Alright, let's talk about the ultimate American road trip. Forget Route 66 for a second. I'm talking about its older, bigger brother: the Lincoln Highway. This is the OG cross-country road, a ribbon of asphalt & stories stretching from the chaos of Times Square to the cool fog of San Francisco. Driving it today isn't just a trip; it's like traveling through time. You see America in a way that’s raw, real, & absolutely unforgettable. So, buckle up, because I'm going to give you the insider scoop on how to tackle this legendary highway like a pro.

Here's the thing you have to understand about the Lincoln Highway: before it existed, driving across the country was a pipe dream. In 1913, when the highway was dedicated, there were basically no paved roads outside of cities. You had a patchwork of dirt lanes, wagon trails, & maybe some gravel if you were lucky. The idea of a "highway" was revolutionary.

Enter Carl G. Fisher, an auto industry entrepreneur who saw the future. He and his buddies at the newly formed Lincoln Highway Association envisioned a continuous, improved road connecting the Atlantic to the Pacific. They wanted to "See America First," & they knew that good roads were the key. This wasn't a government project; it was a passion project funded by private donations & memberships. They named it after Abraham Lincoln, creating the first national memorial to him, years before the big one in D.C. was finished.

The original route was a beast, over 3,300 miles long, winding through 13 states. It was an adventure, to say the least. Early travelers dealt with everything from mud pits & failed bridges to a serious lack of gas stations. A famous U.S. Army convoy in 1919 took two full months to make the trip, highlighting just how tough the conditions were. But they did it, & in doing so, they sparked the American love affair with the open road.

So, you want to drive it. Awesome. First, a little prep. You're not going to just plug "Lincoln Highway" into Google Maps & have it work perfectly. That’s part of the fun. The original route has been realigned, bypassed by interstates, & in some places, it's nothing more than a gravel track.

Your new best friend is the Lincoln Highway Association (LHA). Seriously. Their website is a treasure trove. They have an incredible, super-detailed interactive online map that shows every single alignment of the highway over the years. It's powered by Google Maps & you can even print sections. They also have a ton of resources, including links to state-specific chapters & guidebooks. If you're serious, consider Brian Butko's book, "Greetings from the Lincoln Highway," it's pretty much the bible for this trip.

There's even a Lincoln Highway app for your phone that gives turn-by-turn directions for the original 1913 route & points out memorable stops along the way.

When to Go? Spring & fall are your best bets. You'll dodge the brutal summer heat in the western deserts & the snow that can make a lot of the high-altitude sections in Wyoming impassable during winter. A 15 or 20-day itinerary is a good starting point to do the whole thing without feeling rushed.

The Lincoln Highway is not one single experience; it’s a collection of them. The vibe changes dramatically as you cross the country.

You start in the most insane place imaginable: Times Square, New York City. The eastern terminus is at 42nd Street & Broadway. Getting a photo there is a must, but honestly, finding a place to park your car is the first real challenge of the trip. This is where a service like Prked comes in clutch. It connects you with people who have empty driveways or garage spots for rent. You can find a safe, affordable spot to leave your car for a few hours while you soak in the starting line madness.

Once you escape the city, you’ll wind through New Jersey, which is full of revolutionary war history. Think old taverns, battlefields, & charming main streets.

But Pennsylvania… man, Pennsylvania is where the Lincoln Highway really comes alive. They call their 200-mile stretch the "Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor," & it's basically a roadside museum. This is where you'll find the really quirky, iconic roadside attractions. You've got the Shoe House in Hallam, a giant boot you can tour. There's also the Coffee Pot in Bedford, a massive percolator-shaped building that used to be a diner. My personal favorite is Mister Ed's Elephant Museum & Candy Emporium, which is exactly as weird & wonderful as it sounds.

To really get in the spirit, you have to stop at the Lincoln Highway Experience Museum in Latrobe. It’s a fantastic little museum with vintage gas pumps & a restored tourist cabin that gives you a real feel for what early auto travel was like.

As you roll west, the landscape flattens out & the cities get farther apart. In Ohio, you can still drive on some of the original brick-paved sections of the highway, which is pretty cool. Stop at the Canton Classic Car Museum to see some of the vehicles that would have made this trip in their heyday.

Indiana, the "Crossroads of America," has some beautifully preserved sections. In Elkhart County, you can see restored tourist cabins from the 1920s that were built specifically for Lincoln Highway travelers. The route is well-marked here with distinctive red, white, & blue signs.

