Towering Bluffs and Palisades are common sights along the Upper Mississippi Great River Road
While places like Yellowstone National Park and the Florida Keys are unique and interesting places to visit, you’ll also find competing with large crowds and the cost of lodging, camping, dining and entertainment makes a heavy hit on your wallet. On Scenic Pathways we prefer to feature less well-known and affordable scenic and interesting places to visit.
Join us in getting off the Interstate and the busy highways. Discover stress-free Scenic Drives, and their unique towns and attractions.
Less Well-known yet Scenic and Interesting Road Trips
New Article:
Scenic Road Trip: Wisconsin Great River Road – Top things to see and do from Dubuque to La Crosse
Some of our favorite scenic drives
~Upper Mississippi Great River Road Scenic Byway
One of our favorite scenic drives is along the Upper Mississippi Great River Road (see maps and articles here). During this section of the Great River Road National Scenic Byway, much of the scenic drive runs along the actual river itself and through picturesque smaller towns who owe their founding to an era when travel along the Great River was the primary means of moving goods and people north and south. The picture (above) shows a view from Effigy Mounds National Monument Park located on the top of one of the many bluffs that line the river along the Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota scenic drives.
Most Popular Articles on Traveling the Great River Road
- Great River Road Attractions – Savannah, IL to Dubuque, IA – Things to see and do from the Savannah Palisades Park to the historic river towns of Galena and Dubuque
- Great River Road Attractions – Red Wing, MN to Wabasha, MN – Best attractions along the Minnesota Great River Road from Red Wing to Wabasha
- Top River Road Attractions – McGregor, IA to LaCrosse, WI – Cruise the shops in quaint McGregor and experience the picturesque drive along the Wisconsin Great River Road.
- Top Things to See and Do in Dubuque, Iowa – Iowa’s oldest city has loads of fun things do and places to see, including its River Walk parkway.
- Best River Road Campgrounds – See our profiles of the best campgrounds along the Wisconsin Great River Road
~Florida Gulf Coast Scenic Drive
See our article on Visiting Pensacola Beach
Our Gulf Coast Scenic Drive series contains articles on interesting towns and places along the Florida Gulf Coast from Pensacola to Apalachicola and as far south as Cedar Keys, a Gulf resort beach community about 150 miles south of Tallahassee. One important feature of the attractive communities along this scenic drive is they are less crowded with tourists than South Florida. You can actually find a campsite or get a table at a neat restaurant or pub without an advance reservation.
Travel Articles Florida Gulf Coast Scenic Drive
- Scenic Hwy 98, Traveling the Gulf Coast Drive – Pensacola to Destin
- Traveling Scenic Highway 30A – Destin to Rosemary Beach
- Visitor Attractions Scenic Hwy 98 Gulf Coast Drive – Panama City to Apalachicola
- Traveling Scenic Hwy 98 Gulf Coast Drive – Apalachicola to Cedar Keys
Articles on Some Favorite Gulf Coast Drive Visitor Attractions:
- Visiting Cedar Key, Gulf Coast Island Village. A fun resort town on the Gulf away from throngs.
- Fort Pickens – Gulf Islands National Park
Excellent uncrowded beaches, hiking trails, top quality campground, and interesting military history. - Attractions in Apalachicola – The most fun and unique Gulf Coast town that doesn’t have a decent beach :-).
- Things to See and Do in Historic Pensacola
Attractive historic city whose roots trace back to the earliest European settlements.
See Reviews of the Top Florida-Mississippi Gulf Shore Campgrounds for RVs
~Mississippi Alabama Scenic Gulf Drive
See our Mississippi-Alabama Gulf Drive Travelogue on things to see and do from Bay St. Louis, Mississippi to Gulf Shores, Alabama.
Fun things to see and do in Old Town Bay St. Louis
We were pleasantly surprised at all Dauphin Island had to offer without having to compete with large crowds of vacationers. A decent campground and RV park with walking distance to an expansive gulf beach, an east-west bike trail and uncrowded streets allow you to bike anywhere on the island, an interesting bird sanctuary, a friendly visitor center and museum, three fine beaches on the gulf, and many more interesting visitor attractions. See our article on Top Things to See and Do on Dauphin Island.
