11 Spring Road Trip Routes
Travel + Leisure published a fresh list of 11 outstanding U.S. road trip routes perfect for spring, ranging from iconic coastal highways to routes through national parks and wildflower-strewn countryside. The guide offers both classic and lesser-known options for travelers looking to combine adventure with natural beauty.
- The Texas Hill Country is a prime destination for wildflower enthusiasts, with peak bluebonnet and Indian paintbrush blooms typically occurring from late March to early May. - Many spring road trips focus on national parks to coincide with pleasant weather and fewer crowds before the summer peak season. For instance, spring is an ideal time to visit Zion National Park to see the canyons' lush greenery or to witness Yosemite's waterfalls at their most powerful after the winter thaw. - Coastal drives are a popular choice, with California's Pacific Coast Highway offering dramatic cliffside views and vibrant green hills. Driving this route from north to south keeps you in the lane closest to the ocean for the best views. - Historic routes offer a blend of scenery and American history, such as the iconic Route 66, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2026. Another historic option is the Great River Road, which follows the Mississippi River for 3,000 miles through ten states. - In the Southeast, a Lowcountry road trip from Charleston, South Carolina, to Jekyll Island, Georgia, showcases blooming azaleas and magnolias in centuries-old gardens like those at Middleton Place. - For desert landscapes, a trip through Big Bend National Park in Texas or Joshua Tree National Park in California provides opportunities to see rare cactus flowers in bloom. - A 2025 AARP travel trends report indicated that 43% of travelers aged 50 and over prefer to travel by car, with Florida and California being the top domestic destinations.
