Three days · the USA
Scale first, corners second, with a handful of mountain roads that hold their own anywhere.
Two nights lets you push properly out of the home range. Plan a longer run on day one, the best driving in the middle and an easy return.
Days
3 days, 2 nights
Rough distance
559.2 mi
Daily average
186.4 mi
Best months
Depends entirely on the region, see the road pages for closures
Checked by the Drivers Atlas desk
Scored and written by the Drivers Atlas editorial desk, drawing on driven routes across the UK and Europe, mapping data and member road reports. Daily distances are set for enjoyable driving rather than maximum ground covered. How we score roads.
Last reviewed 28 March 2026
Day by day
Day 1
About 186.4 mi and 9 hr 29 min behind the wheel including transit.
Day 2
About 186.4 mi and 8 hr 6 min behind the wheel including transit.
Day 3
About 186.4 mi and 5 hr 16 min behind the wheel including transit.
Ready made
3 days
Country music to 318 curves in 11 miles, taking in the Cherohala Skyway on the way.
3 days
Sandstone, switchbacks and a tunnel with windows cut in the rock, on the long way to the North Rim.
3 days
The North Cascades Highway east, then the shelf road under the hanging valleys of Glacier.
2 days
Highway 1 through Big Sur, the coast drive every other coast drive gets compared with.
Practical
Denver, Las Vegas, Asheville or San Francisco
2 nights. On anything longer than five days, book two nights in the best base rather than moving hotel every evening.
Budget for roughly 559.2 miles of driving plus any vignettes or tunnel fees for the countries you cross.
Other lengths