15 Summer Road Trip Ideas in the US That Don’t Feel Like Everyone Else’s Vacation
Most people take the usual routes, but these summer road trip ideas in the US will show you epic places that feel like your own secret escape.
You’ve got the time, but figuring out where to take that summer road trip is a whole other thing. Some routes sound great until you’re stuck in traffic behind a tour bus or halfway through a five-hour stretch with nothing but gas stations and fast food. After road-tripping across 38 states during my van life years, I head north for the drives that are not sweltering or only open in the summer.
These 15 summer road trip ideas span coastlines, deserts, mountains, and everything in between. Some are classic routes, others are a little less obvious, but all of them deliver the kind of summer travel that feels exciting and completely worth the miles.
1. Going-to-the-Sun Road, Montana
- Recommended Route: West Glacier > Logan Pass > St. Mary
The full length of one of America’s best road trips, Going‑to‑the‑Sun Road, only opens in summer, starting from mid-to-late June, making those months the only time you can tackle the 50-mile drive in one go. You’ll wind past turquoise lakes, glacier-clad peaks, and towering waterfalls.
Stop at Logan Pass for the Hidden Lake Overlook trail, where you might spot mountain goats grazing above the tree line. Further down the road, Avalanche Creek and Lake McDonald are some of the best hikes in Glacier National Park.
You will need a timed entry reservation to get into the park.
2. Alaska’s Seward Highway
- Recommended Route: Anchorage > Girdwood > Seward
When summer hits, long daylight stretches on the Alaska Seward Highway, leading to roadside viewing of belugas at Turnagain Arm. Pull off at Beluga Point to photograph whales playing in tidal waters, then cruise through Kenai Peninsula Scenery Drive before reaching the cozy town of Girdwood.
From there, hike or gondola up Mount Alyeska, with wildflower-strewn slopes in bloom by July. Continue south to Seward and take a glacier cruise into Resurrection Bay for sea otters and puffins. Rent a kayak for a quiet paddle to secluded coves or fish for halibut just offshore.
Summer is the only time ferries run daily, and trails to Byron Glacier melt in.
3. Cascade Loop, Washington
- Recommended Route: Everett > Leavenworth > Winthrop > Anacortes
Summer sunshine makes the Cascade Loop wildflowers flush against the mountainsides, rivers running loudly, and the final snow patches clinging to the peaks for dear life.
Start near Everett and drive past rolling farms, climbing into the Icicle Gorge near Leavenworth. The Bavarian-themed village is ideal for river float trips and hiking up to Lake Colchuck. Continue through Washington Pass, where summer-only wildflowers blanket the alpine meadows. Swing through Winthrop’s wooden boardwalks, then head north to Anacortes and catch the ferry to the San Juan Islands for whale watching.
Campgrounds open in June and stay busy with hikers, so book ahead. In July, beautiful Mount Baker’s glaciers glow under near-endless light.
4. Olympic Peninsula Loop, Washington
- Recommended Route: Olympia > Lake Crescent > Forks > Hoh Rain Forest > Kalaloch > Aberdeen
The Olympic Peninsula shows off all its ecosystems in summer. You’ll pass glacier-dusted peaks on Hurricane Ridge, then drop through moss-shrouded trails in the Hoh Rain Forest. Lake Crescent’s hiking trails flow right past clear water and waterfalls, with boat rentals available only in summer.
On the coast, Kalaloch and Second Beach have driftwood-lined shores best visited at low tide, when tidepools reveal starfish and crabs. Forks, the Twilight-famous town, makes a perfect base for exploring the less-visited west side.
Campgrounds operate from June through August, and wildlife like elk, whales, and birds are at their most active in summer.
5. Pacific Coast Highway, California
- Recommended Route: San Francisco > Monterey > Big Sur > San Simeon > Santa Barbara
Do the wave down the Pacific Coast Highway, passing glowing cliffs and sunny shorelines, all while the fog retreats. Start in San Francisco, drive south past Carmel’s white sand, and park at Bixby Bridge to catch the light over the Pacific. Continue into Big Sur for hikes into McWay Falls and Pfeiffer Beach’s purple sand, winding under Redwood canopies.
