{"id":43351,"date":"2017-04-20T09:28:14","date_gmt":"2017-04-19T23:28:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/vc\/blog\/?p=43351"},"modified":"2018-05-14T05:01:24","modified_gmt":"2018-05-13T19:01:24","slug":"10-of-the-worlds-best-road-trips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/vc\/blog\/10-of-the-worlds-best-road-trips\/","title":{"rendered":"10 of the world\u2019s best road trips"},"content":{"rendered":"

Grab some car snacks and your favourite playlist, \u2018cause it\u2019s time to hit the road.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

1. Great Ocean Road, Australia<\/a><\/strong>
\nLength: 275km
\nWe couldn\u2019t do this list without including The Great Ocean Road. Between Torquay<\/a> and Warrnambool<\/a> in South-Western Victoria, you\u2019ll experience once of the world\u2019s most scenic coastal drives. Be sure to give yourself time to check out the 12 Apostles, stretch your legs on a bushwalking track, and visit the many galleries and heritage attractions you\u2019ll find along the way.<\/p>\n\n

2. Stelvio Pass, Italy<\/strong>
\nLength: 42km
\nThanks to its dramatic mountain views, the Stelvio Pass<\/a> has been called \u201cone of the world\u2019s greatest roads\u201d. But it\u2019s definitely not one for the faint-hearted, as it features 48 hairpin turns (eek!). The Pass is only open for a few months every summer, so make sure you time your trip perfectly.<\/p>\n\n

3. Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1), USA<\/strong>
\nLength: 1000km
\nHighway 1 runs along the coast of California<\/a>, from Carmel to Morro Bay. It\u2019ll take you right through Big Sur, where the rugged St Lucia mountains plunge into the sparkling Pacific Ocean. The views are glorious, and there are heaps of beaches, restaurants, and attractions along the way, so there\u2019s no chance you\u2019ll get bored. TOP TIP: Do it in a Mustang Convertible – it\u2019s essential to complete the dream.<\/p>\n\n

4. Route 66, USA<\/strong>
\nLength: 3800km
\nA classic and somewhat retro journey through small-town America, the iconic Route 66 runs diagonally from Chicago<\/a> to LA<\/a>. Make sure you take pit stops at some of the classic motels, old-school diners, and vintage bars along the way. A detour to the majestic Grand Canyon is a serious must-do!<\/p>\n\n

5. The Ring Road, Iceland<\/a><\/strong>
\nLength: 1332km
\nOne of the most barren and starkly beautiful drives in the world, the Ring Road will treat you to views of active volcanoes, geothermal pools, snow-capped mountains, glacial lagoons, and even the northern lights (depending on the time of year). It\u2019s incredibly stunning, but be sure to drive carefully and take lots of breaks – especially in winter, when sudden snowstorms are common.<\/p>\n\n

6. Southern Scenic Route, NZ<\/strong>
\nLength: 610km
\nThe name says it all! From Christchurch<\/a> to Dunedin<\/a>, you\u2019ll be graced with unforgettable scenery. Rugged landscapes, deserted beaches, and incredible food make this road trip a definite bucket-list experience.<\/p>\n\n

7. The Cabot Trail, Canada<\/strong>
\nLength: 298km
\nOne of the prettiest parts of Nova Scotia<\/a>, the Cabot Trail takes you around the north of Canada\u2019s Cape Breton Island. With its rocky coastlines and spectacular gold, red, and orange autumn foliage, the views are incredible. Stop off at charming French-influenced villages like Baddeck and Louisbourg, and keep an eye out for bald eagles, moose, and black bears (!!).<\/p>\n\n

8. Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia<\/a><\/strong>
\nLength: Depends where you start \u2013 it\u2019s 10,582km sq.
\nWhen you drive across the world\u2019s largest salt lake, you feel like you\u2019re on another planet! When it rains (February \u2013 April), a thin sheet of water covers the flats, turning them into an intense (and very photogenic) mirror. And if you\u2019re there at night, make sure you look up \u2013 thanks to the lack of light pollution, the sky is brilliant with galaxies and stars. FUN FACT: Salar de Uyuni is home to approximately 70% of the world\u2019s lithium reserves.<\/p>\n\n

9. The Pan American Highway, Patagonia to Alaska<\/strong>
\nLength: 48,000km
\nIf you\u2019re serious<\/strong> about escapism, this is the trip for you! Running through 14 different countries – from the southernmost tip of Argentina<\/a> to the north of Alaska<\/a>-the Pan American Highway is officially the world\u2019s longest road trip. Because it\u2019s north to south (or south to north), you\u2019ll experience a wide variety of climates and landscapes \u2013 everything from arctic tundra to arid deserts and tropical jungles. TOP TIP: Make sure you take lots of side-trips off the highway, \u2018cause that\u2019s where you\u2019ll find the real local gems.<\/p>\n\n

10. The Atlantic Road, Norway<\/a><\/strong>
\nLength: 8.3km
\nThe shortest road trip on this list, the Atlantic Road makes the cut for its impressive bridges and breathtaking Nordic scenery. With eight low bridges, endless fjords, and lush green pastures, you might find it hard to keep your eyes on the road (although you really should). When the weather is calm, keep your eyes peeled for seals and whales.<\/p>\n\n

Road trip time? Planning help below:<\/strong><\/em>
\nHotels<\/a>
\nFlights<\/a>
\nPackages<\/a>
\nActivities<\/a>
\nCar hire<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Grab some car snacks and your favourite playlist, \u2018cause it\u2019s time to hit the road. 1. Great Ocean Road, Australia..<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":166,"featured_media":43353,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[1382,414,4616,4624],"acf":{"credits":[{"name":"","label":"","full_url":""}],"enable_review_score":false},"posts_api_cpm_point":{"name":"","description":"","thumbnail":"","address":"Great Ocean Rd, Victoria, Australia","latitude":"-38.6805638","longitude":"143.39161820000004","icon":"\/images\/icons\/marker.png"},"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43351"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/166"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43351"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43351\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":43365,"href":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43351\/revisions\/43365"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/43353"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43351"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43351"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/vc\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43351"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}