Summer is upon us, the time when millions pack up the car, strap in the whole family, and excitedly hit the road. Although some make a National Lampoon vacation of the process, it certainly doesn’t have to be that way. With a small bit of planning and, most importantly, the right route, a summer drive with the family, a loved one, or even just by yourself, can be a very pleasant experience. You might not have an epiphany, but then again you might.  Who knows?

Because the direction is so all-important,  we’ve taken it upon ourselves to choose some of the best panoramic routes in the USA. In our combined decades of pleasure driving for some of the country’s most Fun road trippopular automotive magazines, we’ve seen a gaggle of pretty roads. But we’re here to tell you that the four we feature are surely among America’s best. And, so that it doesn’t seem that we’re playing favorites with localities, we have chosen roads in the Southeast, the Midwest, the Northeast,  and the Pacific Coast. Given the limited space we have,  that’s about as ecumenical as we can get. And so, without further ado, here are 4 Hot Summer Drives. Read more . . .

Visit an original 1850s General Store, an underground copper mine tour, two roadside parks, and beautiful wilderness.

Phoenix, MI route mapThis 27-mile picturesque drive through part of the Keweenaw Peninsula offers the beauty of the Michigan countryside and the luxury of an all-weather, well-maintained  and  black-topped highway. Starting in the town of Phoenix, this gorgeous stretch of U.S. 41 takes you through a number of recreational, natural, historic, and scenic sites. Along this route you will find an underground copper mine tour,  an original 1850s General Store, and two roadside parks that offer a nice perching area for viewing the wonderful surroundings. Read more . . .

Behold remote and rugged scenery, the largest ski jump in the Northern Hemisphere, five scenic waterfalls, Lake Superior beaches, and camping.

Michigan route mapThe Upper Peninsula of Michigan offers a variety of rugged and remote  scenic drives through the harbor cities along  Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. The most famous and fulfilling of them all is the Black River Scenic Byway, which is distinguished as a National Scenic Byway in the beautiful state of Michigan. This breathtaking drive begins on County Road 513 near the town of Bessemer at its intersection with County Road 204 (Airport Road) and continues north for 12 miles following the Black River through dense areas of hemlock, hardwood trees and pine to Black River Harbor. Read more . . .