The perfect summer road trip is as much about the journey as it is the destination. Nonetheless, time-strapped weekend travelers will want to minimize their drive time in order to make the most of their getaway.

California's scenic Highway 1 is at its best near Big Sur, where rugged coastline meets incredible views of the Pacific Ocean. One of the highway's most iconic stretches is set to reopen just in time for summer.

Pack up the car and head to Virginia's Shenandoah National Park to experience Skyline Drive. This 105-mile-long scenic stretch runs along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains and takes about three hours to complete.

Cruise Texas Hill Country this summer to see how Austin is keeping it weird and why they call Bandera, Texas the Cowboy Capital of the World.

Ocean City is among the most popular family-friendly vacation destinations in America and located within a reasonable driving distance from Baltimore, Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia. Head down early and stay late to avoid sitting in traffic on summer weekends.

A road trip from Los Angeles to Las Vegas takes about four hours, leaving visitors plenty of time to explore Sin City. Book one of the city's unique and luxe hotels and make the most of pool season this summer.

Pennsylvania's Poconos is a relaxing summer hangout offering plenty of fun for outdoor enthusiasts. What's more, the scenic mountains, forests and lakes are less than a two-hour drive from both Philadelphia and New York City.

The three-and-a-half-hour drive from Miami to Key West is a beautiful one that takes road trippers over the scenic Seven Mile Bridge and past a slew of attractions, including some stellar seafood restaurants.

The Great Smoky Mountains are within a reasonable driving distance of Nashville, Atlanta and Charlotte so you're entire weekend won't be spent on the road. In addition to natural attractions and scenery, the region offers traveling families a variety of entertainment, including Dollywood.

Michigan's Mackinac Island is a unique vacation experience where visitors must leave their cars behind before hopping on a ferry. Start your road trip in Chicago or Detroit and see why TripAdvisor named it the top summer destination in America for 2018.

Travelers beginning their Lake Tahoe trip in the Bay Area can reach their destination in under three and a half hours and the views along I-80 and Route 50 will provide plenty of pleasant distractions.

Road trippers can complete the drive from Boston to Maine's Acadia National Park in under five hours. Unfortunately, the highest rocky headlands along the U.S.'s Atlantic coastline tend to get crowded in the summer so be sure to have a backup plan such as nearby Bar Harbor, one of the best spots for whale watching.

Some of the most tourist-friendly destinations in the Pacific Northwest, Seattle and Vancouver, are separated by just under three hours. Begin your road trip in Portland and you can add another fun city to your itinerary and only three extra hours to your drive time.

Don't sleep on Cleveland as a surprising Midwest destination. The lakeside city is home to one-of-a-kind attractions like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as well as scenic experiences at nearby Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Cleveland is roughly a two-hour drive from Pittsburgh to the southeast and Columbus to the southwest.

Colorado's Trail Ridge Road spans nearly 50 miles between Estes Park and Grand Lake inside Rocky Mountain National Park just a little more than an hour outside of Denver and provides travelers with tremendous views of mountain peaks, forests and wildlife.

Lake of the Ozarks is a premier summer vacation destination as it offers some of the best opportunities for boating, fishing, hiking and shopping in the Midwest. Better yet, it's less than a three-hour drive from Kansas City and St. Louis.