Stay in a yurt or cabin mid-route, then head south past Elephant Seal-viewing at Piedras Blancas. Evenings bring golden light over San Simeon and the Hearst Castle turrets. The fog lifts just enough to make California’s coastal drama not buried by mist.
6. Highway 101, Oregon Coast
- Recommended Route: Astoria > Cannon Beach > Newport > Florence > Brookings
July means the weather clears up on the Oregon Coast without scorching it. Start in Astoria, cross the Astoria-Megler bridge, and pause at beachside cafes in Cannon Beach. Continue south past Haystack Rock and through forested overlooks at Ecola State Park.
Newport offers tidepooling at Yaquina Head Lighthouse and culinary detours at the historic bayfront. Drift through dunes at Florence’s Oregon Dunes Recreation Area, then green woodland gives way to rugged cliffs as you approach Brookings. Kayak near sea caves, spot migrating whales from cliffs, and watch seals haul out.
7. Vermont’s Route 100
- Recommended Route: Wilmington > Weston > Waterbury > Stowe > Newport
Route 100 winds up the middle of Vermont like it’s hand-stitched into the Green Mountains, and in summer, it trades ski town traffic for wildflower fields, swimming holes, and sleepy villages.
Start in Wilmington, where you can dip into Harriman Reservoir, then hit Weston for the Vermont Country Store’s old-school general goods and maple everything. Near Waterbury, cool off with a factory tour at Ben & Jerry’s, then make your way to Stowe to hike up Sterling Pond Trail or take a gondola to Mount Mansfield. Detour to Moss Glen Falls, then up near Newport; you’ll hug the Canadian border, cruising through farm country.
Summer means clear skies, perfect river temps, and fewer crowds before everyone comes for the fall foliage.
8. Adirondack Mountains Scenic Byways, New York
- Recommended Route: Lake George > Keene > Lake Placid > Saranac Lake > Tupper Lake
The Adirondacks in summer are great for East Coasters looking for mountain escapes. But not overdeveloped. Cruise past Lake George and climb into wilder country, where 46 peaks roll like a green sea across northern New York. In Keene, tackle the trail to Indian Head for that Instagram-famous cliff view of Ausable Lakes, then chill out with a swim in Mirror Lake in Lake Placid.
The Olympic Center has a weirdly fun blast from 1980s sports history, and Whiteface Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway gets you high enough to see into Canada. Canoe through Saranac Lake’s winding channels or stop at Tupper Lake’s Wild Center.
9. Columbia River Gorge, Oregon to Washington
- Recommended Route: Portland > Multnomah Falls > Hood River > Maryhill
This route is for people who love waterfalls. Starting just east of Portland, the Columbia River Gorge pulls you into a corridor of waterfalls, basalt cliffs, and Columbia River winds.
Stop at Multnomah Falls early to beat the crowds, then take the Historic Columbia River Highway for cliffside views and trailheads to lesser-known falls like Bridal Veil and Wahclella. At Hood River, grab a windsurfing lesson or sip something local at one of the orchards or cideries along the Fruit Loop. Cross into Washington and head east to Maryhill Museum and Stonehenge Memorial, two unexpected detours in open country.
In July, the trails are dry and waterfalls are actually warm enough for a misty face splash without freezing.
10.Northern Minnesota’s North Shore Scenic Drive
- Recommended Route: Duluth > Gooseberry Falls > Split Rock Lighthouse > Grand Marais > Grand Portage
This drive is as close to Canada as you can get in the US. Start in Duluth, where the port town energy fades fast as you follow Lake Superior’s wild edge. Stop at Gooseberry Falls State Park to climb over rivers and falls, then head to Split Rock Lighthouse. Hike Oberg Mountain Loop for panoramic views or paddleboard the inland lakes around Tofte.
Grand Marais is an artsy town with a harbor view and one of the most underrated pizza joints on the Great Lakes. Cap it off at Grand Portage, where you can see Canada from the tip of Minnesota. Summer is the only time when there’s no snow, no blackflies, and late golden light stretching until nearly 10 pm.