Then you hit the wide-open spaces of Illinois & Iowa. The drive becomes meditative. You’ll cross historic bridges & pass through countless small towns that feel like they haven't changed in 50 years. In Jefferson, Iowa, climb the Mahanay Bell Tower for incredible panoramic views of the cornfields stretching to the horizon.

Nebraska is where you really start to feel like you're heading west. The highway here follows the path of the Great Platte River Road, an old pioneer trail. The must-see stop is in North Platte: the Golden Spike Tower. It gives you an 8-story-high view of the world's largest railroad yard. It's a mind-blowing display of transportation history, all in one spot. Driving across Nebraska, you realize how much open land there still is, & you can imagine homeowners along the route making a little extra cash. It’s a perfect opportunity for them to use a service like Prked to rent out their empty driveway or garage to travelers or even as a storage spot for someone's project car. It’s a simple side hustle that helps both the homeowner & the traveler.

This is where the scenery gets REALLY dramatic. As you enter Wyoming, the highway starts to climb. The most iconic landmark on this entire stretch is the Lincoln Monument, a massive 12-foot-tall bronze bust of Abe Lincoln that sits at the highest point of the original highway, 8,835 feet above sea level. The views are just breathtaking. Nearby, you'll also find the Wyoming Frontier Prison in Rawlins, which offers fascinatingly creepy tours. And don't miss Little America, a legendary roadside oasis with a famous penguin statue.

Utah offers up some of the most surreal landscapes of the trip. You'll drive right by the Bonneville Salt Flats, a vast, flat expanse of white salt that stretches as far as the eye can see. This is where land speed records are broken, & if conditions are right, you can actually drive out onto the salt. It's an otherworldly experience. The highway then takes you through the stunning Echo Canyon before dropping into Salt Lake City.

Nevada is home to the stretch of U.S. 50 famously dubbed "The Loneliest Road in America," which follows part of the Lincoln Highway's path. They aren't kidding. You can drive for what feels like an eternity without seeing another soul. But the emptiness is part of its beauty. The route takes you through old mining towns like Eureka & Austin. For a detour, the wonderfully preserved silver rush town of Virginia City is well worth the side trip.

Finally, you cross into California. The highway splits, with one route heading over the Sierra Nevada via Donner Pass. As you descend, you're rewarded with one of the most beautiful sights in the country: Emerald Bay in Lake Tahoe. The brilliant blue water surrounded by mountains is the perfect welcome to the Golden State.

The last leg takes you through Sacramento & Oakland. Crossing the Bay Bridge into San Francisco, you follow the final miles to the Western Terminus in Lincoln Park. There’s a marker there, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, where you can finally stop, take a deep breath, & reflect on the incredible journey you just completed. Finding parking here is, predictably, a nightmare. It’s another perfect spot to check Prked & find a local homeowner renting out their garage or driveway, saving you the headache & the exorbitant cost of a public garage.

Part of the charm of this trip is staying in places that feel like a part of the highway's history. While you can find modern hotels everywhere, I highly recommend seeking out some of the vintage motor courts & historic hotels.

The absolute crown jewel is the Lincoln Motor Court in Manns Choice, Pennsylvania. It's the last remaining tourist cabin court on the entire Lincoln Highway. You stay in these adorable little 1940s cottages that have been lovingly preserved. It's not fancy, but it's authentic as hell. You can sit on your porch in the evening, just like travelers did 80 years ago.

In Wyoming, the Virginian Hotel in Medicine Bow is a classic Old West hotel that's been standing since 1911. And in Nevada, the Hotel Nevada in Ely has that old-school casino vibe down pat. Staying in these places is just as much a part of the experience as the drive itself.

Driving the Lincoln Highway today is a different kind of adventure than it was in 1913. The road is (mostly) paved, & you’re not going to get stuck in a mud pit. But the spirit of the journey is still there. It's about discovery, about seeing the little towns & quirky sights that the interstates fly past. It’s about connecting with the history of how we, as Americans, fell in love with our cars & the freedom of the open road.

It’s a trip that will leave you with a camera full of photos & a head full of stories. You’ll meet amazing people, eat at classic diners, & see landscapes that will stick with you forever. It’s more than just a road; it’s a piece of living history.

Hope this was helpful. Seriously, if you're even thinking about it, just go. You won't regret it. Let me know what you think when you get back.