Top 10 Road Trips in the World

Direct Answer

For jaw-dropping coastal scenery, world-class infrastructure, and endless detours, California's Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1) is the Best Overall road trip — roughly 650 miles from San Francisco to San Diego past Big Sur, Hearst Castle, and Santa Barbara, with the marquee stretch (Monterey to Morro Bay) drivable in a day but worth several.

The Best Value pick is the Garden Route, South Africa, where a stunning 200-mile coastal drive past beaches, forests, and lagoons comes with affordable lodging, food, and a strong exchange rate. This list is for travelers who love the journey itself — open roads, scenic overlooks, and the freedom of a rental car.

Every route below is real, with real distances, real highlights, and real seasons, ranked on scenery, driving experience, attractions, accessibility, and value.

1. Pacific Coast Highway, California, USA 🏆 BEST OVERALL

California's Highway 1 is the quintessential road trip — about 650 miles of dramatic Pacific coastline from San Francisco to San Diego. The crown jewel is Big Sur, where cliffs plunge to the ocean past Bixby Bridge and McWay Falls. Along the way: Monterey, the 17-Mile Drive, Hearst Castle, Santa Barbara, and Malibu.

The full route deserves 4–7 days, with fuel, charming inns, and excellent food en route. Add detours to the wineries of Paso Robles, the elephant seal rookery at Piedras Blancas, and the boardwalk at Santa Cruz, and you have a trip that blends coastline, culture, and cuisine. Convertible rentals are popular for the open-top experience, and the drive connects naturally to San Francisco's sights at one end and San Diego's beaches at the other.

Best for travelers who want the most iconic coastal driving on earth with superb infrastructure and endless stops. Spring and fall offer the clearest skies; check for landslide closures around Big Sur before you go.

2. Garden Route, South Africa 💎 BEST VALUE

The Garden Route runs about 200 miles along South Africa's southern coast, roughly Mossel Bay to Storms River, packing beaches, indigenous forests, lagoons, and mountain passes into a compact, affordable drive. Highlights include Knysna's lagoon, Tsitsikamma National Park, and Plettenberg Bay.

The value is exceptional — beautiful guesthouses, great food and wine, and adventure activities (bungee jumping off Bloukrans Bridge) all cost a fraction of Western prices. Best for travelers who want spectacular, varied scenery and wildlife on a budget. Add the Cape Winelands and Cape Town for a full trip.

Best in the southern spring/summer (October–March).

3. Ring Road (Route 1), Iceland

Iceland's Ring Road is an 828-mile (1,332 km) loop around the entire island, delivering a relentless parade of natural wonders: waterfalls (Skógafoss, Seljalandsfoss), glaciers, black-sand beaches, the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, geysers, and the chance to see the Northern Lights in winter.

Allow 7–10 days to circle it. Summer (June–August) brings midnight sun and open roads; winter is dramatic but challenging. Detours from the Ring Road reach the Snæfellsnes Peninsula ("Iceland in miniature"), the Westfjords, and the highland interior, while the route itself passes Diamond Beach, the Mývatn geothermal area, and countless hot springs.

In winter, the loop doubles as a Northern Lights hunt. Best for travelers who want the most concentrated dose of raw nature anywhere — every hour reveals a new market. A 4x4 is wise for venturing onto F-roads.

4. Great Ocean Road, Australia

The Great Ocean Road runs about 150 miles along Victoria's southern coast and is one of the world's great coastal drives. Its centerpiece is the Twelve Apostles — towering limestone stacks rising from the Southern Ocean — plus surf beaches, rainforests, and koalas at Kennett River.

It's an easy 2–3 day trip from Melbourne. Beyond the Twelve Apostles, stop at Loch Ard Gorge, the Otway rainforest with its towering eucalyptus and waterfalls, and the surf mecca of Bells Beach. The road was built by returned WWI soldiers and is itself the world's largest war memorial.

Best for travelers who want dramatic ocean scenery, wildlife, and a manageable drive with great stops (Lorne, Apollo Bay). Time sunset at the Twelve Apostles for the best light, and watch for wildlife on the road at dawn and dusk.

5. Route 66, USA

The "Mother Road" stretches about 2,400 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica, a nostalgic journey through eight states and the heart of Americana. It's about the culture as much as the scenery — retro diners, neon motels, ghost towns, and roadside attractions, plus the Painted Desert and the Grand Canyon nearby.

Plan 2–3 weeks for the full route. Best for travelers chasing classic American road-trip romance and history rather than continuous natural beauty. Much of the original road is fragmented, so a good guide or app helps you follow the historic alignment.

6. North Coast 500, Scotland

Scotland's NC500 is a 516-mile loop around the Highlands from Inverness, often called Scotland's answer to Route 66. It winds past lochs, castles (Dunrobin, Eilean Donan nearby), dramatic coastline, white beaches, and single-track mountain roads through wild, empty landscapes.

Allow 5–7 days. Best for travelers who love rugged, romantic scenery, whisky distilleries, and a sense of remote adventure. Drive in late spring or early autumn to avoid midges and the busiest summer traffic; be prepared for narrow roads and changeable weather.

