Favorite Scenic Drives: List your favorite driving routes by city

[tiger1867]

Hi everyone. Happy New Year!

I don't think I've seen a thread like this yet so I figured I would start one. What is your favorite scenic, funny, or enjoyable driving routes in the city you are in or have lived in. If anyone happens to be in StL and wants to go for a drive, here are my recommendations. Please believe that if I am in any other poster's cities and I have the time, I will be trying the other drives that are recommended.

I will go first. I live in St. Louis, MO by Tower Groove Park off of Highway 44. I love driving 44 east and connect to Highway 70 into downtown and seeing the Arch and river front on one side and then Busch Stadium (Go Cards) and downtown on the other side. At night, while driving on 44, the city skyline looks neat.

Also, driving Forrest Park expressway will take you from Mid town out into the county (Clayton City) and you will see beautiful changes, StL History, universities, parks and more (same could almost be said with Manchester Rd).

Some times, driving along Riverview Dr. and Broadway can be fun as you are driving along the Mississippi River.

 

[Ven Rala]

In Washington DC, I have always enjoyed the George Washington Parkway. It goes along the Potomac river and has great views of the river as well as Georgetown, Kennedy Center, Lincoln and Jefferson memorials. However, I would not recommend it during weekday rush hour.

 

[tiger1867]

Ven- Driven part of that during the beginning of spring, it was fantastic.

 

[ggr]

San Diego: out the 8 or 94 to S2 (Sunrise Highway), north through Mount Laguna to Julian, to Santa Ynez. If you are worried about range, it's a trivial drive from there back to San Diego, but there are a couple of really nice detours rather than staying on the main road: one is the Old Julian Highway from Witch Creek to Ramona; the other is to turn right after Ramona and join the Highland Valley Way back to the 15.

But if you're really enjoying the drive and want to do more of it, from Santa Ynez turn right, then in a few miles left onto the Mesa Grande road. At the other end, left and then up the East Grade road to Palomar Mountain, and down the western side to rejoin 78, then back through Valley Center. I assure you this is entirely possible on a single charge in an 85kW car (depending where in San Diego you live, and driving for enjoyment not racing), but if you are paranoid there are Blink chargers at Santa Ynez.

 

[muleferg]

Blue Ridge Parkway.NC and VA. Speed limit 45 mph.

 

[AudubonB]

CITY drives? Well, that limits the choices considerably but in the spirit of the thread's title let's give it a shot.

Anchorage:
*The Seward Hwy. south from Rabbit Creek to Girdwood. What other city drive on the planet affords you the opportunity to see off your left, the white Dall (bighorn ) sheep (and mountain goats as well) and off your right, the white beluga whale? It may take you out of the city limits but Anchorites still regard it as one of their own.
*East on Abbott to Hillside and then the Prospect/Kasilof/Stroganoff spaghetti, then back down to Hillside and O'Malley. At sunset, staggeringly beautiful views way below you of the lights of the city, Upper Cook Inlet, the volcanoes of the lower inlet and Denali (aka Mt. McKinley) up to the north. Urban views do not get better than this.

Fairbanks:
*East on the Johansen Expy/Geist Rd to Thompson Dr., then north into the UAF campus. A right onto Tanana Loop East gives you a great overlook of the city, with an immense backdrop of the Alaska Range to your south: Mts. Deborah, Hess, Hayes, and Denali. Then continue on Tanana until it becomes Alumni Dr and back down into town.
*From the UAF campus, W. Tanana Dr. to where it becomes Sheep Creek Rd (or the Parks Hwy to the Sheep Ck Extension, putting you at the same point); then following Sheep Ck about 5 miles to where it becomes Goldstream, at which point Murphy Dome Rd. branches off to the west. Follow Murphy Dome just over 14 miles to the top of the Dome - superb views of the upper Tanana Valley, to the Alaska Range limning the south and the White Mts. to the east-northeast.

Oh yes: and Riverside Drive all the way up to Inwood Park and the Cloisters. Can't recall the name of that city, but we wouldn't want to be thought of as overly parochial, now, would we?

