I initially veered away from road trips, even ones that were deemed amazing road trips, if only because of the type of traveler I was during my early days. As time has passed, however, road trips have become one of my favorite ways to travel.
5 Amazing Road Trips
I’ve taken dozens of road trips over the past few years, in some of the world’s most amazing destinations. Here’s a list of some of the most amazing road trips I’ve taken around the world, all for your bucket travel list.
Iceland
I took my Iceland road trip in winter, but while you probably won’t want to follow in these particular tire tracks, the Land of Fire and Ice remains one of the world’s most satisfying road trips.
From mainstream sights like those of the Golden Circle near Reykjavik, to more far-flung reaches of the island such as the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, Iceland will delight and amaze you any time of the year.
Alberta, Canada
As I alluded to in another post, my Alberta Canada road trip was extra special because I went there with my sister.
Even if you can’t go with a sibling, however, you’re sure to be enchanted, whether by the fluorescent Alpine lakes of Banff and Jasper National Parks, the strange “hoodoos” of the Canadian Badlands or Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, a First Nations monument near Calgary.
Costa Rica
I’ve traveled to some extremely far-flung places, but Costa Rica is the wildest place I’ve driven to date. In fact, I took several road trips throughout the country, on account of my last relationship being with a tico.
They took me from east to west and north to south, and some highlights were the surreal Rio Celeste and the underrated Caribbean Coast in Limón province.
Ireland
Most people who take an Ireland road trip stick to the “Wild Atlantic Way” (although as I explain in this article, that strategy is problematic for a number of reasons).
At any rate, Ireland is one of the most beautiful countries in the world for road tripping, and the “Wild Atlantic Way” among others are musts for the most amazing road trips in the world.
Note for planning purposes: beware of its extremely narrow roads, which can be especially problematic given how sure you are to be distracted by gorgeous scenery.
The California Coast
California’s central coast is one of the most beautiful drives in the world, and was also one of my favorites, so when news emerged last year that the region had suffered a devastating landslide, I was especially sad.
Although the “purple” beach a friend of mine had insisted I would find along Route 1 isn’t really all it’s cracked up to be, the drive is worth it for the beaches of Big Sur—where else in the world can you find a coastal waterfall?—alone!
The Bottom Line
Road trips epitomize the importance of the journey over the destination, so even if you don’t take my suggestions, you’re sure to have an amazing time on any of these amazing road trips.
On the other hand, if you can make it to Iceland, Alberta Canada, Costa Rica, Ireland or the California coast, you’ll be sure to have a memorable time you won’t forget anytime soon.
What amazing road trips have you taken?
Robert Schrader is a travel writer and photographer who’s been roaming the world independently since 2005, writing for publications such as “CNNGo” and “Shanghaiist” along the way. His blog, Leave Your Daily Hell, provides a mix of travel advice, destination guides and personal essays covering the more esoteric aspects of life as a traveler.
