An RV affords you the freedom to take to the open road and the USA has a staggering number of tried-and-tested routes perfect for a motorhome adventure. From scenic byways looping through national parks to epic multi-state expeditions, we've picked the top journeys for RV road-trippers in the States.

New York’s Cayuga Lake Scenic Byway makes an 86-mile (138km) loop around one of Finger Lakes’ narrow stretches of water. Running from the town of Seneca Falls in the north right down to Ithaca in the south, it rattles past leafy state parks, wineries and dinky villages rich in history. Views of Cayuga Lake glitter along the entirety of the route.

Highlights include the Montezuma Wildlife Refuge with its bald eagles and waterfowl, plus the 215-foot (66m) watery cascade in Taughannock Falls State Park (pictured). A slew of wineries stud the byway too, each one as scenic as the next, from rustic Buttonwood Grove to family-owned-and-operated Cayuga Ridge Estate. Finish up in Ithaca, where the pedestrianised downtown area (named Ithaca Commons) is filled with quirky shops and restaurants.

If it’s the great open road you’re after, this 70-mile (113km) byway in the Black Hills of South Dakota delivers. You can join the squat, figure of eight-shaped route at various points, though a popular place to begin is at the tourist town of Keystone. Once en route, four highways (244, 16A, 89 and 87) lace together to create the scenic road, which passes by jaw-dropping rockscapes and through stone tunnels.

The byway is rich in historical monuments, from the stony presidential faces of Mount Rushmore near Keystone to the mammoth Crazy Horse Memorial in the route’s western reaches. It’s not light on scenery either. You’ll pass along the white-knuckle Needles Highway with its imposing granite pillars and narrow tunnels. You’ll also slice through Custer State Park where bison graze on the open plains and trails criss-cross the 71,000 acres.

While many RVers might steer clear of The Last Frontier state, if you come prepared, a road trip in Alaska can be a truly rewarding experience. A good place to start is with the 323-mile (520km) George Parks Highway (often called Parks Highway), which joins up the major Alaskan cities of Anchorage and Fairbanks. While this isn’t true of all of Alaska’s stark highways, you’ll find plenty of RV parks along the way, particularly around Denali National Park and the route’s bookending cities.

For most, the crowning jewel of the route will be Denali National Park: George Parks Highway hugs the eastern edge, offering direct access to it. Here, the 20,000-plus-foot (6,190m) Denali peak (formerly Mount McKinley) dominates the landscape, and beyond the breathtaking mountains vistas, highlights include the poignant Alaska Veterans Memorial (pictured). Wrap up your trip in Anchorage, where the Alaska Native Heritage Center is a standout attraction.

Dubbed “the road that built the nation”, the Historic National Road, which weaves for 170 miles (274km) through Maryland, was the first federally funded roadway in the United States. And its entire expanse is dripping in history. Many road-trippers choose to begin eastward in buzzing Baltimore, before striking northwest towards the town of Grantsville and the Casselman River Bridge State Park (pictured).

Be sure to soak up the sights in Maryland's biggest city, from the fascinating Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Museum to the historic ships in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor area. Further west, you’ll find Frederick with its National Museum of Civil War Medicine and nearby Fort Frederick State Park, home to an 18th-century fortress and plenty of hiking trails. Finish in the historic town of Grantsville, home to an absorbing community museum and a handful of idyllic state parks.

The Great River road does exactly what it says on the tin – it follows one of America’s great waterways, the Mississippi River, through 10 states and along a whopping 3,000 miles (4,828km). The road begins in Itasca State Park in northwestern Minnesota and weaves right down to Louisiana and the bright lights of New Orleans. If you want to travel from top to bottom you’ll need at least two weeks to soak in the sights. Luckily, there are plenty of comfortable RV parks to rest up along the way.

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The Great River Road traces through Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana – given the sheer breadth of the route, there are sights to satisfy every interest. Visit the Mississippi River Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota, to learn more about The Big Muddy, and explore the sacred indigenous site of the Effigy Mounds in Iowa. Make time to gaze up at the famed Gateway Arch in St Louis (pictured) and to catch some live music on NOLA’s Bourbon Street too.

Both a High Road and a Low Road connect Taos and Santa Fe, and if you travel them both you’ll embark on a round trip that takes in more than a hundred miles (161km) and some of New Mexico’s most incredible sights and scenery. Beginning in Santa Fe, first take the High Road, which weaves through historic villages and grants epic views of the Jemez Mountains. Once you’ve experienced the charms of Taos, loop back on the Low Road which follows the Rio Grande into a slender canyon.

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The High Road portion of the trip passes through Chimayó, a historic and picturesque village known for its weaving tradition and El Santuario de Chimayó, an important 19th-century church and pilgrimage site. In Taos, there are treasures aplenty from cultural shrines like the Harwood Museum of Art to the Taos Pueblo, an adobe settlement designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. On the way back to Santa Fe, the sweeping river views steal the show.

