A Road Trip Made for Dreamers
Whether you’re craving open roads, winding forest drives, or tiny towns with homemade pie, there’s a perfect weekend road trip waiting for you. This guide is built for scenic highway lovers, folks who want the journey to be just as good as the destination.
Grab your favorite travel buddy, queue up a road trip playlist, and let’s map out your next unforgettable weekend on the road that has everything from scenic views, quirky stays, and peaceful pit stops included.
Pacific Coast Highway
This is road trip royalty. Stretching along California’s Highway 1, the Pacific Coast Highway offers a cinematic mix of cliffs, crashing waves, and redwood forests. For a weekend trip, focus on the Big Sur section, from Monterey to San Simeon.
Start with a breakfast stop in Carmel, then wind your way south through Bixby Creek Bridge, Pfeiffer Beach, and dramatic cliffside views. Pull off often, the scenic turnouts are half the fun.
Hill Country Texas
Trade the interstate for the rolling hills and wildflower-dotted roads of Central Texas. The Hill Country region is full of scenic byways that pass through quaint German-influenced towns like Fredericksburg and Luckenbach.
Spend the weekend sipping wine at a local vineyard, two-stepping in a dance hall, and swimming in a hidden spring like Hamilton Pool or Jacob’s Well. The roads themselves, lined with oak trees and wide skies, are enough to relax your shoulders.
Route 100
If your dream weekend includes scenic backroads, covered bridges, and creaky general stores, Route 100 in Vermont might be your perfect match. This north-south drive cuts through the Green Mountains and is dotted with cozy towns like Weston, Warren, and Ludlow.
Spend your time popping into country bakeries, watching rivers ripple past old mills, or staying overnight in a classic New England inn. The pace is slow, the coffee is strong, and the scenery wraps around you like a wool blanket.
Bonus: You’ll find local art, maple syrup, and tiny farm stands at nearly every bend.
Nevada’s Route 50
For those who crave wide open spaces and long, uninterrupted stretches of road, Nevada’s Route 50 is a soulful kind of empty. Nicknamed “The Loneliest Road in America,” this high desert drive actually feels more meditative than desolate.
You’ll pass through vintage ghost towns, old mining camps, and surreal salt flats that make you feel like you’re driving through another planet.
Fill up the tank and download your maps; cell service can vanish quickly. Spend the night in Ely or Austin (Nevada, not Texas!) and let the silence stretch. It’s oddly beautiful, deeply peaceful, and unforgettable.
Blue Ridge Parkway
Running from Virginia to North Carolina, the Blue Ridge Parkway feels less like a highway and more like a gentle meander through storybook landscapes. Think misty mountain overlooks, tunnels carved into rock, and roadside wildflowers that seem hand-planted by nature itself.
Ideal for a slow-paced weekend, you can hop between charming mountain towns like Blowing Rock or Floyd, each with their own local flavor. Skip the chain hotels and stay in a log cabin rental for the full effect. And don’t forget to stop at Mabry Mill, it’s the most photographed spot on the Parkway for good reason.
Island-Hopping in Florida
Imagine a road that hops from key to key over turquoise waters; that’s the Overseas Highway in the Florida Keys. This 113-mile stretch from Miami to Key West is one of the most unique road trips in the U.S. For a weekend, split your time between Marathon and Key West.
Along the way, you’ll pass kitschy motels, old fishing piers, and seafood shacks you’ll still be thinking about next month. The 7 Mile Bridge is a highlight, just the ocean in every direction. Park the car, catch the sunset, and let yourself feel far from it all.
Highway 12
Utah’s Scenic Byway 12 is like flipping through a geology textbook illustrated by an artist. The road cuts through hoodoos, canyons, cliffs, and alpine forests, connecting Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef National Parks.
For a weekend road trip, you can base yourself in the town of Escalante, where hiking trails and sandstone slot canyons are just minutes away. Make sure to drive the Hogsback section, it’s a narrow ribbon of pavement flanked by steep drop-offs and jaw-dropping views.
Olympic Peninsula Loop
Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula offers one of the most diverse and scenic loops you can cover in a weekend. You’ll find windswept beaches, lush rainforests, alpine lakes, and tiny coastal towns all within a few hours of each other.
