The second longest highway in the lower 48 states is Route 6. It stretches from Massachusetts and goes through a total of 14 states before hitting the California coastline at Long Beach.
If you want to get a true feel and understanding of America, there is no better way to do it than a long cross country road trip. But, if you’ve got limited time and can only tackle Route 6 on a state by state basis, then you’re not going to miss out.
Here, we’ll cover some of the highlights you’ll find as you travel on Route 6 across California, from the deserts and valleys to the shoreline and National Parks.
Let’s take a look.
National Parks
As Route 6 crosses into California from Nevada, the road runs smack in the middle of three of the best National Parks in the entire system. If you’re game for a little bit of a detour from your road trip, you do not want to miss Yosemite National Park.
If you don’t have the time, you still get close enough traveling down Route 6 to see the edges of the park. The same goes for Sequoia National Park too. For a more direct park experience keep traveling south until Lone Pine and take a quick side trip to Death Valley National Park.
Aviation
For aviation buffs, the next stop you want to head to down Route 6 has to be Mojave. Here, you’ll find a number of different museums and attractions dedicated to flight. Start by taking the self driving tour at the Mojave Air and Space Port, (don’t miss the airliner boneyard!) then check out the Air Force Flight Test Museum,
“Thrill Capital of the World”
If you’re looking for even more thrills, head to Santa Clarita, California home of Six Flags Magic Mountain, dubbed “America’s Best Theme Park” by USA Today. If you love high speed thrill rides like roller coasters, you don’t want to miss this.
To cool off after a day at Six Flags, head over to neighboring Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, a water park that doesn’t hold back on the thrill rides either!
Tinseltown Up Close
For all the movie and television buffs on your road trip, you cannot even think about not stopping in Burbank, California to get a real tv and movie fix. The city and surrounding area is home to major studios like Sony Pictures and Warner Brothers. Both of which offer tours to visitors.
But that’s not all, if you want to get really up close and personal with tv, then consider attending the tapings of some of the most popular shows out there like The Big Bang Theory, Ellen, and Conan.
Relax in Long Beach
After hitting up all the sites in Los Angeles, it’s time to come to the end of your road trip in Long Beach. Which means, beach time and relaxation, let’s face it, after a long trip like that, you’ve earned it.
After you’ve spent a bit of time working on your tan, don’t forget to take in some of the local attractions like the award winning Aquarium of the Pacific, and tour the famous Queen Mary 2.
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Download our free complete Route 6 eBook that includes maps and details of all the destinations you will pass through on this scenic route. These details include local attractions, history, dining and more that you’ll have the opportunity to experience when passing through or staying overnight before continuing your drive. In addition, you can download a printer-friendly version.