~Natchez Trace National Parkway
The Natchez Trace is a Scenic Stress-Free Drive, packed with many historical and nature attractions
One of America’s first national roads and designated National Parkways, the Trace runs North from historic Natchez, MS to just south of Nashville, Tennessee. Due to the absence of truck traffic it provides a nicely paved ride past rural woods and fields devoid of commercial signs and heavy traffic. Many historic structures along the Trace have been preserved and hundreds of historic markers tell the story of key events along the road. It’s a pretty drive, especially when the rose buds and dogwoods are in bloom, and very relaxing. It is why Mike and Jen of RVlifestyle.com call it their favorite road trip in the United States.
- For things to see and do and camping along the Trace, see the beginning of our Natchez Trace Travelogue here.
- Be sure to plan to spend some time visiting historic Natchez, Mississippi at the start or end of your trip. Fascinating walking tours, some excellent restaurants, fun pubs, lots of history and old south charm.
~Wisconsin Cheese Country Scenic Drives
The area of South West Wisconsin has a unique landscape (named the Driftless Area) carved out by the last Ice Age. Travelers driving the rural roads will see an interesting landscape of steep hills, rock outcroppings, fertile valleys, numerous creeks and rivers, and hardwood forests.
Many of the small towns and villages in this region retain their historic cultural ties to their European roots and their restaurants, shops, and annual events reflect this heritage. The unique landscape of miniature mountains and fertile valleys with lots of creeks, streams, and rivers, the area attracted a number of immigrants from Switzerland and they brought with them their cheese making heritage. So world-class cheese are among the gourmet delights of touring this scenic landscape.
Things to See and Do in Monroe, Wisconsin – Monroe is Wisconsin’s Cheese Capital
Top Attractions in Mineral Point, Wisconsin – One of the oldest towns in Wisconsin, filled lots of interesting shops, a world class cheesemaker, and the Pendarvis Historic Site.
Cheese Country Scenic Drives Map & Directory – See our directory of all Cheese Country articles and our scenic drives map with notations on cheese factories, golf courses, RV camping, and other attractions.
Fall Color Drives
- Fall Color at Effigy Mounds National Park
- Favorite Fall Color Drives – Upper Midwest
- Fall Color Drive to Lake Itaska, Headwaters of the Mississippi River
- River Road Fall Color Pictures – La Crosse to Red Wing
Some Popular Scenic Travel Articles
- Top Great River Road Road Trips: See our Upper Mississippi Great River Road Map and Directory on top scenic drives along the Mississippi River.
- Great Road Trip along the historic Natchez Trace National Parkway – Save gas, avoid stress, and enjoy beautiful natural scenery on one of America’s first National Roads
- Travelogue > Things to See and Do along the Florida Gulf Coast Scenic Drive
- Hidden Gulf Coast Gem: Top Things to Do in Cedar Key, Gem of the Hidden Coast Cedar Key is Ranked by USA Today in America’s Top Ten Small Town Culture Scenes.
- Best Restaurants in Cedar Keys – Fun Pubs, Cafes, Ocean Views, Great Seafood
- Cedar Keys Wildlife Refuge: Cedar Keys Nature and Hiking Trails
- Visiting Dauphin Island: Things to See and Do on Dauphin Island
Here are some of other popular Scenic Pathways travel articles you might enjoy:
- St. Croix Interstate Park & Campground along the St. Croix National Scenic River. See our beautiful fall color pictures. The park offers camping on both sides of the river and some terrific hiking and scenery along the canyon rim of the river.
- Agate and Rock Picking on Lake Superior Beaches Finding pretty rocks and agates is a favorite pastime on Lake Superior’s uncrowded and expansive sand beaches.
- Hot Springs National Park & Campground
One of the oldest National Parks with an interesting history, historical spas, and a terrific network of day hiking trails and scenic overlooks.