50 Breathtaking Scenic Drives in 50 Different States ...

1 Alabama

US Highway 431 from Huntsville to Dothan
You'll drive through forests and past rivers and pass through Gadsden, Columbus and Eufaula. Be sure to stop off to go antiquing or a bbq picnic.

2 Alaska

The Seward Highway
Stretching for 127 miles between Seward and Anchorage the road crosses the stunningly beautiful Kenai Peninsula and along the edge of the Turnagain Arm.

3 Arizona

State Highway 67
Kaibab Plateau – North Rim Parkway, SR 67 takes in the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park and heads through the .Kaibab National Forest.

4 Arkansas

State Highway 7 between Hot Springs and Oklahoma
The road runs through the Ouachita National Forest and is one of the state’s first designated scenic byways.

5 California

Highway 1 Santa Monica to Oxnard
The road runs along the beauteous California coast and includes Big Sur.

6 Colorado

Trail Ridge Road
Trail Ridge Road is a stretch of U.S. Highway 34. It is the highest continuous paved road in the United States and traverses Rocky Mountain National Park.

7 Connecticut

State Highway 148
Any road trip is made better with a ferry. Drive the State Highway 148 where it crosses the Connecticut River and take the Chester/Hadlyme ferry en route to Gillette Castle State Park.

8 Delaware

State Highway 1 heading north
From Seal Island Preserve, north through the Delaware Seashore State Park, is one of the most beautiful stretches of shoreline on the entire East Coast.

9 Florida

Overseas Highway
A truly iconic drive of 127 miles through the Florida Keys.

10 Georgia

Highway 60
The section of Highway 60 that traverses the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest is a charming winding beauty.

11 Hawaii

Hana Highway
This stunning route winds along the Maui coast around mountains, over rivers and past waterfalls - all with the ocean on one side.

12 Idaho

Highway 75 heading north
The recommend route is from Shoshone into the Sawtooth National Forest. If the picture is anything to go by ...

13 Illinois

Route 66
The Mother of all US roads. It begins on Adams Street in downtown Chicago.

14 Indiana

Route 12
Head from Michigan City towards Gary and your scenic drive will take you alongside Lake Michigan though the
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.

15 Iowa

Great River Road National Scenic Byway
Travel along the Mississippi River on the state's eastern border as part of this National Scenic Byway that stretches through 10 states.

16 Kansas

Flint Hills National Scenic Byway
The best place to see the Great Plains is Kansas and this byway is the best route. See swaying fields of crops or take a drive as evening comes - the sunsets are magnificent.

17 Kentucky

The Red River Gorge National Scenic Byway
This has everything you look for in a spectacular road: mountains, rivers, a tunnel, and stunning scenery, as well as the historic 900 foot Nada Tunnel.

18 Louisiana

Highway 82
The road is from Abbeville to Port Arthur, Texas running parallel the Gulf of Mexico and is part of the Creole Nature Trail.

19 Maine

The Old Canada Road National Scenic Byway
The byway is a scenic corridor running 78 miles from Solon to the Canadian border.

20 Maryland

US Highways 50 and 301
This has been chosen as Maryland's most scenic route because these two highways cross the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, offering stunning views from both sides.

21 Massachusetts

Jacob’s Ladder Scenic Byway
The byway is Highway 20 from Russell to Lee. It is an untouched rural roadway that runs through the foothills of the Berkshires in western Massachusetts.

22 Michigan

Highway 2
Drive across the southern edge of the Upper Peninsula for a spectacular way to experience the northern reaches of Lake Michigan.

23 Minnesota

North Shore Scenic Drive
Highway 61 between Duluth and Grand Portage runs alongside Lake Superior.

24 Mississippi

Natchez Trace Parkway
This National Parkway commemorates the historic Old Natchez Trace and preserves sections of the original trail. It runs for 444 miles from Natchez to near Nashville.

25 Missouri

Ozark Mountain High Road
The Highroad is state highway 465, which begins five miles north of Branson off US 65 and travels seven miles to state highway 76 offering lovely views of the Ozarks.

26 Montana

The Going-to-the-Sun Road
The Going-to-the-Sun Road runs right through the interior of the breathtaking beauty of the Glacier National Park.

27 Nebraska

Lincoln Byway
U.S. Highway 30 is a trip through the history of the Great Plains, including a sample of the Pony Express route and the Union Pacific first transcontinental railroad.

28 Nevada

Drive across the Hoover Dam
Yes, you can still drive across the Hoover Dam despite the construction of the bypass bridge. It's an incredible view.

