5 Dream Road Trips
Posted on 15. Dec, 2011 by Steph in Inspiration
I love a good road trip. Backpacking is great, but there are some places that are just seen best in extended overland fashion. Cruising through varying landscapes, stopping here and there to take pictures or explore some crazy road side attractions, blasting Tom Petty with the windows open (yes, Tom Petty is my road trip soundtrack- don’t judge).
Of course, road trips are a bit difficult since I sold my car two years ago. These days I have to hope for a generous friend or a good deal on a rental.
Over the years I’ve done road trips through the American South West, Wales, Iceland and Australia. There are still many more places I want to see by car though.
So here are some of my dream road trips:
photo credit: JonoMueller
Cross-Canada
There are two kinds of road trips: those for big places and those for very small places. Canada is definitely a BIG place, its the second largest country in the world. Aside from my visit to Vancouver (link) last summer and a childhood trip to Montreal, I have seen shockingly little of my country’s neighbor to the North. Because it’s such a vast country with huge amounts of natural beauty it seems ideal to explore via car, maybe with some camping in the middle.
photo credit: Vince Alongi
Uruguay
This one was actually Mike’s idea first but I’m taking it for my own. Most of the countries in Latin America I would be terrified to drive in, but from what I hear, Uruguay is the ideal country to explore via car. It’s small but packed with interesting sounding places: from old colonial towns like Colonia to glamorous Montevideo to the beautiful looking coast.
photo credit: SteveD.
West Coast- USA
When I was maybe nine my family explored the western US via and old Tioga Arrow. It is one of my best childhood memories and I’d love to recreated something similar as an adult. I’m picturing a massive road trip up the west coast from San Diego to Seattle. I could do it by car but I’d rather do it nostalgically- in a motorhome! Not that I know how to drive a motorhome or anything.
My best friend is getting married in Seattle this September, so hopefully I might just make this a reality.
New Zealand
After our somewhat disastrous road trip in Australia, you’d think I’d be off the idea of camper vanning for good. Not so. I’d love to do it again- maybe for a shorter amount of time in a smaller area this time around. I think New Zealand would be perfect: it’s two small islands are stuffed with beautiful natural sites.
The Mongol Rally
It must be the adventurer in me, but I can’t get over the idea of someday doing the Mongol Rally. It’s kind of the ultimate road trip adventure. Starting in London and ending in Ulan Bator, crossing through dozens of countries in a tiny sub-par car, it’s dangerous and thrilling and just totally cool sounding. Unfortunately it’s expensive and quite a massive undertaking so it will have to wait… for now.
What is your dream road trip?
This post was written by me, sponsored by Car Rentals UK.
47 Responses to “5 Dream Road Trips”
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Iza
15. Dec, 2011
The United States as a whole. I am from the East Coast, I would love to drive to the West staying fairly North (Montana has always interested me), then down the West Coast (see the beautiful national parks) through the desert (I have always wanted to go to New Mexico, for no known reason…yet it calls), and staying South until Florida then hugging the familar East Coast until I come home.
However, I do not want to do a road trip now…I am much more interested in flying then backpacking in Asia
But when I think of doing a road trip I always think of exploring my own country….probably because I have a car.
Good post, I always look forward to your writing, especially at 9:00 am at my desk!
Steph
22. Dec, 2011
Yeah there is just so much to see in the west.
Erin
15. Dec, 2011
One of our favourite road trips was in Northwest Argentina starting from Salta. The scenery is amazing and the roads are practically empty once you get out of Salta so it isn’t a difficult drive (well, apart from some bumpy gravel roads). Plus you can visit the lovely winery town of Cafayate.
Our next road trip will be next week from Chiang Mai to the Burmese border for a visa run. It’s only two days but it’s our first motorbike road trip so it’s quite exciting.
Steph
22. Dec, 2011
that’s so cool! and I bet a motorbike road trip would be a whole new kind of adventure.
dtravelsround
15. Dec, 2011
These road trips are great! I would love to road trip through Europe. Starting in Portgual and just zig-zagging all over the continent!
Steph
22. Dec, 2011
that would be waaaay cool.
Eurotrip Tips
15. Dec, 2011
I’ve been dreaming of a West Coast roadtrip for a while now, and I’m definitely nursing the idea of doing it next year. It seems awesome!
