There isn’t anything more pleasurable and adventurous than hopping in your car with a partner or small group of friends and going on a road trip in the US. Road tripping has become a more popular activity for many travelers considering to add some adventure in their holiday. The options are many and the scenic roads available will definitely leave you with an outstanding and memorable experience. Checkout our list of the 6 best road trip destinations in the US for you to choose from.

1- Black Hills of South Dakota

Best Road Trip Destinations in the US – Black Hills of South Dakota

This drive takes you along a beautiful scenic road between mountains and iconic American monuments. A famous road trip enjoyed by many while having the chance to visit historical attractions such as Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Memorial and many more. Expect to get delayed while waiting for a herd of wild buffalo that decides to cross the road.

Starting from Rapid City Regional Airport, you can pick up your car rental and drive up to the first town, Wall, which is considered a great stop after a long drive to grab a bite, buy some souvenirs, and let the kids enjoy the outdoors. After Wall, on Highway 240, you can head to the Badlands National Park on the Badlands Loop Scenic Byway, a wonderful place with great views to admire. If you happen to be there during the evening, some fun animated entertainment takes place at the park for kids to enjoy.

Highway 385, is another scenic road not to be missed, which will lead you to the well known Mount Rushmore National Memorial, where you will witness the giant faces of previous American presidents carved on the mountain.

For a native American heritage, drive through highway 87, onto to the Crazy Horse Memorial. There you can take a tour of the Indian Museum and the Native American Educational and Cultural Center. Get a taste of the traditional cuisine by tasting their famous Tatanka Stew.

You next stop should be Rapid City, from highway 385, where you can drop along the way to Black Hills Institute of Geological Research, to see the huge dinosaur skeletons. On to Rapid City, a place known to host plenty of festivals and outdoor concerts.

2- Route 66

Best Road Trip Destinations in the US – Route 66

Route 66 is a historic road trip favored by many for travelling mainly from Chicago to Los Angeles. You might have heard “Route 66” in many American songs and movies, and the reason is because it is considered one of the best road trip destinations in the US and now its name representing American history worldwide. Route 66 is also called the Main Street of America and the Mother Road, passing through small towns across the Midwest and Southwest where you’ll find plenty of coffee shops and motels as well as gas stations to stop by. Additionally, tourist attractions are also scattered along this iconic road.

A stretch of 2,500 miles Route 66 starting in Chicago, Illinois, northeast of the United States and ends on the shores of the Pacific Ocean in Santa Monica, California. Route 66 is where you will get to see great roadside attractions such as the World’s Largest Catsup Bottle in Illinois and the Blue Whale of Catoosa. In addition to these man made structures, the road will allow you to witness stunning natural wonders. A great addition to your road trip, is to take the road through the Petrified Forest National Park in northeastern Arizona where you can also stop for the Rainbow Forest Museum.

Through Route 66, enjoy the memorable road trip of a lifetime while passing through the capitals of Misouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California.

3- Pacific Coast Highway

Best Road Trip Destinations in the US – Pacific Coast Highway

The Pacific Coast Highway is another must experience drive from our list of best road trip destinations in the US. The Famous Pacific Coast Highway is well known for it scenic road beauty. It stretches from California all the way to San Diego while taking you through glamorous seaside villages, stunning forests and great wineries for a good stop.

So where to stop along the Pacific Coast Highway? Start off by The Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, where you will surely drive over the famous Golden Gate Bridge. Before hopping in your car for the ultimate road trip, enjoy San Francisco for a while as it has lots to offer.

Your next stop should be  San Jose, a beautiful place full of interesting galleries and museums. And guess what? this is where you’ll find Facebook and Google Head Quarters as well as the famous Hewlett Packard Garage, where it all started. San Jose is also home to largest open air market in the US where you can shop some great American products.

From San Jose to Santa Cruz, where you can enjoy the beach along with interesting icons to see such as the lighthouse and the Big Dipper along the boardwalk. An hour later you will arrive to Montery, where you will be amazed by the the stunning Point Lobos State Natural Reserve and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Great activities can be experienced at Montery as well such as whale watching, sailing, biking and more.

4- Scenic Byway 12

Best Road Trip Destinations in the US – Scenic Byway 12

The Scenic Byway 12 is a  123 miles road known as the “All-American Road”. Favored by many who wish to travel through Utah, especially as it is the road that connects Red Canyon and Bryce Canyon National Park. The scenic by way is a great option for a road trip offering you beautiful landscapes along the way. Additionally, this scenic byway has its reputation for being very pleasurable to drive while witnessing the most gorgeous natural mountains and canyons.

You are surely to stop first by the Red Canyon for the famous photo and after you do so, make sure to take a walk inside and explore this magnificent beauty.  Your next exploration on the Scenic Byway 12 should be the Bryce Canyon National Park, to which tourists travel from all around the world to visit.

On this road, as well, your other destinations should include the Kodachrome Basin State Park, the Escalante Petrified Forest State Park, the Devil’s Garden, the Calf Creek Recreation Area, and the Anasazi State Park Museum.

This Byway is surely gonna leave you with you everlasting memories that you can make in one day. It is by far a great reason to why this road makes our  list of the best road trip destinations in the US.

5- Great River Road

Best Road Trip Destinations in the US – Great River Road

The Great River Road is another one of the best road trip destinations in the US; highly recommended by many road trip lovers. The Great River Road scenic byway falls along the Mississippi River all the way from northern Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. Passing through 10 states, the Great River Road is one of the longest scenic byways in the USA.

Most of those who choose to travel this road, plan to stay around its area for at least 4 days. This is the only way to get the most of this road trip’s adventure. With its famous Pilot Wheel Symbol along the scenic byway guiding you through from one place to the other. And not to worry, touristic offices and centers are scattered along the road to help travelers find the best way to enjoy the Mississippi River exploration.

The Great River Road includes the states of  Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana. In each of these states you will find plenty of activities, site visits and history to explore. When visiting any of these states, make sure to plan for this road trip of a lifetime.

6- Overseas Highway

Best Road Trip Destinations in the US – Overseas Highway

When browsing for photos of the Overseas Highway of Florida Keys, another of the best road trip destinations in the US, you are surely to fall in love at first site. Imagine driving along an endless highway only between clear waters.

The Florida Keys Overseas Highway is 113 miles long starting from Key Largo all the way to Key West. On this road, snorkeling, eating seafood, shopping, and enjoying the view of blue waters are just a few of the things you can experience.

Key Largo is one of the best stops you will enjoy on this road trip, where you can taste delicious foods and enjoy a wide variety of water sports. Make sure to taste the traditional Key Lime Pie which you will find almost everywhere in Florida Keys. You can even enjoy deep water without getting wet by taking a glass-bottom boat tour to Molasses Reef.

Up next you can stop in Islamorada, the ‘sportfishing capital of the world”. From there you can head to Marathon, where you can visit The Turtle Hospital. Drive along the Seven Mile Bridge to get to the Lower Keys, for a wildlife viewing experience in areas such as the Blue Hole and Watson.

Arriving to Key West,  stop at the Old Town Garage in the Historic Seaport. Key West is home to great attractions you must see such as the Custom House, the Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservatory, and the Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum.

This sums up our list of 6 best road trip destinations in the US. All you need to do now is start planning your dream trip by firstly booking your favorite car through carsirent.com. With Carsirent, you can search & compare car rental services rates from major companies. Check out our previous posts about car rental tips in the USA and tips for going on a road trip.