In the 3 months we were in North America we hit some pretty spectacular roads. Heres 5 of our favourites, in no particular order!
1. BOSTON - ACADIA ON ROUTE 1. 1 Week, 500Kms.
Boston, such a beautiful city steeped in history. A super cheap and informative way to learn about everything that went down in Boston is to do a walking tour of the freedom trail - you won't be disappointed! Also check out Boston Common - Americas first city public park established 1634 and Beacon Hill for its old historic buildings and an original cobblestone lane!
As you head up the coast on route 1 be prepared to make frequent stops in adorable little seaside towns. Our favourite was Ogunquit, for its beautiful beach and quaint village. Check out Portland Head Light for that iconic Maine photo - rugged coast, wild seas and a stunning lighthouse.
Acadia itself is stunning. Do some hiking here. The Ocean Path walk is a standout. Its a relatively easy hike and can be along or short as you want it to be. The whole trail hugs the coast and offers beautiful views and secluded beaches. We did about 5kms from Otter Cliff to Sand beach. Jordan Pond was stunning. The loop around the lake is about 5 1/2kms and is mind glowingly beautiful. Look out for beavers and birds of prey. We had so much fun on this hike, even though it was partly snow covered!
Acadia is also home to its own lighthouse - Bass Harbor Lighthouse, its actually still a working lighthouse and people live there so you can't go inside, but its very cute nonetheless. Visit the two of Bar Harbor for more of that cutesy fishing village vibe, and go to Choco-latte for a decent coffee worthy of Australian standards!
2. SOUTH DAKOTA - BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK, BLACK HILLS, MT RUSHMORE. 5 Days 200kms.
Badlands National Park is one of the most interesting National Parks we visited. It is a throwback to how the land of America was before settlers came and wiped out anything that got in the way of farming. The amazing natural eco-system is on display throughout the whole park, the importance of every creature is so obvious, from the Bison who carry grass seeds in their beards, to the Prairie dogs who help enrich the soil by constantly digging it up. What a thing to see - nature working how it should be working, completely balanced and completely happy!
Check out some of the hikes in this area! The Notch Trail was so much fun, and the Fossil exhibit trail was very educational. Lots of free camping to be had here too!
From Badlands, head northwest to Sturgis a great little frontier town and home to the biggest motorcycle rally on the planet, locals hide at home as 500,000 motorbike enthusiasts descend upon the town.
From there its a short drive to Deadwood, quite a gimicky town nowadays (with a huge gambling presence) but home to some pretty cool historic markers (Like the salon where Wild Bill was shot and killed). Head south through the Black Hills for some stunning scenery and deafening quiet! Some places it is all about the drive, and Black Hills certainly provides a beautiful setting for a road trip.
Veer East for a stopover at Mt Rushmore. Head here in the evening (and preferably out of season to avoid paying the parking fee) to see the monument light up in golden hour, its really quite beautiful! If you are patriotic then there is lots to read and learn, if not, just take your snap and go! We free camped just around the corner from Mt Rushmore where local climbers hang out.
3. YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. 1-5 days, you pick.
Perhaps one of the best National Park road trip in the States. Yellowstone is such a unique place, not only for its otherworldly volcanic action, but the beauty of the canyon and falls, as well as the over abundance of wildlife, all of which makes this road trip one of the most exciting on our list.
You can start at any entrance, but for the sake of this guide, we will begin at the West Entrance.
Head south to Old Faithful, depending on how long you are taking, you can stop at every single one of the geysers and basins on the way down and be amazed, if you are short on time, make sure you stop in at Midway geyser basin (the grand prismatic spring) for a huge WOW moment, the colours, the heat, the SMELL! After 2 visits, this spot is still my favourite, it really makes you feel like you are on another planet!
Old Faithful is probably the busiest part of the park, there are always dozens of tour buses here, but try to get there early in the day to avoid the masses that crowd around the geyser in the middle of the day. Old Faithful has earned it's name, faithfully exploding almost every half hour, doesn't matter what time you get here, you'll catch an eruption! And boy what a sight that is!
