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Hit the road, Jack, with 5 top all-American road trips

TANYA ENBERG, Chic Savvy Travels

The lore of the classic American road trip has long been captured in movies, immortalized in songs, and rarely — if ever — falls out of favour among those with freewheeling wanderlust.

It conjures up romanticized images of winding roadways, carefree hair blowing in the wind stirred by the breezy whirl of top-down convertibles, great tunes and ever-changing scenery sparking with wonderment.

In the U.S., the tone, landscapes, traditions and locally popular foods can change drastically from state to state, which all adds to the timeless enthrallment of venturing out on America’s open roads.

For your road-tripping convenience, we bring you five sensational drives with the help of Yahoo Travel! Now go on, gas up already!

Revel in the natural beauty of Alaska on the Seward Highway. Photo courtesy of Travel Alaska

1. Alaska Seward Highway

For wilderness seekers, the untamed Alaskan wild is steeped in mystery and jaw-dropping fascination. Travel the 127-mile Seward Highway and soak up invigorating views of sea and mountains draped along the route.

Just try to resist this face. A close-up shot of a harbor seal. Photo courtesy of iStock

“Expect a scenically shifting backdrop of foraging wildlife — Dall sheep, moose, eagles — mountain peaks, thick forests and hanging glaciers, inviting camping, hiking, fishing and picnicking just off the highway’s edge. Plus, look to the Turnagain Arm of Cook Inlet in the summer and fall for Beluga whale-watching,” recommends Yahoo.

2. Arizona’s Dine’ Tah Scenic Road:

Visit sacred, historical grounds on Navajo Nation’s ancestral lands. This journey is teeming with mountains, incredible canyons, beautiful forests and desert vistas.

The National Marine Sanctuary off Key Largo along the Florida Keys Overseas Highway. Photo courtesy of Bob Care/Florida Keys News Bureau

3. Florida Keys Overseas Highway:

Here’s a road-tripping staple that covers amazing terrain, opportunities for adventure and dashes of pure quirkiness.

The 127-mile stretch passes 40 bridges traversing Florida Bay, the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, as it hops from isle to isle en route to quirky Key West from mainland Florida.

Recommended pit stops range from the Seven Mile Bridge to making time for adrenaline-spiking experiences, such as snorkeling, diving and wildlife-viewing excursions. Be sure not to skip out on the quaint fishing villages of the Keys!

4. Oregon’s Mt. Hood Scenic Byway:

Oregon is another true gem. Traveling the 105-mile Mt. Hood Scenic Byway leads to one of the area’s most incredible iconic landmarks — the Cascades Range’s glacier-coated, 11,245-foot-high Mount Hood.

That in itself is cruise-worthy, but this journey is made even better with peaceful farmlands and vineyards, temperate rainforests and alpine timberline, spectacular waterfalls and rivers, and picture-perfect stretches along the historic Oregon Trail. Wow worthy.

San Juan Skyway Scenic and Historic Byway is often considered an essential journey for road trippers, winding through mountain towns like Durango, Silverton, Telluride and Ouray. Photo courtesy of Colorado.com

5. Colorado’s San Juan Skyway:

The crème de la crème of road trips often includes seeing the spectacular Rockies firsthand. Travel Colorado’s southwest 233-mile San Juan Skyway and you’ll get a tour of natural delights and history.

Along this trip, take in two national forests, four mountain passes, and even get a feel for the Old West with mining and railroad towns.

“The 50-mile Million Dollar Highway section of the route from Silverton to Ouray boasts particularly scenic curves through tunnels and atop waterfalls in the Red Mountains and Uncompahgre Gorge,” says Yahoo.

Date Added: May 8, 2012 | Comments (0)