Who hasn’t dreamed of traveling cross country, seeing hidden gems of the U.S. up close and personal? While we know the Great American 5000 is virtual, we want to recreate that same feeling of seeing things that feel once in a lifetime, and of experiencing unique slices of Americana that you didn’t know existed. Weird roadside attractions, beautiful state parks, stretches of nothing, booming cities, small mom and pop staples—we want to feature it all. The miles might bring us together, but there’s also a feeling of national pride. These towns, cities, and counties hold so much history and have so many stories —and we want to bring those stories to life. If you have any information that you think we should feature about somewhere along the route please email us at [email protected].

Here are just some of the highlights you’ll encounter along the course!

California

Golden Gate Bridge
San Francisco
Iconic two-mile bridge that connects San Francisco to Marin County
Mile 0
Start Line

Sea Lion Sculpture
Sausalito
Sculpted by local artist Al Sybrian in 1957
Mile 4.2

Waldo Point Harbor
Sausalito
A view from a lookout point here is where Otis Redding conceived the song “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay.”
Mile 6.3

Bothin Marsh Preserve
Mill Valley
This 106-acre wetland is home to diverse waterfowl and some endangered species.
Mile 8

Richmond Bridge
Connects San Rafael to Richmond
Mile 17-20

Point Pinole Regional Shoreline
Richmond
Multi use trail network known for its eucalyptus woods and bluff overlooks
Mile 28

Jelly Belly Factory Tour
Fairfield
A self-guided walk along the elevated, ¼ mile long tour lane gives you a bird’s-eye view of the entire operation.
Mile 58

Leisure Town
Vacaville
This city within a city is the perfect place to relax in retirement.
Mile 72

Old Sacramento Waterfront
Sacramento
National historic landmark founded in 1849
Mile 110

American River
Sacramento
Three river forks merge at the Folsom Reservoir which then flows through Sacramento
Mile 111-134

Wild Chickens Roam the Streets
Fair Oaks
A wild flock of chickens — mostly roosters — strut anywhere they please around town.
Mile 131

Eldorado National Forest
Pollock Pines
Its elevation ranges from 1,000 feet to more than 10,000 feet above sea level along the Sierra crest.
Mile 195

Lake Tahoe
Freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada Mountains
Mile 225

Nevada

State Line
Welcome to The Silver State
Mile 226

Nevada State Railroad Museum
Carson City
Dedicated to the preservation of Nevada’s railroad history
Mile 251

The Washoe Club & Haunted Museum
Virginia City
A historic saloon with a seriously haunted past… and present
Mile 260

Republic of Molossia
Dayton
A sovereign, independent nation, located in and completely surrounded by territory of the United States
Mile 270

Fort Churchill State Historic Park
Army post built in 1861 to provide protection for early western settlers
Silver Springs
Mile 287

Pony Express Route
Mail service route in the 1860s between Missouri and California
Mile 289-300

Cold Springs
Fallon
Pony Express Station
Mile 375

Stoke’s Castle
Austin
Built in 1897 by mine developer and railroad magnate, Anson Stokes
Mile 426

Eureka County
Known as “The Friendliest Town on the Loneliest Road”
Mile 495

Utah

State Line
Welcome to the Beehive State
Mile 632

Lincoln Highway Bridge
A reminder of the 20^th century Good Road Movement and development of the National Highway Program.
Mile 700

Aunt Libby’s Dog Cemetery
Skull Valley
Owners Horace and Libby Rockwell operated Point Lookout, a Pony Express Station, in the 1860s.
Mile 722

Provo Canyon
Provo
Home to the Sundance Film Festival
Mile 787

Deer Creek State Park
Wallsburg
State Park filled with activities along the Provo River and Deer Creek Reservoir
Mile 793

Chicken Creek East Strawberry Reservoir
West Portal
Local area known for its ice fishing
Mile 822

Northern Ute Veterans Monument
For Duchesne
Memorial plaza honoring Ute tribal member military veterans
Mile 900

Dinosaur National Monument
Jensen
The park borders Utah and Colorado, but dinosaur fossils are only visible on the Utah side.
Mile 935

Colorado

State Line
Welcome to The Centennial State
Mile 952

Town of Dinosaur
Town located just south of the Dinosaur National Monument
Mile 954

Steamboat Springs
Yampa Valley
The city’s geothermal hot springs are said to have therapeutic properties and, oh yeah, they’ve got world class skiing, too
Mile 1,082