From here carry on East to visit the immense Yellowstone Lake - its so big it looks like an ocean!
On your way North, head into Yellowstone Canyon for a jaw dropping experience! The canyon is outstanding and is home to Yellowstone Falls. There are many viewpoints along the canyon rim, so spend a little time here getting to know the area, its beautiful from all angles!
The northern end of the park in our opinion is the best place for wildlife spotting, In Lamar Valley you can see - Pronghorn Deer, Bison, Deer, Bighorn Sheep, Otters, Beavers, Grizzly Bears, Coyotes, the very popular Lamar Valley Wolfpack and many many more! This is the place you need to 'stay still' to watch these creatures in their natural environment. Check in at the visit centre or ask a ranger for recent sightings - while we were there, there happened to be a bison kill which attracted all the apex predators to the one spot, very lucky!
The section of road heading West towards Mammoth Springs is the best place for spotting Black bears, so take your time - drive slow and keep your eyes wide open!
Mammoth Springs is worth a look and another wander around stinky basins and geysers. The town itself is cute and has a lovely visitor centre. The campground here is also lovely, and the cheapest in the park.
4. BANFF - VANCOUVER. 7-10 DAYS, 900KMS.
Okay, it goes without saying that the Icefields Parkway is one of the most outstanding roads on the planet. The 230kms stretch of road from Banff to jasper is an absolute must for any road trip or mountains enthusiast, with its myriads of mountains, lakes, glaciers, waterfalls, The ice fields Parkway is one of the best drives we have ever done. But everyone knows this. So how about the drive TO and FROM the Canadian Rockies? Well that is just as amazing.
While in the Banff area, be sure to check out Lake Louise, Moraine Lake and the amazing wolf shaped lake - Peyto lake.
Head west out of Banff NP on Canadian route 1, into Yoho National Park, for more turquoise glacial mirror lakes, waterfalls and snow capped mountains. Our favourite spots were Emerald lake, Finn Creek and the Natural bridge on Emerald Lake Road.
Continue on route 1 west through Glacier National Park for more epic road side views. Mount Revelstoke is worth a look. In the winter its a go to spot for snow sports, and in other seasons its a beautiful little mountain village with an awesome vibe and kick ass coffee! The Saturday morning markets are a great way to mingle with the locals.
The drive from here along Route 1 to Kamloops is so utterly beautiful, more than a few times we get as though we were driving through Swiss countryside.
We stopped in at a quaint little town called Hope, cue more amazing mountains, rivers and lakes. Hope also has a very busy schedule throughout the year, with lots of festivals happening.
The final stretch to Vancouver is a bit of a drag and best done quickly and painlessly. Once in Vancouver, check out the state parks north of the city - Capilano River regional Park is beautiful - but don't go into the suspension bridge park unless you want to be ripped off. Theres nothing here that you cant see up the road a little ways that costs you nothing!
In Vancouver, visit the harbour, if you are there on a cruise ship day, enjoy mingling with people from all over the world and then wave them off as they head up the inside passage to Alaska (LUCKY!!). Keep your eyes on the water for seals, whales and lots of little rock pool critters.
Gastown is the hot spot for old buildings, cool cafes and bustling restaurants. Stop at the famous steam clock - a mechanical clock that runs off the steam from the underground rail system.
Perhaps the best thing to do in Vancouver is the Sea Wall. A well maintained concrete path that winds itself around the gorgeous Stanley Park. The path is sectioned into a walking path and a bike path so you can enjoy both! Plenty of reasonably priced bike hire outfits around the park too. Stanley Park itself boasts many cafes, playgrounds and pretty gardens.
5. OREGON COAST HWY 101. 7 Days, 500kms.
The Pacific Northwest Coast was unsurprisingly gorgeous (Im running out of adjectives in this post!).
