Classic road trips to take in the U.S.

Plan a classic road trip in the year ahead. Here are five ways to hit the open road.

Celebrate the Route 66 Centennial

Route 66, known as the Mother Road, will celebrate its centennial this year. The original route spanned 2,448 miles, winding from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California. Tap into the glory with a visit to Albuquerque, where the Mother Road dazzles with 18 miles of neon-lit magic — the longest continuous urban stretch of the famous route in the country. Get inspired via a dedicated website featuring narratives that highlight Route 66's cultural impact, Then & Now historical images, and a comprehensive events calendar that will help visitors plan to attend centennial events throughout the year. Route 66 Remix will transform Albuquerque's Central Avenue into an art-fueled road trip across the city. Created in partnership with New Mexico-based Meow Wolf and Refract Studio, as well as local artists, travelers will discover 18 large-scale installations and augmented reality activations that reflect the stories, traditions, and people that have helped shape Albuquerque. These installations will become lasting landmarks, available long after the Centennial.

MORE INFO route66abq.com

Colorado road trips

A seven-day family road trip itinerary will prompt your crew through the Western part of Colorado and a handful of its national parks and attractions for a survey of the remarkable diversity available within this Rocky Mountain state. It’s also easy for road-trippers to explore the state’s 24 Scenic & Historic Byways via a microsite that includes an interactive map so travelers can explore by region, interest or season. Travelers seeking inspiration can also access insider tips and side-trip suggestions within more than 150 itineraries, making multiday adventures easy to plan. The flexible itineraries offer suggestions for historic attractions, active adventures, and highlight cultural opportunities. Visitors to the site can also peruse for picnic, dining, hiking and lodging suggestions.

MORE INFO colorado.com/colo-road-trips

The Beartooth Highway

Visitors who travel this extraordinary byway experience the visual trifecta of Montana, Wyoming and Yellowstone Park, home to the Absaroka and Beartooth Mountains. The windy, cliff-hugging 68-mile stretch introduces road explorers to one of the most diverse ecosystems accessible by auto. It’s also the highest elevation highway in the Northern Rockies. Stunningly beautiful, the All-American Road showcases wide, high alpine plateaus, painted with patches of ice blue glacial lakes, forested valleys, waterfalls and wildlife. Plan for many stops so the driver can take in the long views! The road is open during the warmest months of the year so be sure to check for access.

MORE INFO Redlodge.com

California dreaming

For majestic coastal scenery and seaside breezes, pile in the car for a trip up (or down) our Western shore. Begin in ultrahip Santa Monica, California, and wind your way past the Hearst Castle. Push north to Carmel and then on to the storied city by the bay, San Francisco. Other road-trip options in this sun-drenched state include a taco tour, an itinerary that features the best surf spots, or a trek to the bizarre attractions you’ll find in the California desert by following the state’s Amazing Desert Oddities itinerary.

If your SoCal plan includes theme park days with the kids, consider taking road trip days in between the thrills you’ll experience at SeaWorld, LEGOLAND or Disneyland. The state’s curated itinerary includes stops to stretch tired legs and layer on more fun.

MORE INFO visitcalifornia.com

Seward Highway, Alaska

The road that connects Anchorage to Seward is a 127-mile treasure trove of natural beauty, wildlife and stories of adventure, endurance and rugged ingenuity. Take a day or several to explore the region that has earned three-fold recognition as a Forest Service Scenic Byway, an Alaskan Scenic Byway and an All-American Road. The drive begins at the base of the Chugach Mountains, hugs the scenic shores of Turnagain Arm and winds through mining towns, national forests, and fishing villages as you imagine how explorers, fur traders and gold prospectors might have fared back in the day. Expect waterfalls, glaciers, eagles, moose and some good bear stories.

MORE INFO travelalaska.com