There is nothing quite like the open road, with the fresh air blowing through your hair and your favorite tunes blasting through the speakers. The taste of freedom!
If you manage to find time in your busy schedule for a road trip, it's essential to do some pre-planning so you can match your driving style with the route type. Especially if you want to avoid certain types of road conditions and just traffic in general. This post includes some of the best highways in America to take your supercar for a rip on, whether you're an adrenaline junky or the strong silent type.
10 Highway 1 - Big Sur
Not for the faint of heart is the steep coastline view along central California. Referred to as Big Sur, Highway 1 stretches between San Simeon and Carmel and chases the edge of the shoreline. For the most part, the 85 miles (136 km) road is unbelievably carved into the side of mountains, with many stretches of cliff dropoffs. The view overlooks rocky beaches below that fade into the blue swells of the North Pacific Ocean.
It's the recommendation of many guides that you buffer at least one full day to tour the area. The best time to visit is September to November, and the busiest time is April to October.
9 U.S. Highway 66 - Route 66
U.S. Highway 66 is a classic part of American history. It's a road with a nickname that is as infamous as celebrities and presidents. Route 66 is mentioned in countless movies, novels, and the namesake tune remixed and covered for generations.
When U.S. 66 was first built in 1926, it made a significant impact on the way Americans traveled, especially as the shortest, year-round route from the Midwest Chicago and Pacific Coast in Los Angeles.
For car enthusiasts, this trek spans over 2,400 miles (4,300 km) and includes eight states and three time zones. If you're into nostalgia, there are countless museums, restaurants, diners, and gas stations that are like time-capsules of the olden days.
8 U.S. Route 20 West
Route 20 is the ultimate American road trip waiting to happen. The 3,365 miles (5415 km) stretch makes its way from Boston, Massachusetts, all the way to Newport, Oregon. If you were to draw a line straight across a map of the USA, it would be a realistic representation of this journey.
Beyond the captivating natural scenery, this transcontinental journey passes through fossil beds, national monuments, breweries, waterfalls, Yellowstone National Park, Carhenge, the Field of Dreams movie site, Frank Lloyd Wright's home, Center Point Amusement Park to mention a few.
If you're keen to check off "drive the longest highway in the USA" or say you drove across the country, you should book time off and start planning your Route 20 trip today.
7 U.S. Route 550 - Million Dollar Highway
The Million Dollar Highway is one of the most scenic drives in America. It's also considered one of the most dangerous roads, due to the unpredictable weather, steep drop-offs, and lack of guardrails. Route 550 runs from New Mexico to Montrose, Colorado. The Million Dollar Highway stretch is about 25 miles (40km) and is located it the Western Colorado section.
There are several places to stop along the way, including panning for gold, ghost towns, hot springs, gorges, and waterfalls, to name a few. This route is for the adventurous type who watches Top Gear challenges and says, "I can do that."
6 Gumball 3000 Highway Tour
Every supercar fan knows about the Gumball 3000. It's one of the most recognized street race events that happen across multiple countries once a year. The poshest celebrities join in with their unique and rare cars. With a $25,000 entry fee, which goes to charity, meaning it's not an event for everyone. That said, nothing is stopping you from going on the route on your own.
In 2015 when the Gumball Rally was in the USA, drivers trekked from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. Another route in the previous year had drivers making their way from New York City, New York to Los Angeles, California.
This trip is for the true supercar fan who wants to test their passion and endurance just in case they join a future Gumball 3000 race. Just remember, the goal is to get there as quickly and legally as possible, which isn't always easy in a supercar.
5 Storm King Highway - North 218
There's nothing worse than getting cabin fever. When you work hard, you want to play hard, which isn't always easy to do if you live in the city. Storm King Highway is a 3-mile section of New York Route 218. The road runs from the Town of Highlands to Cornwall-on-Hudson.
It's about an hour from Manhattan, which isn't far if you need to just getaway. Much of the drive consists of a two-lane road surrounded by trees and natural rock walls. Unlike some of the scarier routes in this list with sharp drop-offs, this route has some fun twisty turns but has barriers and stop off points so you can take in the lake and mountain view.
4 U.S. Route 375 - Extraterrestrial Highway
For the sci-fi and supercar lovers, there's the Extraterrestrial Highway at the interaction of U.S 93 in south-central Nevada. As per the namesake, it's a journey dedicated to those with an affinity for space and alien lifeforms. There are fun, eerie, and strange places to stop along the route. That said, the majority of the 98-mile trip consists of a quiet, wide-open stretch of road with rolling ranch lands.
There's even an opportunity to make a pit stop outside the famous Area 51, a remote detachment of Edwards Air Force base, which is believed to be a center for testing experimental black box projects. Do you believe in aliens?
3 U.S. Route 16A - Mount Rushmore
U.S. Route 16A is a 36,971 mile-long (59,499km) stretch that passes through Keystone, South Dakota, Mount Rushmore National Memorial, and Cluster State Park. It's famous for its single-lane roads and one-land tunnels. A specific section of US 16A is known as the Iron Mountain Road, and it was purposely built over a summit to provide views of Mount Rushmore National Memorial. For some drivers, having a destination is important, and the 60-foot tall sculptures of former presidents make a breathtaking one at that.
This trip is for the patriotic adventurer who wants to take in the beauty of America at their own leisurely pace and isn't afraid of crowds.
2 Beartooth Highway - Route 212
The Beartooth Highway is a 68 mile stretch through Wyoming and Montana. Heralded as one of the most beautiful drives in America, it's also world-famous with motorcyclists. Despite its popularity, it's not for beginner drivers. Much of the route is spine-chilling with high elevations, reaching 10,000 feet above sea level at one point, mixed with twisty roads through the rocky mountains, zig-zags along the glaciers, and switchbacks through the meadows.
During the winter, the road is closed due to weather conditions. Snow levels have been seen as high as 26 feet. The highway typically opens by the Friday of Memorial weekend. For hardcore drivers only!
1 U. S. Route 128 - Tail of the Dragon
When you own a supercar, there are only a few ways you can get your racing jollies out. One way is to hit up a track, and the other is to find twisty roads to test your endurance and control. U.S. Route 129 is popular with sports car and motorcycle enthusiasts as one of the routes to trek.
Also known as Tail of the Dragon, the 582 miles (937 km) highway spans from Shieland, Florida, to Knoxville, Tennessee. What makes the Tail of Dragon section so special is, there are no homes or businesses along the way, nor are there any intersecting roads. This route isn't about scenery or attractions; it's all about the relationship between the car and the driver.