The Best of the United States: Route 66, Yosemite, and Everything America has to Offer
Route 66 runs 2,448 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica, but the half that matters most only takes a few days. The crossing between Albuquerque and the California coast takes you through red canyon country and Joshua tree flats, past desert towns that peaked in the 1950s and largely stayed there. A private luxury vehicle rental is the best way to experience this uniquely American road. Several operators along the route specialize in vintage convertibles and high-performance cars that suit the scenery better than anything off a standard lot.
Santa Monica marks the end of the road, but California is just beginning. Five hours north, Yosemite National Park has over 750,000 acres of granite and ancient sequoias. Yosemite Falls drops 2,425 feet into the valley floor, which makes it the tallest waterfall in North America. Some of the best luxury hotels in the United States were built around this landscape, treating the park as the main amenity instead of just the backdrop.
Beyond the West, luxury travelers find entirely different experiences across the country. The mountain towns of Aspen and Jackson Hole combine world-class skiing with private lodges, fine dining, and exclusive outdoor adventures. In the Northeast, coastal retreats in Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard offer historic charm, sailing excursions, and some of the country's most coveted summer estates. Farther south, Florida's Gulf Coast pairs white-sand beaches with championship golf, luxury resorts, and private yacht charters, while Hawaii delivers volcanic landscapes, helicopter tours, and some of the most secluded beachfront accommodations in the United States.
The American West is only one side of the country. New Orleans speaks for the South from its French Quarter, and Nashville anchors a stretch of American music heritage that runs all the way to the Smoky Mountains. Further northeast, the cobblestone streets of Boston carry the weight of a country that was written into existence there. The United States is simply too large to see in one trip, which is exactly why most people who start in the West find themselves planning the return before they've made it home.