The readers of USA Today recently voted Route 66 as No. 5 of the 10 best scenic drives in the United States in 2025.
The newspaper stated it assembled a panel of travel experts to nominate the routes. Readers then voted to decide the winners, all of which were designated scenic byways on a state or national level.
Here’s what USA Today said about Route 66:
U.S. Route 66 is one of America’s most classic drives — it depicts the storied history of road travel across the country. Running about 2,450 miles from Los Angeles to Chicago, there are more than 250 buildings, bridges, and other sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places to be found along the route, like the Art Deco-style U Drop Inn in Texas, and Milk Bottle Grocery in Oklahoma. Other highlights include the quirky Cadillac Ranch, the colorful Painted Desert, and the Route 66 Hall of Fame Museum in Illinois. The landscape is every bit as impressive as the historic sites along the way.
Topping the list is the Great River Road that runs from Minnesota to Louisiana along the Mighty Mississippi.
Here’s the full list in order:
- Great River Road
- Natchez Trace Parkway
- Blue Ridge Parkway
- Schoodic National Scenic Byway
- Route 66
- Pacific Coast Highway
- Minnesota North Shore Scenic Drive
- Door County Coastal Byway
- Midland Trail National Scenic Byway
- Going-to-the-Sun Road
(Hat tip to Springfield News-Leader; image of Route 66 in Seligman, Arizona, by Sam Topping via Flickr)