· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·

Top 5 North American road trips

North America is the home of the road trip. Whether you’re sitting on a Greyhound bus, riding pillion on a Harley-Davidson or behind the wheel of a classic Cadillac, your vehicle choice doesn’t matter half as much as the journey itself. Our top five choices are the stuff of movies and the best way of discovering the true North American spirit. Road trip 1. Highway One Also known as the Pacific Coast Highway, this sea-hugging road winds its way down the USA’s western coastline. It’s a way to see the best of California and everything this state has to offer: not just golden beaches, but towering redwood forests, national parks, and glittering cities. Stop off in San Diego and wrap it all up on the relaxed Mexican Baja Peninsula. If time’s limited, stick to the most driven part of the route between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Zoom over the Golden Gate Bridge and swing around the cliffs mountainous Big Sur. Our top tip? Drive this route between December and April for the best chances of seeing gray whales on their annual migration to warmer waters. 2. The Overseas Highway The Overseas Highway is a 127-mile-long stretch of road connecting the islands of the Florida Keys from Key Largo down to Key West. Cruise over the famous Seven Mile Bridge, surrounded by ocean, between Knight’s Key and Little Duck Key. Swim with dolphins along the way, dive the coral reefs, scour deserted beaches for exotic shells, and wander around the marinas. Start or end your trip in pastel-toned Miami, where you can party or night, dine in the fine restaurants of Little Havana and people watch on South Beach. 3. The Northern National Parks Exploring the magnificent Yellowstone, Grand Teton and Arches National Parks can be done in one road trip, throwing in a bit of the Rocky Mountains for kicks. There are fantastic places to stay along the way and by self-driving, you’ll have easy access to some of the most exclusive accommodation options in luxurious ranches and out-of-the-way retreats. It’s worth setting out for Yellowstone from Montana, a route which will take you through the eerie-sounding Beartooth Pass. Cut into the mountains, it’s said to be one of the USA’s most picturesque roads. Keep an eye out for those grizzlies! After the lakes and geysers of Yellowstone, explore the mountains of Grand Teton and the sandstone deserts of Arches National Park. 4. Route 66 This is arguably the most iconic of North America’s famous roads. Running west to east from Los Angeles to Chicago over 2,000 miles, there’s definitely a certain romance to this route despite the fact that much of the original road was decommissioned in the 1980s. It’s a fantastic way to trace the history of modern America, first established in 1926. The highway passes through Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. There are numerous attractions along the way, including classic motels and fast-food joints, Arizona’s Painted Desert and Petrified Forest National Park, and the Chain of Rocks Bridge which crosses the Mississippi River. 5. The East Coast Home to a more rural, peaceful way of life, the East Coast is most beautiful in Fall, when the leaves explode into fiery shades all around. Be sure to take the 6A road along the Cape Cod peninsula, which juts out into the Atlantic Ocean. It’s simple to stop off in little villages and towns for a wander and to absorb the living history of this fascinating region of the USA. Sandwich, the oldest town on the Cape was settled by Puritans in 1637. Don’t miss out on the clam chowder and the dunes of Province Lands. Alison Crabb is a Director at Exsus. If you would like to be a guest blogger on A Luxury Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.

Did you enjoy this article?

Receive similar content direct to your inbox.

6 Comments

  1. I’d say it’s one of the best kinds of road trips in the world. There’s is something about America that just makes their road trips so much more fun :)

    Agree?

  2. I can’t say I’ve done any of these but I have recently been on a road trip travelling right across Nepal (from Kathmandu to the westernmost border with India) and that was quite an experience.

    I’m also just back from Ireland where there are some great road trip circuits. We did what’s known as the ‘Ring of Beara’ which is surprisingly undiscovered relative to some of the other tourist trails in the west of the country. Highly recommended, too.

  3. Highway 1 is definitely one of the best road trips I’ve ever taken. Here’s two more tips:

    1) Drive a convertible, your experience will be 10 times better
    2) Keep an eye out for seals along the way

  4. I’ve done parts of all these except the Keys, and I could not recommend them enough! I have to say I did not truly appreciate how beautiful this country is until taking some of these trips.

  5. We’ve driven the northern and the southern route across the country and Route 66 from Chicago to CA. On this trip we have been on the road for 8 weeks, circling the USA, 5 more nights on the road and we’ll wrap up another epic road trip!

  6. Street outings and Road trips are one of my most loved approaches to travel, and obviously I adore my North america home, so I couldn’t think about a superior young lady’s getaway than taking this seaside road trip!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *