The folks at Fodor.com offer some great ideas for road trips to take this summer! Here are a few we like:
CRUISE UNDER MONTANA'S BIG SKY
Start: Red Lodge, MT
Finish: Cooke City, MT
Distance: 64 miles
Famed "On the Road" television host Charles Kuralt called the Beartooth All-American Highway, aka US 212, the "most beautiful drive in America." Though only 64 miles, this scenic drive, which winds through Montana and Wyoming, is meant to be leisurely, so expect it to take at least three hours and be prepared for weather changes. Keep your eyes open for wildlife while enjoying breathtaking scenery—20 mountain peaks and 10,000 stunning lakes. This is mining country, and outdoor activities are available along the way, from rafting to hiking, especially at the Cooke City terminus, which borders Yellowstone National Park.
ROAM THE WILDERNESS OF THE BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY
Start: Charlottesville, VA
End: Asheville, NC
Distance: 383 miles
Dense with aromatic forests, the Blue Ridge Parkway connects Shenandoah National Park in North Carolina and Virginia’s Skyline Drive. The Poor's Farmer’s Market at mile 178 is a great spot to pick up a quilt and the Blue Ridge Music Center (mile 213) is a must to experience and appreciate Appalachian music. Take in the best views at Waterrock Knob at mile 451 and be sure to explore towns such as Blowing Rock (mile 291) and Little Switzerland (mile 334). The bookend cities of Charlottesville and Asheville are worth a day or two each.
FOLLOW A SOUTHERN BBQ TRAIL
Start: Holly Hill, SC
End: Austin, TX
Distance: 1,224 miles
Work up an appetite and pace yourself for the best BBQ the south has to offer. Starting in South Carolina, the "dark" and "light" pork of Sweatman's makes for the perfect starter. Be sure to order a side of the house mustard sauce. Then, hit the road and follow I-20 due west until Birmingham, Alabama, where Miss Myra's Pit Bar BQ's (3278 Cahaba Heights Road) vinegary, mayo-based white sauce will win you over. Next, it's deeper south and west to Ocean Springs, Mississippi, to the iconic The Shed, just outside of Biloxi. Here, take in live blues with your pork ribs before continuing on to New Orleans, where you can digest several days of history, music, food, and fun. Don't forget to hit The Joint, where the ribs are said to be the best in the city. Your last stop is Austin for two barbecue landmarks. The Salt Lick is known for its beef brisket, smoked over an open pit. Finally, you won't regret braving the lines at Franklin BBQ, hailed by many as the best BBQ the U.S. has to offer.