Rugged coast, small villages, an abundance of well appointed state parks, lighthouses and perhaps most importantly - good coffee and good beer!
Starting at the Northern most point of Oregon and heading down the 101 along the coast all the way to Brookings is just over 500kms. Heres some amazing places to stop....
~Fort Stevens State Park - our first stop, nice hikes, nice beaches.
~Cannon Beach - Good coffee, a cute town and a wild beach. This is Goonies country!
~Arch Cape - Some beautiful hikes down to a very secluded beach, lined with amazing towering pines.
~Tilamook - You know, the cheese? Yeah, go get some ice cream and cheese to go at the Tilamook farm!
~Cape Lookout State Park - more amazing beaches and exciting cliff top hikes.
~Yaquina Bay Lighthouse - A wonderful wildlife refuge, so many sea birds and seals, as well as a lovely old looking lighthouse.
~Newport - Stop here for a visit to Rogue Brewing's headquarters! A great salon 9no kids allowed) and a family friendly restaurant right on the harbour.
~Haceta Lighthouse State Park - A lovely wild beach and a short hike to a cliff top lighthouse and keepers buildings. There are always volunteers here ready to share their knowledge on the ,lighthouse and the local area.
~Oregon Dunes - Hit this place if you fancy doing some ATV driving!
~Bullard Beach State Park - a huge stretch of beach, we walked from the campground to the Head Light and back which was about 7kms. Just beautiful!
~Samuel H. Boardman Scenic Corridor - WOW. Just WOW. Take your time here, stop at every single lookout, the coastal rock formations are so unique to this area, and the wild turquoise ocean is mesmerising!
6. BIG SUR, HWY 1 MONTEREY BAY - MORRO BAY. 7 DAYS 200KMS.
An iconic road trip. What more can we say about this amazing stretch of coast? Its a must. Best done from North to South.
Start in Monterey Bay, visit the Wharf (cheesy and touristy) and definitely 100% visit the aquarium, its the best we've ever been to! Check out Lovers point and watch Otters frolic in the kelp forests....this is such a special sight!
From Monterey head south to the charming little village of Carmel. Have a walk along the beach and if you like, splurge on a (quite posh) meal in the town.
And so begins your drive on HWY1! Stop in at all the look outs, and hit some beaches before you get to Big Sur - it gets difficult from there as the road is high on a cliff.
Stay at the Big Sur campground, but don't worry if you don't have reservations, get there before 11am to put your name on the waitlist. You have to be back by 3pm for roll call and they'll assign you a site, there are always no shows and cancellations so they usually find sites for at least 10 groups.
There are heaps of trails from the campground, do a few at least, all of them if you can! But mostly just enjoy this lovely campground, nestled in redwoods along a fresh stream.
Heading south stop at the astonishing McWay Falls! Its so beautiful - a straight down waterfall hitting the turquoise ocean on a deserted beach! Further south, Salmon Falls is worth a look and is only a short hike.
Next stop Elephant Seal beach! What a sight! We spent hours here just watching these huge creatures snore and fight on the beach. When you get to the car park, follow the boardwalk to the right, not the left, there are less people and more seals! Perfect right!
San Simeon is worth a look, a nice pier to walk along.
Morro Bay is a MUST! Just for the resident otters. They hang out super close to the shore, no binoculars or huge camera lens needed! A few even had babies while we were there, the cutest darn thing I ever did see!
Our last stop on this coast was a little hidden gem, Montaña De Oro State park. We ignored the 'campground full' sign at the beginning of the road and risked driving 40minutes for nothing. It paid off though, they had more than a few free spots. The beach here is divine ! A wild little cove, great sunsets and best of all, no one there!
Well there you have it, started off as top 3, then top 5 and eventually stopped at top 6 road trips in North America. I hope you enjoyed reading and hopefully it will give you some ideas and inspiration to plan a USA road trip of your own!
If you have any questions or need advice on something that wasn't covered here, please feel free to shoot us an email! We would love to help!
