12 of the Best American Driving Roads

Everyone knows about Route 1, which provides beautiful Pacific views and stretches nearly the entire length of California. North of it, however, its cousin, Route 101, saddles up to the ocean and continues along the coast until arriving at Tumwater, Washington. Along the way, drivers get to experience what seems like never-ending ocean-side beauty. We recommend stopping in Long Beach, a 28-mile long “highway” on the Washington coast, which in the summer is one of the coolest beach drives around.

There’s a trio of seductive roads in Texas known by local motorcyclists as The Twisted Sisters. It consists of Texas Farm to Market road FM 335, FM 336, and FM 337. Curvy and scenic, the route starts northwest of San Antonio and can be driven as a nearly 100-mile loop.

Tight, technical, and breathtaking are all words that describe New Hampshire’s Mount Washington Auto Road. A drive up the 7.6-mile toll road begins at 1500 feet and ends at more than 6000 feet. In 1904, the scenic route first hosted what has become the oldest automobile race in the United States. The Mount Washington Hillclimb Auto Race continues to entertain a variety of competitive events to this day.

If YouTube has anything to teach the driving enthusiast, it’s that you don’t cross the double yellow on the Tail of the Dragon. Likely the curviest 11 miles in all of North America, Tail of the Dragon, or Deals Gap, is a must see. Every year thousands of drivers and motorcyclists flock to the legendary stretch of asphalt in order to see for themselves what its 318 curves are all about.

Mulholland Drive starts in the Hollywood Hills and runs west, ending in Woodland Hills. It’s here, we believe, where the classic act of being flung off of one’s motorcycle, also known as the highside, was invented. Like everything else in Hollywood, Mulholland Drive is beautiful, and so naturally it can also be quite crowded. Even if you can’t have the 21-mile stretch of road to yourself, however, there’s no doubt that it’s worth your time.

Located just 200 miles north of the renowned Deals Gap, The Snake may be the most underrated driving route in the country. Start in Mountain City, Tennessee, head northwest towards the Virginia border, and you’ll experience more than 30 miles of non-stop switchbacks and decreasing-radius turns.

For racing enthusiast, the $15 toll to enter Pikes Peak Highway is more than worth it. Nineteen miles long, and burned into the brain of anyone who played Grand Turismo growing up, this road has been home to the world-renowned Pikes Peak International Hillclimb for more than 100 years. Taking the highway to the 14,000-foot summit of Pikes Peak is one of the best ways to experience the Rockies on four wheels.

The PCH, as it’s known, might be the most illustrious stretch of American road west of Interstate 55. Anyone planning on visiting this historic highway would be wise to budget extra time, gas, and memory card space. Spanning nearly 700 miles, California State Route 1 provides travellers with an endless supply of jaw-dropping landscapes and ocean views.

If you want to experience Lake Michigan's beauty from behind the wheel, there may be no better way than on M-22. Starting in Onekama, Michigan and heading north, the 117-mile highway will take you along the lake's spectacular coastline and around the stunning Leelanau Peninsula. We recommend paying a visit to one of the state’s most awe-inspiring attractions, the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

The hottest temperature on earth was recorded in Death Valley, California in 1913 at 134 degrees Fahrenheit. So why then is this dreadful place on our list? Well, for one, it’s nearly as beautiful as it is warm. SR 190 is the main highway that runs across the national park. It’s not about the road in this case however, but where it takes you. Death Valley is home to some of the most interesting scenery in the country including a 600-foot deep crater, and, for the Star Wars fans, the exact spots where several scenes in the prolific series were shot. We've been there ourselves on many occasions, either in a BMW M2, or testing our EV range in a Chevy Bolt.