The ultimate North American road trips

A road trip is, in many ways, the best way to see the USA. It’s a liberating adventure where you can travel at your own pace through canyons, mountains and along coastal cliffs, while also getting a feel for local life by stopping en route.

Discover 6 of the greatest road trips in the USA and enrich your journey with Autio, a network of stories with the power to bring the landscape, its people, and its history alive as you pass through it.

Every state has a nickname, but none as fitting as Florida’s. The Sunshine State serves up year-round, sun-soaked bliss. But it’s not just about the weather, with vibrant cities and stunning beaches creating an irresistible blend of culture, nightlife, nature and relaxation.

Orlando is home to world-renowned theme parks like Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort, and SeaWorld, making it the perfect playground for both the young and the young at heart. As you venture south, Miami welcomes you with its glamorous, cosmopolitan energy – from the iconic Art Deco architecture of South Beach to the trendy neighbourhoods of Wynwood and Brickell. Conclude your Florida road trip in Fort Lauderdale, a city famous for its beautiful beaches and canals.

San Simeon is a small seaside town along the Pacific Coast Highway that marks the beginning of the Big Sur region. The town’s Hearst Castle, an ornate palace built in the early 20th century for newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, is worth visiting before you hit the road. But it’s this 100-mile stretch of the Highway, carving through cliffs and over magnificent bridges high above the crashing waves of the Pacific, that is truly unmissable. Sit on a rocking chair with a glass of Californian wine to watch the sunset on a beachfront porch at Cavalier Oceanfront Resort.

The Highway finishes in Los Angeles, and talk about finishing in style. Stroll the palm-fringed boulevards and sizzling sidewalks of this warm and welcoming metropolis that captures the essence of California dreamin'. And immerse yourself in the glamour of Hollywood, where the star-studded Walk of Fame bears witness to the legends of cinema. From the iconic Hollywood sign to the glitz of Beverly Hills, buckle up because the excitement and eternal sunshine of the City of Angels will not disappoint.

Route 66 is probably the most celebrated road trip in American popular culture. With giant billboards decorating the route offering live rattlesnake shows and other strange roadside attractions, it’s still every bit as kitsch and wonderful as you’d imagine. Stretching 2,448 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica, Route 66 crosses some of the USA’s most distinct landscapes, from the cornfields of Illinois to the sun-drenched, golden sands of California, past the mighty Grand Canyon and the San Francisco Peaks. Surrounded by these snow-capped mountains and dark, pine forests, you’ll find the city of Flagstaff, whose Downtown area lit by retro neon signs definitely merits a stop off. After a full day’s driving, sleep in at the Starlight Pines Bed and Breakfast.

If you don’t mind a slight detour, then take a break from the open road and immerse yourself in a city pulsating with endless excitement and entertainment – Las Vegas. Here, you’ll find breathtaking stage shows, jaw-dropping architecture and attractions, and hundreds of nightclubs and casinos to try your luck in.

The Interstate 80 is takes you all the way from downtown San Francisco in California to New Jersey on the northeastern coast of the USA. It’s nearly 3,000 miles of open road, farmland and natural scenery, morphing from coastal hills in the beginning to the seemingly endless plain of the Sacramento Delta. Stop off at historical destinations like the granite pyramid Ames Monument and the former Wyoming Frontier Prison. You can learn all about these sights and tens of thousands more by downloading Autio for your drive. The town of Winnemucca has a strong Basque community and thus lots of delicious Basque cuisine. It wouldn’t be a USA road trip without a night in a motel, so check into the highly rated Town House Motel in Winnemucca.

Further east, nestled amid the majestic Rocky Mountains, Denver, Colorado offers a gateway to natural wonders and urban delights. The crisp mountain air will fill your lungs, revitalise your senses and set the stage for adventure. Explore the city's thriving art scene, with myriad galleries and museums. Plus Red Rocks Amphitheatre and the bustling Union Station, where the city seamlessly blends its rich history with modern urban style. The Mile High City is also a delight for outdoor enthusiasts, with its world-class hiking, biking, and skiing opportunities just a stone's throw away.

Running almost the entire length of the Central Valley in California, 425 mile-long Highway 99 (aka the Golden State Highway) is a historic route, featured in John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath as the road the Joad family travelled. You’ll be directed by huge billboard signs towards pistachio farms and orchards where you can sample produce such as organic honey, olive oil, raisins and cheese. Stop off in towns like Merced on your way to Yosemite, and Red Bluff for the nearby Lassen Volcanic National Park. Holiday Inn Express Hotel is the highest-rated accommodation in Merced.

Route 97 is the longest continuous north-south highway in the USA. It’ll take you from northern California, through Oregon and Washington, to British Columbia in Canada. Mount Robson is en route, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, as are the Canadian Cascades – volcanoes that form an arc across North America – and Canada’s only desert in Osoyoos. Add to that fertile valleys, wine regions with miles of undulating, vineyard-covered hills, vast freshwater lakes, indigenous experiences, grizzly and black bears and a number of national parks – and you’ve got yourself a pretty great road trip. Check into the highly rated Eagle Crater Lake Inn in Chemult.