25 Places in the US That Are Worth the Drive

Summer is here, and along with warmer weather comes an increase in road trips! According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), 40 percent of Americans say that they are planning to take a family vacation in 2019. 68 percent of these travelers will be hitting the road in the summertime. Even if you don’t have time for a long trip this summer, there are many unique places all over the United States that may be near to you and are worth the drive.

1. Watkins Glen State Park—Located within the Finger Lakes State Parks in New York, with amazing waterfalls, beautiful scenic views, and a 400-foot-deep gorge.

Photo: Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks California

2. The Blue Ridge Parkway – The longest linear park in the United States, with 369 miles of scenic views spanning Virginia and North Carolina.

3. Sequoia National Park – This park in California features the largest living tree in the world, the 2500-year-old General Sherman Tree, at 275 feet tall.

4. Mendenhall Glacier Caves – Travelers near Juneau, Alaska must check out these caverns, containing a breathtaking 12-mile glacier.

5. Bonneville Salt Flats – Located in northwestern Utah, one of the flattest places on earth that was the site of a prehistoric lake.

6. Skagit Valley Tulip Fields – In Washington, and home to the annual tulip festival in April.

Photo: White Sands National Monument, National Park Service

7. White Sands National Monument – New Mexico’s northern Chihuahuan Desert made up of white gypsum sand dunes.

8. Driftwood Beach – Located on Jekyll Island, Georgia, perfect for those looking for seclusion.

Photo of Portland Head Light by Cynthia Farr Weinfeld

9. Portland Lighthouses – In Portland, Maine, there are six lighthouses to see, all within a 20- minute drive from each other.

10. Thor’s Well- On Oregon’s Cape Perpetua, this saltwater fountain is a sight to behold.

Photo: Bureau of Land Management, US Dept of the Interior

11. The Wave Rock – Made of Navajo sandstone, this rock is located in the Paria Canyon-Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness of Arizona.

12. Fly Geyser – A small geothermal geyser located a short drive from Reno, Nevada.

13. Giant Prismatic Spring – In Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, the largest hot spring in the United States.

14. Enchanted Highway- A highway in North Dakota features unique scrap metal sculptures along its 32 miles.

15. The Alamo – Historic fort and shrine in San Antonio, Texas.

16. Craters of the Moon National Monument – A Wilderness Study Area located in Idaho with breathtaking views.

Photo: National Park Service, CHICKASAW NATIONAL RECREATION AREA

17. Platt Historic District – Located in Sulfur, Oklahoma, this part of the Chickasaw National Recreation Area contains 20 miles of trails.

18. Toltec Mounds – Ancient burial mounds in Scott, Arkansas.

Photo: National Park Service, Vicksburg National Military Park MS, LA

19. Vicksburg National Military Park – Located in Mississippi, the site of the famous Civil War battle.

Photo: National Park Service, Independence National Historical Park Pennsylvania

20. Liberty Bell- In Philadelphia, PA, a quintessential symbol of our independence.

21. Mark Twain House and Museum- in Hartford, Connecticut.

Photo: National Park Service, Mammoth Cave National Park Kentucky

22. Mammoth Cave National Park- in the Green River Valley of Kentucky, contains the world’s longest cave system.

Photo: National Park Service, Lincoln Home National Historic Site Illinois

23. Abraham Lincoln’s Home- Located in Springfield, Illinois, a must-see.

24. Ashfall Fossil Beds- Over 200 fossil skeletons have been recovered in this area in Royal, Nebraska.

Photo: National Park Service, Mount Rushmore National Memorial South Dakota

25. Mount Rushmore- in Keystone, South Dakota, a must-see for all traveling in the U.S.

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