Places to Drive – Best, Worst, and Safety

Elizabeth Dore-Welch

4 years ago

Places to Drive – Best, Worst, and Safety

Planning a trip and wondering the best place to drive? We have you covered. Today, we will review the best places to drive, the worst places to drive, and overall driving safety FYIs.

The Best Places to Drive

Hells Canyon Road, ID

- Drive Distance: 44 Miles – runs along the Snake River, offers a scenic drive, and options for camping

2. Saddle Road, Mauna Kea State Park, HI

- Drive Distance: 46 Miles – Along State Route 200 – mountain views for days

3. Route 245 – Route 7 – Route 26 Loop, OR

- Drive Distance: 97 Miles – suggested as a great drive for motorcycles

4. Mulholland Highway – from Malibu Creek State Park to Route 1, CA – the drive stretches across

- Drive Distance: 21 Miles

5. Route 9W to Storm King Highway, NY

- Drive Distance: 11 Miles – a short a scenic route

6. Route 348, Helen, GA

- Drive Distance: 14 Miles – on the tip of the Appalachians, scenic for foliage

7. M119, Harbor Springs, MI

- Drive Distance: 24 Miles – outside of Harbor Springs and known as “Tunnel of Trees”

8. Route 82 from Twin Lakes to Aspen, CO

- Drive Distance: 37 Miles – a ride through the CO Rockies – during the winter some of the remote roads may be shut down due to snowfall

9. NV 158 to NV 157, Mount Charleston, NV

- Drive Distance: 21 Miles – 45 minutes West of Las Vegas

10. State Route 179, AZ

- Drive Distance: 15 Miles – scenic tour of Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, pieces of the stretch also offer options to bike ride, trails, and overlooks

***Bonus: Old Highway 95, White Bird, ID

- Drive Distance: 16 Miles – the oldest highway in ID and filled with rolling hills

***For suggestions on the best vehicles to drive on these journeys – check out the post by Gear Patrol **

The Worst Places to Drive… is it worth it?

Norfolk, VA

- - Waterfront, world-class cuisine, named the Favorite American City for 2018
  - Downtown Norfolk Restaurant Week – January 19th-26th
  - Stockley Gardens Arts Festival – May 16th-17th
  - Town Point Virginia Wine Festival – May 16th-17th & October 17th-18th
    - Deemed one of the 10 best wine destinations in the world!
  - Hampton Roads PrideFest – June 2020
  - Norfolk Harborfest – June 5th-7th
  - Norfolk Waterfront Jazz Festival – August 21st-22nd

Des Moines, IA
- - A strong community and business presence as marked by political campaigns, Forbes, and Times
  - Des Moines Social Club
  - Grey’s Lake Park
  - Des Moines River Trail

Boise, ID
- - Oregon Trail – best known for the Manifest Destiny
  - Old Idaho Penitentiary Site – a functioning prison from 1872 to 1973 and known to hold some of the West’s baddest criminals
  - Boise River Greenbelt – one may bike in the park areas, birding, and fishing are also popular
  - Bogus Basin – a Rec and Ski Resort, also a popular place for people to get engagement/wedding pictures done
  - Idaho Botanical Garden – Gardens, educational opportunities, and a big venue for summer musical tours

Cincinnati, OH
- - Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
  - Newport Aquarium
  - Tanger Outlets-Jeffersonville
  - Sherlock’s Escape Rooms
  - Chamber Orchestra, Ballet, and Theater
  - Breweries and Vineyards
  - Riverbend Music Center
  - Flying Pig Marathon – the 3rd largest first-time marathon in the country.

Boston, MA
- - Seafront, Food for days, University Central, and the Sports hub for NE teams
  - Ryan & Wood Distillery
  - Boston Seaport: Ice skating, Fresh Seafood, Live concerts
  - Harvard Campus and Museums
  - Harpoon Brewery
  - Adams National Historical Park
  - Altitude Trampoline Park
  - Salem Witch Museum

Greer, SC
- - BMW Zentrum – BMW Museum
  - Hollywild Animal Park – a free-roaming zoo
  - Frankie’s Fun Park – offering indoor and outdoor games
  - Tyger River Park – a baseball complex with 13 fields
  - Campbells Covered Bridge – often used for photoshoots and seen in many tv and movie snips

Dover, DE
- - Dover Downs Casino & Hotel
  - Racetracks – hosts two NASCAR races a year
  - Firefly Music Festival – June 18th-21st

Omaha, NE
- - Henry Doorly Zoo – known for its efforts with breeding endangered species
  - Lauritzen Gardens Omaha’s Botanical Center – #2 thing to do in Omaha
  - The Durham Museum – a display of Union Station that was built in 1931

Spokane, WA
- Riverfront Park – Spokane’s Rec location, offering food with sights
- Manito Park – scenic and historical gardens
- Spokane Falls – waterfalls for days
- John A. Finch Arboretum – contains over 2,000 trees and 65 groups of lilacs

Littleton, CO
- Several kid-friendly options
- Mary Carter Greenway Trail (8 miles)
- Solid Downtown scene
- Lots of skiing options
- Arrowhead Golf Course, Raccoon Creek Golf Course, and Deer Creek Canyon

The Best Times to Drive in the U.S.

Peak Traffic.: 7am-10am & 3:30pm-7pm
Lowest Traffic: 4am-5am
Dangerous: 4am-6am & 2pm-4pm
Morning Rush: 8am-9am
Evening Jam: 2pm-6pm
Weekend Lunch: 12pm

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SOURCES

https://policyadvice.net/car-insurance/insights/how-much-do-americans-drive/

https://gearpatrol.com/2019/04/11/10-best-driving-roads-usa/

https://www.hikespeak.com/attractions/red-rock-canyon-scenic-drive-las-vegas-nevada/

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/idaho/oldest-highway-id/

https://www.visitnorfolk.com/

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/01/how-des-moines-iowa-got-cool-213552

https://www.google.com/destination

https://www.google.com/travel/things-to-do

https://history.idaho.gov/location/old-penitentiary/

https://www.cityofboise.org/departments/parks-and-recreation/parks/boise-greenbelt/

https://bogusbasin.org/