When the summer months roll in, cool off along the great waters of America's Byways. In the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans, or on the great inland seas of the Great Lakes, America's Byways offer plenty of watery adventures.
Get wet in the water or explore the ocean beaches on many of the America's Byways. On the Atlantic Ocean, enjoy the miles of white sand on two of Florida's byways, the A1A Scenic & Historic Coastal Byway and the Indian River Lagoon Scenic Highway. There you might also watch baby turtles pushing through sand, dolphins frolicking in the surf, or whales exploding through the water's surface. Bring a hat, for shade is sparse on these Florida coastlines. Along Maryland's Chesapeake County Scenic Byway, explore the open waters of Chesapeake Bay, sticking to the shallows in a canoe or sailing through the deeper waters. Farther north, the rocky shorelines of the Acadia Byway and Schoodic Scenic Byway in Maine have plenty of cooling breezes, natural wildlife and cultural experiences.
Tide Pools Brim with Marine Life (WA) [3]
In the West, four byways travel the stunning Pacific Coast and its related shorelines. Wade for ocean creatures in tidepools or let ocean breezes cool you on a ferry ride to British Columbia from Port Angeles on the Strait of Juan de Fuca Scenic Byway in Washington. In Oregon, walk below towering cliffs on majestic sand dunes hundreds of feet high, beside miles of wind-shaped beaches on Oregon's Pacific Coast Scenic Byway. Further south, soak, surf or sail in the waters off the Monterey Bay and Big Sur areas of California on two famous Route One byways: Big Sur Coast Highway and San Luis Obispo North Coast Byway.
The vast freshwater sea of the Great Lakes has its own shorelines and waterways where travelers can escape the summer's heat. A drive on the Copper Country Trail in the northernmost forests of Michigan or a day of charter fishing, sailing, or kayaking on the North Shore Scenic Drive in Minnesota will give you plenty of chills on the coolest of the Great Lakes, Lake Superior. Visit Lake Erie and Lake Ontario on the Lake Erie Coastal Ohio Trail in Ohio and the Seaway Trail in Pennsylvania and New York. Take the ferry to Kelleys Island north of Sandusky, and strap on scuba gear to examine plant and animal life beneath the water. At sunset, enjoy a luxurious cruise on Lake Erie and watch the reflections of multicolored fireworks on the dark water. Please don’t go over either the Niagara or the American Falls in a barrel, but you can still enjoy the falls' spray on your face with a cruise on the Niagara River between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.
Kayaking Lake Superior (MN) [5]
When summer months are long and hot, America's Byways offer a variety of places and activities to cool off. No matter if you're guiding a sailboat through blue waters or letting the waves lap at your feet on white beaches, spend your summer months in the outdoors with the natural beauty that the waters of America's Byways have to offer.
