Self-driving road trips are a unique way to explore the scenery. From the legendary Route 66, to the so-called “loneliest” Route 50, to the mysterious and strange Route 491, each road hides a unique American landscape and cultural code. Today, let us take you to explore the 8 most worthwhile self-driving routes in the United States – whether you like nature, history, culture or excitement, these routes can bring unprecedented shock and freedom.
1、Route 66. Known as the Mother Road and the Main Street of the U.S., Route 66 stretches from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California, with a total length of 2,448 miles. With the advent of the interstate highway system, some sections of the road were destroyed, but some sections are still accessible, and you can see many unique attractions along the way, such as the Santa Monica Pier, the Wigwam Motel, the Catoosa Blue Whale, etc.
2、Interstate Highway I-90. Interstate Highway I-90 is an east-west highway across the continental United States. It is also the longest interstate highway in the United States. It is 3,020.4 miles long. Interstate Highway 90 passes through Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and finally Massachusetts. Since this is an interstate highway, you need to plan your trip in advance to avoid missing out on the many attractions along the way.
3、Highway 101. Highway 101 starts in Tumwater, Washington, and more or less follows the coast down through Oregon to Los Angeles, California. It crosses the Columbia River, known as the Graveyard of the Pacific, in Astoria, Oregon, and after passing through many charming coastal towns, the highway winds through huge red mountain forests in northern California. It passes through San Francisco and finally reaches the greater Los Angeles area.
4、Blue Ridge Parkway. The Blue Ridge Parkway is a national parkway and an All-American Highway in the United States, famous for its beautiful scenery. The parkway is the longest linear park in the United States, with a total length of 469 miles. The route runs from north of Cherokee, North Carolina, to west of Afton, Virginia. It connects the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina and the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. Along this route, you can see old homesteads, alpine meadows, Finnish palisades, waterfalls, Mount Fuji, and more.
5、Highway 50. Highway 50 runs from coast to coast through the heart of the United States. It is 3,073 miles long and passes through more than a dozen states and four state capitals as well as the U.S. capital, Washington, D.C. The scenery along the way includes the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the Appalachian Mountains and the Rocky Mountains, endless farmland, and dry deserts in Utah and Nevada. It is also known as the loneliest road because it runs mainly through deserts and mountains.
6、Highway 395. From Death Valley in the dry Mojave Desert to the Sierra Nevada and White Mountains, this is home to some of the oldest inhabitants on Earth. There are redwoods and bristlecone pines, and the cities and towns here are as varied as the landscape. During the California Gold Rush, the ghost towns in the desert had their heyday, and some of the most cutting-edge weapons development and drone technology coexist with some of the world’s oldest artworks. Cities are dedicated to western living and recreation, including fishing, skiing, off-roading, biking, equestrian sports, and more.
7、Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway, a scenic, roughly circular highway that passes through eastern Utah and western Colorado, about 75% of which is in Utah. Along the way, you may see paleontologists digging for dinosaur bones. In remote areas, you can see dinosaur fossils and footprints, as well as museums that display dinosaur fossils, replicas, and information. In the same area, you can also enjoy Native American pictographs and petroglyphs, and several national parks, including Canyonlands and Arches, can be visited as branch lines.
8、Southwest Ghost Road, this road starts from Monticello, Utah, and extends to Gallup, New Mexico. Route 666 is known as one of the most haunted places in the United States. Some Christians believe that three sixes represent the number of the beast. At the same time, according to statistics at the time, when the road was named 666, there were an abnormally large number of accidents and deaths. So many people believe that this road is cursed and is a devil’s highway. In 2003, the United States renamed this ominous highway to Route 491. When you drive along this special highway, you will find a lot of magnificent scenery, such as uniquely shaped rocks, tall cacti and deserts.Despite its popularity, many tourists make an effort to avoid this desolate stretch of road.
Whether you’re driving a camper, a convertible sports car, or just have a cup of coffee and a desire to go, these eight American highways will give you an unforgettable journey.