By Cheri Sicard
It’s time for a road trip! In this video, Kyle aka the Geography King shares his top ten picks for the most scenic drives in the United States.
Of course, the list is one man’s opinion, but this man regularly travels the U.S. While Kyle says this is not a countdown—these are all beautiful scenic drives—he does save his absolute favorite scenic drive for last. He does put in the disclaimer that he has not been to Alaska or Hawaii, so this list does not include those states. Lastly, the other qualification is that the bucolic scenery has to be ON the route. You don’t have to get off the highway or drive anywhere else to enjoy it.
Even if you don’t intend to visit all these spots, the video provides some nice relaxing eye candy.
The Geography King’s top 10 scenic drives in the USA
#10 The Oregon coast between Lincoln City and Brookings: Most of this gorgeous drive follows the coast on Hwy 101, although a few spots move a little inland. Best of all, there is public access to ALL of Oregon’s beaches.
#9 In and around Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota: This is a great place to get away from crowds as well as enjoy wildlife viewing and the North Dakota Badlands scenery. Watch the video for Kyle’s tips on visiting this area.
#8 South Dakota between Badlands National Park and Custer State Park: Kyle says you are pretty much guaranteed to see a bunch of bison on this scenic route, before driving through the breathtaking Badlands National Park.
#7 U.S. Hwy 1 in Florida between Key Largo and Key West: This entire scenic drive is almost like being on one big, long bridge, with several stops at small islands along the way.
#6 Interstate 70 in central Colorado: In Kyle’s opinion, this high-altitude route is the most beautiful stretch of interstate highway in the U.S.
#5 Blue Ridge Parkway: Kyle’s favorite part of this famous scenic Appalachian drive is the stretch between Asheville and Boone. It takes you near Mount Mitchell, the highest peak in the Eastern U.S. You will find this route extra-scenic in autumn when the foliage colors are ablaze.
#4 California’s Big Sur coastline: This stretch covers Highway 1 between San Simeon, the location of Hearst Castle, and Carmel, in central California.
#3 Upper Peninsula, Michigan, along Lake Superior: Specifically, between the towns of Marquette and Grand Marais, where you will hug the lakeshore for most of the drive.
#2 Western Maine lake territory: Kyle loves the areas between Lake Mount Blue State Park and the Sandy River Valley.
#1 Southern Utah through Bryce, Zion, and Capital Reef National Parks: This is Kyle’s #1 favorite science drive in the U.S. After watching the video, you will understand why.
What other scenic drives in the U.S. would you recommend? Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments below.
MORE LIKE THIS:
- Why the smartest RVers don’t always take the scenic route
- Driving New Mexico’s 84-mile Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway
- The best interstate routes for cross-country road trips rated
- Famous historic trails are essential road trip routes for RVers
- An epic 1966 road trip in a 1961 VW Bus
RVDT2707
From our perspective the list is pretty good, only missing Going to The Sun highway across Glacier National Park in Montana.
This brought back some wonderful memories. We’ve been blessed to have done them all; tough to narrow it down to so few, as there are so many really beautiful ones across the country, but I think he did a great job. Thanks for sharing…
Of course! Thanks, Gary. I should have known that, since I’ve been there (well, decades ago!). I just “assumed” (bad thing to do!) it was another town in the area and didn’t realize it was an error. Sorry. Have a great day! 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Thank you for sharing the video and the list of scenic drives, Cheri! I would add the drive on the Richardson Highway between the Thompson Pass and Valdez (the last mile or two before the Worthington Glacier north of the Thompson Pass is pretty spectacular too), the drive between Haines Junction, Yukon and Haines, Alaska (especially about 20 miles before Canadian border control to the border), and almost any road on Kauai. Have a great day and safe travels!
There are plenty of beautiful drives in the US and it’s impossible to say any one is “more” scenic than others. I have a caveat about attempting to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway. Check those overpass heights closely, particularly if you’re in a Class A or 5th wheel. Most if not all of them are arched, so taller in the middle than on the sides; and there are at least two of them that you probably won’t be able to clear. There is a website that will give you all the info you need for navigating the Parkway. It’s a beautiful drive, especially in the spring and fall.
The Columbia River Gorge I-84 from The Dalles to Troutdale, Oregon, is my most scenic absolutely gorgeous route in America.