Say hello to Columbia’s southern-style food, history, and nightlife, Fort Sumter, nautical museum, and the historic charm of Mt. Pleasant and Charleston.
Start your drive in South Carolina’s state capitol of Columbia, where you’ll find an abundance of history, southern-style food, and even nightlife. The Riverbanks Zoo & Gardens is an amazing place to stroll around and amuse the children. Leaving town, take U.S. 378 and drive straight for the woods of Manchester, off Route 601. On this path, you’ll drive south along the scenic shores of Lake Marion.
Along this meandering stretch, you’ll find a pleasant drive with some relaxing spots, as well as Santee State Park. On this route, towns are sparse, but include Eutawville, Cross, Lone Star, and a gas & grub stop in Moncks Corner. A second lake available for aquatic pastimes is Lake Moultrie. Read more . . .
For a panoramic view of the Wichita Mountains in southwestern Oklahoma, travel I-44 to Route 49 west just outside Medicine Park. Six miles down the lane you will go through the 59,000-acre Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge. The turn-off for Mount Scott is several miles past the entrance. Here you can drive up the mountain and watch the flat plains. 
The Talimena Scenic Byway is a 54-mile drive from Talihina, Okla. to Mena, Ark. The 2-lane highway was constructed specifically for sightseeing through the 1.6 million-acre Ouachita National Forest. This trip starts at the Visitors Information Station 7 miles northeast of Talihina at U.S. 271 and Route One. Just past the information station, you can see the dark blue hills and gorgeous valleys from Choctaw Vista on the west end of Winding Stair Mountain. 
This winding, 61-mile drive through the Nantahala National Forest is custom fit for the water sport angler and enthusiast. Starting in Highlands on U.S. 64, this byway passes through the eye-popping beauty of the Cullasaja Gorge, which runs parallel with the Cullasaja River. Enjoy serene panoramas of the clear river and its veil-like waterfalls. 
This remote and wild southernmost stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway will keep you alert at elevations above 6,000 feet with long stretches of rocky cliff faces and high-flying ledges. At 75 miles long, this journey is ideal for weekend warriors and families, and can be extended for another 390 miles into Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park. Starting in Asheville and heading south on the Parkway, you will ascend to traverse 3 spectacular ranges:the Great Balsams, the Pisgah Ledge, and the Plott Balsams.