Skip / Don't Miss: U.S. Road Trip Edition

12 places and routes you can skip and 23 you can't miss while driving cross-country

This summer, I drove nearly 10,000 miles across the United States (with my dog). I crossed 31 states, stayed in 20 cities/towns, visited 8 National Parks and stopped at countless shops, restaurants, bars and dog parks!

While I know most people won't make this same trip in one go, I wanted to distill the best and worst of my U.S. adventures for other road-trippers or weekend travelers looking to take in the sights, sounds and culture of this massive country.

West

Cities / Towns

Skip: Portland, OR — I'm not hating on Portland. There are some really cool places to visit like Powell's City of Books, Wildwood Trail, International Rose Test Garden and more. For me though, the best part of Oregon was its coast. Cannon Beach is just one of many breathtaking coastal stops along the 101.

Don't Miss: Seattle, WA — This is a great city with cool vibes, beautiful sights and a ton to explore by boat and by land. Take the ferry to Bainbridge Island for cheap views of the Space Needle and city by water.

Skip: Roswell, NM — Beam me anywhere else please Scotty... While the UFO Museum is interesting, the whole small town is alien themed a cheesy way. I'd recommend a stay in Las Cruces instead if you're cutting through or visiting White Sands National Park.

Don't Miss: Tucson, AZ — While my stay here was very brief, Tucson had an artsy-vibe that I didn't see in Phoenix. I stayed at the Hotel McCoy, a hip artists motel featuring original murals and original art you can buy.

Bonus Don't Miss: Solvang, CA (a Dutch-inspired town including windmills) and Leavenworth, WA (a Bavarian-inspired town that will make you feel like you're in the Alps)!

National Parks

Skip: Saguaro National Park in AZ — I'm slightly biased here because deserts aren't my favorite to visit. If you're in a hurry or picking between places to see, I'd skip over Saguaro mainly because you can see plenty of saguaro cacti along the highway regardless if you enter the park or not.

Don't Miss: White Sands National Park in NM — This is a very small park, but it still

made the list for me because it's so unique. The sand (which isn't actually sand, it's gypsum) is super soft and it's a great place to stop with kids, or in my case with a dog.

Skip: Joshua Tree National Park in CA — I've been to Joshua Tree a few times and although it has some interesting areas, it's definitely not a favorite of mine. I'd rather explore Pioneertown near Joshua Tree than the park itself.

Don't Miss: Redwood National Park (CA), Olympic National Park (WA) and Glacier National Park (MO) — All the trees, mountains, waterfalls and streams you can handle! All of these are worth seeing and exploring. I did quick pitstops at some of them so I'm already dreaming about my return visits!

Bonus Don't Miss: Lake Crescent in Washington — If you're going to Olympic, you have to stop at Lake Crescent for some of the clearest water with the most beautiful mountain backdrop you'll ever see. Tip: Walk the trail to Devil's Punchbowl and swim in the water on a warm day.

Routes

Skip: Route 90

Don't Miss: Route 2 (between Washington and Montana), Route 1 (along the California coast) and Route 101 (along the Oregon and Washington coasts)

Bonus Don't Miss: Go-t0-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park, one of the most

scenic drives in America.

Middle America

Cities / Towns

Skip: Minneapolis, MN — I may need to give Minneapolis another chance since the wildfire smoke made it a bit hazy while I was there. Despite the nice views of the Mississippi River, the small industrial-feel city left me longing for my next don't miss city...

Don't Miss: Chicago, IL — Again, I may be biased from living here for almost 10 years, but I still think Chicago is the best big city in America. Cleaner than New York, easier to commute in than Los Angeles or Dallas, nicer than Boston, and a better food scene than any of them.

Skip: Jackson, MS — It could have been the 110-degree heat and humidity that had me wishing I had skipped Jackson, but the city just felt empty and neglected.

Don't Miss: Dallas, TX — I've been to Dallas a few times to visit a friend who moved there and each time I'm pleasantly surprised.

Bonus Don't Miss: Deadwood, SD — A cute little old western town with fake duels and real whiskey tastings.

National Parks

Skip: Mount Rushmore in South Dakota — Overrated tourist trap! If you want to drive by it you can, but I don't recommend going into the entrance. They charge you a flat rate for parking unlike other national monuments or parks. Also, if you know the history of the place, specifically it being built on Native American land, it's not an example of America at its best.

Don't Miss: Badlands National Park in South Dakota — A small park with rolling hills of red and white. It's not a park you'll spend all day in, but worth the stop if you're driving through!

East

Cities / Towns

Skip: Atlanta, GA — This is another city I've been to multiple times because friends and family live there. Unfortunately, it's one of my least favorite big cities in the U.S.

Don't Miss: Bar Harbor, ME — A beautiful coastal town filled with great seafood restaurants, bars, ice cream shops and more. I stopped by a frontyard hotel bar that was playing live music. It was a fun stop and definitely worth it if you're a lobster fan.

Skip: Boston, MA — If you've never been then yes, you should go to Boston. But to me it doesn't have the charm or people of some of the other bigger American cities.

Don't Miss: Portland, ME — Another great little coastal town in Maine with breweries, lighthouses and other fun summertime activities.

Bonus Don't Miss: Salem, MA — While Boston has never been my town, I did really enjoy Salem. Maybe it's the Halloween-enthusiast in me, but it was worth a visit to take a witch trials tour.

National Parks

Skip: Everglades National Park in Florida — Admittedly, I skipped the entire state of Florida this trip because 1. I've been there so many times before, 2. it's too hot and humid in the summer, and 3. it's on Travel Advisory lists because of some of the recent political changes made. However, I've been to the Everglades before and didn't enjoy it. Too much swamp, not enough trees, hiking and other things I love about American National Parks.

Don't Miss: Acadia National Park in Maine — Even though it was raining while I was there, this park included some beautiful summit views, great hiking and dog-friendly trails.

Bonus Don't Miss: Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina — This is one I visited on a previous trip, but it's worth including since the East doesn't have as many popular parks as the West. Lots of great hiking and outdoor activities to explore!

Routes

Skip: Route 95

Don't Miss: 9 Kancamagus Highway in New Hampshire — I drove through from Vermont to Maine and even though it was a bit foggy, it still has some scenic mountain views.