Here are 8 of the most epic drives across the U.S.
Hit the road on these cross-country quests by bike, truck, or station wagon.
A drive across the United States is a dream for many travelers. There are countless ways to do it, and each route is rewarding in its own way.
Photographer Gately Williams has made the drive 18 times. He’s journeyed by station wagon and dirt bike, convertible and hot-pink two-wheeler. During this time he’s visited all 50 states.
What inspires him to keep crossing the country? “Setting out on a journey is a liberating experience,” says Williams, 34, who is based in Charleston, South Carolina. “A road trip is bigger than just the drive or the ride. The people I’ve met along the way have quickly become more of a destination than the town they live in.”
The beauty of the American road never fails to enchant him, no matter how many cross-country trips he completes. “The more I saw,” he says, “the more I realized there was to see.”
Around the U.S. in a station wagon: 25,000 miles
In April 2014, Williams bought an old station wagon and set out to photograph every state. He crisscrossed the U.S. several times and flew to Alaska and Hawaii to complete the quest. Highlight: Rainbow Pools, Groveland, CA. This natural swimming hole off Highway 120, outside of Yosemite National Park, is edged by rocky ledges—perfect jumping-off points for cannonballs into the water.
On a dirt bike along the TransAmerica Trail: 5,000 miles
Williams and four friends rode dirt bikes along the TransAmerica Trail in 2016. The 5,000-mile route created in 1984 for motorcycles and 4x4 vehicles stretches along public paths and is mostly off-road. It took them 30 days from start to finish. (Bike across America with this Nat Geo Travel photographer.) Highlight: Antelope Pass, Idaho. “Idaho feels like a secret,” says Williams. “The mountain passes look like those in Colorado but with more color and less people.”
Racing from Oregon to Virginia on a bicycle: 4,300 miles
In June 2018, Williams participated in the fifth-annual Trans Am Bike Race. The self-supported road race travels the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail (not to be confused with the TransAmerica off-road trail). Highlight: Antler’s Saloon, in Wisdom, Montana. After a bad fall from his bike outside of this small town (pop. about 100), Williams found help, hospitality, cold beer, and good pizza here.
Lakes and lonely roads in a Jeep: 2,478 miles
Before starting a job in San Francisco in 2014, Williams embarked on a looping western drive across California and Nevada to Jackson, Wyoming, and then through Idaho and Oregon on the way back. Highlight: Nevada’s Route 50, “The Loneliest Road in America.” Drive Route 50 at night to be able to see the wealth of vintage neon along the road. The town of Ely has classic signs, like the one at El Rancho Motel.
Long way to Montana in a pickup truck: 6,262 miles
On his way to a job in Montana in 2015, Williams stopped in Texas to buy a Ducati motorcycle. He stored it in the back of his Ford pickup for the rest of the trip, but he gave it a spin during a stop in Denver. Highlight: Pikes Peak Highway, Colorado. Every year since 1916, the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb—aka the “Race to the Clouds”—has taken place on this route. Cars and motorcycles climb 13 miles to the summit. “It was pretty cool to ride the same route and look across and down from 14,000 feet,” says Williams.
From pines to prairie in a sedan: 4,543 miles
Williams helped a friend move across the country in 2016, driving a car from Seattle to Charleston. “This was a fast trip,” Williams says. “I blasted across country in five days.” Highlight: The 190-foot-tall Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ Ministries outside of Amarillo, Texas. “It towers above the empty, windswept plains below,” says Williams. “Its size is quite impactful.” (Discover unique art and antiques in Amarillo, Texas.)
To San Diego in a moving van: 2,700 miles
In 2009, Williams volunteered to help a neighbor drive a rental moving van transporting their belongings from Charleston to a new home in San Diego. He flew home after the drive. Highlight: New Orleans, Louisiana. It’s a must-visit, but don’t spend too much time on Bourbon Street. Instead head to the nearby East Riverside neighborhood, where hip restaurants (and fewer people) line Magazine Street. (Here’s the right way to explore New Orleans.)
Along the California coast in a convertible: 450 miles
On an annual trip with a friend in 2015, Williams rented a Ford Mustang convertible. The duo made their way from San Francisco to Los Angeles, stopping at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur to bathe in its hot springs. Highlight: Big Sur. Bixby Creek Bridge on Highway 1 stands as the gateway to this unforgettable section of central California. The bridge is about 120 miles south of San Francisco. (Artist Jean Jullien finds inspiration on the road in Big Sur.)
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