Posted on May 11, 2009 by Fiona Hilliard

Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt?  See the US of A in a whole different light with our ‘road less travelled’ recommendations.

• The Tamiani Trail

If you’ve got a couple of days to spare, the 275-mile Tamiani Trail is definitely worth your while.  Stretching from Tampa to Miami, Route 41 cuts straight through the heart of Florida, ruthlessly laying waste to tourist traps and magic kindom clichés along the way.
Your first port of call as you drive south should be Gibsonton, a purpose-built retirement community for sideshow freaks, set up in the 1940s by an 8ft 4in giant of a man called Al Tomiani. Come on, who can truly say they’ve lived until they’ve seen the sight of bearded ladies and 3ft dwarves living together in perfect harmony?  Heading further south, you’ll reach Fort Myers Beach, land of crazy golf courses and home of snappy alligators.
Next on the agenda is America’s smallest post office, blink and you’ll miss it, so look out for mile marker 79.1.  Don’t forget to stop off at “Skunk Ape Research Headquarters” (40904 Tamiami Trail East) where you can learn all about Florida’s enigmatic yeti.  Drive on a little further east for Gator Park Airboat tours and the familiar civilization of Miami’s South Beach. 

• Highway 1 San Francisco to Eureka

You’re in it for the long haul with this one.  This 23-day 360-mile epic drive takes you from the spectacular beauty of the Golden Gate Bridge to the oldy worldy charms of the Victorian town of Eureka.
Along the way, promise to spend a few days at the northern seaside towns of Mendocino, the fishing village of Bodega Bay, famous for featuring in Hitchcock’s The Birds and the national parks of Redwood country. You won’t regret it.

•  Bear Tooth Highway Yellowstone to Montana

Branded as one of the most scenic drives in the US, this route takes you past the jaw-dropping beauty of the Absaroka and Beartooth Mountains, as well as vertiginous forests and twinkling glacial lakes of the high Alpine plateaus.  The road itself is the highest point of elevation in Wyoming and Montana.  The route offers easy access to the northeast entrance of Yellowstone National Park, so there are no buts about spending some time getting back to nature.
You won’t find a route as unspoilt anywhere else in the Northern Rockies-meaning views are spectacular.

Got a ‘road less travelled’ recommendation of your own?  Share your driving experiences by clicking the Add Comment function below.

Written by Fiona Hilliard

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About the Author:  Fiona likes to travel – especially to cities. Her favourites include: New York, London, Copenhagen, Madrid and Lisbon. Just don't mention budget airlines, baggage restrictions, airport security queues…

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