Road Trip: Famous Routes

It might seem impossible to drive from Alaska to Argentina-but with a passport handy, that's a road trip people can take! The Pan-American Highway is a system of connected roads and highways that travel roughly north to south through North and South America. Readers learn about the many environments travelers would drive through on such a journey as well as the history of the highway. Full-color photographs illustrate the many cool destinations along the way as fun fact boxes suggest places to see along the route.

During the early 1800s, it was difficult and expensive to transport goods from the East Coast to the Great Lakes region. The Erie Canal connected these two areas, causing a population boom in western New York and encouraging settlement around the Great Lakes. Readers learn the history of this important canal through the main content and fun fact boxes, and also discover the many ways travelers can use and enjoy the canal today. Full-color photographs introduce cool destinations near the canal and showcase the locks and other canal structures still in existence.

For more than three decades in the mid-1800s, the Oregon Trail was the main way settlers traveled west. Today, people can visit parts of this historic trail, and even walk where pioneers did as they made their way to new lives in the Pacific Northwest and California. Complemented by full-color photographs, the main content addresses the historical context of the trail to supplement the social studies curriculum. Fact boxes offer tips to those traveling along the trail and suggest cool, quirky, and fun destinations near it.

The man who conceived of the Appalachian Trail believed that time outdoors was good for a clear mind. Millions of people couldn't agree more and hike the trail each year! In addition to the history of this famous trail, readers learn some of the coolest hikes they can go on along the trail as well as the national parks they might find along the way. Fact boxes introduce more information about where to go when on a road trip near the Appalachian Trail, and full-color photographs show a sneak peak of the gorgeous foliage and scenery the trail is known for.

No road in the United States is more iconic than Route 66. From a song named after the route to being a setting in famous books On the Road and The Grapes of Wrath, Route 66 has made an impression on American popular culture. Through this lens, readers are introduced to the almost 100-year old highway as well as the many fun road trip stops along its length. Fun fact boxes offer interesting historical context and destination suggestions as full-color photographs highlight this famous road.

The Pacific Coast Highway, or PCH, has inspired five songs, two albums, and many people who travel its scenic length in California. Part of California Route 1, the Pacific Coast Highway is one of the most beautiful drives travelers can take in the United States, as much of it overlooks the Pacific Ocean! The full-color photographs of this route will transport readers to the West Coast as the main content describes the highway's history and trajectory. Tips for road trips along the PCH and cool destination ideas are included, in addition to fun fact boxes that give even more information.