Everyone Should Experience These Iconic American Road Trips

[MULTIZ321]

Everyone Should Experience These Iconic American Road Trips
By Steve Bramucci and Allison Sanchez/ Life/ UpRoxx/ uproxx.com

"There’s this feeling you have when you realize you’re in a car with someone your own age and no adults for the first time. I remember being a freshman in high school when a senior said he’d drive me home from our cast party after closing night for Inherit The Wind. Being alone in a car — no one’s mom pulled up to the curb outside the party armed with questions like, “Did you girls have fun?” and “Who was there?” and “What did you do?” — was a dizzying level of freedom. All of a sudden, my hazy future was rendered more clearly. I’d get a car of my own one day. Then an apartment. And then…

This heady sensation is eventually eclipsed by your first real road trip. Picking your own route, listening to a playlist you made, eating gas station Funions — this is real living. It’s adulthood and adventure in equal measures, inextricably bound together. My first road trip was just a jaunt to Madison, Wisconsin from small-town Michigan, but I felt like Jack Kerouac. I was a lonely wanderer, out seeking answers along the endlessly unfolding tarmac.

I don’t think I’ve ever lost that initial feeling of freedom and excitement for road trips. Few other types of travel give you that pure “Go where the wind takes you” feeling, even when you have an agenda and Google maps. Hear about a great hike to a hot spring? A restaurant that serves spectacular cherry pie? The world’s largest something or other? You can just pull off the road and your trip will be better for it. Road trips are filled with unexpected destinations. They’re loaded with disasters and laughter and chaos and, eventually, they lead to great stories.

Below you’ll find eight truly iconic American road trip routes. They’re adventures that will teach you about America… and yourself....."

The Navajo Country Road Trip — US 163 and US 191 — Monument Valley to Canyon de Chelly

Richard

 

[CanuckTravlr]

Great summaries of some fabulous road trips with great maps, too. I have done three of them so far...PCH, Glacier Going-to-the-Sun to Yellowstone and the Crazy Horse Monument to the Badlands. All highly recommended.

 

[bluehende]

Very nice list. I would add rt 100 in VT but that is my bias.

 

[sue1947]

I've done at least pieces of all except the Florida one. We may need a thread on road trips...
Sue

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

I'm surprised they selected the Yellowstone -> Glacier routing via Bozeman. The NE routing, along the Beartooth Highway to Red Lodge, is a classic drive.

**********

When I did a Dakotas/Pine Ridge road trip with one of the urchins, I made a point of stopping at Wounded Knee. We also visited the Little Big Horn in Wyoming on the same trip. Little Big Horn was the great victory for the Plains people. But though they won the battle, they lost the war. Wounded Knee was the denouement - the death knell. IMHO - it's a shame that Little Big Horn is a National Monument, and Wounded Knee is left to the care of the most impoverished people in the lower 48 states. I believe the two sites belong together, to tell the more nuanced story of the western plains.

Because Wounded Knee has not been developed, it was easy to stand on high ground and to visualize the setting. And because Wounded Knee is not well known and is on the road less-traveled, the only people who arrive at Wounded Knee are those who are specifically looking for it.

Little Big Horn was fascinating. Wounded Knee made me cry.

 

[CanuckTravlr]

I'm surprised they selected the Yellowstone -> Glacier routing via Bozeman. The NE routing, along the Beartooth Highway to Red Lodge, is a classic drive.

IMHO - it's a shame that Little Big Horn is a National Monument, and Wounded Knee is left to the care of the most impoverished people in the lower 48 states. I believe the two sites belong together, to tell the more nuanced story of the western plains.

Little Big Horn was fascinating. Wounded Knee made me cry.

We did the Glacier to Yellowstone route, but cut down to West Yellowstone prior to Bozeman. We were heading east after visiting in Calgary. We did the Beartooth Pass route upon leaving Yellowstone, passing through Red Lodge on our way to Billings and Little Big Horn and then on to Devil's Tower, the Badlands and points east. I agree that the Beartooth Highway is a classic and spectacular drive.

I think your idea of somehow connecting the Wounded Knee site with the Little Big Horn Battlefield Monument is brilliant. The visitor's center at the battlefield has some amazing photographs, maps and artifacts from both sides.

I also thought the guides at Little Big Horn did a commendable job of describing the background and political situation at the time, the issues and movements leading up to the battle, Custer's arrogance and failure to follow orders (previously seen many times in his career) and how it ultimately caused the death of the troops under his command. They also were very candid about the tactics used by the Native American warriors and pointing out why the battle was so important to them in trying to defend their land from the many treaty violations.

 

[Talent312]

Done four: Pacific Coast... Montana w-Going to the Sun... Smokies... Florida Keys.
All great road trips to be sure.
.

 

[WinniWoman]

Very nice list. I would add rt 100 in VT but that is my bias.

We go up every year and though not on Route 100 all the time, of course, each time we explore a different part of the state of VT and everywhere you look is beautiful.

Same goes for northern NH- lakes region upwards. The Kanc is awesome- and through all the notches.

 

[talkamotta]

I've been on a few of those....I love road trips. I would add highway 12 in utah. What are other drives you all have been on? Glad rt100 is mentioned, going there in May will check it out.

 

[Firepath]

Sadly, I've never done most of those roadtrips. Does listening to the music count?