11. Million Dollar Highway, Colorado
- Recommended Route: Ouray > Silverton > Durango
This stretch of US Route 550 cuts right through the San Juan Mountains, and in July, the roads are snow-free, and the wildflowers are ridiculous. Start in Ouray, known as the Switzerland of America, and soak in a hot spring before taking the narrow, no-guardrail drive south. I took this route in the winter and never again.
The road clings to cliffs and passes beautiful waterfalls like Bear Creek Falls, with pullouts so scenic you’ll want to stop every five minutes. In Silverton, hop the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad for a half-day trip through steep canyons and remote forests. Durango’s got river tubing, historic saloons, and bike trails galore.
12. Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina to Virginia
- Recommended Route: Asheville > Linville Gorge > Boone > Roanoke
With no stoplights and zero commercial traffic, the Blue Ridge Parkway and in turn, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is actually the most visited place in the States. Start in Asheville and wind through rolling mountains, stopping at Craggy Gardens or Mt. Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi.
In Linville Gorge, hike to Wiseman’s View or squeeze into Linville Caverns on a hot afternoon. Boone delivers a dose of college-town energy and river tubing along the New River. Finish in Roanoke, where skyline trails meet sculpture parks and old train depots.
July means rhododendrons are still blooming, and higher elevations stay in the 70s while the rest of the South swelters.
13. Lake Michigan Circle Tour
- Recommended Route: Chicago > Milwaukee > Door County > Mackinac Bridge > Sleeping Bear Dunes > Holland
The Lake Michigan Circle Tour is a tour of the Great Lakes’ greatest hits. Kick things off in Chicago, then head to Milwaukee for its lakefront bike trails, art museums, and great summer festivals like Bastille Days. Cut through Door County’s cherry orchards and lighthouses, then cross the Mackinac Bridge into Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
The stretch between Petoskey and Traverse City has wineries, sand dunes, and roadside farm stands every few miles. Spend a night near Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, where you can climb 450-foot bluffs or float down the Platte River in an inner tube. End in Holland for wide beaches and sunsets paint the whole sky.
14. New York’s Finger Lakes Region
- Recommended Route: Skaneateles > Ithaca > Watkins Glen > Hammondsport
This route mixes upstate calm through some of the best beautiful places in New York State. Start in Skaneateles, where the water is glass-clear, and boat cruises roll past historic cottages. Head south to Ithaca, home to gorges, waterfalls, and trails that cut through old-growth forests like Buttermilk Falls State Park and Robert H. Treman.
Continue to Watkins Glen, where you’ll hike a staircase of 19 waterfalls tucked into a narrow canyon. Cap it off in Hammondsport, the kind of wine country town where you can taste riesling while watching sailboats drift across Keuka Lake. Wineries are in full swing during the summer, with open-air concerts and farmers markets popping up in every town.
15. Black Hills & Badlands, South Dakota
- Recommended Route: Badlands National Park > Wall > Custer State Park > Mount Rushmore > Spearfish Canyon
Don’t underestimate South Dakota in July; this route has weird geology and way fewer people than the big-name national parks. Start in Badlands National Park to see the striped rock spires and bison wander near the road. Cruise through Wall for the kitschy chaos of Wall Drug, then head into the pine-covered peaks of Custer State Park. Drive the Needles Highway, spot wild donkeys, and hike to Black Elk Peak, the highest point east of the Rockies.
The famous landmark, Mount Rushmore, is worth a stop to check off a bucket list US thing, especially in the early evening when it’s lit. Wrap up in Spearfish Canyon for waterfalls like Roughlock Falls and Bridal Veil Falls drop out of nowhere between limestone cliffs.
Catherine, a seasoned travel writer, has lived in 4 different states and explored 36 states and 28 national parks. After spending two years embracing van life, she's now dedicated to sharing her vast knowledge of day trips across America. Catherine's other works has been referenced in major publications like MSN, Self, and TripSavvy.
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