 

[tiger1867]

NSW-Australia
I can't remember the exact routes but driving from Hunter Valley south to Sydney along the coast line will off a LOT of points to stop and view the beaches and ocean. You also drive through a bunch of ocean front towns but the roads rarely put you close to the shore. In total, it is a little over 3 hours I think.

 

[brianstorms]

This scenic drive might not be for everyone, but I love it:

I live in San Diego but go up to the Bay Area a lot, and like that I can do either 101 or I-5 now that both have superchargers. But what I like to do most is cut between them, heading either direction, at Highway 58, from Santa Margarita at the 101 exit, or from McKittrick-Buttonwillow at the I-5 exit.

Don't do the drive if you are in a hurry, don't do it if the weather is less than perfect, and definitely don't do it unless your 85kWh battery is fully charged from either the Atascadero or Tejon superchargers. The car will consume a goodly amount of electrons: highway 58 is a long, lonely road with lots of ups and downs and a few cliff-hangers. Great scenery, however. And it's best either *early* in the morning (if westbound) or late in afternoon (if eastbound), so that a) the sun's not in your eyes and b) you get the long shadows and golden sunbeams. Sometimes you might not see another car for many miles in either direction.

 

[Ride Long]

In Washington DC, I have always enjoyed the George Washington Parkway. It goes along the Potomac river and has great views of the river as well as Georgetown, Kennedy Center, Lincoln and Jefferson memorials. However, I would not recommend it during weekday rush hour.

As another Montgomery County resident, I second this vote. With it being winter (and leaves off the trees) the approach to DC from the north is stunningly beautiful. Lived here my whole life, and I still find myself noticing it when I drive into town.

If headed west from DC, I-68 is underrated in terms of natural beauty. The hills (mountains?) of western Md are always beautiful, and with I-68 getting very little traffic it's possible actually to enjoy the drive.

Paul

 

[Plug Me In]

Years ago when I lived in SF, favorite ride/drive: Across Golden Gate, left turn at the north end of the bridge, up and over the Marin Headlands to Rodeo Beach. throw rocks in the ocean for a little while then back across and then Lincoln (I think?) Blvd down by Baker Beach and over to Ocean Drive. My current residence is near the Blue Ridge Parkway and always a nice drive or bike ride, any time of year.

 

[muleferg]

1951 55 was there with my uncle. US Navy serving on a Mine Sweep in Long Beach, CA. Love to drive up and down Hwy 101, Catalina Island.and other beach town's Our Capt had a girlfriend and they would meet there. We had our own private Yacht. AM316 USS Competent. I forgot to say in VA its Skyland Drive.

 

[jchangyy]

Hwy 1 from San Francisco down to Cambria CA (passing through Devil's pass and Big Sur).

 

[Larry]

My favorite too jchangyy

 

[Jeff N]

This trip is from memory but I think I have it right.

Start from San Francisco and drive south on US 280 which is one of the most scenic metropolitan freeways. Follow along the coastal Pacific mountains to Palo Alto in Silicon Valley.

Take the Page Mill Road exit and loop through Deer Creek Road past the Tesla HQ and then turn right onto Arastradero Road. Head west which will take you back under the 280 freeway and then turn left on Page Mill Road heading toward the Pacific Ocean.

Drive along Page Mill as it evolves into a winding rural road through the Santa Cruz Mountains until it ends at Skyline Blvd along the top of the mountain. Drive across Skyline and onto Alpine Road. Take Alpine Road and glide silently in eerie isolation down through the Redwood forests until it turns into Pescadero Road and quickly ends at La Honda Road.

Turn left onto La Honda Road (highway 84) and drive to highway 1. Head north on that beautiful coastal highway and then stop for lunch at the world's most scenic Taco Bell on the beach in Half Moon Bay. Have a burrito and a fluorescent green soda and contemplate the ocean.

Continue on highway 1 back to US 280 and return home.

 

[Vger]

Icefields Parkway, Canadian Rockies, Alberta, Canada