Best dramatic approach by car
 

Any takers? The only ones I could think of are:<BR><BR>Approach to New York from the Queensborough Bridge.<BR><BR>Approach to San Francisco from Golden Gate or Oakland Bay Bridge.<BR><BR>Driving into Monument Valley.<BR><BR>Driving into Las Vegas at night.

Boston from Mystic River Bridge.

Washington DC, sort of, from George Washington Parkway onto Roosevelt Bridge.<BR>View from Memorial Bridge is full of the Lincoln Memorial, but you don't get the panorama of the city as much. Unlike most cities, also, DC looks pretty good as you approach it from the south on the train.

Not sure of names of streets but:<BR><BR>approaching Los Angeles from the Hollywood Hills<BR>panaramic view of LA is amazing.

Coming over the hill from Nevada and seeing Lake Tahoe below you.

Not a city, but driving through the barren boring desert and coming over the hill, it all looks like a moonscape-and there spread out before you is Lake Mead.<BR>The bluest water, in the middle of that dry dull desert!

Yosemite Valley via the Wawona Tunnel.

I agree with emerging from the Waldo Tunnel in Marin to face the Golden Gate Bridge and SF behind it, best on a foggy day when the bridge is partly obscured - amazing. Also I like Seattle as you cross Lake Washington on I-90, go through the Mt. Baker tunnel and emerge to the downtown skyline and the end of the Interstate - all the way from Boston it comes to end at a baseball park. How cool is that?<BR><BR>Also I think it's the Eisenhower Expressway (I-290?) in Chicago where you drive toward that awesome skyline and then under the Post Office and over the river, boom.<BR><BR>And what about crossing Memorial Bridge into Washington DC, past the Lincoln Monument and onto the Mall?<BR><BR>My fave non-city vista, though, is climbing a low rise westbound on I-90 in South Dakota, to be confronted with the Missouri River spread out below, looking like a sea in the prairie. Whoa.

Much smaller city, but the approach to Cincinnatti from Kentucky's I-71 is amazing. The metro Cincy airport is actually in northern Kentucky (across the Ohio River).

"Approach to New York from the<BR>Queensborough Bridge".<BR>You can't see much from the streets approaching the bridge and when crossing the bridge there is little to see in front of you and what you can see clearly is to the north and that isn't anything to write home about.<BR>Are you sure you don't mean driving over the George Washington Bridge to the city with its great view of the downtown skyline.

Leaving Manhattan by way of the Throgs Neck bridge will give you an incredible view of the NYC skyline.

I was surprised at the nice view on entering Pittsburgh via the Fort Pitt tunnel.<BR><BR>Actually, I think the best view of New York is from the New Jersey Turnpike, Newark Bay extension, between exits 14A and 14B. You can see the Statue of Liberty and from the tip of Manhattan to well past the Empire State building. At night it is spectacular.<BR><BR>Sadly, what is missing from that view makes the drive even more more poignant.

ryan-the view from North Bergen,NJ and Guttenburg along the Palisades gives you a closer and breathtaking view! And you are so right, what is missing breaks your heart each time you look.

NJgirl, I don't disagree that the view from Weehawken, et al is great. However, in the context of the question, from those areas, you're not technically approaching the city in my mind. Once you get down by JFK Blvd and the entrance to 495, the view by the tunnel isn't great.

The Million Dollar highway from Silverton to Ouray, CO. You go over the crest of the mountain and there in the valley is the quaint town of Ouray.<BR><BR>I don't know the road number but you go out the east entrance of Custer State Park toward Mt. Rushmore. You go through several tunnels and as you look in the distance Mt. Rushmore is framed by the tunnel.

ryan-<BR>Unless you are approaching the GWB to approach NYC by way of Weehawken ;o)

Great topic!<BR><BR>I wish I had something as dramatic to share as some of the posts above. The best I can do is:<BR><BR>New Mexcio: Approaching the Rio Grande Gorge on (I believe) Highway 84 heading west (toward Abiquiu). It's relatively flat desert and then as you hit the bridge you see the ground fall away into a huge gorge--breathtaking and unexpected view.<BR><BR>Much less dramatic, but interesting anyway is the drive on Highway 52, heading North from Winston-Salem, NC. You get some nice views of a lone mountain (Pilot Mountain, crowned with a huge rock dome), that becomes larger and larger as you head right for it. And if you drive up to the park on top, after a long winding climb through the trees, you finally get a great, nearly 360 degree view of the surrounding low-land, a patchwork quilt of farms, pastures, and forest. If you continue on, you go right by the base of Pilot Mountain on 52, and then proceed on 77 North to the Blue Ridge Mountains, which come into view piece-meal at gaps in the roadside tress, until finally they seem to fill the sky.