If the sound of silence and more than a little solitude appeals, then this slice of US Highway 50, nicknamed the Loneliest Road in America, should appeal. The route beats a 285-mile (459km) path east across Nevada, from Carson City, the state’s capital, to the little town of Baker, right near the border with Utah. The stirring route will throw up visions of the Old West as you pass through stark valleys and old mining towns.

Despite the road’s nickname, you’ll find plenty to occupy you along the way. Stop off at Grimes Point Archaeological Area to see petroglyphs by indigenous peoples and at the Sand Mountain Recreation Area to discover gargantuan dunes ripe for adventure. The old mining town of Austin is another top stop: it offers incredible views of the Toiyabe mountain range, restaurants along historic Main Street and plenty of spots to park up your RV for the night.

It’s not hard to see why this breathtaking Oregon byway is nicknamed the King of Roads. Designated a National Historic Landmark, it hugs the plunging Columbia River Gorge and spreads out for some 70 miles (113km). The byway begins at the pretty city of Troutdale and carries on east to the city of The Dalles, where the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and Museum will bring your journey into focus.

There are plenty of scenic pitstops along the way, and the Portland Women’s Forum State Scenic Viewpoint (pictured) is one of the most popular spots to drink in the river views. Further on you’ll reach the Horsetail Falls Trail, a breathtaking loop that passes several thundering waterfalls. 

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If you’re dreaming of a coast-to-coast trip, an RV odyssey on Interstate 10 could be the one for you. The road, all 2,460 miles (3,959km) of it, travels from Santa Monica, California to Jacksonville, Florida, so you can paddle in the Pacific and the Atlantic Ocean in the space of a single trip. The mammoth route encompasses eight Southern states, including Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

You’ll need a fortnight at the very least to take in just some of what this lengthy route has to offer. Feast on desert-inspired dishes in Tucson, Arizona, the United States’ first UNESCO City of Gastronomy, and take a hike amid the giant cacti in Saguaro National Park (pictured). Further east there’s Las Cruces, New Mexico, with easy access to the White Sands National Monument. Be sure to visit the effortlessly cool Texan city of San Antonio, before finishing up with the family-friendly attractions of Jacksonville, Florida.

This 236-mile (380km) Scenic Byway cuts through the San Juan Mountains, which are carpeted with evergreen trees, capped with snow and peppered with photogenic, high-altitude towns. The Skyway is a looping road, extending over Routes 550, 160, 145 and 62, and it reaches from the picturesque town of Ridgway in the north, down to the little city of Durango in the south.

The road itself is the main attraction here, with peaks and forestland flanking the Skyway at every turn. But there are plenty of towns worthy of a visit too. The historic railroad town of Durango is a top spot for history buffs, with visitors still able to ride the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad steam train through stunning mountain scenery. Other highlights include the pretty resort town of Telluride (pictured) with its world-class skiing and summer biking and hiking trails.

One of seven designated Scenic Byways in Maine, the Acadia All-American Road takes in a great swathe of the state’s rocky coast. Striking out for 40 miles (64km), the road starts on Route 3, north of the little town of Trenton, before swinging out onto Mount Desert Island. From here it takes in a scenic portion of Acadia National Park and the waterside town of Bar Harbor, ever a popular spot with tourists.

The 27-mile (43km) section that makes up Park Loop Road is the most scenic of all. This portion of the route runs within the limits of Acadia National Park – it travels by Sand Beach (pictured), a golden inlet along the rocky shoreline, and Otter Cliff, a striking 110-foot-high (34m) headland that draws many a budding photographer. Make time for a walking tour of downtown Bar Harbor too.

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Forming a 440-mile (708km) loop, this route rattles through North Cascades National Park, affording drivers views of towering peaks and verdant valleys, and reaching out west to windswept Puget Sound. The southern part of the loop follows the Stevens Pass Greenway, hemming the Skykomish River. Out east, the route cuts through the Methow Valley, a rugged slice of the countryside nicknamed Washington’s wild west.

You’ll have trouble keeping your eyes on the road as you pass through this beautiful wedge of the Pacific Northwest – but luckily there are plenty of RV sites where you can park up for a night or two. Highlights along the way include Skagit Valley, bright with tulips in the spring, and the town of Leavenworth, whose neat buildings could have been plucked from Bavaria. While in the North Cascades National Park, gaze up at the mighty bluff of Liberty Bell, rising like a church spire from the valley.

Those hankering after the rust-red rockscapes of the American southwest should look no further than Utah’s Scenic Byway 12. Unravelling for 123 miles (198km), the route begins in the city of Panguitch and branches northeast to the town of Torrey, near Capitol Reef National Park, which makes a fine finish for your journey. The byway is studded with scenic overlooks, so you can park up the RV and drink in the Mars-like vistas synonymous with this part of the States.