7. Amalfi Coast, Italy

The Amalfi Coast drive (SS163) is a thrilling 30-mile ribbon of road clinging to cliffs above the Tyrrhenian Sea, linking pastel villages like Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello. It's short but intense — hairpin turns, sea views, lemon groves, and some of Italy's most romantic scenery.

It's best done over 2–4 days, ideally with a driver or scooter given tight roads and parking. Best for travelers who want spectacular Mediterranean beauty, dolce vita charm, and great food. Visit in shoulder season (May, September) to dodge summer gridlock on the narrow road.

8. Atlantic Ocean Road, Norway

Norway's Atlanterhavsveien is a short (about 5 miles) but unforgettable stretch connecting islands via bridges that seem to leap from the sea — most famously the curving Storseisundet Bridge. It's part of a broader Norwegian fjord road-trip region with waterfalls, mountains, and the Trollstigen serpentine road nearby.

Combine it with the wider west-coast fjords over a week or more. Best for travelers who want surreal engineering meeting wild ocean scenery, and a base for exploring Norway's fjords. Storms make the road especially dramatic. Summer offers the best weather and long daylight.

9. Cabot Trail, Nova Scotia, Canada

The Cabot Trail is a 185-mile loop around northern Cape Breton Island, winding through Cape Breton Highlands National Park with sweeping ocean vistas, forested mountains, and Celtic culture. Autumn brings spectacular fall foliage, and whales are often visible offshore.

Allow 2–4 days. Best for travelers who want a quieter, deeply scenic North American coastal drive with hiking, wildlife, and lively Gaelic and Acadian heritage. Peak season is summer through the fall-color weeks of late September and October.

10. The Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland

The Wild Atlantic Way is the world's longest defined coastal route, running about 1,600 miles down Ireland's rugged western edge from Donegal to Cork. Highlights include the Cliffs of Moher, the Ring of Kerry, Connemara, and the Dingle Peninsula, dotted with fishing villages and ancient sites.

Drive a section over a few days or the whole thing in 1–2 weeks. Best for travelers who want dramatic Atlantic cliffs, green landscapes, traditional pubs, and a flexible route you can sample in pieces. Spring through early autumn offers the best weather, though Atlantic conditions are always changeable.

How to Choose

• Match the length to your time. Short and intense → Amalfi Coast, Atlantic Ocean Road, Great Ocean Road. Epic multi-week → Route 66, Ring Road, Wild Atlantic Way.
• Decide scenery vs. Culture. For continuous natural beauty, choose Iceland's Ring Road, the PCH, or the Garden Route; for nostalgia and roadside Americana, choose Route 66.
• Weigh value. The Garden Route, Wild Atlantic Way, and NC500 are budget-friendly; the PCH, Amalfi Coast, and Iceland run higher on lodging and fuel.
• Pick the right vehicle. A 4x4 helps in Iceland and the Scottish Highlands; a convertible suits the PCH; a small car eases Amalfi's tight roads.
• Travel in shoulder season. Spring and autumn mean fewer crowds and better light on coastal routes, while cooler temperatures make long days at the wheel more comfortable; summer is essential for Iceland and Norway when the roads are fully open.
• Book key stops ahead. Big Sur inns, Amalfi hotels, and Iceland lodging sell out fast in peak season — reserve before you set off.
• Check your rental and driving rules. Confirm whether you need a 4x4, understand local toll and insurance requirements, and remember that some routes (Scotland, Ireland, parts of the Amalfi Coast) involve driving on narrow or left-hand roads.

FAQ

What is the best road trip in the world?

California's Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1) is the most iconic for its 650 miles of dramatic coastline through Big Sur and beyond, with superb infrastructure. Iceland's Ring Road rivals it for sheer concentration of natural wonders over an 828-mile island loop.

Which road trip offers the best value?

The Garden Route in South Africa is the top value — 200 miles of beaches, forests, and lagoons with affordable lodging, food, and adventure activities. Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way and Scotland's NC500 also deliver world-class scenery at reasonable cost.

How long do I need for a great road trip?

It depends on the route. Short coastal drives like the Amalfi Coast or Great Ocean Road shine in 2–3 days, while epic routes like Route 66 (2,400 miles) and Iceland's Ring Road (828 miles) deserve 1–3 weeks to enjoy properly without rushing.

When is the best time of year for these road trips?

Spring and autumn suit most coastal drives (PCH, Amalfi, Great Ocean Road) with mild weather and fewer crowds. Iceland and Norway are best in summer for open roads and long daylight, while South Africa's Garden Route shines in the southern spring/summer (October–March).

Bottom Line

For the ultimate combination of scenery, infrastructure, and iconic stops, drive California's Pacific Coast Highway through Big Sur. For the best value, take South Africa's Garden Route, where 200 miles of coast, forest, and wildlife come with budget-friendly prices. Either way, the journey is the destination.

Sources

• National Geographic — world's best road trips and drives
• Lonely Planet — road trip guides by country
• Visit California, Tourism Australia, Visit Iceland, South African Tourism (official boards)
• Condé Nast Traveler — best road trips in the world
• AA / RAC route guides (NC500, Wild Atlantic Way)
• Fáilte Ireland — Wild Atlantic Way official resources
• Rick Steves — Europe driving guides