There’s nothing quite like the freedom of a road trip; the wind whistling through your hair, classic 50s rock blasting on the radio, pit stops at vintage diners (or, at the very least, a Little Chef…). But when you think of iconic road trips, Route 66 is probably the first thing that springs to mind. And while driving America’s most famous highway IS a trip of a lifetime, there are plenty of other stunning adventures closer to home.
In fact, 44% of the most epic road trips are in Europe and 10% are right here in the UK, according to price comparison site GoCompare, from Scotland’s loop past caves, crags and distilleries, to Northern Ireland’s coastal route, there are plenty of winding roads to explore in the UK.
However, if your top priority is good weather, you might want to travel a little further afield to guarantee sunshine. The Oman Circle, the road trip with the warmest weather, offers an average temperature of 25.6°C. You’ll pass through deserts and dunes, see cave systems from the road, and experience busy souks and fascinating architecture in the cities. The trip with the least rainfall is the Road to Mount Nebo, in Jordan, which only gets 111mm per year.
On the other hand, if you’re a winter weather fan, get yourself onto the Cabot Trail, or the Powder Highway, Canada, which takes you through Cape Breton Highlands National Park. And if you don’t mind a bit of drizzle, Route One, in Iceland, winds through everything from volcanic craters and lava fields to snow-capped mountains and deep blue fjords.
Do You Have A Budget?
Money is always an issue when setting out on a road trip; petrol can be expensive, as can flights, but if you’re on a budget, you could stick to one of the journeys in the UK. The cheapest trip overall is the Black Mountain Pass, in the Brecon Beacons, Wales: in total, it only costs £151.89, including petrol and the price of a hostel – it’s also great if you’re short on holiday days.
Alternatively, if money is no object and you have the luxury of unlimited annual leave, you can cross the whole of America. The famous Pan-American Highway will cost you a whopping £33,148.79! But then, you’re crossing the whole of the United States over a 281-day period!
To celebrate the abundance of awe-inspiring road trips worldwide, GoCompare has created a handy road trip planner, which allows you to explore and compare fantastic road trips round the globe. You can set a budget a time period and even the desired weather, meaning you can find the ideal trip.
“We wanted to find some of the biggest, most unforgettable road trips in the world,” said Matt Oliver, from GoCompare.com van insurance.
“Each trip has its own personality – there are trips through snowy mountains, flat deserts, dense forests and across beaches, there really is something for everyone. We wanted to provide a tool to make the adventures more accessible, so anyone can tackle them.”
Here are 15 of the world’s best road trips
- The Atlantic Highway, England
- The Road To Mount Nebo, Jordan
- Romantische Strasse, Germany
- Northern Ireland’s Costal Route, Ireland
- Grossglockner Hochalpenstrasse, Austria
- Verdon Gorge Circuit, France
- The Transfagarasan, Romania
- The Black Mountain Pass, Wales
- The Military Road, Isle Of White
- The Black Forest, Germany
- Cabot Trial, Canada
- San Juan Skyway, USA
- Colombia River Gorge, USA
- Basque Circuit, Spain
- The Garden Route, South Africa
