Imagine the breeze in your hair as you drive along the west coast, tunes on the radio. Or, turning down past the iconic Route 66 sign.
This is road tripping the USA – and it’s absolutely fantastic. The three million square mile nation is best seen with your own wheels – you’ll be able to stop wherever you want (and there are so many places…), go at your own schedule and pack to your heart’s content!
But where to go? Here are the most popular road trips in the country!
1. Florida Theme Parks and Beaches Road Trip
Route: Orlando → Tampa → Miami (optional Florida Keys)
This classic itinerary is a dream. Start in Orlando, home to world-famous theme parks like Walt Disney World and Universal Studios. Unleash your inner child here!
Then drive west to Tampa Bay, visiting attractions such as Busch Gardens or the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.
Continue south to Miami and consider extending the trip to Florida Keys for snorkelling and sea swimming.
For this route, Miami car hire will provide all the comfort and space you need!
2. California Coast: Los Angeles to San Francisco
Route: Los Angeles → Santa Barbara → Big Sur → San Francisco
The west coast is arguably the most popular – and glorious – road trip destination in the entire country.
Los Angeles is home to favourites like Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood. Or you can do an LA tour, spending some time in the OC and find your favourite star at the Hollywood Walk of Fame!
LA is busy though, and Santa Barbara heading north is a glorious antidote, with wide open beaches and plenty of surf! The drive through Big Sur is a must-do on any USA bucket list.
Finish in San Francisco, home to cable cars, the Exploratorium and Pier 39’s sea lions!
3. The Great Southwest Adventure
Route: Las Vegas → Grand Canyon → Page → Bryce Canyon → Zion National Park
This itinerary takes in both Sin City and the southwest’s most incredible nature!
Arranging Las Vegas Airport car hire makes it easy to begin exploring the region. Spend a night or two in the city itself – there’s plenty to do here aside from gambling – and then head out toward the Grand Canyon – a site like no other!
Continue to Page, Arizona, to explore Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend, followed by Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park in Utah.
This route is best enjoyed in spring or autumn – avoid the heat of summer!
4. New England Fall Foliage Drive
Route: Boston → New Hampshire → Vermont → Maine (optional)
This road trip is ideal for autumn travel when the leaves turn and weather cools (this is also when Halloween is celebrated in full force!).
Start in Boston, where you can explore the New England Aquarium or the Boston Children’s Museum.
Driving north, you’ll come across the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and then Vermont’s small towns and Maine’s wonderful coastline.
5. Wild West History and Nature Trip
Route: Denver → Rocky Mountain National Park → South Dakota → Yellowstone National Park
This longer journey will get you into some of the quieter parts of the US – even though many of these sites see their share of tourists, there’s always somewhere to go to get a sense of isolation.
Go wildlife spotting at Rocky Mountain National Park, or head to South Dakota’s Badlands and Mount Rushmore.
The trip culminates in Yellowstone National Park, famous for its geysers!
6. Blue Ridge Parkway and Appalachian Highlands
Route: Charlottesville, Virginia → Shenandoah National Park → Blue Ridge Parkway → Asheville, North Carolina → Great Smoky Mountains National Park
This drive follows a ridgeline for hundreds of miles, linking two national parks with one uninterrupted scenic road!
Start in Charlottesville and enter Shenandoah National Park via Skyline Drive.
The road curves along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains, with regular pull-offs where you can step out and look across layered hills stretching into the distance. Deer and black bears are often spotted at dawn and dusk!
Continue south onto the Blue Ridge Parkway, a 469-mile route built for slow travel. Speed limits stay low, encouraging you to stop at waterfalls, short woodland hikes and small Appalachian communities. In autumn, forests turn deep red and orange; in spring, wildflowers line the verges.
Finish near Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Base yourself in Asheville for breweries and live music, then drive Newfound Gap Road through the park. Plan for at least four days.
Fog can roll in quickly at higher elevations, so allow flexibility in your schedule and avoid rushing this route.
7. Utah’s scenic byway 12 and Capitol Reef loop
Route: Panguitch → Bryce Canyon area → Escalante → Boulder → Capitol Reef National Park → Torrey
Utah’s Scenic Byway 12 threads between vast desert landscapes and high alpine forests, yet sees far fewer vehicles than routes around the Grand Canyon or Zion.
Begin near Panguitch and drive east toward Escalante, passing through Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument. The road climbs onto the Hogback, a narrow ridge with steep drops on both sides. There are no guardrails in places, so take it steady.
Stop in Boulder for coffee before continuing toward Capitol Reef National Park. Here, orchards planted by 19th-century settlers still produce fruit in season. The Scenic Drive runs beneath towering sandstone cliffs, and short hikes lead to natural bridges and hidden canyons.
If you have extra time, add the Burr Trail Road for a remote detour into striped canyon country. Distances between petrol stations can be long, and mobile signal is limited, so fill up whenever you can and download offline maps before setting off.
Spring and autumn are perfect for milder temperatures and clearer skies.
Anyone planning a self-drive holiday in the United States can find additional car hire guidance via Hola Car Rentals, a legit comparison platform for finding the best car hire
