It is impossible to even begin to imagine how many kilometres of road there are in the world. What we do know about driving around the planet however, is where the most beautiful stretches of road allowing for the most adventure can be found. Holidays are liberating at the best of times, but when you opt for car hire and get yourself on one of these road trips the possibilities are endless!
1. Route 66, from Illinois to Chicago, USA.
The terms ‘Route 66’ and ‘road trip’ go together like sea and sand. The most famous road trip of them all takes you through the states of Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. You won’t be able to imagine the amount of places, sights and experiences that will greet you along the way. A strong tip for getting the most out of Route 66 is to purchase a map from the National Historical Route 66 Federation before hitting that open highway.
2. Sydney to Cairns, Australia
The thought of taking your hire car across almost 2500km may sound a bit daunting, but the trek from Sydney to Cairns is worth every single second in a journey that is simply unrelenting in the excitement stakes. The route takes in the great cities of Sydney and Brisbane and hugs the Gold and Sunshine coasts of east Australia until you hit Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef. Surfing, lazing, ferry boat rides, whale and dolphin watching tours are just some out of the thousands of things that are all waiting for you to discover.
3. The Garden Route, South Africa
500km of mountains, caves, national parks, fascinating wildlife, dazzling sunshine and some of the world’s greatest beaches are yours to enjoy across South Africa’s immense Garden Route. Arrange your car hire at whichever airport you land into and get yourself on to the N2 road for one of the most thrilling journeys you are ever likely to make. Hugging the coastal road to simply marvel at the natural wonders will amaze in its own right, however the elephants, whales, dolphins and other native wildlife found at the places such as Tsitsikamma National Park will make this trek all the more special.
4. The Great Ocean Road, Australia
Unrelenting beauty is what the 250km of designated road from Torquay to Warrnambool offers from start to finish. Use the formidable city of Melbourne as your starting point, arrange a hire car and let your spirit run free amongst the surf beaches and general magnificence of the south Australian coast. Expect waterfalls, rainforests, shipwrecks, cliff drops and awesome coastal views all the way.
5. The Pacific Highway, Los Angeles to Oregon, USA.
The winner for us however, has to be the Pacific Coast Highway along the US1 and US101. The awesome world-famous cities you visit, stunning beaches and diverse landscapes this trip encounters simply cannot be matched; this is truly sensory overload. In fact, the senses are bombarded from the start of your trip in Los Angeles. From the nightlife, to Hollywood, to the shopping, to the theme parks; the city has enough to be a holiday in itself. As you get out of L.A, drive along the likes of Rodeo Drive and then head north where all those internationally-famous beaches at the likes of Santa Monica, Venice, Santa Barbara and Malibu are all waiting for you. The drive up the coast with the windows down and the music turned up is the epitome of what a road trip should be, especially as you flank the magical Big Sur region. From here, hugging the coast will take you across the iconic Golden Gate Bridge into wonderful San Francisco, where you will be dazzled by this unique city’s culture and attractions. You could end the trip here and just party until you can’t take any more, or you can keep going north, through the beautiful Californian wine-producing lands and into the dense forests of Oregon, where you will find postcard-perfect seaside towns and villages as this epic journey culminates as you take the winding road up towards the Cascade Mountains for stunning panoramas.
