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FROM
SEA TO SHINING SEA
Hit
the road for these scenic byways that showcase America the
Beautiful—and its diverse natural charms.
By
Diane Bair and Pamela Wright
Summer
is just around the bend, and our imaginations are abuzz with
thoughts of time off, freedom and the open road. A road trip
has always been an elixir for the grind of daily lives-not
to mention a great way to see the country. Here are four of
the best scenic drives in the United States. Grab your cameras
and take a spin.
Hana
Highway, Maui
This 52-mile drive is a must-do if you're lucky enough to
find yourself on Maui. Gas up in the boho-surfer enclave of
Paia, since gas stations are rare en route. (Snacks are not,
and you'll definitely want to stop along the way for cold
coconut and homemade smoothies.) Supermodel-skinny curves
and narrow bridges snake past rain-forested tangles of countryside
that will make you feel like you're driving through a botanical
garden. In fact, you can, if you stop at the Garden of Eden
Arboretum and Botanical Gardens along the way; it's where
scenes from the movie Jurassic Park were filmed. You'll cruise
at about 10 mph around some 600 curves, flanked by great walls
of bushy, Dr. Seuss-like trees in some spots, bamboo forests
and eye-popping blossoms at others. For information, call
808-244-3530 or visit visitmaui.com.
Smuggler's
Notch, Vermont
Vermont's Route 108 (heading north from the classic ski town
of Stowe) is an eight-mile-long mountain pass that was used
by smugglers during Prohibition. It's flanked by 1,000-foot
hills and enhanced by oddly-shaped outcroppings such as Elephant's
Head, which was sculpted by savage winds and harsh climes.
(Look for rock climbers dangling from the cliffs.) Endangered
peregrine falcons soar overhead, while hiking trails such
as the famed Long Trail beckon from the roadside. It's a twisty,
turning ride, but the payoff comes with the best burger in
the state at The Shed in Stowe. The road is closed in winter,
making it all the more delightful in summer when the Green
Mountains are as verdant as the name implies and signs of
Vermont (cows, cheese shops and white-steepled churches) are
everywhere. For information, call 877-GO-STOWE or visit gostowe.com.
Going-to-the-Sun
Road, Montana
Arguably, the most scenic road in the United States bisects
Glacier National Park in Montana. This 52-mile paved, two-lane
highway traverses the backbone of the park, offering jaw-dropping
vistas of towering waterfalls, lofty mountain ranges and receding
glaciers. The road travels along the south shore of Lake MacDonald,
passing the frothy Sacred Dancing Cascades and tumbling Bird
Woman Falls before beginning its ear-popping climb up the
steep Garden Wall. In spring and early summer, waterfalls
gush over the glacier-formed wall; later it fills with wildflowers,
forming a brilliant hanging garden. Keep your eyes peeled
for mountain goat and bighorn sheep that like to hang out
on the ledges. At 6,680-foot Logan's Pass, you'll cross the
Continental Divide and have sweeping mountain views from the
Visitor Center and summit overlooks. From here, the road descends
to St. Mary Lake, leaving the mountains behind for open prairie
grasslands and wildflower meadows. For information, call 406-888-7800
or visit nps.gov/glac/home.htm.
Florida
Keys Scenic Highway, Florida
The 126-mile Overseas Highway from Florida City to Key West
is a classic, top-down cruise, with the added allure of island-hopping
by car. The quirky Keys are a treasure-trove of touristy delights,
where you can eat conch and Key lime pie and celebrate the
sunset with friendly locals. The farther south you go, the
closer you get to the Conch Republic (Key West, just 90 miles
from Cuba), where local folk attempted to secede from the
United States in the 1980s. The best of Keys cruising includes
a stop at the National Key Deer Refuge on Big Pine Key to
see endangered, tiny Key deer; snorkeling or diving off Looe
Key; and downing a Hemingway Hammer at Sloppy Joe's Bar (Hemingway's
favorite Key West watering hole). Coolest sleeps along the
way: Jules' Undersea Lodge in Key Largo (it's an underwater
hotel) and the waterfront campsites on luscious Bahia Honda
State Park, the best beach in the Keys (reserve far in advance).
For information, call 1-800-FLA-KEYS or visit fla-keys.com.
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