Tour U.S. on scenic, educational road trip

The classic road trip remains a popular way to explore. Here are five ways to hit the open road while learning along the way.

Colo-Road Trips (Colorado)

The Colorado Tourism Office makes it easy for road-trippers to explore the state’s 26 Scenic & Historic Byways. Their microsite includes an interactive map that enables travelers to explore options by region, interest or season. Travelers seeking inspiration can also access insider tips, music playlists and side-trip suggestions within more than 150 Colo-Road Trip itineraries, making multiday adventures easy to plan. The flexible itineraries offer suggestions for historic attractions, active adventures and cultural opportunities. Visitors to the site can also peruse for picnic, dining, hiking and lodging suggestions.

For more: www.colorado.com

California dreaming

For majestic coastal scenery and seaside breezes, pile in the car for a trip up (or down) California’s western shore. Begin in ultra-hip Santa Monica and wind your way north past the Hearst Castle. Push farther north to Carmel and then on to the storied city by the bay, San Francisco. Other road trip options in this sun-drenched state include a taco tour and an itinerary that features the best surf spots. Or uncover the bizarre attractions you’ll find in the California desert by following the state’s Amazing Desert Oddities itinerary.

For more: www.visitcalifornia.com

The Beartooth Highway (Montana and Wyoming)

Visitors who travel this extraordinary byway experience the visual trifecta of Montana, Wyoming and Yellowstone Park, home to the Absaroka and Beartooth mountains. The windy, cliff-hugging 68 mile stretch introduces road explorers to one of the most diverse ecosystems accessible by auto. It’s also the highest elevation highway in the Northern Rockies. Stunningly beautiful, the All-American Road showcases wide, high alpine plateaus painted with patches of ice blue glacial lakes, forested valleys, waterfalls and wildlife. Plan for many stops so the driver can take in the long views, too!

For more: www.redlodge.com

Seward Highway (Alaska)

The road that connects Anchorage to Seward is a 127 mile treasure trove of natural beauty, wildlife and stories of adventure, endurance and rugged ingenuity. Take a day or several to explore the region that has earned three-fold recognition as a Forest Service Scenic Byway, an Alaskan Scenic Byway and an All-American Road. The drive begins at the base of the Chugach Mountains, hugs the scenic shores of Turnagain Arm and winds through mining towns, national forests and fishing villages as you imagine how explorers, fur traders and gold prospectors might have fared back in the day. Expect waterfalls, glaciers, eagles, moose and some good bear stories. Download the Alaska app to browse points of interest on a map and access a collection of audio guides.

For more: www.alaska.org

Route 66

The western half of historic Route 66 makes for an iconic road trip. Travel from the seaside city of Santa Monica, Calif., to Williams, Ariz. — the Gateway to the Grand Canyon — and on to Adrian, Texas, the midpoint on the famous route. (The full itinerary stretches 2,400 miles across two-thirds of the continent, ending in Chicago.) More than 250 Route 66 buildings, districts and road segments are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Along the way, you and your family will marvel at the wide-open spaces, the changing landscape and the rich history to be found as you follow the path of the original Mother Road.

For more: www.nps.gov