5 Romantic Road Trips to Take Across the US

There are two ways to view road trips: a tedious journey in close quarters or an opportunity to experience the open road and immersive adventures with your favorite companion. These trips can last a day, a weekend, a week, or longer. They can start and end at home, or they can be an excuse to visit new states. Here are five itineraries for romantic drives across the United States, from the Pacific Coast Highway to Great Lakes excursions, and roadway suggestions within each locale.

1. Pacific Coast Highway: San Francisco to Santa Barbarahaustage: 160 milesone day, longer if you stop along the way geographies: California highlights: San Francisco, Half Moon Bay, Monterey and Carmel-by-the-Sea, Big Sur, San Simeon and Hearst Castle, Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery, Central Coast Wine Country, Santa Barbaraideal time: Year-roundget around: Drive yourself, bicycle, and ferry recommendations: Stay in a castle suite or camp under the stars at Hearst Castle, catch a wave or go whale watching, search for red rocks and purple ice cream in Sedona, ride a tram up a Sandia Peak for epic views, wander the picturesque streets of Carmel-by-the-Sea, and dine at SoLo Farm and Table in Vermont.
2. Great Lakes: Chicago to Niagara Fallsheader: 588 milesone week or longer, depending on stops geography: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, New York highlights: Chicago, Indiana Dunes National Park, Mackinac Island, Lake Huron, Ann Arbor, Cleveland, Niagara Falls, scenic byways, museums, provincial parksideal time: Spring, summer, fallget around: Rental car recommendations: Skate under the stars at Maggie Daley Park, soak in the rooftop pool at the Ace Hotel, cycle through the vineyards of the Niagara Wine Trail, explore the nightlife of downtown Niagara Falls, sample fresh catches at Marinaro seafood restaurant in Cleveland, and visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
3. Route 100 Byway: Vermontheader: 237 milesone week or longer, depending on stops geography: Vermont highlights: Reardon's Crossing Bridge, Scott Covered Bridge and Hamilton Falls, SoLo Farm and Table, Green Mountain Sugar House, Prohibition Pig, Killington Mountain Resort, Pumpkin Patch B&B, fall foliageideal time: Summer and winterget around: Drive yourself recommendations: Ride the gondola up Steamboat Mountain, explore the longest covered bridge in Vermont, check out the best burgers in the state, and stock up on local souvenirs like maple syrup, honey, and cheese.
4. Great River Road: Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexicoheader: 1,460 mileslonger than a week, depending on stops geography: Mississippi Valley and Gulf Coast highlights: Mississippi River, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana coasts, scenic byways, plantations, national parks, antebellum homes, and small townsideal time: Spring and fallget around: Drive yourself recommendations: Walk through the urban renaissance of downtown Memphis, explore the scenic overlook at northern Arkansas' Queen Wilhelmina State Park, visit the historic home of civil rights icon Medgar Evers in Jackson, Mississippi, and dine at Amicus Restaurant in Natchez.
5. Southwest: Joshua Tree to Santa Feheader: 560 milesone week or longer, depending on stops geography: California, Arizona, New Mexico highlights: Joshua Tree National Park, Sedona, Cathedral Rock, Slide Rock State Park, Santa Fe, desert sceneryideal time: Spring, fall, winterget around: Drive yourself recommendations: Stargaze at a designated campground in Joshua Tree, ride the Sedona Jeep Tour, hike in Cathedral Rock, and stay in the gay-friendly El Rey Court in Santa Fe.