8.Route 100, Vermont
PHOTO:DENNIS CURRAN/VERMONTVACATION.COM
Starting point: Stowe, Vermont
The route: 142 miles on VT-100
What to expect: Most roads that traverse this beautiful state are scenic, but the rural Vermont Route 100 (VT-100) is arguably the best of the lot. It puts road-trippers in the perfect position for exploring the Green Mountain villages of Wilmington and Weston and tour the Mad River Valley and Moss Glen Falls. Winter is a charming time to visit this part of Vermont, big on skiing and winter sports. Even if you aren't in the mood for outdoor adventure, the atmosphere is cozy and lively as ever.
Where to stop: Almost every village on the route offers a quaint country store, but Weston's old-timey Vermont Country Store is the ultimate pit stop for practical souvenirs and unique regional treats, as many items are made in Vermont. And it may be winter, but the Ben & Jerry's factory in Waterbury is nevertheless a must-visit.
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9.High Road to Taos Scenic Byway, New Mexico
PHOTO:JOHN ELK III/GETTY IMAGES
Starting point: Chimayo, New Mexico
The route: 49 miles through the Sangre de Cristo Mountains between Chimayo and Taos on NM 76, aka the High Road
What to expect: An hour-long journey into high-desert beauty will reward you with sights of snowflakes dusting junipers and piñon pines as you travel past the wood-carving village of Cordova, marveling at the snow-capped Truchas Peak rising 13,102 feet high in the distance. Start at Nambé Pueblo, a 14th-century Native American cultural center just south of Chimayo, for a dose of history.
Where to stop: Santuario de Chimayo, near the starting point of this drive, is believed to be located on sacred earth with miraculous healing powers. San José de Gracia de Las Trampas is a National Historic Landmark along the High Road, and closer to Taos, San Francisco de Asís Mission Church also dates back more than 200 years.