Road trips make for wonderful experiences. With just four wheels and a touch of inspiration, you can travel the length and breadth of the country, taking in the most jaw-dropping sights, scenes, and vistas.
In fact, there are so many beautiful places to drive around in the US that it’s difficult to know where to start. Luckily, we’ve got you covered with road trip ideas to make the best use of your vacation.
1. Pacific Coast Highway
Making your way down the Pacific Coast Highway can be an awesome way to check out the West Coast. At a total of just over 656 miles and tracing a route through almost all of California, this trip is not for the faint of heart.
You can take in the major population centers of San Francisco and Los Angeles while making numerous pit stops along the way. We recommend the lovely coastal town of Monterey and the gorgeous Garrapata state park – visiting the sea otters comes highly recommended – to spice up your tour. The California Department of Parks and Recreation has all the details.
2. Las Vegas Loop
Making your start and endpoint as Las Vegas might seem like you’re in for a wild time, but Sin City is simply one part of a voyage that takes in some of the best that America has to offer. This road makes a loop out of Las Vegas and through the states of Utah and Arizona.
One great advantage about doing a loop as a road trip is it’s easy to use a hire car service like SC Vehicle Hire. Simply pick up your hire car, go on your trip, then drop it off back once you’re done.
The Las Vegas Loop includes a trip to the Grand Canyon where you can gawp at its awesome size from the Arizona side, or check out the natural beauty at Zion National Park. You can also take in Monument Valley and even recreate some of your favorite movie scenes that have been shot in this famous location – check out some ideas at Indian Country Today.
3. Historic Route 66
Any talk of US road trips would be incomplete without a mention of that most famous of highways, Route 66. Coming in at a whopping distance of 2500 miles, Route 66 takes you all the way from Chicago to Los Angeles through the heart of America.
Enjoy the long straight roads through the breadbasket of the country taking in the history as you pass it. Road trippers here might want to imagine themselves migrating west in the Dust Bowl era, perhaps with a copy of Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath on the dashboard.
Although the original highway is no longer part of the United States Highway System, you can still drive the entire distance with some parts being referred to as “Historic Route 66”.
Conclusion
Now you’ve got the inspiration, you need to go and make it happen! Preparation is key for any road trip. If you’ve already dotted the i’s and crossed the t’s then you can begin looking forward to what will surely be the trip of a lifetime.
