Highest-rated scenic drives in California by visitors

Written by:
September 2, 2025
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Highest-rated scenic drives in California by visitors

There's no shortage of scenic drives to take in the United States. According to the National Scenic Byway Foundation, 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 centennial celebration 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—it's on the shorter side at only 34.5 miles long.

For those looking to take to the open road, Stacker compiled a list of the best scenic drives in California using data from Tripadvisor 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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Tripadvisor

#30. Big Morongo Canyon Preserve

- Rating: 4.6/5 (138 reviews)
- City: Morongo Valley
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#29. Mt Baldy Road

- Rating: 4.4/5 (59 reviews)
- City: Mount Baldy
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#28. Colorado Boulevard

- Rating: 4.3/5 (255 reviews)
- City: Pasadena
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#27. Newton B Drury Parkway

- Rating: 4.9/5 (191 reviews)
- City: Orick Humboldt County
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#26. Old Coast Road

- Rating: 4.6/5 (114 reviews)
- City: Big Sur
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#25. Lost Coast Scenic Drive

- Rating: 4.5/5 (164 reviews)
- City: Ferndale Humboldt County
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#24. Tioga Road

- Rating: 4.8/5 (377 reviews)
- City: Lee Vining
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#23. Santa Barbara Scenic Drive

- Rating: 4.5/5 (329 reviews)
- City: Santa Barbara
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#22. Donner Pass

- Rating: 4.8/5 (45 reviews)
- City: Truckee Lake Tahoe
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#21. June Lake Loop

- Rating: 4.6/5 (122 reviews)
- City: not available
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#20. Rim of the World Highway

- Rating: 4.6/5 (46 reviews)
- City: San Bernardino
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#19. Scenic 49 Mile Drive

- Rating: 4.5/5 (470 reviews)
- City: San Francisco
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#18. Generals Highway

- Rating: 4.6/5 (443 reviews)
- City: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#17. Highway 1 Road Trip

- Rating: 4.8/5 (175 reviews)
- City: San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo County
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#16. Palms to Pines Scenic Byway

- Rating: 4.6/5 (396 reviews)
- City: Palm Desert Greater Palm Springs
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#15. Moonstone Beach Drive

- Rating: 4.8/5 (783 reviews)
- City: Cambria San Luis Obispo County
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#14. Kings Canyon Scenic Byway

- Rating: 4.7/5 (349 reviews)
- City: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#13. Howland Hill Road

- Rating: 4.7/5 (457 reviews)
- City: Crescent City
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#12. Inspiration Point Vista

- Rating: 4.7/5 (362 reviews)
- City: Tahoe City Lake Tahoe
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#11. Artist's Drive

- Rating: 4.6/5 (1,811 reviews)
- City: Death Valley National Park Inyo County
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#10. Chandelier Drive-Through Tree

- Rating: 4.2/5 (642 reviews)
- City: Leggett Mendocino County
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#9. Humboldt Redwoods State Park

- Rating: 4.9/5 (531 reviews)
- City: Weott Humboldt County
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#8. Redwood Highway

- Rating: 4.8/5 (854 reviews)
- City: Eureka Humboldt County
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#7. Mulholland Drive

- Rating: 4.4/5 (883 reviews)
- City: Beverly Hills
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#6. West Cliff Drive

- Rating: 4.7/5 (1,343 reviews)
- City: Santa Cruz
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#5. State Street Underpass

- Rating: 4.3/5 (2,400 reviews)
- City: Santa Barbara
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#4. Tioga Pass

- Rating: 4.8/5 (1,185 reviews)
- City: Yosemite National Park
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#3. Avenue of the Giants

- Rating: 4.9/5 (1,020 reviews)
- City: Humboldt County
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#2. Pacific Coast Highway

- Rating: 4.8/5 (1,682 reviews)
- City: not available
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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Tripadvisor

#1. 17-Mile Drive

- Rating: 4.4/5 (12,758 reviews)
- City: Monterey Monterey County
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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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