Quirky Scenic Drives to Try This Summer Summer is the ultimate season for freedom, beckoning travelers to ditch the highway and discover the eccentric, the beautiful, and the downright bizarre side of the open road. While famous scenic routes are fantastic, there is a special kind of magic in taking the road less traveled, particularly when that road features odd roadside attractions, incredible natural scenery, and a touch of local whimsy. If your summer plans involve packing up the car, consider these quirky, scenic drives that promise unforgettable memories. The Enchanted Highway: North Dakota
Located in the southwestern part of North Dakota, the Enchanted Highway is a 32-mile stretch of two-lane road that defies the monotony of the open prairie. This drive is a testament to the vision of one man, artist Gary Greff, who decided to populate the rural landscape with massive, world-record-setting scrap metal sculptures. Starting at Interstate 94 near Gladstone and ending in the town of Regent, this drive is a surreal experience.
As you cruise down this route, you will pass incredible installations such as “Geese in Flight,” which holds the record for the largest scrap metal sculpture, “Deer Crossing,” and “Fisherman’s Dream.” Each stop features a paved pull-off, a picnic table, and information about the sculpture. It is an artistic masterpiece in the middle of nowhere, making it one of the most unique, slow-paced scenic drives in the American Midwest. It is best enjoyed in the early morning or late afternoon when the prairie light makes the metal structures glow against the vast sky. The Extraterrestrial Highway: Nevada
If your idea of a scenic drive involves wide-open, arid landscapes and a touch of conspiracy, Nevada’s State Route 375 is a must-try. Known officially as the Extraterrestrial Highway, this road runs for nearly 100 miles near the infamous Area 51. The drive offers stunning, lonely views of the high desert, with jagged mountains, Joshua tree forests, and endless, shimmering heat waves. It is a place where civilization feels incredibly far away.
The quirk factor is high, with alien-themed roadside stops, the most famous being the Little A’Le’Inn in Rachel. This tiny town is a hub for UFO enthusiasts and curious travelers looking for souvenirs. The road itself is a scenic journey through Nevada’s rugged basin-and-range terrain, with the added thrill of scanning the sky for, well, anything unusual. The feeling of being “out there” is palpable, and the stargazing at night is unparalleled, offering a truly otherworldly driving experience. The Road to Hana: Hawaii
While known for its sheer beauty, Maui’s Road to Hana is undeniably quirky due to its chaotic, winding nature. This 64-mile, narrow, and twisting road features over 600 hairpin turns and 50+ one-lane bridges, challenging even the most experienced drivers. However, the reward is unmatched tropical scenery. The drive moves through lush rainforests, past dramatic coastal cliffs, and offers access to hidden waterfalls and black sand beaches.
The “quirk” here is the journey itself, often punctuated by impromptu stops at roadside stands selling fresh coconut water, banana bread, or painted coconuts. It is a slow-motion exploration of Maui’s eastern coast. Key stops include the Wai’anapanapa State Park, known for its black sand beach, and the various roadside waterfalls that you can see without even leaving your car. Driving the Road to Hana is less about the destination and entirely about embracing the slow, hairpin journey through paradise. The Dinosaur Diamond Scenic Byway: Colorado & Utah
For a road trip that combines desert scenery with a prehistoric twist, the Dinosaur Diamond Scenic Byway is a 512-mile loop through Colorado and Utah. This route takes you through some of the most concentrated dinosaur fossil areas in the world. As you drive through spectacular red rock canyons, mesas, and rugged arid landscapes, you can stop at countless quarries, museums, and outdoor sites where dinosaur bones are still visible in the rock.
Highlights include the Dinosaur National Monument, where you can see a wall embedded with over 1,500 dinosaur bones, and the town of Fruita, Colorado, which celebrates “Mike the Headless Chicken.” This mix of deep-time paleontology and small-town Americana makes for a fascinating, engaging, and highly scenic drive. The landscapes are classic Western scenery, featuring arid canyons and dramatic, colorful rock formations that look even more spectacular during the golden hour.
These drives offer a perfect blend of natural beauty, artistic endeavor, and eccentric charm that makes summer road trips truly special. Whether you are searching for aliens in Nevada, giant scrap metal in North Dakota, waterfalls in Hawaii, or dinosaur fossils in the Rockies, these routes prove that the journey is often much more entertaining than the destination. Taking the time to explore these unconventional scenic routes will give you a new appreciation for the diverse landscape and culture of the country, ensuring your summer drive is anything but boring.
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