Great American Road Trips in 4K: Route 66 to Big Sur

About great american road trips

The United States was built for the road trip, and some of its most famous sights are the roads themselves. Historic Route 66 crosses the Mojave Desert past lava fields and old roadside cafés; Highway 1 clings to the cliffs of Big Sur above the Pacific, then rolls into Malibu at sunset; and the Overseas Highway hops from island to island across the Florida Keys, with the Seven Mile Bridge floating over turquoise water on the way to Key West.

Inland, the Blue Ridge Parkway follows the crest of the Appalachians through a blaze of autumn colour, the Going-to-the-Sun Road and the Beartooth Highway climb above the tree line in the Rockies, and Monument Valley's loop winds between red sandstone buttes. Each drive here is a real, uncut dashcam journey, so you can sit back and watch the miles go by, or plan which stretch to drive yourself.

Questions

What is the most famous road trip in the United States?

Route 66, the 1926 highway from Chicago to Santa Monica, is the classic. Highway 1 along the California coast through Big Sur, the Overseas Highway to Key West and the Blue Ridge Parkway are close behind.

When is the best time to drive these roads?

It depends on the road. The Going-to-the-Sun Road and the Beartooth Highway are high mountain roads that usually open only from about late spring to early autumn. The Blue Ridge Parkway is best for autumn colour in October, the desert stretches of Route 66 and Monument Valley are most comfortable outside midsummer, and the Florida Keys are pleasant in winter and spring.

Can these drives be done in a day?

Most of the stretches in these videos take one to three hours without stops: Big Sur, the Overseas Highway from Islamorada to Key West, the Going-to-the-Sun Road and the Beartooth Highway are classic day drives. The full Route 66 and Blue Ridge Parkway take many days.