5 of the best road trips in America, according to Reader's Digest

An American road trip is less about the destinations and more about the moment-to-moment discoveries: twisting coastal highways, mountain passes that feel infinite, and riverside roads that thread through history and culture. 

The 55 Best Road Trips in America from Reader’s Digest rounds up the country’s most compelling drives, from bucket-list classics to lesser-celebrated corridors. Whether you seek dramatic landscapes or cultural waypoints, the list offers routes that define what a great road trip feels like in the U.S.

For many travelers, the perfect road trip combines scenery, sense of place, and story. Some historic routes are as much cultural journeys as physical ones. Others bring you face-to-face with vast natural beauty — canyons, coastlines, mountains, rivers — that reward every mile behind the wheel. 

Here are five of the most celebrated ways in America to see the country from the driver’s seat.

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Stretching along California’s shoreline, the Pacific Coast Highway is one of the most recognized scenic drives in America, winding above the Pacific and connecting iconic beaches, sea cliffs, and seaside towns — a standout on Reader’s Digest’s list of top road trips.

This route pairs driving pleasure with constant visual rewards. You’ll pass through Big Sur’s dramatic headlands, Monterey’s foggy shores, and quaint coastal towns that invite exploration. The proximity to the ocean makes every turn feel cinematic, whether you’re chasing sunset light or spotting whales offshore. The highway’s reputation reflects a synergy of scenery and acces­­sibility that has made it a perennial favorite on RD’s list.

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The Blue Ridge Parkway threads through the Appalachian Mountains, offering a tranquil drive marked by rolling ridges, forested overlooks, and a gentle rhythm that invites slow travel — exactly the kind of immersive experience highlighted in RD’s roundup of the best U.S. road trips.

Meandering between Virginia and North Carolina, this drive is a seasonal treasure: spring wildflowers, summer greens, and fiery fall foliage. Points along the way include scenic overlooks, historic sites, and access to hikes that put you deeper into nature. Its design encourages stops as much as miles, making it ideal for travelers who want to feel the mountains as much as see them.

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Following the mighty Mississippi River, the Great River Road links river towns, bluffs, and cultural history from the Upper Midwest down to the Gulf Coast. It’s included in RD’s best-road-trip list for the variety of scenery and heritage it offers.

This drive is distinct from purely scenic highways because it’s as much about people and place as landscape. Along the river, you move through jazz-rich cities, agricultural heartlands, and riverfront parks. The road mirrors the Mississippi’s meandering course and gives travelers a sense of how a waterway shaped commerce, culture, and community across the heart of the country.

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Part of U.S. Route 550 between Colorado and New Mexico, the Million Dollar Highway is famed for its dramatic switchbacks, narrow mountain passes, and panoramic alpine views — a route that Reader’s Digest highlights as one of America’s most memorable.

The road earns its name for scenery that feels majestic at every turn: jagged peaks, deep gorges, and high-elevation terrain more often found in postcards than road atlases. It’s a drive that satisfies drivers who want intense landscapes and unforgettable vistas, and its inclusion on RD’s list underlines its status among the country’s great drives.

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Highway 101 threads the Pacific Northwest’s coastline from Southern California through Oregon and up to Washington state, offering a long, varied journey with beaches, forests, and seaside towns that Reader’s Digest cites among worthy road trips.

This drive is especially appealing for those who want a broader coastal experience than the Pacific Coast Highway alone can offer. Oregon’s dramatic cliffs, Washington’s rainforests, and California’s sunny stretches weave into a diverse itinerary. Frequent coastal stops and scenic parks make it a great choice for travelers who want both natural diversity and plenty of exploration opportunities along the way.