Hot Sulphur Spring
Parshall
Mile 1,153

Pioneer Village Museum
Sulphur Springs
Features a skiing exhibit which depicts how the now booming industry began
Mile 1,153

Winter Park Resort
Winter Park
This destination resort receives over 326 inches of snow annually and offers 166 different runs for skiers of all levels.
Mile 1,178

Golden Gate Canyon State Park
Golden
35 miles of trails and several campsite areas – you can even stay in a yurt!
Mile 1,210

American Mountaineering Center
Golden
Home to The American Alpine Club, Colorado Mountain Club and the American Mountaineering Museum.
Mile 1,225

Coors Brewery
Golden
Open since 1873, this is the largest single-site brewery in the world!
Mile 1,225

Confluence Park
Denver
Kayak down the South Platte River before heading into the city.
Mile 1,237

Larimer Square
Denver
Historic area known as Denver’s First Block
Mile 1,238

Colorado State Capital
Denver
The Colorado State Capital features Corinthian architecture, constructed with Colorado white granite, and a gold dome, which was added in 1908 to commemorate the Colorado Gold Rush.
Mile 1,239

Denver
As a long-time participant in the Sister City International program, Denver has been linked to Brest, France since 1948.
Mile 1,239

High Plains Raceway
Deer Trail
Amateur road racing facility that is owned and operated by local racing clubs.
Mile 1,298

Last Chance
This now ghost town used to be a last stop when leaving Denver.
Mile 1,314

Kansas

State Line
Welcome to The Sunflower State
Mile 1,400

St. Francis
Cheyenne County
Most populous area in Cheyenne County
Mile 1,416

South Fork Republican River
Follow along the river as you traverse Kansas
Mile 1,421-1,438

Nebraska

State Line
Welcome to The Cornhusker State
Mile 1,438

Swanson Lake and Swanson Reservoir State Recreation Area
Swanson Lake
One of the largest recreation areas in southwest Nebraska
Mile 1,470

Indianola
This tiny town is home to only 256 households.
Mile 1,506

Nebraska Prairie Museum
Burlington
The museum celebrates Nebraskan history and is home to the annual Nebraska State Hand Cornhusking competition.
Mile 1,567

Pioneer Village
Minden
Old western town which prides itself on its extensive ‘Americana’ collection.
Mile 1,590

Tabor Hall
Dorchester
Serves as the social hub for Saline County
Mile 1,688

Stagecoach Lake
Hickman
This 195-acre lake is the perfect destination for a day on the water.
Mile 1,714

Lewis and Clark Interpretive Trails and Visitors Center
Nebraska City
Focuses on the flora and scientific discoveries recorded by the Lewis and Clark Expedition
Mile 1,762

Missouri River
The longest river in North America.
Mile 1,762

Iowa

State Line
Welcome to The Hawkeye State
Mile 1,762

Oskaloosa
The small town in mentioned in the Johnny Cash song “I’ve Been Everywhere”
Mile 1,964

William Penn University
Oskaloosa
The school was founded by Quakers
Mile 1,964

State Theater
Washington
Guinness World Record holder for longest continually running cinema theater
Mile 2,015

Bix Fest
Davenport
Site of the annual jazz festival and of the Bix 7 road race, both commemorating musician Bix Beiderbecke
Mile 2,085

Illinois

State Line
Welcome to The Prairie State
Mile 2,086

Mississippi River
This great waterway flows through 10k states – Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana.
Mile 2,086

Great River Trail
Moline
Paved trail that stretches 60 miles along the Mississippi River
Mile 2,086-2,089

Hennepin Canal Locks
This canal was built to link the Illinois and Mississippi rivers. The majority of the locks and aqueducts are still in place.
Mile 2,100-2,159

Pecumsaugan Creek-Blackball Mines Nature Preserve
North Utica
Known for its abandoned limestone mine and bat colonies.
Mile 2,180

Illinois River
This 273-mile river flows west to join the Mississippi River near Grafton.
Mile 2,182

Illinois and Michigan Canal
Morris
Follow this 96-mile trail which weaves through numerous state parks and historical sites.
Mile 2,214

HellsGate Haunted House
Lockport
A must see adventure in October!
Mile 2,241

Willow Springs Woods
Willow Springs
Forest preserve
Mile 2,260

Ping Tom Memorial Park
Chicago
Named after civic leader, Ping Tom, who formed the Chinese American Development Corporation.
Mile 2,279