I love a good European road trip as well. The best gems are often hidden in a country road!
Steph
22. Dec, 2011
I would love to road trip in Europe- what an adventure!
CheezyK
15. Dec, 2011
NZ is super easy to drive around – calm, quiet, good roads, comparatively short distances between towns and sights – and beautiful every step of the way, especially the South Island.
We almost did a road trip from LA to Vancouver this year but ended up in Europe instead (I’m not complaining!) – it’s definitely still on our ‘to do’ list though.
Now I’m off to find out more about the Mongol Rally, it sounds exactly like the type of thing we’d be into!
Steph
22. Dec, 2011
First time i heard of hte Mongol Rally I was amazed! Such a crazy and cool thing to do.
Alouise
15. Dec, 2011
I’ve wanted to do a cross Canada road trip for a while, or at least a road trip from Edmonton, Alberta (where I live) to St. John’s Newfoundland. A west coast US road trip would be great, and I also think it’d be fun to do one down the east coast go from Maine to Florida.
Steph
22. Dec, 2011
Yeah the East Coast of Canada looks particularly interesting to me.
Katherina
15. Dec, 2011
I did a New Zealand road trip last year… and loved it (I really recommend it!). I think my next road trip would probably be along the coast of Portugal.
Steph
22. Dec, 2011
oo Portugal would be lovely!
Christine
15. Dec, 2011
A cross-country road trip of the USA is on my list–have done much of the West coast but none of the East! Also really want to go around NZ in a campervan as well!
Steph
22. Dec, 2011
We should do a cross country exchange program- you come to my coast and I’ll go to yours!
Nomadic Samuel
15. Dec, 2011
Hey Stephanie! Some great selections. I can’t believe I’ve yet to do a proper road trip in Canada yet. I’m a bad Canadian
Steph
22. Dec, 2011
haha, you and half the commenters it seems.
Amanda
16. Dec, 2011
I finally crossed a U.S. road trip off my list this summer, and it was AWESOME. I’d love to do some more road tripping around the U.S. — perhaps the coasts, and definitely more of the South and Southwest.
I’m trying to think of all the other road trips I’d like to do and there are so many!!
Steph
22. Dec, 2011
Seriously, maybe I should be looking to buy a car…
Vi
16. Dec, 2011
West coast in Australia is very beautiful.
Steph
22. Dec, 2011
Yes, I kind of wish we’d done that instead of the east!
Allison
16. Dec, 2011
I loved the cross-country road-trips from my childhood, and would love to do another one! If I end up moving back west, I may think about undertaking such a thing… of course, the complete lack of car makes any car trips a bit of a challenge.
Steph
22. Dec, 2011
You and me both- I still remember visiting you guys in Oregon.
Audrey
16. Dec, 2011
I travelled to Canada’s East Coast by train, but I would love to head out to the West Coast by car. Driving across the prairies and then the Rockies would be amazing!
Steph
22. Dec, 2011
Yes, that sounds awesome!
Arienne
17. Dec, 2011
Don’t beat yourself up for not seeing much of Canada. I’m in the same boat as you…but I’m Canadian! I’ve seen so much more of the world than my own country, I’m ashamed to admit it. Once I get back from my current backpacking trip, discovering more about my country is at the top of my list!
Steph
22. Dec, 2011
Canada seems to have a lot of really cool stuff as I’m learning.
Fernanda
17. Dec, 2011
Central and South America!!!
Steph
22. Dec, 2011
On a motorbike!
Emily in Chile
17. Dec, 2011
Chile’s obviously a lot bigger than Uruguay, but it wouldn’t be a bad choice – good roads, drivers who aren’t too crazy, and a huge variety of scenery all more or less along one road, the highway that goes north to south. I’d love to explore more of it by car in a real road rip when we’ve got the time someday.
Steph
22. Dec, 2011
Chile would be pretty neat too!
Charlie
18. Dec, 2011
Have done circumnavigated the South Island of NZ, the Great Ocean Road in South Australia, around the island of Maui, the entire Romantic Road in Germany, Paris to Normandy to Brittany to Loire V to Paris, the Costa del Sol and Costa Brava in Spain, and most everything in the US. All just fantastic. Many aren’t aware of state hwy 12 in Utah, which may be the best of all. Breathtaking!
