7 Memorable Cross-Country Road Trips in the U.S.

A cherished tradition, the road trip celebrates the adventure of travel itself, relishing the miles between destinations. With countless options available—from themes like national parks to electric vehicle-friendly routes—the cross-country road trip truly ignites the imagination, featuring iconic highways such as Route 66 that are woven into the fabric of American history.

While many landscapes have evolved, the charm of small-town diners, quirky roadside attractions, and neon-lit motels remains a cherished part of American culture. If you’re ready for a new adventure, here are seven cross-country road trips that will inspire you to explore parts of the United States you’ve yet to discover.

1. Route 66

• Starting Point: Chicago, Illinois
• Ending Point: Santa Monica, California
• Total Distance: 2,448 miles

“Route 66 is the mother road, the path of escape,” wrote John Steinbeck in his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Grapes of Wrath. Stretching from Chicago to California, this iconic route is the most renowned drive in the country, despite being officially removed from the U.S. Highway System in 1985. Travelers can still embark on this 2,000-mile journey (celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2026), starting in Chicago and passing through cities like St. Louis, Oklahoma City, and Santa Fe, culminating in Santa Monica. The diverse western scenery evolves along the way—from rolling plains to arid deserts to scenic coastlines.

Route 66 is packed with attractions, ranging from the artistic Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas, to stunning detours like the Grand Canyon. The nearly 2,500-mile route allows for customization based on your interests: one intriguing itinerary revolves around the American tradition of whiskey, featuring stops at craft distilleries such as Few Spirits in Chicago, Still 630 in St. Louis, and Red Fork Distillery in Tulsa.

2. U.S. Route 2

• Starting Point: Houlton, Maine
• Ending Point: Everett, Washington
• Total Distance: 2,575 miles

Be sure to bring your passport or passport card for this adventure. This cross-country journey largely follows the northern border of the United States, with a short segment passing through Canada between Vermont and Michigan. Travelers begin in Houlton, Maine, and head west along U.S. Route 2 until just before reaching the Canadian border near Burlington, Vermont.

While traversing Canada, travelers will go through Quebec and Ontario using the Trans-Canada Highway. This route showcases stunning views of Canada’s Great Lakes, featuring the sandy beaches of Pancake Bay Provincial Park and the impressive 40-foot Kakabeka Falls in Thunder Bay. Cities such as Montreal and Ottawa also lie along the way, offering a rich weekend of cultural and historical exploration.

Once the route re-enters the United States in St. Ignace, Michigan—across from Mackinac Island State Park—there are still plenty of natural wonders to explore. Highlights include the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in Wisconsin and Montana’s Glacier National Park (reservations required), which travelers can enjoy before concluding their journey in Everett. This trip is ideally suited for summer, when the beauty of the Great Lakes is at its peak.

3. U.S. Highway 50

• Starting Point: Ocean City, Maryland
• Ending Point: Sacramento, California
• Total Distance: 3,019 miles

When Time Magazine covered U.S. Highway 50 in July 1997, it captured the road’s essence, stating, “The road meanders through Main Street and gets dressed up for the cities; once it hits the desert, it stretches toward the horizon and falls fast asleep.” Starting from Ocean City, Maryland, it winds through cities like Washington, D.C. and Cincinnati before concluding in West Sacramento.

Yet, it’s the more remote regions that have become emblematic of this highway. The Nevada portion of U.S. Highway 50 features solitary landmarks such as a tree adorned with shoes and mining towns like Eureka, all nestled among miles of desert. In the 1980s, Life Magazine dubbed it the “Loneliest Road in America.” While this drive may not be for everyone (there are only a few gas stations between Ely and Fernley), it offers a rare tranquility seldom found on modern roads.

4. U.S. Highway 61

• Starting Point: Wyoming, Minnesota
• Ending Point: New Orleans, Louisiana
• Total Distance: 1,407 miles

In his memoir, Bob Dylan expressed his deep bond with U.S. Highway 61, describing it as something that “always felt like it was in my blood.” This road connects his hometown of Duluth, Minnesota, through the Mississippi Delta, the heart of blues music, to the vibrant city of New Orleans. (His passion for this highway is captured in his 1965 album, Highway 61 Revisited.) Although the highway officially begins approximately 120 miles south in Wyoming, Minnesota, travelers can still embark on a journey to New Orleans and discover the origins of legendary artists like B.B. King, Johnny Cash, and Elvis Presley along the way.

The blues genre is what earned this road its nickname, the "Mississippi Blues Trail." Dive into this rich history by visiting the Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale and the Howlin’ Wolf Blues Museum in West Point. Additionally, a significant portion of Highway 61 is part of the Great River Road, a 3,000-mile network of state roads that follow the entire length of the Mississippi River. This route meanders along the shores of river towns like Red Wing and Hastings in southern Minnesota, as well as through natural areas such as the Yazoo National Wildlife Refuge in Mississippi, providing picturesque excursions that celebrate the cultural heritage of the United States.

6. U.S. Route 1

• Starting Point: Key West, Florida
• Ending Point: Fort Kent, Maine
• Total Distance: 2,369 miles

Distinguished from Highway 1 in California, U.S. Route 1 spans the East Coast from Florida to Maine. It begins at "Marker 0" in the Florida Keys, then winds along the coastline before moving inland through states like Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia, and New Jersey. As drivers reach Connecticut, the route returns to the coast and eventually traces the U.S.-Canadian border in Maine, concluding in the quaint border town of Fort Kent.

This journey encompasses some of the East Coast's largest cities, including Miami, Washington, D.C., and Boston. Additionally, it effectively integrates various landscapes, featuring small towns in the Southeast between expansive coastal views and urban centers. If there's a section you'd prefer to bypass, you can always opt for I-95, the interstate that runs parallel to U.S. Route 1 from Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing in Maine.

7. U.S. Highway 80

• Start: Tybee Island, Georgia
• End: San Diego, California
• Distance: 2,734 miles

The Dixie Overland Highway was established by the Automobile Club of Savannah in 1914, forming the foundation for what we now know as U.S. Route 80. This scenic drive stretches across the Southeast and Southwest, linking Tybee Island, Georgia, to Southern California. It gained immense popularity in the 1950s, but the 1960s saw various states renaming sections of the road, leading to the transformation of parts into different interstates.

Many sections of the highway remain significant today, with states like Arizona designating parts of U.S. 80 as historic routes. The eastern segment, which extends to Dallas, Texas, is the largest intact section, passing through Deep South cities such as Macon, Georgia, and Montgomery, Alabama. Remnants of the original highway can also be found west of Dallas, including New Mexico State Road 80 and Arizona State Route 80. However, to trace the path of U.S. 80, drivers will mainly follow a combination of I-8, I-10, and I-20. The western half of the route showcases the red mesas and arid landscapes of the Southwest, connecting cities like El Paso and Phoenix before arriving in Southern California.