Celebrating the National Day of Motoring with Iconic Highways and Scenic Byways of the Great American Road Trip

It’s National Day of Motoring, and we’re honoring that holiday with a round-up of some of the most famous well-traveled roads, scenic highways and byways of America!  Check out these iconic landmarks and plan your next getaway today.

1. North Shore Scenic Drive in Minnesota: 449 miles from Classic Auto Group
   This 150-mile drive up Highway 61 stretches from Duluth, Minnesota, all the way up through to the Canadian border along the shores of Lake Superior. It makes its way through 8 state parks, and small shoreline towns filled with local seafood eateries, art galleries, and unique shops to explore. We recommend stops at: Split Rock Lighthouse, Grand Portage National Monument, the Great Lakes Aquarium, and Superior Hiking Trail, just to name a few.

2. Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia and North Carolina: 665 miles from Classic Auto Group
   This winding 500-Mile roadway snakes all through the Great Smoky Mountain National Park as well as the Shenandoah National Parks.  The drive is worth making more than once, too, as this ever changing landscape is prime viewing in all seasons.  From the lush green canopies of the dense forest or rolling hills of fiery oranges, yellows, and reds in the autumn, to the wintertime hillsides dotted with ski slopes and snow capped mountainscapes, it’s never the same experience twice!

3. Scenic Byway 12 in Utah: 1500 miles from Classic Auto Group
   Clocking in at 123 miles and an elevation of about 9,200 feet, this winding roadway dips in and out of red rock cliffs, mountainscapes, rural roadside towns, evergreen forests, and deep cut rock canyons. It’s worth planning stops at Dixie National Forest. Capitol Reef National Park, Anasazi State Park and Museum, Lower Calf Creek Falls, and lots of other incredible National Parks and historic sites.  This Byway is home to so many vistas and hot spots we could spend all day giving you an itinerary!

4. High Road in New Mexico: 1,300 miles from Classic Auto Group
   Ever heard the phrase “you should take the high road,” well, turns out it’s not just a catchphrase!  You can actually take the higher ground from Santa Fe to Taos and back again.  This 56-mile stretch of road weaves its way through the Southwest across an ever changing landscape: from deserts to mountains to forests to farms and indigenous villages and historic sites.  You’ll want it on your bucket list for sure.
   
   

5. Olympic Peninsula Loop in Washington: 2,000+ miles from Classic Auto Group
   Take a ride through the deciduous rainforests of the Olympic National Park in Washington state.  If you’re driving the entire length of the loop, it  clocks in at an average of 8 hours and 329 miles, wow!  You’ll find the area host to all manner of outdoor activities such as kayaking, canoeing, rafting, fishing, and plenty of hiking trails.  You can visit the Hoh Rainforest, La Push Beach, Shi Shi Beach, Hurricane Ridge, Ruby Beach, and Lake Crescent  For a shorter trip, driving the route via Olympic National Park Quinault Lake and Rainforest Loop around the lake; it’s just 32 miles and is home to beautiful waterfalls, an impressive creek, and the world’s largest sika spruce. There’s so many ways to immerse yourself in the scenic views of magical, misty mountains and rich, emerald green treescapes.

6. Pacific Coast Highway in California: 2,000+ miles from Classic Auto Group
   Clocking in at 656 miles, it’s the longest state route in California. It snakes southerly along the coast stretching from Washington State all the way through to the end of California.  If you’re driving the California portion only, the trip will take you about 5 hours to complete all 123 miles.  Recommended stops include Crescent City, Humboldt Redwoods State Park, Half Moon Bay, the intimidating Devil’s Slide Trail, Shark Fin Cove, Davenport Beach, Monterey’s Fisherman’s Wharf and 17-mile drive, Carmel-by-the-Sea, and Big Sur.
   

Let us know your suggestions for Iconic Road Trip Destinations in the US that we should include on our next roundup!

Pop your suggestions in the comments on our social media!

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