Best road trips through the USA

In September and October each year, the Midwest and surrounding areas come to life with bright autumn colours.

The Lake Superior Circle Route is a haven of tranquillity. It winds through Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Ontario in Canada. Golden forests, serene lake views, thundering waterfalls, and lakeshore lighthouses adorn its 2,100-odd miles. It’s a serene and peaceful journey.

Stop at the Emerald Drive parking area in Wisconsin to stretch your legs and hike along the Ice Age Trail, a 1,600km trail of ice-age landscapes and glacial carvings in the Kettle Moraine State Forest.

The Appalachian Forests offer scenic mountain views, adventure, and eclectic food. Start at Asheville in North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains to enjoy the galleries and artist studios. Then, wander through the stunning Roan Mountain State Park, stopping to enjoy and photograph its spectacular scenery.

Stay a couple of nights at a mountain log cabin. Take in the crisp mountain air filled with the scent of woodsmoke, the babble of clear running streams, and fishing for freshwater trout.

Autumn colour viewing is popular throughout the US, so it's best to book. The US Forest Service provides regular updates on the best places to view.

Follow in the footsteps of literary giants like John Steinbeck, Henry Miller, and Jack Kerouac. Take a drive down the rugged beauty of California’s Pacific Coast Highway. This route meanders through Big Sur, famous for its winding panorama of giant redwoods on one side, and rocky beach cliffs on the other. It has been immortalised in the works of these authors and in many movies over the years. 

The area's residents have not only preserved its charming historic Spanish heritage, they’ve also fostered a vibrant arts scene. This route has a cosmopolitan vibe that is sure to enrich your cultural experience.

Follow the Mississippi River along the Blues Highway from Vicksburg to Memphis. You might hear faint echoes of Muddy Waters, Bessie Smith, B.B. King or Elvis. They also travelled this road on their way to the birthplace of the blues.

The B.B. King Museum in Indianola is a must-visit for any blues enthusiast. It tells the history of the Black Americans' struggle through the life of this legendary performer. 

Take a trip to Club Ebony, where B.B. King, as well as Ray Charles and other famous blues artists, once played.

The Stax Museum of American Soul Music features the work of Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes and others. 

Drive on to Graceland to pay homage to the King himself, Elvis.

Travel the eastern and northern shores of Kauai, Hawaii. Here you’ll find 26km of waterfalls, old plantations, waterlogged caves, and the beaches of the rugged Na Pali Coast. In Princeville, take a trip up the tranquil Hanalei River, or tour the beautiful Fern Grotto.

Begin with a soak in the geothermal hot springs at Bozeman, Montana. Then start the 220km trip through Yellowstone National Park. 

Head down to Wyoming for a view of historic Old Faithful's eruptions of steam and water. These are projected high into the air almost hourly.

Yellowstone is famous for its beautiful native wildlife and stunning panoramic views of forests, lakes, mountainsides, and waterfalls. If you're feeling energetic, head out birdwatching or go rafting.

Abandoned mining towns, desert heat, dust, and more than 1,000 species of exotic flora. These are all part of the charm of Death Valley National Park in California.

Death Valley is known for its stunning natural vistas and sweeping views. It’s also been the location for many movies, including Star Wars Episode IV, Confessions of a Hitman, and King Solomon's Mines.

Dante's View is a good starting point for a road trip. It looks down across the valley to the Panamint Range, giving a full view of the landscape's size and diversity.

Plan to visit 20 Mule Team Canyon. It gets its name from the iconic twenty-mule teams used to carry wagonloads of borax from Furnace Creek to the railhead near Mojave. This was once a 165-mile, 10-day trip across primitive roads.

You can pay your park entrance fee at the Visitor Centre at Furnace Creek, which is home to many resorts and amenities. Here, you can also pick up maps and view the exhibits.

Visit DV Junction, a ghost town that was once a borax-mining centre. DV Junction now hosts the Amargosa Hotel and Opera House.

Hiring a vehicle can be a great way to see the USA. Consider a comprehensive or multi-trip travel insurance policy, which has rental vehicle excess cover included as a standard benefit. Designed to help cover the costs of the excess you’re liable to pay if you’re in an accident or your hire car is damaged or stolen.¹