A road trip is a great way to see all the sites of the country you might miss on a regular drive.
We've compiled a list of some of our favorite 8 Outdoorsy US road trips below, as well as a few of the most popular roadside attractions along the way.
Route 66
It's a classic for a reason! The historic Route 66 spans around 2,400 miles from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California, and encompasses a huge swath of the continental United States.
And there's a variety of attractions to check out on the way. From the Meramec Caverns in Missouri, the Cadillac Ranch in Texas and the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona (trust us, and do the Blue Mesa Trail) there will be plenty of kooky and beautiful sites to explore.
This is one of the longest road trips in this list, so we know you may not be the most excited about any huge detours…but the Grand Canyon is only about an hour off the beaten path and, of course, we recommend it.
Route 66 takes you all the way to the coast, so you'll get your pick of beach views. We recommend checking out Muscle Beach, which combines fantastic sites with a charming old carousel attraction.
Pacific Coast Highway (California)
Taking a ride on the Pacific Coast Highway is a great way to see all the gorgeous sites of California state.
Ranging at around 600 miles, this route will take you all the way from San Diego to Oregon..
The majority of the route runs along the ocean, so you'll get salt breeze views for most of the trip.
Particular highlights include Big Sur's Bixby Bridge in Monterey and McWay Falls in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park.
If you want to take a step off the asphalt and into some fancy digs, check out the Hearst Castle.
This mansion complex was built in 1865 and includes grandiose and time period specific rooms, gardens, and pools.
In addition to the Santa Monica Pier, we also recommend checking out Point Dume, Malibu for amazing views of the Pacific and the Carlsbad Caverns for a super cool caving experience!
New England Fall Foliage Route (Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine)
Are you ready for this year's foliage madness? The absolute best drive for taking in all the fall colors is the New England Fall Foliage Route.
This 250 to 500 mile long drive will take you through Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.
The tricky part of this roadtrip is that it changes every year based on that fall's foliage (check out the New England Peak Foliage Map for more exact data closer to your trip).
We recommend aiming for a few of the main scenic byways, and hitting a few of the best attractions along the way.
The Kancamagus Highway ("The Kanc") is a great place to get started.
This scenic byway will take you through some of the most gorgeous stretches of foliage, and offers a few campgrounds if you want to stay overnight.
Want to keep going? Hop over to the Connecticut River Byway for even more amazing views.
If you're more in the mood to explore foliage-laced towns, take a look at Portsmouth and Sandwich.
Both towns will have great views and even greater food. (Check out the River House in Portsmouth, NH for incredible clam chowder!)
Finally, if you don't want to drive at all, try to get tickets for the Conway Scenic Railway.
This train ride will take you through some of the most beautiful and relatively untouched swaths of fall colors in the area.
Blue Ridge Parkway (Virginia and North Carolina)
Ever thought about hiking the Appalachian Trail, but don't have the time? Taking this 469 mile US road trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway from Virginia to North Carolina is a great way to get to some of the sites without the lengthy trek.
Still want to hike a little? Moderate hikes like the Crabtree Falls Trail or the Rattlesnake Lodge Trail are great ways to explore the area.
If you want a luxurious break from the road, check out the famous Biltmore Estate in North Carolina.
This historic mansion is rich with gorgeous architecture, gardens, and art. It also offers lodging for visitors in the area.
If you need to stretch your legs, there's other opportunities to learn about the history of the Blue Ridge Mountains, including the Birthplace of Country Music Museum and the Blue Ridge Farm Museum.
The Loneliest Road (Highway 50, Nevada)
Ranging from 375 to 500 miles on Highway 50, this US road trip route was originally dubbed "the Loneliest Road" by Life magazine in 1986 because of its "lack" of attractions and resources.
Today it's a misnomer since this road trip takes travelers through state parks, ghost towns, and other kooky attractions.
If you want to check out the natural sites, check out the Richmond Canyon Loop at Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park to take a look at their large concentration of Ichthyosaur fossils, an ancient marine reptile.
Learning more about the region's mining history is a great option at Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park.
They have easy Overlook Loops and overview trails of the region's Lime Kiln and Nature Loop you can take to explore the area.
Interested in learning more about ghost towns? Austin, Nevada, Jacobsville, and Ledlie are all former towns that have historic buildings and foundations to explore.
Yellowstone and Grand Teton Loop (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho)
The 400-mile Yellowstone and Grand Teton Loop traces through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho – and is a great way to knock a few national parks off your list! The road takes you both in and outside of the parks.
In Yellowstone, this loop takes you through the West Thumb Geyser Basin and the Fishing Bridge.
If you want to stay overnight, this route will take you right by the Bridge Bay Campsites, a great spot to pitch a tent!
You can also take some diversions from the route to get to the more popular sites, like the Old Faithful geyser and the beautiful and colorful Grand Prismatic Spring.
Once you get to Grand Teton, you'll hit the 42-Mile Scenic Loop Drive with Schwabacher Landing, Snake River Overlook, and Oxbow Bend.
Want to learn about the history in the area? Check out the Farnsworth TV & Pioneer Museum and the Grant Village Visitor Center.
The Overseas Highway (Florida Keys) – 113
The Overseas Highway is one of the shortest trips in our list at 113 miles. This route takes you through the beautiful Florida Keys.
The John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is the closest park to this route (and the country's first undersea park!).
If you have the time, we highly recommend you explore the area on a glass-bottom boat tour, or up close on a snorkeling trip.
If you're interested in the local wildlife, we recommend you take a look at the Turtle Hospital.
These thirteen islands are home to endangered sea turtles who are rescued, rehabilitated, and released back into nature by the organization.
Want to see more wildlife in action? Check out Robbie's Tarpon Feed in Robbie's Marina.
Tarpon are very large fish that feed in these coastal waters. This dock lets you get up close and personal to feed them a bucket of fish!
The end of this trip will take you to perhaps the most famous mile marker in the country – Mile Marker 0! This marker is situated at the end of the road in Key West and is a must-see photo destination.
Pacific Northwest Coastline (From Crater Lake to Olympic)
Taking the drive from Crater Lake National Park to Olympic National Park will take you through a gorgeous 460-mile stretch of some of the most gorgeous sites in the Pacific Northwest.
We recommend taking the Samuel H Boardman State Scenic Corridor from south to north for some of the best scenery.
On this route, stop by Natural Bridges for incredible views, as well as Secret Beach and Bandon Beach for great hikes and birding.
As you work your way up the coast, make sure to check out the Sea Lion Caves.
This privately owned wildlife preserve is home to hundreds of sea lions and native birds. Check out their website for tickets here!
Devil's Churn is a great spot to get out and stretch your legs on your way north. This inlet is perfectly situated to funnel ocean water as it "churns" near the shore and makes for incredible pictures.
You're likely to see plenty of lighthouses on this road trip, but one of the coolest is the Yaquina Head Lighthouse.
Built in 1872, this site hosts tours of its historic lighthouse and teaches visitors about the maritime history of the area.
Farther up the Oregon coast also has the gorgeous Canon Beach and the Wreck of the Peter Iredale (where they have the remains of a real 1906 shipwreck!).
Finish your trip in Olympic National Park, home to the Hoh Rain Forest, the scenic Hurricane Ridge, and Sol Duc Falls.
Staying overnight here can be awesome, and there are plenty of campsites available in the southern part of the park. Check them out here!
Let Us Know How Your US Road Trip Goes!
With so many awesome US road trips to take, the hardest decision will be which one to take first!
Have you been on one of these already? Let us know how it went!
Want to add to the list? Comment your recommendations for these routes and attractions under this article for other readers to see!