5 of the Best Scenic Drives in the US

The road trip is a great American tradition. There's nothing like the feeling you get when you hit the road, your everyday life dwindling in your rear-view mirror, with endless possibilities for fun and adventure in front of you.

We're lucky to live in one of the most scenic, wide-open, and geographically diverse countries in the world, with everything from mountains, to plains, to deserts, to exciting cosmopolitan cities, all spread out between two vast oceans.

If you've been feeling confined in the routine of your work and home life, why not take a drive to remind yourself of the wonders of this country? Here are just a few of the top drives in the U.S.

1. Skyline Drive, northern Virginia: Located in Virginia's Shenandoah National Park, in the mountains above the beautiful Shenandoah Valley, Skyline Drive is a 3-hour, 105 mile meander through the misty Blue Ridge Mountains. The drive takes you past over 70 scenic overlooks where you can view expansive vistas of the valleys below, and you can stop at one of the hiking trails and take a walk through the Park's vast forests teeming with wildlife.

2. The Overseas Highway in Florida: At 127 miles, the Overseas Highway runs from the Florida mainland all the way down to Key West. Starting at Key Largo, the road passes southwestward through many diverse islands and island communities, including Tavernier, Islamorado, Marathon, Big Pine Key, Cudjoe Key, and finally Key West. And then, of course, there are the beautiful between-island sections of highway that span up to 7 miles, with open sea on both sides.

3. San Juan Skyway in southwestern Colorado: The San Juan Skyway is one of the highest scenic highways in the country, running through one of the most scenic portions of the Rocky Mountain State. At 236 miles long, the loop covers portion of U.S. 160, State Highways 145 and 62, and U.S. 550, with each portion taking you through a different National Park or National Forest. The drive includes views of some of the country's most pristine wilderness regions, some of our tallest mountains, and even some stretches of desert around Mesa Verde National Park.

4. California's Pacific Coast Highway: The famous Pacific Coast Highway, immortalized in literature and song, runs all the way down the coast of California, a trip that can last two days or more if done at a leisurely pace. Technically beginning just north of Fort Bragg near the Jackson State Forest, the Highway 1's highlights, from north to south, include wine country, the Point Reyes National Seashore, beautiful San Francisco, the redwoods of Big Sur, and the final stretch down into Los Angeles.

5. Alaska's Seward Highway: Beginning in Anchorage and ending in Seward, this highway offers 127 miles of some of the most unique and diverse landscapes in North America. On a summer drive, you'll see everything from glaciers, to waterfalls, to wildflowers, to beautiful alpine valleys. You can also stop along the highway for camping or hiking, or you can visit one of the friendly and picturesque small towns along the way.

By : Caterina_Christakos