey, Bixby Creek Bridge, Big Sur, Morro Bay, San Simeon, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Malibu, Los Angeles, and San Diego.
5. Overseas Highway, Florida Keys Highway
The Florida Keys Overseas Highway links the mainland with Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, Big Pine Key and Key West, passing through hundreds of islets located south of the Florida peninsula. The highway has a total of 180 kilometers and is a good excursion if you travel to Miami.
Don't miss No Name Pub (Big Pine Key), Veteran's Memorial Park, Seven Mile Bridge, Bahia Honda State Park, Old Bahia Honda Bridge and enjoy the beautiful sunsets every day. In Key West, you can visit Duval Street, Southernmost Point Buoy (the southernmost point in the United States), the Ernest Hemingway House, and Mallory Square. You will see beautiful landscapes of the coast, with crystalline waters of intense blue.
6. Antelope Valley Freeway
The Antelope Valley Freeway is the southern portion of Route 14 in California. It is a piece that is not usually “typical” and when you arrive here you are amazed by the landscape. The Mojave desert is one of the most beautiful landscapes to see in this area. The desert is huge and you can visit it on different routes. But the Antepole Valley has something very special. The best time to visit is in spring when the valley is dyed orange thanks to the poppy flowers.
7. East Coast
If you want to travel the entire East Coast, you must start in Maine and end in Florida (or vice versa) and it is about 2,500 kilometers. One of the most popular routes on the East Coast is the so-called Atlantic Coast, which runs from New York to Florida, passing through places like Atlantic City, Hatteras Island, Myrtle Beach, Savanna and Miami.
Although if you feel like "taking an alternative route" through the Eastern United States, I would not leave out places like Niagara Falls, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Chesapeake and its beautiful bay, Charleston, Savannah, Jacksonville...
This route is one of those that offers the most diversity of landscapes.
8. Anchorage to Valdez, Alaska
The trip from Anchorage to Valdez, which begins on Alaska Route 1 and continues on Route 4. Passes through prehistoric glaciers, wild mountains more than 4 thousand meters high and through landscapes that seem from another world.
This highway that crosses a part of Alaska is about 500 kilometers long. A perfect trip for all those who love nature and want an unusual and popular route.
9. Great River Road
This route follows the course of the Mississippi River, passing through beautiful landscapes, ups and downs of hills, marveling at the Iowa canyon to its delta in New Orleans.
It is a very long route, which crosses 10 states; Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. And it has a length of 3,765 kilometers.
10. Hill Country Hideways, Texas
If you fancy a more western landscape, the one you imagine when you think of cowboy movies, this is your route; Hill Country Hideways.
Here you will find deep canyons, rivers, rolling hills and meadows full of flowers.
A great experience is to ride the road trip spending the night in ranches that offer guest rooms or small bed and breakfasts.
Includes stops in some of the Texas cities to complete your trip; Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, El Paso…
TIPS FOR DOING A ROAD TRIP THROUGH THE UNITED STATES
Process your visa correctly for the time you are going to spend in the country. You can get your visa from its official website or from ivisa.com
Against additional travel insurance for the United States. It is a must! Get a 5% discount for your travel insurance from this link.
Maps without internet: I advise you to take out maps when you have your route marked. You can download them from the maps.me app or print them at home. Even if you go with a phone with a sim card for the United States, you will cross deserts, mountainous areas... and bye bye to coverage.
If you are going to do the road trip with a motorhome, compare prices, and look for places where they allow you to park caravans and spend the night.
If you are going to do the roadtrip by car, leave the stops to sleep marked on the map and book a hotel ahead of time. Keep in mind that some places hardly have accommodation and most of them have few rooms. Don't go without! In addition, if your coverage fails, looking for accommodation with your mobile phone at the last minute can be difficult.
PLAN YOUR TRIP STEP BY STEP
I hope you enjoy your trip to the United States and that this article has been useful to you. You can continue reading many more related articles on the blog.
If you liked this article, subscribe to the blog so you don't miss out on upcoming destinations, curiosities, travel tips and inspiration for your trips.
A hug and see you soon!