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The Most Scenic Drives in America: 120 Spectacular Road Trips
From the Atlantic to the Pacific - 120 wonderful ways to see the magnificence of America. Exciting, carefree, and comfortable tours covering every region in the country. This book includes 120 easy-to-follow maps, 400 breathtaking photos, fascinating facts, tips, suggested side trips and much more.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1997
About the author
Reader's Digest Association
5,070 books507 followersThe Reader's Digest Association, Inc. is a global media and direct marketing company based in Chappaqua, New York, best known for its flagship publication founded in 1922, Reader's Digest. The company's headquarters are in New York City, where it moved from Pleasantville, New York.
The company was founded by DeWitt and Lila Wallace in 1922 with the first publication of Reader's Digest magazine, but has grown to include a diverse range of magazines, books, music, DVDs and online content.
The company was founded by DeWitt and Lila Wallace in 1922 with the first publication of Reader's Digest magazine, but has grown to include a diverse range of magazines, books, music, DVDs and online content.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
March 8, 2011
Beautiful coffee table size book. The routes are clearly mapped out & places to visit along the way are described. It's truly a great book. I really liked the layout & plentiful color pictures.
October 19, 2026
Originally, I read this book when I was a teenager and did not appreciate the idea of a road trip. Now as a travel advisor who takes frequent road trips and encourages clients to do the same, this book is a gold mine. It's amazing to me how many of these road trips I've done without opening this volume in years!
In the digital age of travel planning, finding a reliable physical reference guide can be difficult. With route maps, descriptions of attractions and wildlife refuges, and additional resource contacts, The Most Scenic Drives in America: 120 Spectacular Road Trips - Your Guide to Breathtaking Routes, Hidden Gems, and Iconic Landscapes should be considered a top tool.
There are a few points in the book that glazes over critical details. For example, regarding Richardson Highway into Valdez, Alaska, the text skims past the practicalities of coastal connections, simply noting that "[t]he well-protected harbor also accesses the Alaska Marine Highway, a National Scenic Byway."
If you plan to add this book to your collection, take care with the binding. The physical book is heavy for its spine, especially if dropped or stored improperly.
As a travel advisor, I review travel guides and reference books to check their credibility and ensure you have the best information to enjoy your next journey.
In the digital age of travel planning, finding a reliable physical reference guide can be difficult. With route maps, descriptions of attractions and wildlife refuges, and additional resource contacts, The Most Scenic Drives in America: 120 Spectacular Road Trips - Your Guide to Breathtaking Routes, Hidden Gems, and Iconic Landscapes should be considered a top tool.
There are a few points in the book that glazes over critical details. For example, regarding Richardson Highway into Valdez, Alaska, the text skims past the practicalities of coastal connections, simply noting that "[t]he well-protected harbor also accesses the Alaska Marine Highway, a National Scenic Byway."
If you plan to add this book to your collection, take care with the binding. The physical book is heavy for its spine, especially if dropped or stored improperly.
As a travel advisor, I review travel guides and reference books to check their credibility and ensure you have the best information to enjoy your next journey.
August 31, 2018
While roaming around the library looking for travel info on the Dakotas I blundered on this book. Reminded me what fun you can have wandering around the library.
Cherry picked a few of the drives for a soon to occur road trip to the Badlands, and while one usually thinks of the ‘cake-pan’ shaped states of middle America as boring, I figure every place has its charms, and it did have a long scenic drive along sand dunes in Nebraska, which we must drive through.
The book has a few pages on each drive for about every state, noting points of interest along the way, be they scenic or man made. The map is high level, so the book isn’t all you need, but it’s great inspiration. I'll definitely be checking it out again for future trips.
Cherry picked a few of the drives for a soon to occur road trip to the Badlands, and while one usually thinks of the ‘cake-pan’ shaped states of middle America as boring, I figure every place has its charms, and it did have a long scenic drive along sand dunes in Nebraska, which we must drive through.
The book has a few pages on each drive for about every state, noting points of interest along the way, be they scenic or man made. The map is high level, so the book isn’t all you need, but it’s great inspiration. I'll definitely be checking it out again for future trips.
March 4, 2012
What a delightful book! The purpose is laid up right at the outset (Page 5): "One of America's most popular pastimes is, quite simply, going for long, leisurely drives in the country--and that's what this book is all about." Through this volume, we see 120 separate trips, each described in enough detail (normally 2-4 pages with a map) to decide if that tour might make sense to you.
Let's look at a few examples. One from my own experience--many years ago--is California's Big Sur Coast (pages 74-77). The trip starts at Monterey, goes on to Carmel-by-the-Sea to Big Sur (what a view from the highway, as I recall!) to San Simeon and the Hearst Castle, ending in San Luis Obispo.
I'm from Illinois, and there is precious little here from my home state! One is a trip from Galena to Port Byron; the other is a drive through the Shawnee Hills National Forest.
I also lived in Western New York for many years. This tour ends at Niagara Falls, one of my favorite spots. The tour starts at the Eisenhower Lock along the Saint Lawrence River and winds through Ogdensburg (with its wonderful Remington Art Museum) to Thousand Island and on to Rochester and Old Fort Niagara with an end in Niagara Falls. I have seen many of these sites and can attest to the delight I would experience if I traveled the full length of this route.
