Interesting interstate drives

[Quillz]

I know this doesn't count as it's not an Interstate, but US-26 between roughly Oregon 6 and Interstate 5 in Portland is very beautiful. I've been spending my summers up in the Newport and Portland areas of Oregon for about four years now and I always love that quick transition US-26 has between the rolling hills and farmland west of the metropolitan area, the suburbs of Beaverton and then the actual city of Portland. But my favorite part of the route is between Beaverton (roughly Oregon 217) and Portland (where US-26 and I-405 meet.) It travels through a forested area, near the Portland Zoo, and the highway gets narrow as it's nestled right between the hills. Then it tunnels under another hill and suddenly you're in Portland. Not sure if I explained it very well, but it's just really neat how quickly the scenery changes.

[agentsteel53]

US-26 is generally a very scenic route.  I really like it in eastern Oregon; and also in Wyoming.

[corco]

US-26 is generally a very scenic route.  I really like it in eastern Oregon; and also in Wyoming.

Pretty solid in Idaho too- especially from ~Carey east. It's not bad in Nebraska, either, for that matter. You get the sort of extreme southern sandhills, Chimney Rock, Lake McCounaughy.

Agreed in Wyoming except for that chunk from Shoshoni to Casper- that is in my opinion the worst drive in the country- it's full of drunks going from Riverton to Casper, there's a shocking amount of traffic driving recklessly, it's remarkably flat and boring (you don't pass through ANYTHING)- just overall a horrible drive.

[agentsteel53]

Pretty solid in Idaho too- especially from ~Carey east.

indeed.  though it does go through a lot of potato country west of there  

It's not bad in Nebraska, either, for that matter. You get the sort of extreme southern sandhills, Chimney Rock, Lake McCounaughy.

I've only done that section at night, unfortunately - and only from Scottsbluff west.  I hear 71 heading from 30 to 26 is nice, but, again, only at night.

Agreed in Wyoming except for that chunk from Shoshoni to Casper- that is in my opinion the worst drive in the country- it's full of drunks going from Riverton to Casper, there's a shocking amount of traffic driving recklessly, it's remarkably flat and boring (you don't pass through ANYTHING)- just overall a horrible drive.

don't forget downtown Casper.  On this very same night that I keep alluding to, the lights were set flashing yellow/flashing red, and apparently for drunks in large pickup trucks, flashing red means "floor the shit out of it".  It was lucky that this intersection - at which US-26 with me on it had the yellow - was a wide enough boulevard that I could see someone approaching at what must've been 80mph in a 30 or 35, with absolutely no intention of stopping to give me right of way.  As far as I can tell, he ran every single flashing red on that cross street.  The things you do when there is minimal traffic and you assume there is none at all...

[hbelkins]

Let me add the detested I-99. I think it's a pretty drive too.

[njroadhorse]

My most favorite drive is a short one - only the first 4 miles of Interstate 80 in New Jersey, but it is gorgeous, especially in the fall.

Interstate 81 in Virginia from Blacksburg to Winchester is kinda cool too, with the mountains in the distance on both sides.

US 211 over the Shenandoah is absolutely beautiful, as is US 501 over the Blue Ridge.

Interstate 84 in Putnam County, NY is pretty nice.

[Ian]

There are a number of interstates where I think the ride through the city they go through is pretty neat. A few examples...

I-290 through Worcester, MA
I-95 through Providence, RI, Richmond, VA, New York City, and Wilmington, DE
I-787 through Albany, NY
I-395 through Washington, DC
I-676 through Philadelphia, PA
I-84 and I-91 through Hartford, CT
I-91 through Springfield, MA

[Quillz]

I-40 in California follows much of the original US 66 and thus passes by many ghost towns and some very rural desert en route to Needles and Kingman. It also skirts by the northern edge of the Joshua Tree National Monument, which is rather beautiful.

[Alps]

There are a number of interstates where I think the ride through the city they go through is pretty neat. A few examples...

I-290 through Worcester, MA
I-95 through Providence, RI, Richmond, VA, New York City, and Wilmington, DE
I-787 through Albany, NY
I-395 through Washington, DC
I-676 through Philadelphia, PA
I-84 and I-91 through Hartford, CT
I-91 through Springfield, MA

Best ride in NY is I-278 on the Gowanus.  I like many of your choices after that, but not the Hartford freeways.  Another neat one is US 1 in Trenton, which was originally considered for I-95.  For that matter, I-95 through Philly definitely tops a couple of your other city choices.  And if it's not full of traffic, I-93 in Boston new and old were both unique experiences.

[CL]

I-70 in Utah between Salina and Green River travels through the San Rafael Swell, which is absolutely incredible. There's a section (I think Spotted Wolf Canyon) that reminds me of I-15 through the Virgin River.

[Ian]

For that matter, I-95 through Philly definitely tops a couple of your other city choices.

I-95 in Philly is meh. I guess that is because I have done it so many times.

And if it's not full of traffic, I-93 in Boston new and old were both unique experiences.

That is a pretty neat ride too. Going under the tunnel than back onto the Zakim Bridge is pretty neat. I-90 through the tunnels to the airport is kinda cool too.

[agentsteel53]

not an interstate, but 401 in Toronto has to be seen at least once.

[KEK Inc.]

I know this doesn't count as it's not an Interstate, but US-26 between roughly Oregon 6 and Interstate 5 in Portland is very beautiful. I've been spending my summers up in the Newport and Portland areas of Oregon for about four years now and I always love that quick transition US-26 has between the rolling hills and farmland west of the metropolitan area, the suburbs of Beaverton and then the actual city of Portland. But my favorite part of the route is between Beaverton (roughly Oregon 217) and Portland (where US-26 and I-405 meet.) It travels through a forested area, near the Portland Zoo, and the highway gets narrow as it's nestled right between the hills. Then it tunnels under another hill and suddenly you're in Portland. Not sure if I explained it very well, but it's just really neat how quickly the scenery changes.

