The Midwest is the crossroads of America—a region where long, open highways meet friendly towns, rolling farmland, and Great Lakes shorelines. Covering Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan, the Midwest offers a rich blend of rural charm, industrial heritage, and natural beauty. Whether you’re navigating the wide cornfields of Iowa or hugging the rocky shores of Lake Superior, the region’s roads are built for exploration.
This is where iconic byways like Historic Route 66 and the Great River Road converge with scenic loops around glacial lakes and wooded hills. In places like southern Missouri and northern Wisconsin, the terrain becomes unexpectedly dramatic—filled with bluffs, rivers, and forested stretches. Meanwhile, cities like Chicago, Minneapolis, St. Louis, and Cleveland serve as vibrant urban hubs offering cultural detours, architectural wonders, and food scenes worth the stop.
From Michigan’s winding coastal routes and ferry-linked peninsulas to Ohio’s Amish country and Indiana’s covered bridge trails, the Midwest is full of surprises. It’s a region best experienced slowly, with the windows down and a cooler in the backseat. These are the roads that define the heartland—and they’re ready for your next great American drive.
![Interstate 57: Cairo to Mt. Vernon ~ Illinois [Revisited]](https://mail.openroadarchive.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/wg13hzhqi68maxresdefault.jpg)
Drive 92 miles north along Interstate 57 from Cairo to Mt. Vernon, Illinois, traveling from river lowlands to rolling farmland. This quiet southern Illinois interstate segment offers open views, smooth pavement, and a steady Midwestern driving experience connecting rura…
Drive northbound on Interstate 57 from Sikeston, Missouri to Cairo, Illinois, following a 22-mile stretch through the Bootheel’s flat farmland and open skies as the highway approaches the Mississippi and Ohio River region.
Drive east on U.S. Route 60 from Poplar Bluff to Sikeston, Missouri, covering 51 miles of a modernized highway corridor built to near-Interstate standards and forming part of the future I-57 alignment across southeast Missouri.
Drive northbound on U.S. Route 67 from Neelyville to Poplar Bluff, Missouri. This 16-mile segment features a two-lane highway alongside I-57 construction, a four-lane transition at U.S. 160, and a major directional split with U.S. Route 60.
Take a short drive down Branson’s Yellow Route along James F. Epps Road. From Shepherd of the Hills Expressway to Roark Valley Road, this 1.2-mile connector passes schools, shopping, Stockstill Park, and Roark Creek—capturing both the community and scenic side of th…
Explore Branson’s 3.5-mile Blue Route, a quick bypass from Roark Valley Road to Gretna Road that blends Ozark scenery with easy access to theaters, shops, and attractions—all without the congestion of 76 Country Boulevard.
Explore Branson’s Yellow Route — a three-mile drive from Green Mountain Road to Fall Creek Road. This connector bypasses the Strip, passing hotels, mini-golf, condos, neighborhoods, and wooded Ozark hills.
Take a drive along Taney County Route 165 in Branson, Missouri, a 5.5-mile tour through the city’s Red, Blue, and Yellow Routes. From the Shepherd of the Hills Expressway to Green Mountain Drive, this connector highlights Branson’s clever bypass network around the S…
![Interstate 69: Interstate 64 to Evansville – Indiana [Revisited]](https://mail.openroadarchive.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/ipbohcyijqqmaxresdefault.jpg)
Follow Interstate 69 for 21 miles from the I-64 interchange to Evansville, Indiana. This detailed route narrative highlights rural farmland, suburban growth, and key junctions including IN-57, IN-66, and IN-662 before ending at U.S. 41 on Evansville’s south side.
Take a 4K POV drive through the Drop-Off and Rideshare Entrance at Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Ridgedale, Missouri. See how to access the venue with ease before your next concert or event.
Take a drive along Interstate 155 from Dyersburg, Tennessee to Hayti, Missouri, a short but vital 27-mile route linking the Delta to the Bootheel. Featuring wide farmland views and a dramatic Mississippi River crossing at Caruthersville, this connector highlights the ro…
Travel 110 miles along Interstate 44 from Tulsa, Oklahoma to Joplin, Missouri, following the Will Rogers Turnpike past Claremore, Vinita, and Miami, with landmarks like the Will Rogers Memorial and the famous Vinita service plaza.