Romanticized in movies and TV shows, a summer road trip can be an excellent way to see this great country of ours.  Once you have found the right vehicle to head out in, one that hopefully will provide you with some great fuel mileage, but if not maybe you chose a performance player that you can test its wares on the highway around twists and turns.  Regardless of the vehicle of choice, seeing the nation on a road trip is just about as American as taking a backpacking tour of Europe used to be European.  The only question that remains is “what states should you visit?”  That’s why I’m here, to help you with a great list of fun states to take a road trip through and enjoy, so let me be your tour guide and let’s see where you should drive this summer.

Oregon

Oregon offers you a wide set of views of waterfalls, beautiful forests, scenic views from the roads and loads of fun attractions to take in and enjoy.  Whether you want to enjoy the Willamette Valley or you feel like taking a drive through a forest filled with Douglas firs the Beaver State is one that you will not soon forget when you come to visit.  Take some extra spending cash on this trip though because lodging and driving through Oregon is more costly than most of the other states in the country.

Nevada

Las Vegas aside, Nevada has a vast wilderness of desert with rolling hills, part of the mountain ranges and some amazing views that will simply take your breath away.  Red Rock Canyon and the Hoover Dam are both well worth the time and drive to see them and there are plenty of camping spots in the state if that is what you would like to enjoy.  Of course your road trip might not be compete without a trip to Las Vegas to enjoy some of the night life on the strip of lights that will certainly give you some fun and excitement of a different variety.

Minnesota

Late in the summer is a great time to come to Minnesota and visit the State Fair.  Of course the state of 1,000 lakes is a beautiful place to drive through and see the awesomeness of the lakes, the Minnesota River Valley, Historic Bluff Country and Gunflint Trail.  You can spend some nice slow time fishing and camping in a state that will certainly allow you to really kick back and take it easy while you visit Minnesota.

Washington

Mountains, forests, coastlines and a wide variety of awesome attractions await you in the Evergreen State.  Washington, which is situated in the corner of the Pacific Northwest of the country offers some great roads to let your car show you how it can handle the roads and terrain as you get to enjoy the views and looks of the beauty of the state.  Coming to Washington means you have traveled through other states on your way, unless you happen to live in Washington, and you can certainly make this the turning point on your road trip as you see the natural wonders offered.

Ohio

This might not be the first state on your list, and the reputation of the Midwest might have you thinking of boring flat states, but Ohio actually has part of the Appalachian Mountain range as well as bordering Lake Erie, giving you a great variety.  When visiting Lake Erie you can take in the fun of Cleveland, especially the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and head west toward Columbus to enjoy the gorgeous capital city of this surprisingly scenic state.  If you delay your trip until late in September you can even enjoy the beauty of the falling leaves as well as the fun of the Country Living Fair which is always a great time.

Utah

As a mostly unspoiled natural beauty in the country, Utah is covered in desert wilderness and a multitude of national parks.  Taking a trip to the Great Salt Lake for a swim in the only saltwater lake in the world or enjoying the long picturesque drives through the state can give you a great way to relax, kick back and unwind.  Utah may not come up first on your list of great states to take a road trip through, but it certainly should rank high on your list with the great expanse of beauty and nature offered in Utah.

Wyoming

Another very much undisturbed state is Wyoming and putting Utah and Wyoming together as states to visit can give you one of the greatest national road trips ever.  Of course you have to see Yellowstone National Park when you go to Wyoming and there are some awesome places to camp throughout the state, which helps you keep the cost of lodging to a minimum.  Beautiful forests and mountains make the Cowboy State one that allows you to fully understand why this was a state where some of the roughest westerners came from during the Old West.

Colorado

Visiting Denver, the Rocky Mountains and many of the national parks in Colorado will give you a visit you will never forget.  Driving Trail Ridge Road in the Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the most amazing drives you can ever have.  Even during the summer you can find some areas to enjoy downhill skiing in Colorado, which gives you a completely different type of fun from what you would normally have during the summer.  Colorado may be one of the most beautiful places you can ever visit and you might plan several other road trips through this awesome state.

North Carolina

North Carolina is one of the only states in the entire country to offer you every view and climate you can imagine save a desert.  With the Appalachian Mountains offering a variety of driving and hiking features along with a generous amount of national and state parks you will find it all in North Carolina.  Some of the most famous light houses dot the coastline and outer banks of North Caroline to give you some fun and excitement.  No matter what the type of views you are in search of, North Carolina will have you coming back time and again and makes a great place to make a road trip to the East Coast lots of fun.

Idaho

Idaho is an interesting state to visit and makes a great way to get to the West through a scenic route.  The Rocky Mountains sit on the perimeter of the state and there are huge parts of the state that have become national parks and forests which have been maintained in their natural beauty.  As another fairly well kept secret, you will have lots of fun visiting Idaho and be surprised by the looks and environment you can really enjoy this summer.

From this list you can easily see heading to the west over the summer is a great way to travel and have lots of scenic driving and relaxation. Starting in North Carolina and working your way through Ohio, Minnesota, Idaho and Washington and then coming back through Oregon, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada and Colorado can give you a full and complete road trip that shows you some of the most beautiful scenery this country has to offer and certainly will make you feel great about living in this awesome country and driving your great road trip vehicle along some of the best roads in America.