Five Great Summer Road Trips In America

Forbes

12 hours ago

Summer is my jam, and yours too - windows down, snacks in hand, tunes blasting. What's not to love? Here are five personally tested scenic routes across America that'll either blow the blues from your soul or help you appreciate the season anew. All are gorgeous. Don't forget to hydrate.
17 Mile Drive, Pebble Beach, California
This is wonderful road adjacent to white beaches, tall forests, stunning coastal cliffs, and it's only 17 miles. It's so exclusive that motorcycles are prohibited and there's a $10.25 cash fee per vehicle, although that can be reimbursed if you spend $36 or more at Pebble Beach Resort restaurants. (It's waived completely if you're staying at Casa Palmero, The Inn At Spanish Bay or The Lodge At Pebble Beach.) You'll behold the majesty of the Restless Sea at Point Joe, dwell amongst the gigantic trees at Cocker Grove, stroll the boardwalk above the beach at Spanish Bay, and so much more. A red line's painted on the road; follow it and you won't veer off the course.
Historic Route 66
At 2,450 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica, Route 66 is the longest trip on this list, but a must for anyone interested in old-school America. Along the way, you'll come across must-see roadside attractions like the world's second-largest rocking chair in Fanning, Missouri, the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas, the Wigwam Hotel in San Bernardino, California, and so much more. Also, familiarize yourself with these lyrics: 'If you ever plan to motor west/Take my way/That's the highway that's the best.' Then get thee to Nat 'King' Cole, The Rolling Stones or any number of artists who've recorded 'Route 66' and you'll get the urge.
Independence Pass, Colorado
Colorado's full of sights most everywhere you drive or motorcycle that'll make you pull over and simply gape at nature's natural wonders. But Independence Pass is Colorado on steroids. It's 32 miles long and the highest paved pass in North America; at the Continental Divide between Aspen and Leadville, you're 12,095 feet above sea level.
You can drive Independence Pass in about 45 minutes if need be, but you'll want to take your time and pull over for photos of the Roaring Fork River, groves of trees and majestic, jaw-dropping gorges. There aren't any guardrails and your path is narrow and twisty at times, so follow the speed limit. At the Aspen end, consider lodging at the Limelight, with its huge lobby complete with fireplace for guests and their friends to loiter at their leisure, the magnificent mountains in sight. Their complimentary breakfast is sumptuous and plentiful, and there's an Audi Q7 available for guests' use upon check-in.
Palisades Parkway, NJ/NY
Beginning at its southern point at the George Washington Bridge, the Palisades parkway is a 38.25 mile 2-lane limited access highway (meaning you won't see commercial trucks) eventually connecting New Jersey to upstate New York. Not only are its north and south roads home to acres of trees with gorgeous colorful leaves in the fall, there are three scenic lookout points along the way, and soon you'll find yourself cruising alongside historic Hudson River.
Make your way up to the college town of New Paltz and eat, shop, stroll and experience some of the most vivid, colorful foliage the East coast has to offer. Spend a night at Mohonk Mountain House, whose acres of forest will provide a feast for the eyes and the nose; enjoy their world-class buffet, leisurely pace and many activities for guests if you so choose.
The Strait of Juan de Fuca Scenic Byway
The Strait of Juan de Fuca Scenic Byway in Washington winds through an ancient, mystical, alive landscape formed millennia ago underneath the ocean, subsequently carved by glaciers and then sprinkled with forests by Mama nature.
Starting in the 1800s as a series of trails winging through forests and connecting the logging and fishing communities, the modern world brought roads with it for horses and wagons, the automobile, school buses, and you.
Along your way along this 100-plus mile route, you'll find a plethora of parklands, wilderness preserves and national forests as well as hot springs, pristine mountain streams, many waterfalls, temperate rain forests, a large assortment of wildlife, snow capped mountain peaks and beautiful coastal beaches. Though it's possible to travel the byway in as little as four hours, many people end up staying overnight so as to properly absorb and appreciate its many wonders and sights.North Shore Drive, Minnesota
The North Shore Scenic Drive stretches along the shore from Canal Park in Duluth, Minnesota, through lovely burgs and placid woodlands and onto to the international border at Grand Portage. A few of the highlights you can expect on your north shore scenic drive include unique, agate-studded black and pink cobblestone beaches, three lighthouses, two harbors and many Lake Superior bays, top fishing spots along the scenic north shore drive, historical landmarks and for-real ghost town. There's also a gondola, the Grand Portage National Monument and shops and eateries you won't find anywhere else.