This Picturesque Road Trip Is the Most-searched Route in the U.S. - and It Passes by Mountains and Beaches

"It came to its conclusive list after compiling search terms relating to routes, including terms like "road trip," "itinerary," "The loneliest road," "Route 66," and "Hana Highway," and then assessed those terms using Google Keyword Planner to see the average monthly search term figures. The team added that "all search terms for the same routes (i.e., 'Hana Highway', 'Hana Highway road trip') were combined to give an overall monthly figure." The routes were then ranked by the most combined searches."

""Pacific Coast Highway is the most searched-for trip, with an average of over 257,000 monthly searches," the findings revealed. "The route covers the West Coast of America, running across California through Highway 1, and is known for its stunning coastal views. The route takes you along sites like Hollywood's Walk of Fame, Big Sur mountains, and scenic beaches such as Pismo and Huntington Beach.""

"Coming in a distant second is Route 66, which has a still impressive 191,000 Google searches monthly. "Perhaps the best-known internationally, Route 66 initially stretched from Chicago to Santa Monica, covering over 2,400 miles and passing through eight states," the findings added. "While it was removed from the U.S. Highway System in the 1980s, giving way to the interstate, the remaining parts still prove popular, and the historic route even has multiple museums dedicated to its history.""

Rustic Pathways compiled and ranked American road trip routes by combining related search terms and measuring average monthly search volumes via Google Keyword Planner. The compiled keywords included phrases such as "road trip," "itinerary," "The loneliest road," "Route 66," and "Hana Highway," with identical-route searches merged for overall monthly figures. The Pacific Coast Highway topped the list with over 257,000 average monthly searches and notable scenic stops like Big Sur and Hollywood's Walk of Fame. Route 66 placed second with about 191,000 monthly searches and remains popular despite being removed from the U.S. Highway System.

Read at Travel + Leisure