Best of
From the Pacific cliffs of Big Sur to the switchbacks of the Beartooth, the American road trip still means something different by car.
The United States does the long form road trip better than almost anywhere, with entire highways built around the drive rather than simply the destination. This list ranks the individual roads and the classic multi day trip that connects several of the best of them.
Distances here are bigger than in Europe, so allow more days than the map suggests, and check seasonal closures carefully: several of the mountain roads on this list only open for a few months a year.
The ranking
750 km scenic · 2 days
Highway 1 through Big Sur, the coast drive every other coast drive gets compared with.
United States · Driving score 9.3 / 10
318 curves in 11 miles, the most famous stretch of asphalt in America and still worth the drive.
United States · Driving score 9.7 / 10
Switchbacks climb to 3337 metres past alpine lakes and snowfields between Montana and Wyoming.
United States · Driving score 9.5 / 10
A cliff shelf road through Glacier National Park under hanging valleys, one of the great American drives.
United States · Driving score 9.5 / 10
The Pacific coast at its most theatrical, cliff curves above the open ocean.
United States · Driving score 9.5 / 10
A mining road cut into Colorado's San Juan cliffs with sheer drops and no barrier.
United States · Driving score 9.1 / 10
A ridgeline parkway with no trucks, no billboards and endless mountain overlooks for 700 kilometres.
United States · Driving score 9.1 / 10
Los Angeles's mountain playground, hours of clean sweepers above the basin.
Methodology
Ranked using the Drivers Atlas driving score, which rates the road itself, alongside a separate scenery score, so a technical mountain highway can rank above a more scenic but simpler route.
FAQ
What is the best road trip in the USA?
Highway 1 through Big Sur, between Los Angeles and San Francisco, is the classic choice, combining a manageable distance with some of the most dramatic coastal driving anywhere in the country.
When is the Beartooth Highway open?
Typically from late May to mid October. It is one of the highest paved roads in the United States and closes completely for winter.
Do I need a specific type of car for these roads?
No, all of these are drivable in a standard car. The exceptions are roads with no guardrails, such as the Million Dollar Highway, which reward a confident, unhurried driver rather than any particular vehicle.