20 Road Trips For 2020

Adventures For Your Bucket List

From Sea to Shining Sea

The vastness of the United States frontier has made road trips a classic piece of Americana. It is the ultimate way to the explore the states. But that said, there are so many routes to take. In celebration of a new decade and the 50th birthday of our Avion, we are sharing 20 road trips—from half day excursions to multi-day epic quests—that you should add to your bucket list.

Highway 89A divides from Highway 89 in Prescott, Arizona, and travels 90 miles through many of our favorite haunts in the state.  Hunt ghosts in the historic mining town of Jerome.  Hike red rock buttes in scenic red-rock Sedona.  Take a break and relax in Flagstaff, Arizona.

The Natchez Trace connects Natchez, Mississippi to Nashville, Tennessee. The 444-mile route roughly traces the historic dirt trading path.* Experience historic homes, prehistoric mounds, diverse wildlife, and dramatic vistas.

Tour the highlights of Glacier National Park, from stunning vistas to wildlife on the Going-to-the-Sun road.  This 50-mile route covers the valley floor to alpine heights with an almost guaranteed opportunity to see the dramatic views and exciting wildlife directly out of the car window.

Explore the sea cliffs, redwoods, and stunning sunsets of the west coast along California’s Highway 1.  While the highway traverses much of the pacific coastline, we want to highlight an isolated, narrow, and windy route between San Francisco and Los Angeles often referred to by the name of a small town in the heart of the highway, Big Sur.  See sea otters, whales, and even the endangered California Condor.

Route 170 along the Rio Grande is a continuously compounding collection of cliffs, hoodoos, ravines, wildflowers, and ruins. The route is about as close to the US-Mexico border as you can get without swimming in the Rio Grande and connects the art community of Marfa, Texas, with the majestic wilderness of Big Bend National Park.

The Blue Ridge Parkway stretches 469 miles along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Winding through the dense woods of North Carolina and Virginia, the parkway connects the Shenandoah National Park to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The resulting thoroughfare is it the longest road planned as a single unit in the United States and the longest linear park. Those iconic sunset shots over the Smoky Mountains at sunset are vista points along this route.

The Columbia River Gorge traces the border between Washington and Oregon—including the eclectic city or Portland—concluding at the Pacific Ocean.  The fertile land cut by the Columbia River is a National Scenic area.  In the spring, the hillsides are lush with lupine and other wildflowers.

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is a remote and lush region skirting Lake Michigan.  It is a relatively undeveloped area, aside from a few historic mining and trapping bases that have survived as towns.  Explore the wilderness from Duluth to Mackinac Bridge full of deep green forests, clear water, and dramatic rock outcroppings.

Moki Dugway is a mind-blowingly scenic stretch of dirt road connecting Utah Highway 95 and US Highway 163. Travelers from the south take the Moki Dugway from the Valley of the Gods to ascend an 11% grade to the top of Cedar Mesa and access Muley Point. Experience some of the most awe-inspiring vistas from this short detour.

You’ve heard the songs and likely even traveled a stretch of Route 66 at some point,  But have you delved into the history and delight of The Mother Road from Chicago, IL to Santa Monica, CA?  It’s a long trek passing by odd Americana, tourist traps, and a continually evolving landscape.

Scenic Highway 163 is an awe-inspiring route, threading through southern Utah gems such as Monument Valley, Mexican Hat, Goosenecks State Park, and Forest Gump Point.  Explore remote and colorful Utah vistas and continue to Lake Powell to the west or Shiprock to the east.

The CIA may have only acknowledged the existence of Area 51 on June 25, 2013. Still, this isolated patch south of Rachel, Nevada, has been a hot spot of UFO, extra-terrestrial, and conspiracy theories for decades.  Highway 375 connects this small lonely south Nevada town with the outside world with plenty of oddities along the way.

Highway 395 parallels the Eastern Sierras of California, traveling from high desert to Lake Tahoe.  Explore the surreal landscape of Mono Lake, wander through film history in the Alabama Hills & Movie Road, and hike the Sierras in the John Muir Wilderness.

For those interested is wandering down dirt roads but not ready for the rough and tumble of overlanding, Old Fall River Road is a scenic and exciting introduction. The Rocky Mountains National Park’s Old Fall River Road traverses 11 scenic miles from the valley floor to alpine heights.

Highway 70 from Denver, Colorado to Grand Junction, Colorado is one of the most scenic stretches of Interstate in America.  The Route wanders through mountains down into a deep valley winding past the famous ski towns of Breckenridge and Aspen.  But don’t bother trying to boondock. Overnight parking is banned from Denver to Grand Junction.

Highway 191 from Jackson Hole, Wyoming to West Yellowstone, Montana connects two of the United States’ most iconic parks: Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park.  This route travels through some of the most popular points in each park. So have your camera ready for Old Faithful, views of Grand Teton over the Snake River, and impressive wildlife.

Highway 90 traverses some of the notable wilderness of the midwest.  The route unites the dramatic Devil’s Tower, Deadwood, Mount Rushmore National Memorial, and Badlands National Park.  Leave a little extra time for tourist diversions in Rapid City and Wall Drug.

Highway 270 wanders through Ouachita National Forest, crossing the border of Oklahoma and Arkansas.  This scenic region is full of outdoor activities from hiking along waterfalls, boating on Lake Eufaula and Lake Ouachita, and taking a dip in historic Hot Springs National Park.

Discover the highest latitude rainforest, expansive tide pools, and alpine tundra along Highway 101. Starting in Seattle, Washington, take the ferry to Bainbridge Island and connect with Highway 101 to follow it through Olympic National Park and down the Washington Coast.

Explore the Texas Gulf Coast from Galveston Island to Surfside beach on the Blue Water Highway.  While this is a relatively short but scenic stretch of highway, continue the adventure south to hit Corpus Christi, Mustang Island, and South Padre Island.

What do you think?

Of course, these are some favorite routes from our last five years of travel.  We can’t wait to share new gems that we discover in 2020 and beyond. Do you have any recommendations for other routes we should take? Let us know in the comments!