In the end, a delightful book to read and to provoke the imagination as to what the various trips would be like.
Let's look at a few examples. One from my own experience--many years ago--is California's Big Sur Coast (pages 74-77). The trip starts at Monterey, goes on to Carmel-by-the-Sea to Big Sur (what a view from the highway, as I recall!) to San Simeon and the Hearst Castle, ending in San Luis Obispo.
I'm from Illinois, and there is precious little here from my home state! One is a trip from Galena to Port Byron; the other is a drive through the Shawnee Hills National Forest.
I also lived in Western New York for many years. This tour ends at Niagara Falls, one of my favorite spots. The tour starts at the Eisenhower Lock along the Saint Lawrence River and winds through Ogdensburg (with its wonderful Remington Art Museum) to Thousand Island and on to Rochester and Old Fort Niagara with an end in Niagara Falls. I have seen many of these sites and can attest to the delight I would experience if I traveled the full length of this route.
In the end, a delightful book to read and to provoke the imagination as to what the various trips would be like.
September 28, 2014
A very nice read and informative, if you are a real adventurist. Take a tour with this book, pull out its map, pack your get and push the gas pedal high on a wonderful journey to America.
A must read for adventure traveler, who prefers to see America on his car than seeing it 10 miles above from sky in a Jetliner.
A must read for adventure traveler, who prefers to see America on his car than seeing it 10 miles above from sky in a Jetliner.
October 13, 2020
I’ve kept this book with me over the years and have done a few of the drives listed. Cabot Trail in Halifax Nova Scotia being my personal favorite. It’s clearly marked by region and route and I cannot recommend it enough for road trippers! Go adventure!
April 19, 2012
These beautiful road trips will keep me busy for the rest of my life! When can I get started???
August 1, 2012
Very nice book with beautiful pictures and an abundance of information for armchair and real travelers everywhere.
December 21, 2018
This is a very good book in terms of covering its subject. It has maps and photos and an index. It is worthwhile as a travel guide (but should be supplemented by better maps and detailed info on places to eat and stay), and also as a coffee table or bathroom book (although in the last role one needs more time to finish a drive than a normal sitdown).
November 24, 2019
A dense, well-researched guide is just the catalyst one needs to spark your wanderlust.
I appreciated the expertly crafted descriptions paired with a highly detailed map for each road trip. This made it easy to follow along on the journey.
While the size makes it unwieldy to take along with you, this can get you started on the planning process.
Highly recommended.
I appreciated the expertly crafted descriptions paired with a highly detailed map for each road trip. This made it easy to follow along on the journey.
While the size makes it unwieldy to take along with you, this can get you started on the planning process.
Highly recommended.
April 15, 2020
You will most definitely get the wanderlust while looking at this beautiful and thick coffee table book. While many of the tours are too lengthy for a short trip (unless you don't mind breezing through without deeper explorations), they're certainly inspiring!
May 14, 2019
Well organized, good maps and illustrations. Though these tend to be shorter, day trip type drives, which isn't exactly what I am looking for right now
September 16, 2016
Who knew you would be able to see so many things while taking a road trip. Would you want to drive across the country for many many miles to experience the different terrains and cultures America has to offer? Imagine driving all across the United States taking the most scenic routes possible and seeing mountains, waterfalls, rivers and lakes.
This book is 25,467 miles of different road trips that you, a traveler can take all across the United States and some parts of Canada. It shows the map of each drive, how many miles it is, where it is located, and when the best time to go is. Then it goes on and talks about what you will see while driving on that route and it describes what every stop is. It also has some amazing pictures of some of the stops but you will have to read it to see them.
I wanted to read this book because I like to travel and I really want to see more of the world and this book would give me an idea of places I would really like to see. This book reminds me of my life because my family and I like to take many road trips, and this book was full of many different ones. When I was reading about the Nebraska road trips it reminded me of the road trip we take at the end of every summer to Bassett, Nebraska and we tube down the Niobrara River and stop at Smith Falls, the tallest waterfall in Nebraska. It was a must see in one of the Nebraska routes. I thought maybe this book would be boring but while looking through the pages I discovered new places that I did not know existed that I would probably want to visit.
If you like to go on road trips or you like to expierience nature you should read this book because it is a whole new level of road tripping and has many ideas for a road trip. This book is definetley aimed at travelers but anyone who likes to look at and read about beautiful places in the USA should read it.
This book is 25,467 miles of different road trips that you, a traveler can take all across the United States and some parts of Canada. It shows the map of each drive, how many miles it is, where it is located, and when the best time to go is. Then it goes on and talks about what you will see while driving on that route and it describes what every stop is. It also has some amazing pictures of some of the stops but you will have to read it to see them.
