Many college students will come home this summer to cars that have been sitting in the driveway for eight months. And there's no better way to reunite with the forgotten vehicle than by heading out for a stress-free trip on the open road.
But before grabbing a friend and packing up the car, mapping out a route is important. Route 66, U.S. Route 1 and Pacific Coast Highway are three historic road-trip routes that offer scenic views from the car window and roadside attractions as unique as the birthplace of the corndog and the "Mushroom Capital of the World."
Route 66, popularly known as "The Main Street of America," winds through eight states and three time zones, and stretches from Chicago to Los Angeles. The two-lane, 2,448-mile highway was commissioned in 1926, and by 1937 it was paved from end to end. It does not appear on modern maps because interstate highways replaced it.
Liz Risoldi, who graduated from AU last spring, drove from Massachusetts to California with friends after deciding to move to the West Coast. She took Route 40 most of the way, which is part of old Route 66.
"This is probably the fastest route out there, but it also runs through most of the Southern states, which is cool," she said in an e-mail. "We knew that we wanted to take the Southern route, and this seemed like the most efficient way to do so."
Along Route 66, drivers can stop to eat in Springfield, Ill., at the Cozy Dog, the restaurant where the corndog was created in the 1940s.
For bigger appetites, the Big Texan Restaurant in Amarillo, Texas, serves a 72-ounce steak that is free if you can eat it in an hour. Risoldi stopped in Amarillo to see the Cadillac Ranch, 10 graffiti-covered Cadillacs half-buried in dirt.
Toward the end of Route 66 in Inglewood, Calif., you can give in to your sweet tooth at Randy's Donuts. Randy's was made famous by the giant donut on the roof and by appearances in movies such as "Mars Attacks!" and "Coming to America."
For those who prefer to stick to the East Coast, U.S. Route 1, the "Old Post Road," stretches 2,400 miles from Key West, Fla., to Fort Kent, Maine, according to the Web site www.visitnewengland.com.
KOAKampgrounds.com lists tourist sites along U.S. 1, starting in Florida with the Whetstone Chocolates Factory's free, self-guided tour. Heading north into Georgia, road-trippers can visit the "Fruitcake Capital of the World" in Claxton and sample the pastry at local bakeries.
The Legends of Harley Drag Racing Museum in Raleigh, N.C., features six decades of American motorcycle history. In Pennsylvania, U.S. 1 passes through another capital, the "Mushroom Capital of the World," Kennett Square.
Near the end of the road, drivers can visit the Union Oyster House in Boston, the oldest restaurant in America, and the Portland Headlight and Museum in Maine, the second oldest lighthouse in America.
"I ate at the Union Oyster House when I was in Boston," said Samantha Marques-Mordkofsky, a freshman in the School of Public Affairs. "The seafood was great, and the history of the restaurant makes it a worthwhile stop."
A road trip up or down the West Coast on the Pacific Coast Highway offers its fair share of tourist attractions and national parks as well as scenic views of the coastline.
The Pacific Coast Highway took 25 years to build and starts in Tijuana, Mexico, and ends 2,066 miles north in Seattle, Wash., according to the Web site www.roadtripamerica.com.
Along the way, the highway passes Redwood National Park, Channel Islands National Park, San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park and Olympic National Park. The highway also goes through charming coastal towns such as Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara and Monterey.
"At Redwood National Park you can drive an entire car through a tunnel they cut in a tree trunk," said Nic Ravella, a freshman in the School of International Service who visited the park.
In San Francisco you can go sightseeing at the Golden Gate Bridge, Muir Woods and Alcatraz Island, an old prison about a mile and a half off the coast in San Francisco Bay.
"I suggest bringing a picnic basket with you when you visit the Golden Gate Bridge," said Taylor Robinson, a freshman in SPA. "You have a great view of the bay and the bridge from the park."
Route 66, U.S. Route 1 and Pacific Coast Highway are only three of the many routes you can choose to explore. For help with planning your road trip, Amazon.com offers a selection of books on the topic, such as: "Road Trip America: A State-by-State Tour Guide to Offbeat Destinations" by Andrew F. Wood, "Fodor's How to Take a Road Trip" by Wayne Hoffman and "Road Trip USA: Cross-country Adventures on America's Two Lane Highways" by Jamie Jenson.
