Online - July 30, 2004

Head Out on the Highway

Great American Road Trips

What’s more classic than the great American road trip? (No one writes songs about scooting across Luxembourg.) Yeah, gas prices may suck. But baby, you were born to drive.

New England Patriot
What: Route 20 from Cambridge to the Berkshires.
Why: Colonial farmhouses, old mill towns, world’s best fall foliage.
Don’t miss: The Berkshire stretch — foothills and mountains, blue lakes and picket fences.
Where to stop: There are cozy inns aplenty, but be sure to eat at Bistro Zinc in Lenox. The food and wine will take the miles off your mind.

Get Your Kicks
What: Route 66 through Arizona.
Why: From rangeland to mountains to desert.
Don’t miss: The Mother Road from Ash Fork to Topock. You’ll white-knuckle the Sitgreaves Pass.
Where to stop: Hotel Monte Vista in Flagstaff has a Hollywood past. (And is allegedly haunted.)

Sky’s the Limit
What: Skyline Drive through Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park.
Why: Spectacular views of purple mountain’d majesty.
Don’t miss: Big Run Overlook, a sweeping green-and-gold valley surrounded by pristine peaks.
Where to stop: Splurge on a meal (or a night) at the super-luxe Inn at Little Washington.

California Dreaming
What: Pacific Coast Highway (a.k.a. Highway 1) from San Francisco to Monterey Bay.
Why: Sea lions sunbathing, seals frolicking, and starfish, er, doing whatever they do.
Don’t miss: Stunning coastal scenery along the Seventeen Mile Drive near Carmel. Make sure you’re the passenger.
Where to stop: Have clotted-cream tea at Carmel-by-the-Sea’s historic Cypress Inn, owned by Doris Day and her son.

Happy trails.

  Adventure Travel, Cute Small Towns, Outdoorsy