Highest-rated scenic drives in California by visitors

There's no shortage of scenic drives to take in the United States. According to the, there are 184 designated byway routes with beautiful vistas, as well as historic and cultural sites across the country. That means, no matter where you are in the U.S., a stunning drive isn't too far away.

Some drives have reached celebrity status, one of the most well known being Historic Route 66, which stretches from downtown Chicago to Santa Monica Pier in California. Since 1926, travelers have been hitting the 2,448-mile road that has more than 250 sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2026, a will feature dozens of special events along the route.

Other famous drives include the Pacific Coast Highway in California, which hugs 650 miles of the state's coast; the Natchez Trace Parkway, a historic 444-mile route from Tennessee to Alabama and Mississippi; and the highest fully paved road in North America, Colorado's Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway, which sits at a cool 14,264 feet at its peak.

Of course, there are plenty more drives that may not be as famous but are just as alluring. The Highland Scenic Highway in West Virginia gives riders a picturesque view through the Monongahela National Forest. Make a pit stop in the Cranberry Glades for an unusual sight: bogs full of carnivorous plants. Further north, the Kancamagus Scenic Byway in New Hampshire is a particularly beautiful drive as the leaves turn in the fall and won't take you too long to drive鈥攊t's on the shorter side at only 34.5 miles long.

For those looking to take to the open road, compiled a list of the best scenic drives in California using data from as of August 2025. Note that Tripadvisor ranks attractions using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, a drive with a 5/5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4/5. Only routes with at least 20 reviews were included.

Once you locate the closest scenic drive, gather your favorite passengers, turn on an epic playlist, and take in the beauty that California has to offer.

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#30. Big Morongo Canyon Preserve

- Rating: 4.6/5 (138 reviews)
- City: Morongo Valley
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#29. Mt Baldy Road

- Rating: 4.4/5 (59 reviews)
- City: Mount Baldy
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#28. Colorado Boulevard

- Rating: 4.3/5 (255 reviews)
- City: Pasadena
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#27. Newton B Drury Parkway

- Rating: 4.9/5 (191 reviews)
- City: Orick Humboldt County
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#26. Old Coast Road

- Rating: 4.6/5 (114 reviews)
- City: Big Sur
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#25. Lost Coast Scenic Drive

- Rating: 4.5/5 (164 reviews)
- City: Ferndale Humboldt County
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#24. Tioga Road

- Rating: 4.8/5 (377 reviews)
- City: Lee Vining
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#23. Santa Barbara Scenic Drive

- Rating: 4.5/5 (329 reviews)
- City: Santa Barbara
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#22. Donner Pass

- Rating: 4.8/5 (45 reviews)
- City: Truckee Lake Tahoe
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#21. June Lake Loop

- Rating: 4.6/5 (122 reviews)
- City: not available
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#20. Rim of the World Highway

- Rating: 4.6/5 (46 reviews)
- City: San Bernardino
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#19. Scenic 49 Mile Drive

- Rating: 4.5/5 (470 reviews)
- City: San Francisco
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#18. Generals Highway

- Rating: 4.6/5 (443 reviews)
- City: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park
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#17. Highway 1 Road Trip

- Rating: 4.8/5 (175 reviews)
- City: San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo County
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#16. Palms to Pines Scenic Byway

- Rating: 4.6/5 (396 reviews)
- City: Palm Desert Greater Palm Springs
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#15. Moonstone Beach Drive

- Rating: 4.8/5 (783 reviews)
- City: Cambria San Luis Obispo County
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#14. Kings Canyon Scenic Byway

- Rating: 4.7/5 (349 reviews)
- City: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park
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#13. Howland Hill Road

- Rating: 4.7/5 (457 reviews)
- City: Crescent City
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#12. Inspiration Point Vista

- Rating: 4.7/5 (362 reviews)
- City: Tahoe City Lake Tahoe
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#11. Artist's Drive

- Rating: 4.6/5 (1,811 reviews)
- City: Death Valley National Park Inyo County
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#10. Chandelier Drive-Through Tree

- Rating: 4.2/5 (642 reviews)
- City: Leggett Mendocino County
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#9. Humboldt Redwoods State Park

- Rating: 4.9/5 (531 reviews)
- City: Weott Humboldt County
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#8. Redwood Highway

- Rating: 4.8/5 (854 reviews)
- City: Eureka Humboldt County
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#7. Mulholland Drive

- Rating: 4.4/5 (883 reviews)
- City: Beverly Hills
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#6. West Cliff Drive

- Rating: 4.7/5 (1,343 reviews)
- City: Santa Cruz
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#5. State Street Underpass

- Rating: 4.3/5 (2,400 reviews)
- City: Santa Barbara
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#4. Tioga Pass

- Rating: 4.8/5 (1,185 reviews)
- City: Yosemite National Park
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#3. Avenue of the Giants

- Rating: 4.9/5 (1,020 reviews)
- City: Humboldt County
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#2. Pacific Coast Highway

- Rating: 4.8/5 (1,682 reviews)
- City: not available
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#1. 17-Mile Drive

- Rating: 4.4/5 (12,758 reviews)
- City: Monterey Monterey County
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This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 29 states.

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