The Most Popular Road Trips Across America

Online driver's education resource Zutobi recently looked at the number of annual searches for the top road trip destinations around the world to determine which are the most popular among travelers in 2021. Here are the 10 garnering the most interest in the United States this summer.

The Cherohala Skyway connecting Tellico Plains, Tennessee to Robbinsville, North Carolina has got scenery in bunches, boasting 43 miles of glorious views that road trippers can experience from the comfort of their vehicle, while stopped at scenic overlooks or from one of the byway's many hiking trails. The route's 108,500 annual searches are good enough for 10th-most nationwide.

Rocky Mountain National Park's Trail Ridge Road is searched for 165,400 times annually. The scenic route spans 48 miles between Estes Park and Grand Lake in Colorado, reaching its highest point at an elevation of 12,183 feet. The All American Road provides plenty of epic views of nature and wildlife and even crosses the Continental Divide at Milner Pass.

Coming in eighth, America's Overseas Highway traversing the sunny Florida Keys receives about 236,300 searches within the United States each year. This bridge-heavy route links the tropical islands that comprise the Keys on a spectacular 113-mile journey that ends in Key West and the southernmost point of the continental U.S.

Located in Montana's Glacier National Park, Going-to-the-Sun Road has been searched 241,700 times annually. The 50-mile route boasts a slew of exciting opportunities to witness one-of-a-kind nature and wildlife, including mountain goats and Bighorn sheep near Logan Pass and Jackson Glacier from the namesake scenic overlook.

The Historic Columbia River Highway in Oregon is one of the hottest drives travelers can make this summer, drawing 273,100 online searches in the United States each year. The scenic 70-mile trip is best completed in spring, summer or even the fall and features an abundance of highlights, including dramatic cliffs, waterfalls and dams.

With over 60,000 more annual searches compared to the Columbia River Gorge, the Hana Highway in Maui, Hawaii is the fifth-most coveted road trip in America. Drivers will require both skill and patience to navigate the route's 600-plus hairpin curves and nearly 60 one-lane bridges but the journey will be time well spent as views include rainforests, waterfalls, beaches and more.

California's Pacific Coast Highway is definitely among the least surprising entries in the top 10, inspiring 385,600 annual searches across the United States. The iconic route covers more than 600 miles of coastline between beloved destinations like San Francisco and San Diego and features countless surprises along the way, including places like Pismo Beach and Morro Bay.

Spanning both Virginia and North Carolina, the Blue Ridge Parkway connects two of the country's most scenic national parks in Shenandoah and the Great Smoky Mountains and is more than four times more popular than the Pacific Coast Highway, according to Zutobi's research, earning an astonishing 1,574,500 annual searches in the United States.

Stretching from Chicago to Santa Monica, Route 66 garners about 2,169,000 searches in the United States annually and 6,400,000 around the world each year, Zutobi found. The Main Street of America isn't the fastest route across the country but offers road-tripping travelers numerous roadside attractions and charming small towns to explore along the way.

With 3,315,000 annual searches in the United States and 7,445,000 annual searches globally, California's Big Sur Coast Highway is the most sought-after road trip in the world. The endless ocean, mountain and forest views are complemented by must-stop sites like the Bixby Creek Bridge, where road trippers will find many fellow drivers pulled over to take photos.