I wanted to read this book because I like to travel and I really want to see more of the world and this book would give me an idea of places I would really like to see. This book reminds me of my life because my family and I like to take many road trips, and this book was full of many different ones. When I was reading about the Nebraska road trips it reminded me of the road trip we take at the end of every summer to Bassett, Nebraska and we tube down the Niobrara River and stop at Smith Falls, the tallest waterfall in Nebraska. It was a must see in one of the Nebraska routes. I thought maybe this book would be boring but while looking through the pages I discovered new places that I did not know existed that I would probably want to visit.
If you like to go on road trips or you like to expierience nature you should read this book because it is a whole new level of road tripping and has many ideas for a road trip. This book is definetley aimed at travelers but anyone who likes to look at and read about beautiful places in the USA should read it.
March 7, 2013
I bought this as a retirement gift for a co-worker who had just bought a 5th wheel with the intent of traversing the country. It looked like a great book for someone like me whose idea of the perfect vacation is a long road trip down beautiful roads, so I bought it in the kindle version (more on that later).
The book contains 120 very interesting drives, starting in the northwestern-most point of the US (Alaska) and working its way to to the southeastern-most point (Key West.) I had already taken 6 or 7 of them, and they were indeed beautiful. On our southwest road trip this fall we used the book to visit some places we would have otherwise missed (like Cedar Breaks National Monument, Snow Canyon State Park and a remote section of Zion). All of these places were amazing and worth the total price of the book.
It is a bit older and so some of the info may be somewhat dated, but I think it is a great book. I also recommend the print version and using the laptop while on the road wasn't quite as easy.
The book contains 120 very interesting drives, starting in the northwestern-most point of the US (Alaska) and working its way to to the southeastern-most point (Key West.) I had already taken 6 or 7 of them, and they were indeed beautiful. On our southwest road trip this fall we used the book to visit some places we would have otherwise missed (like Cedar Breaks National Monument, Snow Canyon State Park and a remote section of Zion). All of these places were amazing and worth the total price of the book.
It is a bit older and so some of the info may be somewhat dated, but I think it is a great book. I also recommend the print version and using the laptop while on the road wasn't quite as easy.
November 6, 2010
The book is split into four sections: the western US, the rocky mountain states, the central states, the eastern states. I focused mostly on the last two. While this book may inspire you, it won't be your final planning guide by a long shot. It's just simply too much information to shove into one book. The book is a hefty chunk, don't get me wrong, but it will probably just provide "oh! that's interesting" or "oh lets go there!" moments only.
I do think it was very thorough in listing most of the scenic drives, though I'm not sure it lists all of them. I could be wrong. A good addition to this book would be websites. Most of these drives have their own websites. I read the 2005 version, so perhaps if there is a newer version it has this? I do not know. Either way do check it out if you want to be inspired :)
I do think it was very thorough in listing most of the scenic drives, though I'm not sure it lists all of them. I could be wrong. A good addition to this book would be websites. Most of these drives have their own websites. I read the 2005 version, so perhaps if there is a newer version it has this? I do not know. Either way do check it out if you want to be inspired :)
June 29, 2025
My copy as well worn. A must have travel guide.
I travel about 20,000 kilometres a year on the backroads of Canada and US travelling as the crow flies in general, but by linking up the suggested roads of this guide. It is a fabulous guide to exploring the best of the US, but I only wish it was as extensive for Canada. It takes you two places of great beauty with a little bit of history on all the highlights.
I also use National Geographic’s comparable but return to this one as it is less extensive and easier to use while on the road.
I travel about 20,000 kilometres a year on the backroads of Canada and US travelling as the crow flies in general, but by linking up the suggested roads of this guide. It is a fabulous guide to exploring the best of the US, but I only wish it was as extensive for Canada. It takes you two places of great beauty with a little bit of history on all the highlights.
I also use National Geographic’s comparable but return to this one as it is less extensive and easier to use while on the road.
October 6, 2013
Great for dreaming of trips, most of which would need to be supplemented with hiking (mentioned but not included). Of course the spectacular country out west will wow you, but lots of lesser-known spots (the Sunken Trace in Mississippi, the Loess Hills of western Iowa) make a travel slut like me want to set off immediately. This is more for inspiration than actual trip planning, so the few errors I found don't matter that much.
October 12, 2024
This is a great guide book; its nice if you just want something planned out for you and not stress about finding everything on a road trip yourself. I decided to order it from the library before I bought it.. and well, I am gonna buy it.
August 15, 2007
We travelled to California and had several of the drives in the book become 'destinations' for us. Good reading about various locations / sights / hints for vacations.
October 20, 2007
I read a friends copy. Must by this one.
February 4, 2009
Take me to any of the locations.
June 10, 2009
Big picture book and scenic drives.
June 16, 2011
Fabulous suggestions for the RV traveller. I wish I had the time to travel all of them.
April 11, 2013
Of course I want to go on all of them!
January 3, 2014
very inspiring. much has been added to my summer drive list!
August 27, 2014
Very helpful and spot on since we've done many of these drives. This will be our first go-to book when traveling future road trips.
August 12, 2018
If you are thinking of taking a road trip, grab this book and have a look at the several amazing places to check out.
February 22, 2019
This book helped us plan a fun road trip to Michigan in 2018.
June 13, 2021
Part of my reading challenge for 2021 but it was fun to dream where future vacations can take place.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews