The COVID-19 vaccines are flowing, and the CDC is changing pandemic requirements daily. We’re slowly getting back to normal. What better way to celebrate this than a road trip with your friends? A classic summer road trip is calling your name. All you have to do is be ready when you hear the call. But before you leave, you need to know where you’re going. Here are seven of the best road trip routes that will make you start planning your next trip immediately.
Road to Hana – Maui
Unless you’re on Maui, this route is pretty difficult to get to. But if you’re on the island of Maui, this is a day-long road trip you should plan on taking. You can drive yourself or take a van tour to see what this route has to offer! This is the best road trip route if you like beautiful scenery, instagrammable sights, and hikes to waterfalls that are a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
On the Road to Hana, you have Surf Beaches, Black Sand Beaches, the Hana Lava Tube, Rainbow Eucalyptus Trees, and more! Be warned, though, start early in the morning and be prepared to take it slow if you make this drive yourself. The actual road to Hana is very narrow. You’ll find yourself with a mountain on one side and a cliff on the other and somehow having to let a lifted truck pass you on what looks like a one-lane road. This drive is not for the faint of heart.
Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) – California
The Pacific Coast Highway was created in the 1930s and is a sight to be seen. Hugging 600 miles of the California coastline from San Francisco to San Diego, it is one of the most scenic roads in the world. This is the best road trip route to sure to take your time, and take in the sight of the coastal mountains, gigantic trees, endless beaches, and skies that deserve to be a Windows background. Along the way, you’ll have a chance to enjoy pioneer outposts, surfing villages, farmer’s markets, local wineries, Hollywood glam, and more of the California lifestyle than you could have ever imagined.
Blue Ridge Parkway – Appalachian Mountains Road Trip Route
The Blue Ridge Parkway weaves its way from Virginia to North Carolina through the Appalachian Mountains. This route is 469 miles of stunning views, hikes, and rich traditions. While this is one of our shorter routes, it definitely shouldn’t be discounted. Take a weekend with your best friends, hiking boots, and camera and enjoy the sights that the Blue Ridge Parkway has to offer. One of our favorite features of this route is its app, which you can still use even without a cell signal! If you decide a weekend of the Blue Ridge Parkway is for you, make sure you have the Blue Ridge Pkwy Travel Planner downloaded on your phone and ready to go!
Overseas Highway – Florida Keys Road Trip Route
We’ve all heard of the Florida Keys. Honestly, you’ve probably even seen a picture of this route before without even knowing it. The Overseas Highway is a 120-mile drive that connects all of the Florida Keys via one GIGANTIC stretch of bridge. Stop at sites like Bahia Honda State Park in Big Pine Key for a day of snorkeling the reef. If you’re lucky, you may even see a sea turtle! Then head south to Key West to see the southernmost tip of the US and snag a picture there. You can even see the Ship Wreck Historeum and learn about the island’s past in salvaging from shipwrecks. Did someone say TREASURE?!
Lake Michigan Circle – Midwest Road Trip Route
As the name suggests, you’re going to drive a CIRCLE around Lake Michigan on this route. As one of the most scenic routes in America, in the 1,100 miles it takes to complete, you’ll make your way around one of the largest Great Lakes. You’ll see sights like the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Sleeping Bear Dunes, The Mackinac Bridge, to name a few. You’ll be picking up Petosky stones off the beaches, running the dunes, and swimming with shipwrecks! The best part is this road trip can double as a college tour trip! Use the Lake Michigan Circle to tour college campuses you’re interested in!
Route 66 – Chicago, IL to Los Angeles, CA
With so much of the country to see, why not make it fun along the way? While taking Route 66, you’ll make stops like Cadillac Ranch, Meramac Caverns, Red Rocks, and MORE! This route not only takes you through the Dust Bowl of the US, but it weaves you through some Major cities and iconic sites of the central states. This route is filled with nostalgia, frozen in time with quirky cafes, motels, and even ghost towns from Chicago to Hollywood. All of these places have instagrammable sites where you’ll want to pull over for a picture with your friends. Just think of the memories! You’ll travel back in time while road tripping down Route 66 for memories you won’t soon forget!
Route 50 (The Loneliest Road in America) – Ocean City, MD – West Sacramento, CA
Well, Route 50 is called the Loneliest Road in America for a reason. Route 50 is the longest of our routes, taking you from coast to coast! You’ll be traveling from Maryland to California, but the catch is, this major highway stretching 3073 miles runs almost entirely through rural areas of farmland. You will only run into a handful of cities while driving this route! So, road trippers, beware. While this route will have beautiful scenery, it isn’t for the faint of heart. Of the 48 continental United States, you’ll be traveling through 12! Do you dare take on the Loneliest Road in America?
Life is short. Pack up your friends and jump in the car this summer. And if you’re interested in more posts like this, subscribe to our weekly blog!
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