Escaping The Rat Race
A good long-weekend drive can fix days, weeks, or even months of stagnation within a household. Just think, a little getaway somewhere, a few hours outside of your city,y means you won’t be spending all day in the car, while still feeling refreshed for everyone involved. If you’re looking to escape the city lights for a few days, here are 20 drives that can turn an ordinary long weekend into something special.
1. Death Valley From Las Vegas
This trip out can feel like you’ve entered a completely different world, even if you only decide to go out for the day. Between the constantly changing desert scenery, you’ll get a plethora of gorgeous viewpoints and landmarks to stop at.
2. Gateway Arch And Riverfront Loop From St. Louis
A city drive can absolutely still feel like a trip when you pair it right. In St. Louis, for example, you can lazily drive down the riverfront for a day for a change of pace. If you want a landmark to start or end at, the Gateway Arch is a perfect option.
3. San Diego Coast From Los Angeles
South of LA is much quieter than the busy streets you’re so often used to. Once you hit the coast, the day practically sorts itself out with beach walks, tide pools, and easy food stops that even the pickiest eaters can get behind.
4. Pebble Beach 17-Mile Drive From Monterey
This drive is pure scenery, complete with gorgeous shoreline, tidy roads, and pullouts scattered all along the trip. While the coastline is pretty much the only exciting visual option on this trip, driving next to the water does make just about any trip better.
5. Grand Canyon From Las Vegas
This is a longer day, we will admit. But the second you reach that rim, you understand why people do it. This gorgeous natural wonder is something you have to see for yourself to truly experience its beauty.
6. Olympic National Park From Seattle
Seattle is close enough that the Olympics still feel like an escape without the exhaustion of a big haul. You can mix rainforest trails with rugged beach stretches and scenic views all in one day, depending on patience levels and weather, of course.
7. Jersey Shore From New York City
Trading city concrete for boardwalks and salty air is always a good idea, and honestly, it hits even harder in the cooler months when beach towns have that quiet, cozy charm. A short walk by the water has a way of improving everyone's mood. This is also a great option for any reality TV lovers out there.
8. Litchfield Hills From Hartford
The Litchfield hills are full of winding routes and cozy main streets, with little scenic spots that make you want to pull over and just stand there for a second.
9. Turtle Back Zoo And South Mountain Reservation From Newark
This trip is great when you’re also looking for an activity. The zoo pairs beautifully with nearby trails and open space, so the day feels genuinely full without ever feeling hectic.
10. Georgia Aquarium Area From Atlanta
Sometimes, the best family day drive is a short one that ends somewhere everyone actually agrees on. The aquarium area sits alongside parks and walkable spots, so you can keep things moving without bouncing all over the city.
1. Halifax Citadel And Harbor Drive From Halifax
History, great views, and a route that feels like an event without requiring much effort. You can enjoy the towering view of the Halifax Citadel before making your way down to the harborfront in a gentle, looping pattern that makes Halifax so special.
2. Banff And Lake Louise From Calgary
You leave Calgary, and it's all flat and ordinary, and then boom, you see the mountains. The beauty of Alberta’s mountain ranges cannot be understated, and they’re something you just need to see to believe.
3. Confederation Trail From Charlottetown
This one's perfect when you've got kids who have some energy to burn. You drive out to a trail access point, everyone tumbles out of the car, and suddenly you have a gorgeous space to wander for a couple of hours.
Larry from Charlottetown, PEI, Canada on Wikimedia
4. Icefields Parkway From Banff
Look, the drive between Banff and Jasper is one of those routes where you’ll want a full tank and a clean windshield. Peaks, valleys, easy pullouts, the trip practically paces itself.
5. Basin Head Beach From Charlottetown
A beach in cooler weather hits completely differently, in a good way. No crowds, no fighting for space, just a wide open shoreline that feels like it's yours. Basin Head has that soft sand and that wonderful "walk it off" energy that kids love, even when there's zero chance of swimming.
6. Maligne Lake From Jasper
If you're coming from Edmonton, Jasper makes a beautiful base, and Maligne Lake is the kind of place that looks stunning no matter what time of year it is.
7. Skyline Trail From Sydney, Nova Scotia
Drive into Cape Breton Highlands, park the car, and enjoy a little adventure. The Skyline Trail is a real favourite because it's manageable, it's clearly marked, and those final lookouts make every step feel worth it.
8. Cabot Trail From Halifax
This road has been a long-weekend go-to for years, and it earns that reputation every single time. Between the coastal lookouts, the beaches, and the excellent seafood, everyone will be satisfied.
9. Niagara Falls From Toronto
There's something about watching the city melt away into vineyards and wide open sky that just exhales you. And then the falls themselves, even in the cold, the mist, and the roar, feel like something out of this world.
10. Whistler And The Sea-To-Sky Highway From Vancouver
The drive north out of Vancouver is one of those routes that starts earning its keep almost immediately, with the ocean on one side and the mountains climbing up on the other. By the time you reach Squamish, the scenery has already done something to everyone's mood, in the best way, and Whistler at the end of it feels like you’re getting a reward for just sitting in a car.
