Scenic Highways
October is a beautiful time to jump in the car and hit the open road for a long weekend away. But as I was researching the fall foliage drives and weekend getaways, I discovered that some of the most romantic drives in the United States weren’t going to make the list. So I put together this list of scenic highways for you to build your own vacation around.
Pacific Coast Highway, California State Route 1 from Monterey to Big Sur is probably the most romantic drive in the United States. Located half way between San Francisco and Los Angeles, you’ll enjoy the rest of this scenic route as well.
Million Dollar Highway, Colorado US-550, originally a mining road, is now one of the nation’s prettiest scenic drives. The 20 mile stretch between Durango and Ouray is known for its terrifying hairpin turns.
Lookout Mountain Parkway – This 93 mile highway through Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee passes waterfalls, canyons and other points of interest.
North Shore Scenic Drive – Minnesota State Highway 61 follows the north shore of Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world. If you aren’t preparing for an early ice fishing season, you might want to check it out.
Natchez Trace Parkway – Follow the historic path used by bison, Native Americans, and European explorers from Natchez, Mississippi to Nashville, Tennessee.
Utah Highway 12 between Capitol Reef and Bryce Canyon National Parks – Scenic Byway 12 runs for 124 miles through the scenic American Southwest. Two national parks, a national monument, and a national forest will keep you busy as you stop along this scenic highway.
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Florida Keys Scenic Highway – The Overseas Highway runs along the Florida Keys from Florida City to Key West. Also known as US 1, the 42 bridges of the Road to Paradise create one of the most scenic highways in the United States with breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. The destination, Key West, has a bit going for it in the romance department as well.
Find a scenic byway near you.