Start in Port Angeles and make your way around Highway 101, stopping at Hurricane Ridge for mountain views, Hoh Rainforest for moss-draped hikes, and La Push for dramatic Pacific beaches. You can camp, lodge in a forest cabin, or stay in a vintage roadside motel. It’s a little moody, a little mystical, and totally magical.
River Road Mississippi Bridge
Running along the mighty Mississippi River, the Great River Road flows through ten states, but you can easily carve out a scenic weekend section. One favorite? The stretch between Wisconsin and Minnesota.
You’ll pass blufftop vistas, riverfront towns like Red Wing and Pepin, and scenic pullouts that offer postcard-perfect views. Try a riverboat tour, hit up antique shops, and dine at supper clubs that serve pie like your grandma used to make.
The Natchez Trace Parkway
The Natchez Trace is a 444-mile route from Nashville to Natchez, Mississippi, and it’s made for the kind of weekend where you keep your phone in the glove box and just breathe. With no billboards or commercial vehicles allowed, this two-lane road winds gently through forests, past Civil War sites, Native American mounds, and peaceful countryside.
For a two-day trip, focus on the Tennessee-to-Alabama stretch, with stops in Leiper’s Fork and Florence. Pack a picnic, explore waterfalls, and listen to local stories. It’s a quiet drive, but the kind that stays with you long after.
The San Juan Skyway
Colorado’s San Juan Skyway is a circular route that gives you all the alpine drama in just a weekend’s worth of driving. Start in Durango and make your way through Silverton, Ouray, and Telluride. You’ll wind through jaw-dropping passes, former mining towns, and scenic spots that demand you pull over and stare.
Stop at hot springs, ride the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, or hike to waterfalls tucked between the peaks. The Million Dollar Highway section, with its cliffside turns and snow-capped views, is worth every hairpin bend.
Door County
Tucked between Green Bay and Lake Michigan, Door County is like the Cape Cod of the Midwest, without the crowds. This peninsula is perfect for a slow road trip through shoreline villages like Fish Creek, Ephraim, and Baileys Harbor.
Each one offers lakeside charm, cherry pies, and charming inns. Scenic byways lead you past lighthouses, orchards, and bluffs that glow at golden hour. Rent bikes, kayak a hidden bay, or just cruise with the windows down and no real plan.
The Cascade Loop
If you want mountains, lakes, forests, and wildflowers, all in one road trip, the Cascade Loop in Washington delivers. This 440-mile route (ideal to break into a weekend section) sweeps you through Leavenworth’s Bavarian village charm, over mountain passes, and down into coastal farmland.
A favorite stretch? Stevens Pass to Lake Chelan. It’s packed with alpine lakes, tiny coffee stands, and epic views. Take your time. Stay at a riverside cabin or a cozy wine-country inn.
Oklahoma to Arkansas Ridge Views
This underrated drive through the Ouachita Mountains spans just 54 miles, but what it lacks in length, it makes up for in panoramic views. Running between Talihina, Oklahoma, and Mena, Arkansas, the Talimena Scenic Drive is a ridge-top route with frequent pull-offs and picnic-worthy views.
You’ll cruise along tree-lined roads that snake through the hills, sometimes with cloud mist drifting over the highway.
You can also turn your next road trip into a bloom-chasing adventure. This short but stunning drive is proof that some of the country’s most colorful wildflowers are just a few miles away.
Ready, Set, Wander
The beauty of a weekend road trip is that you don’t need weeks of planning or a passport, just a map, a little curiosity, and maybe someone to split snacks with.
So next time you’re itching for a change of scenery, don’t overthink it. Hit the road, take the turnoff that looks interesting, and let the highway do what it does best: lead you somewhere unforgettable. And if you’re leaving for vacation, don’t let the excitement make you forget the essentials. Check off these 18 must-do tasks before you go so your return is just as stress-free as the journey ahead.
Got a favorite scenic highway or weekend road trip route? Tell us where you love to drive when you need a little beauty and adventure, your go-to getaway might inspire someone else’s next journey!
Read More From This Brand:
- Step Inside Havana’s Hidden Glamour Revival
- Istanbul’s Grand Interiors and the Art of Ornate Layering
- Parisian Apartment Style, Inspired by Real Haussmann Homes
Don’t forget to follow us for more exclusive content right here on MSN.
This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.
