The idea of a cross country road trip excites most road trip planners because there's something appealing about the open road. It beckons.
Instead of exploring one state in depth, going cross country allows for a teaser taste of many states. Finding the balance between hitting as many states as possible and "enjoying the ride" can be somewhat relative, to be sure, but even with a cross country objective, quality still trumps quantity.
#5 - The Great River Road (10 states - 2300 miles): American travelers do so love nostalgia and meandering alongside the great Mississippi River from bow to stern in a manner reminiscent of Mark Twain's riverboat days gets many road trip planners excited about all the possibilities. What's fun is skirting along the edges of two states to follow the river. The Mississippi River is much more romanticized than the Missouri River, which is actually the longest river in the U.S. This route could be much shorter (1500 miles) if you plotted the more direct route between the headwaters and the mouth...you decide just how closely you want to follow the river.
#4 - Southern Comforts (8 states - 3000 miles): This cross country road trip allows road trip planners to blend in variety and spice to their trip! Here's where you'll experience the good ol' southern hospitality in Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi, the Cajun flavors of Louisiana, get a taste of the Texas BBQ, the southwestern spices found in New Mexico, Arizona and the laid back atmosphere of southern California. US-80 will take you through the bulk of this trip which offers more varied cultural experiences than you're likely to get in any other U.S. cross country trip.
#3 - The Oregon Trail (11 states - 3200 miles): This road trip is for road trip planners who want to go the distance while traveling a goodly portion along a historic route. You start (or end) out from the wild Oregon coastline, travel through increasingly diverse terrain, to - and through - dense urban populations and finish by the serene waters of Cape Cod. The main route you'll follow here is US-20 where you get to hit some truly gorgeous places like Niagara Falls and Yellowstone Park.
#2 - The Pacific Coast Road Trip (3 states - 1500 miles): Even though you're traveling through only three states, you'll be cruising the length of the West Coast from Olympia, Washington in the North, through Oregon and to San Ysidro, California, right near the Mexican Border on the South. A good road trip planner can create a kaleidoscope of experiences along this route as it takes you from primitive forests, secluded hideaways, historic towns to major cities with the latest innovations, always flanked by a stunning coastline holding beaches and beach-lovers of every shape and size. Called Star Route 1, more known as Highway 1, with the California stretch called the Pacific Coast Highway, it is mesmerizing.
And the #1 cross country road trip of all time? (8 states - 2500 miles): The mother of all highways, the most romanticized, most sung about, most appearances in a movie highway...drum roll please...Route 66! It's so popular that a Google Search for "Route 66" yields more than 6 ˝ million results! Covering eight states from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California, it is the #1 recognized Road Trip and well worth any road tripper's attention.
Article Source: David Reichman; Ezinearticles.com.