29 New Hampshire

Kancamagus National Scenic Byway
The byway is a 32 mile stretch of the NH112 and takes you through the White Mountain National Forest with breathtaking views of the White Mountains.

30 New Jersey

Delaware River Scenic Byway
The short stretch from Frenchtown to Trenton is 33 miles through the very scenic Delaware River Valley and it includes the massively historically significant "Washington's Crossing".

31 New Mexico

US Highway 64
The highway starts at the Arizona border and travels through some of the most spectacular scenery of New Mexico. Traverse desert and mountain and passes and travel through historical towns such as Taos.

32 New York

Verrazano-Narrows Bridge
Connecting Brooklyn and Staten Island the bridge is a marvel of engineering and offers incredible views of New York and The Narrows.

33 North Carolina

Tail of the Dragon
Much beloved by motorcyclists, the Tail of the Dragon is a very winding stretch of US. Highway 129 south of Deals Gap.

34 North Dakota

Sheyenne River Valley Scenic Byway
This byway bucks the trend in a state criss-crossed by straight roads. Following the natural bends and curves, the road runs for 63 miles through the tree-lined, rolling hills of the river valley.

35 Ohio

Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Trail
This trail runs for 293 miles along the shore of Lake Erie from Toledo to the New York border.

36 Oklahoma

Talimena National Scenic Byway
Beginning at Talimena State Park your drive will take you through the Ouachita Mountains to Queen Wilhelmina State Park in Arkansas, passing mountains and streams and lots of photo opportunities. Keep an eye out for the wildlife.

37 Oregon

Historic Columbia River Highway
Sometimes called the "King of Roads" this highway runs along the state's northern border and as well as including waterfalls and views of the river gorge the route is suffused with the history of Lewis and Clark.

38 Pennsylvania

Highway 6
Highway 6 through Pennsylvania crosses the Allegheny Mountains and along the way you can get acquainted with small, historic towns and small state forests.

39 Rhode Island

State Highway 138
This highway gives views of some of the state's best scenery and passes over the Claiborne Pell Newport Bridge and the Jamestown Verrazzano Bridge.

40 South Carolina

Savannah River Scenic Byway
The Savannah River Scenic Byway is 100 miles long and connects 5 routes which run parallel to the river. It is characterized by farms, woodlands, lakes and small towns. There are numerous historical sites along the way.

41 South Dakota

Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway
This route winds through South Dakota's storied Black Hills, weaving together towering granite formations, narrow tunnels, spiral bridges, and hairpin curves, with blockbuster sights like iconic Mount Rushmore and the nearby, yet-to-be-completed Crazy Horse Memorial

42 Tennessee

Cherohala Skyway
Also known as Overhill Skyway, it stretches 43 miles from Tellico Plains to Robinville, running through both the Cherokee National Forest and the Nantahala National Forest It reaches elevations of over 5,400 feet with many sweeping curves. The byway provides access to several viewpoints, recreational areas, and vistas.

43 Texas

Highway 16
The drive through Texas Hill Country from Fredericksburg through Kerrville to Bandera presents great views of the diverse scenery of the Lone Star State.

44 Utah

Antelope Island Road
The road crosses the Great Salt Lake from Ogden to the island with is a state park renowned for its wildlife - particularly bison and bighorn sheep.

45 Vermont

Route 100 Byway
This scenic route of 128 miles takes in 20 picturesque Vermont towns including Rochester, Andover, and Wilmington. It criss-crosses the spine of the Green Mountain from the Mad River Byway to the Massachusetts’s border.

46 Virginia

The Blue Ridge Parkway
Coursing its way for 469 miles through the gorgeous Appalachians, this parkway connects the Shenandoah National Park with Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina.

47 Washington

US Highway 410
Travelling east from Puyallup on highway 410 takes you through Mount Rainier National Park with jaw-droppingly awesome views.

48 West Virginia

Washington Heritage Trail Scenic Byway
The trail forms a loop through the three counties and traces the footsteps of George Washington and the marks his family left in the Eastern Panhandle.

49 Wisconsin

Lake Superior Byway
This is a drive along Highway 13 from Barksdale to Parkland where you can really appreciate the vast beauty of Lake Superior.

50 Wyoming

US Highway 287
Highway 287 is almost 1,800 miles long from Montana to Texas but its most scenic stretch is the 30 miles between Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park.

So let's see. Did the experts get it right? Do you think there are better scenic drives in your state?