Road trips are no doubt one of the best ways to satisfy your craving if you are an adventure and escape lover. It doesn’t require loads of planning, just packing your bags, starting your engines, and going for the best break you can ever get from stress and drama.
A road trip offers one of the most intimate and flexible ways to experience the beauty of a region, and there’s no shortage of stunning routes around the world that promise breathtaking views. Here is the top 10 best
1. Pacific Coast Highway (USA)
The Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) is a quintessential American road trip. The most beautiful part about this road is The Big Sur. It is the most spectacular part of the Pacific Coast Highway.
It begins, where huge and rugged rocks and forested together overlook the pounding surf below.
Here the most popular activity to do is Whale-watching. It is popular at certain times of the year. Usually it depends on the season, you can see gray, blue, or humpback species on the coast.
Location:California, USA
Length: ~655 miles (1,054 km)
Best Places to Visit:
- Big Sur
- Bixby Creek Bridge
- Carmel-by-the-Sea
- Hearst Castle
- Point Lobos State Natural Reserve
- Santa Barbara
- Pismo Beach
- Golden Gate Bridge
Best Time to Visit: May to October
Avoid: Winter months (November to March)
2. The Ring Road (Iceland)
Iceland’s Ring Road is a bucket-the list trip for nature lovers. The Ring Road takes travellers through a variety of beautiful landscapes.
This journey also passes through geothermal regions, lava fields, and remote villages, which displays the country’s natural beauty and contrast.
Location: Iceland
Length: ~830 miles (1,332 km)
Best Places to Visit:
- Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
- Skógafoss Waterfall
- Þingvellir National Park
- Seljalandsfoss
- Akureyri
- Myvatn Lake
- Vík í Mýrdal
- Dettifoss
Best Time to Visit: June to August
Avoid: Winter (November to February)
3. Great Ocean Road (Australia)
The Great Ocean Road is one of the most picturesque coastal routes in the world. It includes the famous Twelve Apostles.
This region is paradise for the beach lovers. There are many beaches to explore which are not only beautiful but also peaceful.
You can go surfing at Bells Beach which is one of the world’s top surf spots.
Location: Victoria, Australia
Length: ~151 miles (243 km)
Best Places to Visit:
- Twelve Apostles
- Loch Ard Gorge
- Grampians National Park
- Otway National Park
- Apollo Bay
- Cape Otway Lighthouse
- Port Fairy
- Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve
Best Time to Visit: December to February (Summer)
Avoid: Winter (June to August)
4. Alpine Road (Germany)
It’s the perfect road trip for both nature and history lovers. It is the oldest holiday route of Germany. The route runs parallel to the Austrian border. It runs between Lindau at the Bodensee at Lake Constance in the west, and all the way to Lake Königssee near Berchtesgaden in the east of Bavaria.
The scenic road trip is truly one of the most stunning Alpine landscapes
Location: Bavaria, Germany
Length: ~280 miles (450 km)
Best Places to Visit:
- Neuschwanstein Castle
- Zugspitze
- Lake Königssee
- Rothenburg ob der Tauber
- Hohenzollern Castle
- Garmisch-Partenkirchen
- Linderhof Palace
- Oberammergau
Best Time to Visit: May to October
Avoid: Winter (November to March)
5. Icefields Parkway (Canada)
This route is considered as one of the most scenic drives in the world. The Icefields Parkway is located in Canada stretches through the Canadian Rockies.
It is a road-trip destination that is admired by all the people who visit this place for its mesmerizing natural beauty. This route is one of the most beautiful drives you will ever wander. It is filled with diverse landscapes, beautiful mountains, and fascinating glaciers.
Location: Alberta, Canada
Length: ~143 miles (230 km)
Best Places to Visit:
- Columbia Icefield
- Lake Louise
- Peyto Lake
- Athabasca Falls
- Bow Lake
- Sunwapta Falls
- Jasper National Park
- Icefields Parkway Scenic Views
Best Time to Visit: June to September
Avoid: Winter (November to April)
6. Route 66 (USA)
It is known as the Mother Road. It is one of the original highways in U.S. Numbered Highway System. Route 66 offers a nostalgic journey through the American heartland.
The highway, is one of the most famous roads in the United States that cover the route of Chicago, Illinois, through Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona before covering the Santa Monica in Los Angeles County, California,
Location: Chicago to Santa Monica, USA
Length: ~2,448 miles (3,940 km)
Best Places to Visit:
- The Painted Desert
- Cadillac Ranch
- Grand Canyon
- Petrified Forest National Park
- Winslow, Arizona
- Route 66 Museum (Clinton, Oklahoma)
- The Blue Whale of Catoosa
- Saint Louis Arch
Best Time to Visit:
- April to June
- September to October
Avoid: Summer (July and August)
7. The Garden Route (South Africa)
The Garden Route is one of the most iconic and beautiful routes of the South Africa roads. This route offers breathtaking landscapes, lush forest tranquile lagoons, dramatic cliffs and beautiful beaches.
If you are a nature lover or an adventure seeker then this place is a paradise for you. This route is a home to several conservation areas as well.
Location: South Africa
Length: ~300 miles (480 km)
Best Places to Visit:
- Knysna
- Tsitsikamma National Park
- Plettenberg Bay
- Robberg Nature Reserve
- Wilderness National Park
- Storms River Mouth
- Knysna Heads
- George
Best Time to Visit: November to February (Summer)
Avoid: Winter (June to August)
8. Trollstigen & Geirangerfjord (Norway)
It provides a driving experience with a long-established scenic route and the dramatic west coast scenery of mountains and fjords which attracts tourists travelling not only by road but by boat as well.
Geiranger-Trollstigen offers varieties of highlights, and the 11 hairpin bends of Trollstigen. It also provides the beautiful view from Ørnesvingen down to the Geiranger fjord which may set your pulse high.
Location: Western Norway
Length: ~62 miles (100 km)
Best Places to Visit:
- Trollstigen
- Geirangerfjord
- Dalsnibba Viewpoint
- Sognefjord
- Ålesund
- The Atlantic Road
- Romsdalseggen Ridge
- Briksdal Glacier
Best Time to Visit: June to September
Avoid: Winter (November to March)
9. The Stelvio Pass (Italy)
If you are an adventure seekers, the Stelvio Pass is a challenging road. The Stelvio Pass is a mountain pass in the northern Italy bordering Switzerland. It is one of the highest mountain passes in the Eastern Alps. It is the 2nd highest in the Alps. It offers a thrilling drive.
Location: Italian Alps, Italy
Length:~15.5 miles (24.9 km)
Best Places to Visit:
- Stelvio Pass Summit
- Bormio
- Lago di Cancano
- Ortler Alps
- Sulden
- Passo Gavia
- Livigno
- Glurns
Best Time to Visit: June to September
Avoid: Winter (November to April)
10. Banff to Jasper (Canada)
The drive from Jasper to Banff, or Banff to Jasper, includes some of the best scenic views such as the beautiful Icefields Parkway in the Canadian Rockies. It is ranked as one of the top road trips in the world. When you drive between these two mountain towns, you will get to witness mountains and beautiful glaciers rise dramatically overhead while wildlife roams freely.
Location: Alberta, Canada
Length:~143 miles (230 km)
Best Places to Visit:
- Lake Louise
- Jasper National Park
- Columbia Icefield
- Athabasca Falls
- Sunwapta Falls
- Peyto Lake
- Moraine Lake
- Mount Edith Cavell
Best Time to Visit: June to September
Avoid: Winter (November to March)