Road Trip! Those words immediately conjure up thoughts of adventure on the open road. This is presented to those who want to see this beautiful country, while staying off those boring interstates. Our choice for the best two-lane road across the United States is US Route 50.

US Route 50 - Coast to coast through the heartland.

1. Running from sea to shining sea, US-50 runs through the heartland of America. You'll pass through a dozen different states, four state capitals, and hundreds of small towns which have not been taken over by Walmarts or shopping malls.

2. From the Appalachian, Rocky and Sierra Nevada Mountains, to the farmlands of the Great Plains, US-50 crosses some of the most beautiful landscapes this country has to offer.

3. Starting in San Francisco, US-50 cuts across California's midsection, through Sacramento, then following the old Pony Express route into the Sierra Nevada and Lake Tahoe.

4. It will take you through the Great Basin desert into Utah, then climb onto the red-rock country of the Colorado Plateau.

5. Continuing east, you'll cross the Continental Divide atop the Rockies then follow the Arkansas river along the historic Santa Fe Trail and Wild West country.

6. The route will then take you across the Great Plains of Kansas with one small town after another, complete with general stores, cafes, and post offices.

7. After bisecting Missouri from Kansas City to St. Louis, US-50 crosses the Mississippi into the agricultural heartland of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio.

8. Finally, US-50 climbs over the Appalachian backwoods of West Virginia, then down into Washington, DC and the shores of Maryland.