There’s no better feeling than getting behind the wheel of your car and taking to the open road. Traveling on vacation via car gives you the freedom to go and see whatever you want, whenever you want.
What’s more, road-tripping is popular. 81% of summer travel in the United States is undertaken by car. You can road trip on your own or travel with family and friends. But where are the best places to visit for a road trip?
A new report from car experts DiscoverCars has surveyed more than 140,000 tourists from across the world to discover the best scenic routes you can explore with the freedom of your own vehicle.
The five best road trips are spread across continents and will lead you through a diverse range of landscapes. In most cases, you would need to hire a vehicle on arrival to make the most of these routes.
Here’s where you should go:
Ivalo, Finland
Located in the heart of Finnish Lapland, many people head to Ivalo in search of Santa Claus or to spot the Reindeer. But devoted motoring enthusiasts have chosen this as the world’s best road trip destination.
Ivalo is a great place to take a cross-country drive and is particularly attractive to those wanting to gain winter driving experience. During the winter months, the region will experience less than 2 hours of sunlight per day.
Ivalo is in the heart of an area of outstanding natural beauty, and when you drive here, you’ll find breathtaking views around every corner. Visitors can watch the dancing Northern Lights, ski in the local resort, or drive around the shores of Lake Inari.
Inverness, United Kingdom
Inverness is the most northerly city in the United Kingdom, nestled in the heart of the Scottish highland.
Some visitors will travel to Inverness to look for the Loch Ness Monster or to stand at the top of the ruins of Urquhart Castle. Inverness has a rich cultural heritage.
But for motor enthusiasts, Inverness marks the start and end point of the famous North Coast 500 road trip. This is considered the ultimate scenic route, taking drivers into the wilderness of some of Scotland’s most remote areas.
Victoria, Seychelles
The Seychelles is an archipelago made up of 115 small islands, so it isn’t a natural fit for a road trip. Most people visit the Seychelles to relax on its beautiful white sand beaches.
But it is a great place to take a road trip, particularly as the best way to travel from beach to beach is by car. Mahe, the largest and most developed island in the archipelago, has one main ring road that circles around the island. Victoria is its capital.
You can travel across the island in around 3 hours, but a decent road trip here will take much longer, incorporating stops to see local beaches and appreciate the changing environment.
One of the things that makes a road trip here so appealing is that you don’t need an international driving license to drive in the Seychelles. Driving in the Seychelles is scenic, exciting, and accessible to almost everyone.
Rovaniemi, Finland
Given that Finland is a relatively remote and isolated country, it might come as a surprise that two Finnish routes feature on this list. But its incredible natural beauty, safe and well-maintained roads, and spectacular views are a real draw for motorists.
Rovaniemi is better known as the location of the Santa Claus Village, which attracts thousands of visitors during the winter months. This is the home of the real Santa Claus. But it is also a great place to ride a husky sled, a snowmobile, or even a reindeer-drawn sleigh.
Other notable attractions in Rovaniemi for road trippers to enjoy include the Artic Snow Hotel, where visitors can sleep in heated glass igloos and enjoy spectacular Northern Lights views.
Rovaniemi is located just eight kilometers south of the arctic circle, making it by far the most Northerly road trip on this list.
Bridgetown, Barbados
From a four-wheeled adventure in the cold to somewhere much hotter. Bridgetown is the capital of Barbados and is a vibrant and exciting vacation destination.
Bridgetown is known for its British colonial architecture and its horse racing track. But motor enthusiasts say it is the horsepower, rather than the horses, that make Bridgetown worth exploring.
Driving in this small city feels like an assault on the senses. Away from the city, most of the roads here are narrow and winding, lending a sense of adventure to every trip.
You will need to obtain a temporary driving license to drive in Barbados, but it’s well worth the extra effort to get on the open road and explore this popular vacation destination from an angle rarely experienced by tourists.