Agora
Grant Park
Modern sculpture comprised of 106 headless 9-feet cast iron figures.
Mile 2,280

Museum Campus
Chicago
Public park near the business district which is home to the city’s three most notable museums: Adler Planetarium, Field Museum of Natural History, and Shedd Aquarium.
Mile 2,282

Indiana

State Line
Welcome to The Hoosier State
Mile 2295

Valparaiso Popcorn Festival
Valparaiso
Celebrating our favorite snack and former resident, Orville Redenbacher
Mile 2,328

Amish Country
Nappanee
Mile 2,384

Mid-America Windmill Museum
Kendallville
Over 50 historic windmills. A real eye-catcher on a breezy day.
Mile 2,422

Ohio

State Line
Welcome to The Buckeye State
Mile 2,448

Dum-Dums Lollipop Factory Tour
Spangler candy company offers a trolley tour of the factory(!)
Bryan
Mile 2,461

Napoleon
The 4000k mark on the course
Mile 2,485

National Tractor Pulling Championships
Bowling Green
Mile 2,509

Huntington Beach
Bay Village
Mile 2,605

Cleveland Script Sign
Cleveland
Mile 2,618

The West Woods
Novelty
Mile 2,640

Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center
Fremont
His is the first presidential library, built in 1916
Mile 2,682

Pennsylvania

State Line
Welcome to The Keystone State
Mile 2,682

Black Moshannon State Park
Rush Township
The highest point along the course east of the Mississippi River (2,400 ft.)
Mile 2,835

Grange Fair
Centre Hall
Since 1874, where people pitch tents and sleep on site at the fair
Mile 2,864

Penn’s Cave & Wildlife Park
Centre Hall
“America’s only all-water cavern & farm-nature-wildlife park”
Mile 2,852

Bucknell University
Lewisburg
Mile 2,908

Knoebels Amusement Resort
Bloomsburg
America’s largest free admission amusement park
Mile 2,932

Giant Rooster
Nescopeck
You’ll pass by a giant rooster statue outside a laundromat on your right between Mercer and Broad Streets.
Mile 2,946

New Jersey

State Line
Welcome to The Garden State
Mile 3,020

Thomas Edison National Historical Park
West Orange
The former home and laboratory of the state’s most famous. See where such breakthrough technologies as movie cameras, sound recordings, and batteries first saw the light of day.
Mile 3,073

George Washington Bridge
Crossing the Hudson River into NY
This double decker span is the busiest motor vehicle bridge in the world. Just don’t get stuck in one of Chris Christie’s traffic jams.
Mile 3,093

New York

State Line
Welcome to The Empire State
Mile 3,093

Little Red Lighthouse
Lafayette Plaza
The Jeffrey’s Hook lighthouse sits beneath the George Washington Bridge
Mile 3,093

Coogan’s Bluff
Highland Park
Once the site of the Polo Grounds, home of the New York Giants baseball team. You’ll also see Yankee Stadium off to your left across the Harlem River.
Mile 3,095

Harlem
Borough of Manhattan
Internationally known as the Black Mecca celebrating African American culture
Mile 3,097

Central Park
Manhattan
The busiest urban park in the U.S. and the backdrop to countless iconic movies
Mile 3,099

Balto the Dog Statue
Central Park
Heroic sled dog that helped relay medicine over 700 miles through blinding snow and subzero temperatures to save children during a diphtheria outbreak in Nome, Alaska in 1925
Mile 3,101

Fifth Avenue
Manhattan
One of the most expensive and elegant streets in the world. Do you keep running or stop and take time to window shop?
Mile 3,101

The Museum of Modern Art
Manhattan
Holds one of the largest collections of modern art in the world.
Mile 3,101

Empire State Building
Manhattan
Visitors can see 80 miles into N.Y., N.J., Conn., Pennsylvania and Mass. on a clear day
Mile 3,102

Flatiron Building
Manhattan
Uniquely shaped triangular building designed by Daniel Burnham in 1902
Mile 3,103

Union Square Greenmarket
Manhattan
Outdoor food and flower market open four days a week
Mile 3,103

Williamsburg Bridge
Manhattan into Brooklyn
Carrying rail, trolley and roadways for carriages and pedestrians, it was one of the last major bridges designed for the horse and carriage
Mile 3,106
Finish Line
You made it!