America’s Best Scenic Drives

Zoomer | October 27th, 2020

Kancamagus Highway

The Kancamagus Highway along Route 112 in Northern New Hampshire might be the best place on the planet to observe the colorful autumn leaves. The 34.5-mile-long scenic highway takes you through the White Mountain National Forest, where breathtaking vistas await at each curve of the road. Along with the dazzlingly colorful yellow, red, and orange leaves, you’ll be treated to views of the rugged White Mountains, the pristine Swift River, Rocky Gorge, and thundering waterfalls.

Trail Ridge Road

Weaving 50 miles through Rocky Mountain National Park, Trail Ridge Road takes you on a winding journey through some of Colorado’s prettiest scenery. Keep your eyes peeled for bighorn sheep, elk, and deer as you travel through dense, colorful forests, flower-filled alpine tundra, and across the continental divide. At an elevation peaking at 12,183 feet, Trail Ridge is the highest paved road in the United States, and its views are nothing short of breathtaking. You can see Wyoming, the Great Plains, and of course the mighty Rocky Mountains.

Blues Highway

Musical legends were made all along the Blues Highway, the long road that follows the Mississippi River from Memphis, through the Mississippi Delta, all the way down to New Orleans. The Blues Highway passes through the most important places in the history of the Blues. From tiny nightclubs frequented by Blues legends such as B.B. King, to recording studios where innovative styles were perfected, to fascinating museums, the Blues owes everything to this dusty stretch of road.

Route 66

America’s most famous highway, nicknamed The Mother Road, in many ways came to define the American Dream. Established in 1926, Route 66 first acted as a road west and out of poverty during the Great Depression. But as the fate of Americans changed as the 20^th century went on, so, too did the role of Route 66. Whole economies sprouted up along the well-maintained route; restaurants, motels, roadside stands and giant ketchup bottles built to attract honeymooners in convertibles and growing families in wood paneled station wagons. Today, the much quieter Route 66 is peppered with kitschy novelties (the ketchup bottle is no less impressive) and nostalgic museums. Even today, this long road from Chicago to Santa Monica that came to symbolize the fundamentally American freedom of the open road is a great place to get your kicks.

Blue Ridge Parkway

Life slows down for 469 meandering miles across Virginia and North Carolina. The Blue Ridge Parkway goes from Shenandoah National Park to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It weaves through jaw-droppingly beautiful country—through mountains, across rivers, around waterfalls, and into history-rich villages and towns whose traditional ways of life go on.

Road to Hana

Maui’s most beautiful drive is a 65-mile-long odyssey through paradise. With ocean views on one side and a teeming rainforest on the other, the winding Hana Highway highlights the best things about the Hawaiian Islands. Pass by a number of towering waterfalls, incredible cliffs overlooking white sand beaches and miles of ocean, and numerous charming towns and shops.

Join YMT Vacations on One of America’s Great Scenic Drives

You can take one of these incredible scenic drives in 2021 with YMT Vacations. Our guided tours provide a comfortable way to experience these great roads—in a chartered coach, surrounded by new friends, and with plenty of scheduled bathroom breaks! Visit ymtvacations.com or call (888) 817-5482 to book. CARP members save $100 on any tour.