Revealed: The Most Popular Road Trip Routes

1 Pacific Coast Highway  257,817

1. The study revealed that the Pacific Coast Highway is the most searched-for trip, with an average of over 257,000 monthly searches. The route covers the West Coast of America, running across California through Highway 1 and is known for its stunning coastal views. The route takes you along sites like Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, Big Sur mountains, and scenic beaches such as Pismo and Huntington Beach. See Julia Diebolt Price’s Article

2. In second place, Route 66 comes next, gaining over 191,000 Google searches monthly. Perhaps the best-known internationally, Route 66 initially stretched from Chicago to Santa Monica, covering over 2,400 miles and passing through eight states. While it was removed from the US Highway System in the 1980s, giving way to the interstate, the remaining parts still prove popular, and the historic route even has multiple museums dedicated to its history. See Kathleen Wall’s article here.

3. Third place is the Big Sur road trip, with an average of over 172,000 searches each month. This stretch of California’s Highway 1 is famous for its mountains, with scenic views along the national highway. Although it is much shorter than others, the route consists of 71 miles of road, during which visitors can see sites like the Bixby Creek Bridge and the McWay Falls.

4. Blue Ridge Parkway ranks fourth most popular, garnering over 112,000 monthly searches. The route runs 469 miles through the Blue Ridge section of the Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina and Virginia. The trip has beautiful views of the mountains, and visitors can visit the Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains National Parks along the way.  See Renee S. Gordon’s article here.

5. Fifth on the list is the Hana Highway, located in Maui, Hawaii. The route attracts over 60,000 average monthly searches and stretches 64 miles from Kahului to Hana. Along the way, visitors can be treated to tropical scenery with many waterfalls, with the route passing near the Seven Sacred Pools of the Haleakala National Park. See Lisa Garcia’s article here.

6. The Going-to-the-Sun Road in Montana comes in sixth, with over 38,000 average monthly searches. The route spans 50 miles across Glacier National Park and was made specifically for tourists with cars, with the road’s construction starting in 1921. The route has been featured in films such as The Shining and Forrest Gump.  See Robin O’Neal Smith’s Article

7. In seventh place is the Oregon Trail, which racks up over 28,000 average searches per month. The historic route spans over 2,000 miles, making it one of the longest trips on this list. Nowadays, many choose to explore the expanded route along US-20, which runs over 3,300 miles from Columbia Gorge, Oregon, all the way to Cape Cod, Massachusetts, traveling past iconic landmarks such as Mount Rushmore and Niagara Falls.

8. Next in line, the Southern Pacific route comes in eighth place, with over 22,000 monthly searches. The route follows the old Southern Pacific Railroad, traveling across seven states from California to Georgia, spanning over 3,000 miles.

9. In ninth place is Beartooth Highway, which has more than 15,000 average monthly searches. The route takes a scenic path to Yellowstone National Park and takes visitors across the borders of Wyoming and Montana. The Beartooth Mountains include Granite Peak, which sits at over 12,800 feet and is the highest point in Montana. See Robin O’Neal Smith’s article here. See Robin O’Neal Smith’s article here.

10.Finishing off the list, the tenth most popular road trip route is the Lincoln Highway, which gains over 11,000 average monthly searches. The route spans from East to West coast, covering 3,400 miles and spanning thirteen states. See Michael Upton’s article here and Tim Tuttle’s article here.

Shayne Fitz-Coy, CEO of Rustic Pathways, said: “There’s nothing more American than hitting the open road. Road trips have long been a staple of the American summer. Plus, there are so many iconic scenic routes to choose from.

“Traveling with family and friends provides that exciting adventure and can open your eyes to the beauty of our country, all within the confines of your car. You pair this with a great playlist and you’re in for one of the best trips of your life.”