Natural wonders are this road’s major draw and the Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument is a top stop along the way. It’s an area rich in geological interest with narrow slot canyons and mushrooming bluffs. The fossil-filled Escalante Petrified Forest is a delight for archaeology lovers too. RV parks right in Escalante mean you don’t need to rush the journey.

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This highway makes for the ultimate music-filled American RV trip. Follow Highway 61 (affectionately known as the Blues Highway) from Tennessee capital Nashville down to New Orleans. As you go, you’ll pass through some of the USA’s greatest musical hot spots, from Tunica, Mississippi, known as the Gateway to the Blues, to Clarksdale, home to the Delta Blues Museum.

This journey is a music-lover’s dream. In Memphis, Beale Street’s legendary music venues host artists of every genre, from blues and jazz to rock and country. Meanwhile, in the Big Easy, Bourbon Street has its own slew of bars and jazz clubs, while the rest of the French Quarter charms architecture lovers with its colourful buildings decorated with wrought-iron balconies. 

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A shorter but no less glorious adventure, an RV ride along Montana’s Going-to-the-Sun Road offers natural wonders in spades. It extends 50 miles (80km) over Glacier National Park, edging past vast glossy lakes and forest-clad peaks, and looking down upon dramatic gorges and flower-strewn valleys. A portion of the road is usually closed from October through to June, so check the NPS website before you set out.

The road grants photo-worthy views at every turn and parking spots line its expanse. Best of all is Logan Pass: the highest spot you can reach in your vehicle, it crosses the Continental Divide at a dizzying height of 6,646 feet (2,026m). In summer, duck into the Logan Pass Visitor Information Center (pictured), where you can learn more about the spectacular scenery and wildlife you've been seeing.

Epic ocean views are the highlight of this 113-mile (182km) route, which begins close to Miami and stretches out through the Florida Keys, right down to the quirky island city of Key West. A decent portion of the route is above the water, including the famous Seven Mile Bridge, which juts out from Marathon. Driving this open road, stopping to explore colourful cities and wildlife-rich refuges, is the ultimate way to discover the Keys.

The Bahia Honda State Park is a great place to make a splash – the clear, gentle waters are perfect for snorkelling and kayaking, and they’re fringed by pristine bands of sand. At the southernmost tip of the Keys, you’ll find Key West. Here you can grab a drink and duck into quirky shops on the city’s historic Duval Street. Be sure to take a ferry out to Dry Tortugas National Park, home to hulking Fort Jefferson too. 

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There’s no more iconic journey than the long and winding Route 66. Made even more famous by rock songs and blockbuster movies, the road begins in Santa Monica, California and strikes east across states including Arizona, New Mexico and Oklahoma, before curving northward to end in Chicago, Illinois. The route spans a total of 2,448 miles (3,940km). 

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Route 66’s famous roadways are peppered with RV parks and all manner of roadside attractions, from landmark retro diners like Mr D’z in Kingman, Arizona to curious art installations such as Amarillo’s psychedelic Cadillac Ranch. Round off your trip with world-class art and architecture in Chicago, from sculptures in Millennium Park to the soaring skyscrapers of the city’s Magnificent Mile. And remember that the true highlight is the wide, open road.

The California coast was made for road-tripping and the Pacific Coast Highway (or Highway 1) is the queen of all routes. Travel south along the roughly 590-mile (950km) stretch from San Francisco to San Diego and you’ll see the many faces of this diverse state, from lush wine regions and sandy shores to thrumming cities.

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More than 100 miles (161km) south of San Francisco, Big Sur is the most famous portion of the Pacific Coast Highway. It stretches for around 90 miles (145km), its forested crags plunging towards sandy strands and frothing Pacific waters – you won't miss arching Bixby Bridge, a popular photo stop. Further south still is sun-drenched Santa Barbara, whose key sight is Old Mission Santa Barbara (pictured), an 18th-century Spanish mission. The highway tails off in San Diego where you can feast on Cali-Baja cuisine and discover the city’s diverse neighbourhoods.

The Blue Ridge Parkway is often touted as “America’s favourite drive” and it’s not difficult to see why. It spans two states and 469 beautiful miles (755km), forming a diagonal line westward from Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The route grants heart-stirring vistas across the fog-cloaked Appalachian Highlands, plus wineries and comfortable places to park your motorhome.

The parkway is bookended by two glorious national parks, each one home to diverse wildlife, hiking routes and postcard views. But beyond these big hitters, there are plenty of sights en route. Top attractions include North Carolina's Craggy Gardens, a curious slice of the countryside known for its rhododendrons and twisting trees. Another popular NC stop is Linville Falls, a three-tiered cascade that’s an easy hike from the Parkway. 

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