America’s “Mother Road,” Historic Route 66, is the country’s original highway, running from Chicago, Illinois, to Santa Monica, California—a whopping 2,400 miles (3,862 kilometers) that crosses over three time zones. To do the whole thing right, you’d want weeks. If you don’t have that kind of time, one of the most beloved sections stretches from Tucumcari, New Mexico, to Kingman, Arizona.

South Dakota doesn’t get enough credit—the state is gorgeous, particularly from the Black Hills to Badlands National Park. Here’s what this road trip offers: a roughly 100-mile (160-kilometer) trek from pine-clad mountains, granite needles, and twisting canyons to martian-like sandstone rock formations as far as the eye can see. Make it educational for the kids at spots like Mount Rushmore and Custer State Park, where bison, antelope, mountain goats, and prairie dogs steal the show.

ET stands for “extraterrestrial,” and this road trip is dedicated to those little green dudes. A 2-day, 470-mile (750-kilometer) loop from Las Vegas, road-trippers can course down one of the country’s loneliest roads, stopping at spots like E.T. Fresh Jerky, the legendary Black Mailbox (where alien hunters often meet), and the Alien Research Center. Yes, this is the same turf as Nevada’s Area 51. Naturally, the government won’t let you in—the closest you can get is via a designated tour.

Yes, you can drive off the tip of Florida (and stay dry) by heading to the Florida Keys. For approximately 110 miles (175 kilometers), you and your crew can zoom along the Overseas Highway from Key Largo to Key West, surrounded by turquoise water, tiny coral islands, epic sunshine, and long bridges. The Seven Mile Bridge, which you’ll cross, is one of the nation’s most spectacular. Be sure to stop in Everglades National Park, where you can commune with gators, roseate spoonbills, and more.

The Blue Ridge Parkway winds and curves for 469 miles (754 kilometers), from the southern tip of Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park to the entrance of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Start your drive around mid-October, and your entire journey will be lined with golds, tangerines, scarlets, and the distant foggy blues of this serene mountain range. Along the way, stop in trendy Asheville to chase some waterfalls on a tour, and snapp photos of the twisting Linn Cove Viaduct.

Don your cowboy hat for this one: A nearly 500-mile (800-kilometer) journey across America’s wildest. Starting in the craggy peaks of Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park, take the slightly longer scenic route to Yellowstone National Park, where you’ll step out onto a famous supervolcano. Or, just hop over from Jackson Hole with a guided tour that will pop you right back on your route. From there, head across the wide expanse of Montana, where you’ll land at Glacier National Park.

Few highways can be described as beautiful, but California’s Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1) is one of them. Following the rocky, crashing sea, this road trip can be as long as 650 miles (1050 kilometers), from Dana Point in Southern California to Leggett in Northern California. But don’t expect to travel at highway speeds, as many sections have lower speed limits. That’ll give you more time to soak in the coastal scene. Plan to stop at spots like the iconic Bixby Bridge and Malibu Pier.

No US region has such a distinct and delicious food scene as the American South—a region mixing Black, Creole, French, Spanish, and Caribbean cuisines. This 400-mile (640-kilometer) road trip starts in New Orleans, home to Café Beignet. Explore on a food tour to gobble up as much as you can in just a few hours before driving off to your next stop: Jackson, Mississippi. Here, snack on fried fish and Mississippi mud pies. Then it’s off to Memphis for some of the world’s best barbecue.

It’s easy to trace the footsteps of America’s past on the East Coast—especially from Boston to New York City. This 250-mile (400-kilometer) road trip actually starts on foot: Boston’s Freedom Trail winds for 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) downtown, where historical sites like the Paul Revere House offer insight into US history. Then hop in the car because you’re off to historical spots like Henry David Thoreau’s Walden Pond and the Mayflower’s Plymouth Rock.