5 cultural and scenic trails to wander on four wheels

Grab your keys and hit these trails and routes made for driving, not hiking. Enjoy a leisurely jaunt and cover as much ground as you want at your own pace.

Soak up the stars on the Astro Trail in Tucson

With its dark skies and renowned observatories, Tucson is the perfect spot for stargazing and learning more about celestial bodies. The city's new Astro Trail helps visitors "nimbly navigate" between astronomy attractions like the Kitt Peak National Observatory, Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium and Oracle State Park, said Condé Nast Traveler. Download the digital guide to map your route and leave plenty of time for stops like the Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter, which offers an "intimate stargazing experience" and opportunities to look at the rings of Saturn through one of the country's largest public telescopes.

Relearn history along the US Civil Rights Trail

By following the United States Civil Rights Trail, you can see exactly where the sit-ins occurred, marches took place and leaders were born. The "expansive" trail includes churches, schools, museums, courthouses and other landmarks in 15 states, each spot having played a "pivotal" role in "one of the most transformative times in America's story," The Points Guy said. Because the trail is so vast, pick one state to explore at a time, or focus on the high-profile stops like the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum in Jackson.

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Sync with nature on the Garden Route in South Africa

This scenic route east of Cape Town "winds its way along spectacular stretches of coast," said The Times, with stops in the "shadows of the jagged Outeniqua and Tsitsikamma" mountain ranges. Highlights include spending time in the former fishing village of Hermanus and taking a "cool swim on Grotto Beach" and wine tasting in the "storybook valley" of Hemel-en-Aarde, home to several of South Africa's "most acclaimed" vineyards. The best time to hit the road is during September and October, when wildflowers are in bloom and southern right whales glide by in the sea.

Be part of the story on the German Fairy Tale Route

This magical route starts in Hanau, birthplace of the Brothers Grimm, and ends in Bremen, where "folklore comes alive" through the "cobbled lanes, pixelated forests and theatrical cathedral squares," said The Telegraph. The 372-mile trail connects dozens of enchanting spots that inspired such fairy tales as "Sleeping Beauty" and "Little Red Riding Hood," like Castle Sababurg, along with monuments, museums, fountains and parks. All of the towns feel straight out of a storybook, with Bremen a particularly "satisfying mix of whimsy, wonder and historical gravitas."

Experience the essence of the Silk Road in Central Asia

The Silk Road was a network of trade routes connecting Asia and Europe from the second century BC to 1450, and you can still find "relics of the era" in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, National Geographic said. Cities like Almaty and Tashkent were once "major hubs" for trade and "centers of cultural exchange," and you can still see glimpses into the past at their madrasas, mosques and plazas. Expect to see buildings with "intricate tile work, multiple minarets and domes," fortresses and "ornate" mausoleum complexes.