I love US-26 through the summit.  Traffic can be rough on the Sunset, and I wish the speed limits were higher.

[Duke87]

I-495 (LIE) westbound approaching the midtown tunnel. Manhattan looms ahead of you, you enter the tunnel, then you emerge in the midst of it. I can only imagine what this must be like for someone who's never been to New York before.

[corco]

don't forget downtown Casper.  On this very same night that I keep alluding to, the lights were set flashing yellow/flashing red, and apparently for drunks in large pickup trucks, flashing red means "floor the shit out of it".  It was lucky that this intersection - at which US-26 with me on it had the yellow - was a wide enough boulevard that I could see someone approaching at what must've been 80mph in a 30 or 35, with absolutely no intention of stopping to give me right of way.  As far as I can tell, he ran every single flashing red on that cross street.  The things you do when there is minimal traffic and you assume there is none at all...

Without having any numbers to back it up, I'd bet Fremont/Natrona counties have the highest percentage of drunk drivers in the country- I've been behind some legitimately wasted people (there would be no other explanation by their driving behavior- massive speed variation, swerving all over the road, random braking) on multiple occasions in both those counties.

I can't think of a single occasion in any other county in the country where I've been around drivers that have been so obviously intoxicated

[agentsteel53]

I thought northwest New Mexico got the drunken award.  Plenty of awfully inebriated drivers there...

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

I thought northwest New Mexico got the drunken award.  Plenty of awfully inebriated drivers there...

Nah, Louisiana has everyone beat.

[brownpelican]

I-40  near  Flagstaff  is  always  gorgeous  any time of the year.  I-25  between  Santa Fe  and Las Vegas  is another  interstate  with  wooded   medians.  I-10  in  Louisiana   is one I enjoy  with   the high  bridges  over the bayous  and rivers around  Lake  Charles  and  Baton Rouge.

I agree with both. I have to add the Bonnet Carre Spillway eastbound as well (I-10 between Laplace and I-310). On a good day, you can't beat going over the hump, curving right and BAM, before you lies Lake Pontchartrain and in the distance, the New Orleans skyline.

I also include:
* I-55 between Brookhaven and Crystal Springs, Miss.
* I-580 between Tracy and I-980 in Oakland

[Brandon]

I thought northwest New Mexico got the drunken award.  Plenty of awfully inebriated drivers there...

Nah, Louisiana has everyone beat.

More than likely.  You can buy a daquiri from a drive thru there.

[thenetwork]

The best stretch of I-90 in Ohio hands down is the short 3-4 mile stretch of Westbound I-90 from East 72nd Street to Dead Mans Curve @ The Innerbelt.

From this stretch, you get your first real up-close look at Lake Erie from I-90 (the closest I-90 ever gets to any of the Great Lakes) and on a good day in the summer you are able to see at least 30+ miles down the shoreline to Avon Point (noted by 2 giant smokestacks at a power plant) and be able to see some beautiful blue/green water.

Even in the winter, it could look cool to see a giant white frozen-over lake with interesting ice formations where the water hit the breakwalls, depending on how you cope with long winters in the Midwest.

And its also worth the side trip to ride SR-2/West Shoreway to it's western freeway terminus by Edgewater Park & back.  Even the view of downtown heading back east from Edgewater is breath-taking.

[rte66man]

I35 from OKC to the Texas state line is pretty boring except for the Honey Springs Pass through the Arbuckles.  Its especially interesting if you are southbound. From the top of the pass (abt mm48), you can see al the way to Ardmore (mm30). For Oklahoma, that's pretty darn impressive.

[RustyK]

I-5 south of Bellingham, WA, where it does a little bit of winding through the mountains is nice, especially when it's not raining.  I also enjoy I-5 south of Seattle, just for the view of Rainier.  It hangs over the roadway for a few miles - it's like driving into a post card.
Agreed on I-90 around the Continental Divide area, basically there are stretches of 90 from Missoula out to Butte that are really pretty.  The area immediately around the Gorge in WA is fun as well, the rapid descent and ascent and that bridge; the wind farm on the western side provided a lot of entertainment for my kids on the last trip through there. It's not super pretty to look at or anything, but I always enjoy the fact that the floating bridge across Lake Washington here in Seattle is just that - a floating bridge. 
I-94 through western North Dakota is nice - around the Teddy Roosevelt National Park.  The painted canyons offer a pretty view. 

[SSOWorld]

Any of the interstates going inbound to Chicago - except when fog rolls over.

[Brandon]

Any of the interstates going inbound to Chicago - except when fog rolls over.

Looking forward, yes, very interesting.  Looking to the side, no so much.  Trying to drive with the morons during rush hour, priceless for interesting.   
Just don't get stopped on I-55 near Stickney and the main waste water treatment plant for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District.  Then the smell tends to get very interesting. 

[Scott5114]

I35 from OKC to the Texas state line is pretty boring except for the Honey Springs Pass through the Arbuckles.  Its especially interesting if you are southbound. From the top of the pass (abt mm48), you can see al the way to Ardmore (mm30). For Oklahoma, that's pretty darn impressive.

Yeah, the Arbuckles are pretty neat. If you really want to have a blast, take the Davis exit and switch over to US 77, and follow it through Springer. You get some honest-to-god hairpin turns on 77. But I think in general, I-35 south of OKC is a tad bit more interesting than north of OKC to Kansas.