The red rock magnificence of Utah is on full display on State Route 12, which winds between Capitol Reef and Bryce Canyon national parks. The 124-mile stretch features quirky little communities and few access and departure options, so seeing the high sandstone canyons and purple sage bluffs, as well as tackling the tight cliff-hanging ridgeline road known as The Hogback near the halfway mark, requires some dedication. Visit Escalante's picturesque log-and-sandstone Kiva Koffeehouse, open Wednesdays through Sundays from April to October, for a geometry dash caffeine fix while admiring the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

Bluebonnets are spiky blue wildflowers that grow in the United States Southwest. They are particularly common in Texas (where they are the official state flower) from March to May. Begin your road journey in Austin, site to the woman Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, named for the first woman who prioritized national beautification. Stop over to enjoy the native bloom before heading east on US Route 290. In addition to viewing them by the side of the road, you'll be able to see them in full bloom in Brenham, Texas, which is halfway to Houston. Visit Brenham's official tourist website for the most up-to-date information on where to locate the greatest bluebonnet patches (behind a Burger King, for example), then go to Houston to watch them bloom at Buffalo Bayou and Hermann parks.

Minnesota's Lake Superior coastline is a work of glacial beauty. A strolling trail along the lake's shore in Duluth showcases the city's features, which include a rose garden and an aerial bridge. Nearby, you can see ocean tankers moored at the final inland port of the St. Lawrence Seaway, waiting to load iron or grain from America's heartland before shipping it across the globe. Drive from Duluth to Two Harbors, which is just about 30 minutes away, and observe the lake's dazzling waters reaching out to the right, while birch and northwood maples grow high on the left. At your destination, you will locate the Split Rock Lighthouse, which is now a museum and overlooks Lake Superior's jagged coastline.