If you like the road, in the United States there is a vein. Such a huge country is full of wonderful routes, kilometers and kilometers (or miles, as they prefer) of roads of all kinds: from motorways with millions of trips a day to charming secondary roads.
The road trips can be just what you walk looking to discover the real America … or would find yourself. Remember that we can get you deals with the best car rental companies, trustworthy people, companies that we ourselves have used and enjoyed.
You have to fill the tank, fasten your seatbelt, choose the right soundtrack and get ready to enjoy the scenery and the experience for thousands of kilometers. The road trip is probably the best way to get around and get to know the United States.
These are the examples most demanded by travelers going to the country:
Route 66 is littered with retro gas stations.
Route 66.
Obviously the most popular and known. It is the main street of the United States, honored in songs, movies and books. We recommend to listen during the trip (Get Your Kicks on) Route 66 , in all its thousands of versions, from Nat King Cole to the Rollings Stones.
3,200 km. from Chicago to Los Angeles , crossing the Midwest through prairies and deserts, traveling through the most genuine part of the country, the heart of its culture with relics of the past such as motels, gas stations, coffee shops and restaurants with delicious dishes from each area, all of them that look like they came out of a time machine.
Route 66 was built in 1926, and at that time it was a kind of road to the promised land, California. John Steinbeck in his novel The Grapes of Wrath called it the mother road . Today there is little left of those romantic times, but treasures can still be discovered along the entire route, ghost towns hidden in the desert.
More information about Route 66.
Highway 163.
A route passes through Arizona that movie lovers will appreciate, and in particular western ones, where the best examples of cinematographic art were shot.
Surely if you pass through 163 you will be familiar with such emblematic landscapes as Monument Valley , where if we throw in a little imagination – a characteristic that travelers do not lack – we can almost see John Wayne riding in the distance at sunset.
Between Utah and Arizona is the 163rd, stained almost all the way in Martian red. Land of the Navajos, there are in addition to the main route, small obligatory stops such as the N avajo Tribal Park or a recommended 27-kilometer unpaved circular road to see unreal views of the valley. A photographer would extract oil from these places on another planet.
There are areas where private cars are not allowed, so you must leave your Cadillac Eldorado parked and visit certain places in the cars assigned by the authorities. Or better yet… it is advisable for any self-respecting traveler to sign up for an unforgettable horse ride
Highway 61
Former art deco station of the Greyhound bus company in Clarksdale, Mississippi, on Route 61.
It is not as famous as 66, but Highway 61 or Great River Road is just as attractive, especially for lovers of good music. Inaugurated in 1930, it begins with the Mississippi, continues its winding course and ends in New Orleans .
Let us bear in mind that the river and the route mark the border between the east and the west of the country.
Highway 61 passes through ten states and covers no less than 3,701 kilometers.
From Minneapolis to southern St. Louis , and from there to Memphis , the birthplace of Rock and Roll, through the Mississippi Delta, where the blues was born, to New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz. A detour to Nashville, the international capital of country, and we already have the most genuinely American musical styles covered.
As you can see, a music lover will appreciate the journey through these lands, where music is more alive than ever.
Along the way it is imperative to visit Spring Green (Winconsin) where the architect Frank Lloyd Wright made his first projects, the rural Hanibal (Missouri), land of the childhood of Mark Twain , or the wonderful ‘art deco’ style bus station in Greyhound .
Pacific Coast Highway.
If you are only on the West Coast and decide not to stray too far from the Pacific Ocean, there is an excellent option that you will surely like. It is the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway or Highway 1) that runs along the west coast from north to south, from the border with Mexico to the northernmost point of the state of Washington . We are talking about the coasts of California, Oregon and Washington, three of the states with the most spectacular beaches in the country.
It is not a race. Start in San Diego and go slowly, stopping in each city or town. We say this because it is inevitable to taste the most succulent wines in the country and if it is necessary to take a dip in the thousands of beaches and coves that populate the west coast of the United States.
Needless to say, drinking and driving are not compatible, so after tasting the nectar of the best Californian grapes, take a good rest or let your companion drive. Taking turns is a good idea, but please don’t jeopardize a magical trip like this.
The traveler will be able to surf, discover secret beaches (not to say virgin) and contemplate the greatness of the redwoods. We would not miss visiting the most important cities: Seattle , Portland , San Francisco or Los Angeles .
We don’t know if the scenery or the food are better in the Blue Ridge.
Route through Blue Ridge.
Although if you prefer to flee the cities there are many, many other natural routes to discover.
We recommend this 766-kilometer route that crosses the southern Appalachian Mountains and links two extraordinary national parks : Shenandoah , Virginia, and Great Smoky Mountains , North Carolina.
Hiking, misty mountains and bluegrass as background music in your car. We recommend going in spring to see the wild flowers that cover everything and in autumn, when the trees tint the place in infinite ocher tones.
Those yes, be absolutely careful when driving. There are very steep areas and only protective rails will separate them from falling from enormous heights. But one thing is clear. It is worth seeing these unique landscapes and of course trying the local gastronomy, just as sublime.
The small towns are essential to stretch your legs a little and get out of the car from time to time to take unparalleled walks, ranging from quiet trails to others for the more adventurous. For the latter we recommend the sections along the mythical Appalachian Trail.
Highway 2
And for those who want to burn kilometers, there are also options. The best, travel from coast to coast on Highway 2, which links the two oceans (Atlantic and Pacific).
It begins in Washington state and ends in Maine , and it is no less than 4,150 kilometers through the northern states of the country (and also some areas of neighboring Canada).
As you will understand, it is not suitable for those who do not like to travel by car. For the rest, you just have to start driving on an infinite asphalt and from time to time change the clock, since the time zones change several times.
The Highway 2 is also not suitable for urbanites. Open spaces abound, especially endless meadows, and plains that never seem to end. Is also going through this magnificent route the Great Lakes, it meanders a bit imposing mountains and enters occasionally in the enigmatic forests of New England .
The car would travel through one of the most isolated (and beautiful) areas of the United States: the never-recommended state of Nebraska , with its Great Plains that no travel guide seems to remember. We do.
The most perfect roads for the traveler
So if you are one of those who like to travel by car (there are also other options, such as the train or the bus, but logically they will take away something as American as freedom of movement, although you will gain in other comforts), do not think about it. : calmly consult our travel guide… The possibilities are endless. They can even be mixed, inverted or cut into pieces.
Visit the car rental area and choose your model: from a convertible if the sun is shining in the sky, to a motorhome if you just want to not get too far out of the vehicle.
Keep in mind that in all the areas we have talked about, there are quality accommodations for travelers like you. You need a good rest to start burning miles through the country with the most iconic roads in the world.
Also know that gasoline in the United States is quite cheap, so count on at least not having to worry so much about an expense if you are going to do thousands of miles. Just remember to buckle up and… enjoy!