This one is a little obscure, but it takes your stomach away. Outside of Taos, New Mexico is the Royal Gorge bridge. You are driving along in the desert, looking at the flat, dry land that goes on forever when you approach a bridge. You have no idea how deep the canyon is until you look down while driving over it. It is a 700 foot drop to a scenic river in the base of the canyon. <BR><BR>Just did it for the 2nd time last week, and I had the same reaction as 13 years ago.

Driving east on I-70 out of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. Mountains, mountains, mountains, then at a certain point you come over a small rise to see the plains stretching flat ahead of you, all the way to Kansas, with Denver in front. Then you see the sign that says (I'm paraphrasing): "Truckers, beware, you still have 4.5 miles of steep, winding roads to go." As if to say - you're not on those plains yet.

I agree with the approach to Pittsburgh through the Fort Pitt Bridge. Also driving through the Florida Keys, especially crossing the 7 Mile Bride and the Bahia Honda bridges, the views are spectacular.

There is a Royal Gorge Bridge near Canon City in Colorado. The drop to the Arkansas River is 1050 feet.

Just like the song says: "Running south on Lake Shore Drive, heading into town." (Chicago, that is) And actually, I always thought the ride was just as pretty running north on Lake Shore Drive.

Highway 130 (Alum Rock Avenue) in the East Foothills above San Jose. Great view of the City and Silicon Valley.

I've done most of these drives, and all the others combined don't match the stunning drama of coming out of the Wawona Tunnel and seeing Yosemite Valley all at once. I warn people to be certain to watch the road when they do this, as it's very possible to forget you're driving a car and just smash into something. It's THAT good! Really!!

One overlooked view (until you've seen it the first time) is the Sideling Hill Cut, on I-68 in Western Maryland, about 6 miles west of Hancock.<BR><BR>Fortunately, the state has constructed a dandy exhibit/rest area, and some superb walkways where you can get an excellent view of it.<BR><BR>Go to http://www.mgs.md.gov/esic/features/sidel.html for some pictures and a discussion.

Driving thru Hayden Valley in Yellowstone National Park after a rainstorm. The sun comes out and there are double -- even triple -- rainbows throughout this area mixed with bright green rolling plains, herds of bison and elk, sky-blue flowing streams, curious rock formations and inspiring mountains. Too many tourists feel the need to "rush" this drive to get from one attraction to another (i.e. "Let's get to Old Faithful then out of the park. Damn this 35-mile-an-hour drive!")<BR><BR>That said, any drive with views of the Grand Tetons or the Teton mountain range is awesome, too -- especially around Jenny Lake with the mountains reflected back in the water...<BR><BR>Darn it! Need to get back to western Wyoming NOW!

Driving from Denver up to Boulder. For a while all you see are plains and a whole lot of nothing. Then you pass Layfayette, and climb a small hill. You get to the top, and ahhh, spread out before you is the town of Boulder, backed by the Flatirons. I always looked forward to that approach, maybe because I always love coming back to Boulder.

How about driving on the Chesapeak (sp?) Bay bridge for the first time? You're out over open water on a bridge, far away from land when you look ahead and see the bridge dissapear in front of you. Many times you can see an oceanliner or warship directly in front of you as you slowly decline into a tunnel for 5-6 miles before you emerge on the other side, back up to the bridge. Outstanding!

<BR>In the natural wonders category:<BR>After 30 years of travel, I've never seen anything that compares to the view of Yosemite after the Wawona Tunnell....a shock of majestic beauty!<BR>Less shocking but just as dramatic: the Grand Tetons, passing by Lake Jenny.

Hugh: You're right about the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, down at the end of the Delmarva peninsula.<BR><BR>The Chesapeake Bay Bridge, up near Annapolis, is an impressive feat of engineering, but not so spectacular a view.

Crossing the Newport Bridge from Jameston into Newport, RI. The historic City of Newport laid out on the hillside in front of you with its numerous church steeples and myriads of boats in the harbor, to the north, the Naval War College grounds and Navy Base (with an old WWII carrier at the pier). Further to the north, Narragansett bay stretches off towards Providence. To the south, past Fort Adams, the mouth of the bay and the North Atlantic. On a clear day you can see Block Island in the distance out there.<BR><BR>Great view.

With the arrival of the summer road trip season I thought I'd top this old thread. Some good ideas for your route planning.

Westbound on I-70 climbing out of Denver. Entering a long, sweeping curve at the Chief Hosa Exit, you are suddenly confronted with a wave of mountain peak after peak, rolling out to the horizon.

Southbond on I-15 at night, you crest a hill and suddenly, the entire Las Vegas Valley spreads out in front of you. I specified night because all the neon and other light transforms a fairly pedestrian view in the daytime to one that is stunning at night.

