All of our time-saving technology has done one thing: occupied our much valuable time. Instead of hoping on a plane to your next vacation getaway, why not enjoy the journey getting there? If you want to unplug, engage and to really experience life while there is still time, set out on the open road to see things you can only dream of. Take time away from the doldrums of your ordinary life to do something extraordinary, if for nothing than to say you did! Try some of these amazing road tours for your next vacation.

Route 66 from California to Illinois

Route 66

To see America, the real America, take a ride on the famous Route 66. Why so famous? The reason is because this highway runs through the heart of the country, literally. There are some places in the next state that seem like another world. Immerse yourself seeing things that are in your own backyard. You get to witness those little pieces of heaven that are missed when in a hurry to get somewhere. Take the time to stop at the small sights, the large ones and everything in between.

Columbia River Scenic Highway, Oregon

Columbia River Highway

This is one of the oldest highways in America and the most awe-inspiring America has to offer. The landscape is miraculous the entire 75-mile-length of it. Drive it in a day on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, or take your time stopping to see everything along the way. You can make it a short getaway, or expand it to take a month from beginning to end. From waterfalls to mountains to cliffs, you can reconnect with nature. Disengage from your smart devices and see what nature presents to you. It is spectacular, and it is something that must be done before leaving this earth.

Great River Road, Louisiana to Minnesota

Great river road, Credit- Pinterest

Worlds apart, not in distance but in culture, this is a ride that will allow you to see just about everything imaginable. Some of the biggest legends of history lived along this route. From Mark Twain to Muddy Waters to Bob Dylan, take this trip to see where greatness was born, made, and how they made a mark on the psyche of Americans across the nation. From the Midwest to the Deep South, you can experience cultures that seem worlds apart, but are all American.

Overseas Highway, Key West to Miami Florida

Overseas Highway, Credit, Pinterest

This is one of the most beautiful waterway drives there is on earth. 120 miles from end to end, crossing over causeways and bridges to reach your destination. With water so clear it looks more like glass, the original ride was completely decimated in 1935 and rebuilt as a highway. Your car will feel more like a sailboat taking you from one beautiful sea view to another. Pause along the way to partake in fish fries, or stop at some tourist traps. Though only a couple hour’s trip, you can make it last for days if you want to see it all.

The Loneliest Road, Nevada

Loneliest road, Credit, unusualplaces.org

For those who want some real solitude and serenity, this is a drive that is wonderfully “boring”. A section of Highway 50 is almost nothing but beautiful scenery. From mountain ranges to pine forests, you will see some of the most magnificent nature scenes without all the distractions. There are some gas stations and cafés along the way to stop for a spell, but the best of it can be found in the solace of calm afforded by the trip.

Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway, Utah

Fruita Canyon, Colorado National Monument, Credit-travel.nationalgeographic.com

Put your car on autodrive and just keep going. This amazing “thunder lizards” highway allows you to get a glimpse of the way life used to be before humans modernized it. Craters and cliffs outline the route with quarries, and geological formations abound. For the history buff, this trip is more like paradise. Be dumbfounded in the way that the world used to be before we put our human footprint on it.

This year, make your vacation something really spectacular. The old-fashioned way of seeing the country has been lost on all the time-saving modes of transportation. Sometimes it is best to stop and smell the roses along the way. If you don’t pause to open up your eyes, you could really miss out on some amazing things.

Steve Olsen is the digital manager for the top Tempe auto body repair shops