Route 66 has been crowned the most scenic road trip in America in a new study that measured how often travelers share their journeys on social media. The highway, decommissioned nearly 40 years ago, still looms large in American culture, inspiring millions to document the drive.
The study, conducted by vehicle data site 0-60 Specs, analyzed Tripadvisor’s Most Scenic Drives in the United States list and compared each route by the number of Instagram posts. The results offer a snapshot of how certain stretches of road, whether iconic or unexpected, have become part of America’s shared travel imagination.
A Road Trip Legend
At more than 2.3 million posts, Route 66 took the top spot by a wide margin. Known as the “Mother Road,” it once linked Chicago and Los Angeles, stretching 2,400 miles through eight states. Travelers today still flock to the route for its neon motels, roadside diners, vintage gas stations, and cultural history.
Although Route 66 lost its official highway designation in 1985, it never lost its identity. From Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath to Nat King Cole’s “Get Your Kicks on Route 66,” the road has been immortalized in literature, music, and film. Pixar even reintroduced it to a younger audience with its Cars franchise. For many, the road is less about getting from point A to B and more about reliving a piece of Americana.
Blue Ridge Parkway and Oregon’s Wine Country
In second place, the Blue Ridge Parkway amassed 728,000 Instagram posts. The 469-mile drive is a ribbon of asphalt winding through the Appalachian Highlands, linking Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. Its overlooks, hiking trails, and tunnels make it one of the most visited units in the National Park System.
Third on the list is Oregon’s Willamette Valley, with 500,253 posts. Known as one of the world’s premier wine regions, the valley is dotted with more than 700 wineries and offers sweeping vineyard views. The 150-mile route provides a mix of small-town charm, lush forests, and agricultural scenery that makes it a favorite for road trippers seeking something slower paced but equally photogenic.
California to Hawaii: A Study in Contrasts
Fourth place went to California’s Pacific Coast Highway (453,215 posts), a classic coastal drive that stretches for more than 600 miles. From the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco to the beaches near Los Angeles, the road is famous for its cliffside views, Bixby Bridge, and stops in towns like Monterey, Santa Barbara, and Malibu.
Hawaii’s Hana Highway, also known as the Road to Hana, came in fifth with 409,870 posts. The 64-mile route on Maui is packed with hairpin turns and one-lane bridges, but the payoff is waterfalls, tropical rainforests, and sweeping ocean views. For many visitors, it’s a bucket-list drive that captures Hawaii’s rugged beauty.
Surprises in the Top 10
Not every entry fits the postcard image of a scenic drive. Park Avenue in New York City ranked sixth with 334,000 posts. The boulevard runs through Manhattan and the Bronx, lined with luxury apartment buildings and offices. Its reputation as a symbol of wealth and prestige, along with appearances in countless films and TV shows, helps explain its social media presence.
The Road to Nowhere, a 1,885-mile stretch of U.S. 83 running through Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, ranked seventh with 320,000 posts. The route doesn’t boast flashy tourist attractions, but its quiet farmland, small towns, and rural landscapes capture another side of America. For some travelers, the stark simplicity is part of the appeal.
Other routes in the top 10 include 17-Mile Drive on California’s Monterey Peninsula (189,187 posts), Crystal Beach in Texas (166,000 posts), and Virginia’s Skyline Drive (141,216 posts), the only public road through Shenandoah National Park.
Beyond the Top 10
Several other drives also drew hundreds of thousands of posts. Montana’s Going-to-the-Sun Road, with its dramatic glacier views, logged more than 74,000. California’s Avenue of the Giants, which winds through towering redwoods, recorded 67,422. Even the Alaska Highway, once considered one of the most rugged routes in North America, made the list with 55,083 posts.
These drives reflect the diversity of the American landscape: alpine passes, coastal stretches, rural byways, and urban avenues all have their place in the ranking.
Social Media’s Role in Road Trips
Emir Bacic, owner of 0-60 Specs, said the results show how travel habits are increasingly shaped online.
“Route 66, with its legendary pop culture status and rich history, tops the ranking with over two million Instagram posts, demonstrating how reputation can contribute to a drive’s social media popularity,” Bacic said.
The findings also highlight how different landscapes resonate in different ways. Coastal highways like the Pacific Coast and 17-Mile Drive dominate feeds with sweeping vistas, while routes like the Road to Nowhere prove that wide-open plains and small towns are just as shareable.
The Road Ahead
Whether it’s a family sedan rolling through Virginia’s Skyline Drive in autumn or a classic convertible chasing sunsets on Route 66, road trips remain a uniquely American pastime. The study shows that travelers are still eager to document the experience — not just for their own scrapbooks, but for the millions scrolling through their feeds.
In the end, the “most scenic” road may depend less on the view and more on the story each traveler brings home.
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