Inbound to LAX on a clear night, dropping into the basin from the San Bernardino mountians and the entire LA basin is a carpet of shimmering light, dramatically ending in a curtain of darkness at the coast line.

Driving north on Hwy 89 and seeing the blue waters of Lake Powell just before you go down the grade.

Seeing Mt. Rushmore framed in a tunnel before you drive thought the tunnel. Don't remember the highway number.

Driving thought Arches National Park, Zion National Park and Capitol Reef National Park.

Utahtea

As for New ork, my favorite is the Belt parkway passing Coney Island and then under the Verazano Narrows Bridge -- If you continue on the BQE, all of New York Harbor unfolds with the tip of Manahttan rising up -- it's pretty breathtaking (and usually there is so much traffic that you get to see it for awhile :-)

To finish off -- drive over the Brooklyn Bridge

Definitely the approach to Pittsburgh after going through the Fort Pitt tunnel. A beautiful view of the city, the three rivers, Heinz Field and PNC Park. It can't be beat!

Thanks to everyone who mentioned my hometown - Pittsburgh. I can say a lot of bad things about it, but after coming through the Ft. Pitt Tunnels, the view of the city is an impressive surprise.

My personal favorite is anywhere between Carmel and Big Sur on Rt. 1. Every turn and curve is more breathtaking than the one before.

The desert roads leading into Sedona, Arizona, are unbeatable as well.

I must agree that the Wawona Tunnel view in Yosemite is the all-time winner.

Also, in Yosemite, the Glacier Point road approaching Washburn Point, where you first glimpse massive Half Dome across the valley, with its top almost on a level with you, and that sweeping view of the mountains behind it.

Near Yosemite's eastern entrance, coming south on Highway 395, a sudden and great vista of Mono Lake below you, and a panorama the White Mountains of the Sierra Nevada (including three 14,000+ ft. peaks on the horizon)spreading out behind it.

Yes, anywhere along the coastal part of Highway One in Big Sur, but perhaps best of all the approach to Bixby Creek Bridge (about 13 miles south of Carmel) from the north.

The road approaching the lighthouse at Point Reyes. Also, very familiar to me, not generally very well known but to my surprise, I've seen someone else praise it here: Coleman Valley Road from Occidental in Sonoma County to the ocean at a point north of Bodega Bay. Both absolutely breathtaking descents to the sea, with panoramic views of miles and miles of coastal mountains, both within two hours of San Francisco.

An underappreciated but easily accessible view in the San Francisco Bay Area--from I-80 going west descending to the Bay north of Berkeley, all of the San Francisco skyline and the Golden Gate spreading out to the right, to the left and nearby the beautiful Campanile (clock tower) of the University of California with its backdrop of the lovely Berkeley hills, and farther away the distant spires of Oakland.

The same sights from a different angle, emerging from the Caldecott Tunnel (Highway 13)in the Berkeley Hills, with San Francisco and its bridges in front of you, Oakland to the left and the Campanile to the right. For that matter, emerging from the Caldecott Tunnel going the other direction, experiencing the sudden change from intensely urban coastal California to the drastically different natural environment and slower, less crowded pace of an interior valley, with the Bay Area's highest mountain, Mount Diablo, looming massively before you. (I used to commute daily through this tunnel and never got tired of the views or the contrast.)

Approaching downtown Portland, Oregon, by any of the bridges over the Willamette, seeing its impressive postmodern skyline (with a few traditional touches) and its backdrop of hills.

Approaching Washington, D.C. from either north or south on the George Washington Parkway on the Virginia side before crossing on either the Theodore Roosevelt or Memorial Bridges already mentioned. The coming appearance of Washington heralded by the impressive spires of Georgetown University coming from the north, then a sudden panorama; from the south, a long, sweeping preview of monuments in the distance. Constitution Avenue in Washington after crossing the bridges, with its grand government buildings and museums on one side, the Mall on the other, and long impressive approaches to the Washington Monument and the Capitol. The sudden sight of the Capitol looming at the end as you turn into Pennsylvania or any of the diagonal Avenues radiating from it.

Route 2 into Boston, especially when the fall foliage is at its most glorious. At a certain spot, the cityscape magically appears ahead of you.

We also love the approach to NYC from the Triborough Bridge - better yet the above ground subway from Queens.

Then, there's the highway approach into Montreal...

Driving down the Alaskan Kenai Peninsula, you are headed for Homer on the Seward Highway. You come around an uphill curve, and off to your right is a large panoramic vista. Below you is Kachemak Bay, with the Homer Spit and fjords and glaciers across the inlet in all their glory. The blue water sparkles, the air is filled with the smell of abundant wildflowers dotting the hillsides. It is similar to Norway, but very unique. I've lived in Alaska most of my life, but this drive never fails to take my breath away. My late mom always said it was a spiritual experience seeing that view.