7 Great Road Trips to Take in Nebraska
Nebraska’s highway system crosses several distinct regions, including the Sandhills, the Platte River Valley, the Panhandle, and the Missouri River corridor. Many of the state’s primary routes run long distances with few direction changes, making them well-suited for point-to-point road trips.
The routes below include the Outlaw Trail Scenic Byway, which is notable for its riverside views, and the Lincoln Highway Scenic & Historic Byway, which allows you to stay on one highway for the entire trip. The drives below consist of clearly defined highways and road signage, and a small number of roadside stops that sit directly on or near the main corridor.
Sandhills Journey Scenic Byway
Sandhills Journey Scenic Byway follows Nebraska Highway 2 for 272 miles from Grand Island to Alliance. It is a long, continuous drive with limited urban interruptions, so it works best when you want to stay on one highway for most of the day. The route crosses the Nebraska Sandhills, where the road rises and falls with grass-stabilized dunes and long sightlines. Nebraska Tourism also notes the Nebraska National Forest as a highlight along the byway, along with very limited light pollution. Plan for widely spaced services in the middle sections and use the towns along NE-2 as predictable stops for fuel and food.
Outlaw Trail Scenic Byway
Outlaw Trail Scenic Byway is a 231-mile drive from near South Sioux City to Valentine on Nebraska Highway 12. This road trip stays close to the Niobara River and Missouri River regions, with frequent opportunities to stop in small towns along the route. Nebraska Tourism publishes practical segment distances (for example, South Sioux City to Ponca, then onward through Hartington, Crofton, and Niobrara), which makes it easier to plan a day-by-day itinerary without guessing. If you want the most consistent road-trip rhythm, keep stops short and use a few larger towns for breaks rather than stopping in every community.
Bridges to Buttes Byway
Bridges to Buttes Byway runs 197 miles from Valentine west to the Wyoming border on U.S. Highway 20. It is a practical choice for a full-day drive because it has a clear endpoint and stays on one main highway. Nebraska Tourism describes this route as moving from the Valentine area into the northern Panhandle, and it specifically names Toadstool Geologic Park and Agate Fossil Beds National Monument as two notable stops along the way. Those are certainly the ideal get-out-of-the-car breaks, although keep an eye out for shorter roadside pull-offs along the way.
Lincoln Highway Scenic & Historic Byway
Lincoln Highway Scenic & Historic Byway runs along U.S. Highway 30 from Nebraska’s eastern border to its western border. This is the easiest long road trip in the state to plan because you stay on one signed highway for the entire distance. It also works well in shorter segments, since you can pick any start and end points on US-30 and still be driving the byway. If you want a manageable day route, choose a specific segment between two larger service towns and keep stops limited to locations directly on US-30.
Loup Rivers Scenic Byway
Loup Rivers Scenic Byway runs 150 miles along Nebraska Highways 11 and 91 from Wood River to Dunning. This is a good “mid-length” road trip because the mileage is substantial but still realistic for a single day without rushing. The drive is easiest when you treat it as a point-to-point route, not a loop, since the byway is defined by those endpoints. Plan breaks around towns that sit directly on the highway so you do not lose time on detours. Keep the focus on steady forward travel and short stops to maintain the road-trip feel.
Heritage Highway Scenic Byway
Heritage Highway Scenic Byway follows U.S. Highway 136 for 238 miles between Brownville and Edison. Nebraska Tourism describes it as a route that crosses 10 counties, which helps verify that it is a true long-distance corridor rather than a short local drive. This byway is best as an overnight road trip because 238 miles on a two-lane highway leaves less margin for long stops if you try to complete it in a single day. If you want to keep it simple, plan one primary historic stop and use small towns along US-136 as quick breaks.
Lewis & Clark Scenic Byway
Lewis & Clark Scenic Byway runs 82 miles from just north of Omaha to South Sioux City along U.S. Highway 75. This is a practical half-day road trip with a clear route definition and straightforward navigation. The corridor runs along the Missouri River, so the drive feels more varied than many central Nebraska highways. If you want a clean plan, drive it one-way, pick one or two stops directly on US-75, then return the same day. Keeping stops to a minimum prevents the trip from turning into a string of small detours.
When choosing a trip, start with the kind of landscape you want to drive through and the amount of time you have. Shorter drives work well as out-and-back days, while longer corridors are easier to manage with an overnight stop. Keeping the plan simple, staying on the primary highway, and limiting detours make it easier to cover distance and keep the focus on the drive itself.
