Bixby Creek Bridge
Big Sur's famous arch on Highway 1. Use the dirt pullout on the north side, never the road.
View on map DirectionsBucket-list car photo spots across the US
The famous ones worth the road trip: coastal highways, mountain passes, Route 66 icons and national-park overlooks where you can pull your car into the frame.
25 spots across the US · every one is somewhere you can park and get your car in the shot. Open them on the map.
Hand-picked spots across the US
Tail of the Dragon
318 curves in 11 miles on US 129 at Deals Gap. Pull off only in the overlooks; photographers shoot from the roadside.
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Linn Cove Viaduct
Blue Ridge Parkway's S-curve viaduct around Grandfather Mountain. Use the overlooks.
View on map DirectionsForrest Gump Point, Monument Valley
The famous straight road into Monument Valley on US 163. Pull fully off the road; traffic is fast.
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Cadillac Ranch
Ten spray-painted Cadillacs off I-40 in Amarillo. Park on the frontage road and walk in.
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Seligman Route 66
The town that saved Route 66: retro signs and old storefronts.
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Pikes Peak Highway
Paved road to 14,115 ft with pullouts all the way up. Toll road.
View on map DirectionsTrail Ridge Road
The highest paved through-road in the US, in Rocky Mountain NP.
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Going-to-the-Sun Road
Glacier NP's cliffside road; use the pullouts. Open roughly July to September.
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Tunnel View, Yosemite
El Capitan, Half Dome and Bridalveil Fall from a roadside lot.
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Valley of Fire
Red rock walls along Mouse's Tank Road; pull into the turnouts.
View on map DirectionsSeven Magic Mountains
Stacked neon-colored boulders south of Las Vegas with a dirt lot.
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Mount Washington Auto Road
New England's highest peak by car; toll road with summit lots.
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Bonneville Salt Flats
Endless white salt. Drive on only when it's dry and the access area is open.
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Prada Marfa
The art-installation 'store' on US 90 in West Texas. Pull fully off the highway.
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Enchanted Rock
Pink granite dome in the Hill Country; book a day pass and use the lots.
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Tips for car photos across the US
- Shoot at golden hour or blue hour. The hour after sunrise and around sunset gives soft light without harsh reflections; blue hour is best for skylines and neon.
- Go early on weekends. Popular mural walls and downtown streets are quiet before 9 AM, so you can park right in front.
- Respect the spot. Stay off private lots when asked, don't block traffic and keep the engine noise down in neighborhoods.
- Hide your plate if you want. Check your shot before you post it.
Shot your car at one of these?
Post it on RidePose. The first photo at a spot becomes its cover and puts your name on the spot.
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