There’s nothing that screams “adventure” more than a classic road trip. And with road trips once again on the rise – in just the last three months, there has been a +26% increase in searches for “Route 66 trips” – it’s important to know which ones are worth your time and your money. There’s so many landmarks to see and experience with different road trips, and with experience-led travel on the rise, more people are choosing trips based on the journey rather than the destination.
Some people want the calm, blue waters of the sunny coast; some crave the enormous heights of the mountains and the endless sea of spruce trees clinging to their slopes; some want to experience the long, dusty roads and baking hardpan that trails off to infinity. Whatever you want to see, it can be easy to get caught out with incorrect planning, such as your documentation or obeying various road and traffic laws when you go overseas.
We have curated our guide based off the 20 most popular routes, measuring them by all manner of different metrics, such as the number of stops and the affordability. (These metrics can also be country- or route-specific.)
Here’s everything we learnt from our data:
The most popular road trips
The most important part of a road trip is what we can see and experience along the way. Here’s our list of the most popular road trips based off Tripadvisor reviews, TikTok rankings, and the number of scenic stops the trip has to offer.
Blue Ridge Parkway
The highest-scoring route in our index is Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina, USA. With a monthly TikTok search volume of 110,000 and a Tripadvisor rating of 4.8, this scenic road trip spans 17 North Carolina and 12 Virginia counties, countless different communities and the beautiful Appalachian landscape. The parkway is beautiful year-round, and without stops takes roughly 12 hours to finish. It’s a highly rated trip with a total of 24 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Route 66
Probably one of the most famous road trips in the world – and the longest route in our index - Route 66 spans 3,940 km of the USA. Also known as the “Mother Road”, it takes a staggering 34 hours to finish without stops and stretches from Chicago in Illinois to Santa Monica in California. Monthly, this road trip brings in a Google search volume of 823,000, and a TikTok search volume of 546,000 – both numbers heavily outweighing any other road trip in our index. There’s a total of 24 UNESCO World Heritage sites to visit, such as the Grand Canyon National Park and Unity Temple.
Pacific Coast Highway
With a Tripadvisor rating of 4.8 and a total route length of 2,655 km, Pacific Coast Highway is the third most popular route in our index. It gathers a monthly Google search volume of 368,000, and is the third longest route, taking a total of 32 hours to complete without stops. It spans 600 miles along the Californian coastline from San Diego to the south of San Francisco, and with so many destinations to visit – like Point Sur and the Bixby Bridge – it’s no wonder 22,000 people search for this trip on TikTok every month.
Icefields Parkway
Although it’s one of our shortest trips on the index, Icefields Parkway in Canada still earns a high score of 4.8 on Tripadvisor and has a monthly search volume of 26,900 on TikTok and 40,500 on Google. It only takes 3 hours to complete with no stops but still offers 22 total UNESCO World Heritage Sites to see. It’s a road that is open year-round, and links Lake Louise with Jasper, surrounded by rocky mountain peaks, icefields and beautiful valleys filled with a multitude of wildlife.
If you’re thinking of embarking on one of these road trips, see our car leasing options and browse which cars we have to offer.
Keeping safe on the roads
Your road trip should be an amazing time, full of fun and cherished memories you will remember forever. However, if you are not fully prepared, you could run into roadblocks that ultimately ruin the experience. You want to be prepared and aware of the safety measures needed before each trip, to make sure you can fully relax and take in the views.
Traffic accidents
Accidents on the road are sometimes inevitable, but don’t let statistics put you off from travelling the road trip of your dreams. The longer a route is, the more likely the chance of an accident. Our data showed Route 66 and Blue Ridge Parkway both had 5,938 accidents per million people, but they are both also the most popular road trips in the world. With more people driving these routes, there’s bound to be more collisions.
What you can do to minimise the chances of running into an accident is to take proper rests – motels and hotels will be plentiful along the way. Don’t rush it. These trips are supposed to be about the journey, and you want to soak up the scenery and culture as much as you can. Stick to speed limits and drive carefully, and you shouldn’t have a problem.