Steph
22. Dec, 2011
Wow! you are a road trip pro. Will keep State Hwy 12 in mind.
Fidel @IHarTravel
19. Dec, 2011
I think one of the best road trips in the USA is starting in San Diego and taking the Pacific Coast Highway (the 101 N, sometimes you have to veer off onto the 5 Freeway N) up to the border with Canada. I once took a day off work when I lived in Orange County and drove as far north as San Luis Obispo. I wish I could have driven farther. The scenery was great and I stopped in small towns I never heard of, seeing what life is like outside of the hustle and bustle of O.C. and LA.
Steph
22. Dec, 2011
That sounds amazing- will put it on the possible list for next year!
RenegadePilgrim
20. Dec, 2011
Hey, if you do a West Coast road trip, you have a place to crash in Portland, OR (and a personal tour guide)! There are so many amazing places to see along the 101….the Missions in California, the Oregon Coast and the rainforest in Washington….
I wanna do the Mongol Rally too….reading Sherry Ott’s blog about it makes me want to try it soooooo bad! I think I could get a fire engine donated. Or an ambulance.
Steph
22. Dec, 2011
Aww thanks! Portland is really high on my list. I visited as a little kid, but barely remember it. I think I’d really like it!
Sky
23. Dec, 2011
I really want to drive from the east coast to west coast in the US…probably from PA to California, hitting as many states as possible. That’s been my dream for a while…who knows when it will actually happen!
Kieu ~ GQ trippin
24. Dec, 2011
Would love to do Canada some day. We’re beyond excited we’ll get to check off New Zealand in T minus 3 days!! We have 1 month to explore both islands by car. Eeeek! Any tips for first time long-distance road trippers?
Steph
10. Jan, 2012
Give yourself some down time and try not to schedule to many long driving days in a row.
Stephanie
28. Dec, 2011
Love all of these =) I moved back home from Italy last month, and most of my transcontinental travel was via rail or air… ergo the idea of a road trip has always remained an elusive fantasy! When I go back in a few years (I’m just a European girl at heart, and I’m not anywhere near ready to settling down), I definitely want to do a road trip around the continent. In the meantime, though, I’m excited to get to know the States better – it’s amazing how shockingly little I know about my own country, and just yesterday a friend told me about how she’d moved from CA to DC, driving cross-country, just to see if she could do it. Now I’m thinking about doing the same =)
Steph
09. Jan, 2012
I’ve met so many travelers who don’t even know their own country. the US is really spectacular so I hope you do get a chance to explore!
arai utan ujan
29. Dec, 2011
‘a motorcycles diary’ is one of the best road tripping movies (apart from more commercial ‘road trip’ & ‘euro trip’). from south to north of south america. back to basic, road trip is all about the journey, not the places =)
ps: how about a roadtrip from Kuching, Sarawak to Semporna, Sabah in Borneo Island. there is more to offer within Malaysia’s tropical forest =)
Steph
09. Jan, 2012
Ooh that also sounds pretty awesome. And agreed on the Motorcycle Diaries, great movie (although Thelma and Louise is probs my favorite road trip movie).
Jill
02. Feb, 2012
I just did a semi-West coast road trip, from Los Angeles to Santa Rosa California. It was about 7 hours and man, I loved the California Coast! I’ve been up even further north one time to Eureka, California and loved it up there, as well! Hope you’re able to make it to some of these dream road trip destinations!
SuzeMars
25. Feb, 2012
I’ve been wanting to do the Mongol Rally ever since I heard about it a year ago! Sounds insane but awesome. I did a roadtrip in college from NYC to the Navajo Reservation in the 4 Corners area (we stayed for a week doing service work and exploring then drove home). And it was amazing. I dislike that in the US we’re so far from most places so travel is so much more expensive/difficult (can’t really jet to Paris for the weekend, and certainly not cheaply), but part of that is because it is a big country that has so many distinctly different cultures within it. We went in a loop, heading out straight through Pennsylania and staying north until dipping through Colorado, then came back north east through Texas, Oklahoma area. Even if we didn’t stop you can just see the differences in the landscape, road signage, etc. We had a blast!