Five Scenic United States Marathons to Plan Around
Compare coastal, lakeside and island marathon routes, their terrain and current entry information before planning a race trip.
Big Sur, California
The Big Sur International Marathon follows Highway 1 from Big Sur toward Carmel, with coastal mountains, Pacific views and Bixby Bridge. April 25, 2027 is the announced date. The course has substantial climbing and a six-hour limit. The random drawing is already closed.
Grandma's, Minnesota
Grandma's Marathon follows Lake Superior from near Two Harbors to Duluth's Canal Park, a mostly net-downhill route with rolling hills. June 19, 2027 is the next date; the regular marathon is sold out according to its organizer.
Mount Desert Island, Maine
Beginning in Bar Harbor and finishing in Southwest Harbor, this hilly marathon passes mountain, coastal and village scenery near Acadia. Parts of the course share roads with local traffic.
Honolulu, Hawaii
The December 13, 2026 Honolulu Marathon starts at 5 a.m., takes in Waikiki and Diamond Head and finishes in Kapiolani Park. The organizer lists registration open and no formal finishing cutoff, but tropical conditions and the Diamond Head climbs require preparation.
Steamtown, Pennsylvania
Steamtown's point-to-point course runs from Forest City to Scranton through northeastern Pennsylvania. Its organizer advertises a 955-foot elevation drop and asks entrants to be confident of finishing within six hours. The next announced race is October 10, 2027; check the official course and entry information before making travel plans.
How to choose
Choose scenery that motivates training, then compare actual course elevation, weather, time limits, travel, packet pickup and current official entry routes. Do not buy nonrefundable travel before confirming a bib. Scenic is subjective, and net downhill is not necessarily easier. This independent editorial is based on organizer sources checked October 20, 2026; it is not a personal race review.