Being aware of road quality
The quality of the road should also be something to take into consideration. The highest-quality roads in our index belong to Grossglockner High Alpine Road in Austria and the Jebel Jais Mountain Road in the UAE. A higher-quality road means an overall smoother journey, with less chance of potholes or unseen cracks and ditches.
The lowest quality road was the Hai Van Pass in Vietnam, with a score of 3.4 out of 10. These factors shouldn’t deter you from visiting, but it’s definitely something to think about when preparing for your trip, and something to be aware of when travelling down these roads - you might want to be overly cautious on the lower-scored trips.
What insurance will you need?
Having the correct insurance and proof of a legal licence are vital for driving abroad. The rules can differ from country to country, so it’s always good to double-check before you begin your journey.
For most drivers in the UK, the minimum cover you’ll have driving abroad is “third-party only”, which is the legal level of insurance you need to drive. If you’re looking to travel to Italy for the Stelvio Pass, or to Germany to drive down Romantic Road, you might want to upgrade to European cover, which typically covers theft, accidental damage to your car, and fire protection. In most cases, you don’t need this extra upgrade to drive in the EU, but it’s always good to take extra precaution.
For the more popular routes in America, you might want to consider renting a car, as the insurance often comes with the rental bundle. You will also need a special code from the DVLA for any car you rent in the USA. It’s the company’s way of checking if you have any points or convictions on your licence. You must apply for this code within 21 days of departure, as it only lasts three weeks – something that should really be considered if you’re planning a longer trip. (Double-check if your UK insurance covers driving in the USA if you choose to take your own vehicle.)
It’s also recommended to get an International Driving Permit, to make sure you’re fully covered for any variables. The laws and regulations may differ from state to state, so we’d advise you to fully check what you will need before jetting off.
Local road rules
Each country has different ways they want drivers to behave on the roads. To make sure your trip runs as smoothly as possible, freshen up on the local road regulations so you’re not caught out when your road trip begins.
In Europe specifically, remember to drive on the right and negotiate roundabouts in an anti-clockwise direction. The usages of toll roads are also much higher in places like Spain and France than they are in the UK, so remember to take plenty of coins. The tunnels also happen to be much longer in Europe than they are in the UK. The longest in Norway is about 15 miles long. Remember to keep your lights on, keep your distance, and look out for emergency exits.
When it comes to the USA, you will also be driving on the right, and vehicles can only be rented by people aged 21 and up. Speed limits are shown in miles per hour (mph) like they are in the UK, and can go from 10mph near schools, to 70mph on freeways or expressways. You must have a warning triangle in the car on the off chance you break down, but most rental firms will provide this. First aid kits and fire extinguishers are not required by law but are worth carrying just in case.
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How much will it cost when you’re there?
One of the greatest things you need to consider before booking your trip is how much it’s going to cost you when you’re over there. For the further trips – such as the Great Ocean Road in Australia and the Garden Route in South Africa – a lot of your money will have already been spent on the plane tickets. So how much more will you need to save?
The best road trip for fuel prices is the Jebel Jais Mountain Road in the UAE, with a price of £0.47 per litre, but when it comes to meals and eating out, it sits in the middle of our index, with a meal for two at a mid-range restaurant costing £44.37. The more popular routes in the states have the same fuel prices, with a litre costing £0.63, and the meals for two costing £56.30. Overall, this will cost you more, as these road trips take longer to complete, meaning you will be filling your car up more frequently and eating more meals. This is something to consider when saving for your next road trip.
The cheapest road trip on our index is the Manali to Leh Highway in India. Even though the fuel price sits in the middle of our data - £0.82 per litre – it’s the cheapest route in terms of meals, with a meal for two costing £9.79. And the most expensive trip overall is Trollstigen in Norway. A meal for two can end up costing you £77.71, and fuel prices per litre come in at £1.66.
So, make sure you have the right funds saved up before you begin your trip. You don’t want to arrive and realise the food and fuel are way out of your budget.
No matter where your next journey takes you, put your safety and comfort at the forefront with a brand-new car from Leasing Options – it’s a wonderful world out there, and it’s waiting for you.
