How to have an epic road trip anywhere in the world 🚘
Photo by: Jamie in Palm Springs
All around the world roads twist and turn, climb and descend, run through cities and countryside, beside oceans and mountains. And all around the world, no matter where we live or where we vacation, roads offer instant adventure, freedom and escape!
Road trips make the perfect getaways because they can be as simple or complex as you want, as short or long as you need.
Below we scratch the surface of epic road trips you can take around the world. When possible we’ve linked to more information and details on these road adventures. We also get you inspired with tips, films and books. Because even if you can’t head out yet, there’s no reason you can’t start dreaming and planning!
We can’t wait to meet up with you for your epic roadside photoshoot!
North America
It goes without saying that the USA, linked by continuous roads and a national car obsession, might be best known for epic road trips. But its neighboring countries stretching from the Arctic Circle in Canada to the Panama Canal in Central America, offer just as many adventures and open roads!
North America is the perfect region to design your own epic road trip. The countries are brimming with glorious national parks, roadside inns, and gas stations. You can head out with a planned road trip or let the road trip of a lifetime find you!
Europe
Europe is no slouch when it comes to road trips. It offers everything from winding coastal roads to sleek autobahns and autostradas, showcasing cultural diversity and natural splendour. Again, there are so many set routes to choose from, depending on where you live, where you’ve always dreamed of visiting, or how many languages you want to practice along the way!
A Google search will yield countless more routes, confined to single countries or crossing borders. Europe is another magnificent place to plan your own road adventure being inspired by the seasons, your interests, and your travelling companion(s)!
Australia
An Australian road trip offers everything you could dream of: expansive wilderness, dusty roads, sandy beaches, rainforests and remote towns. Not to mention friendly locals, unique wildlife and that sense of freedom and adventure we dream of when we imagine a road trip.
But Australia is the perfect continent, nation, and island to pick two points of interest and chart your own epic road trip from one point to the other. Your route is guaranteed to be filled with unforgettable sights and experiences.
Asia
Asia has incredible public transportation systems. But it also has a love affair with cars and motorbikes, and epic terrain. So an Asian road trip is not unfathomable. It lets you get off the well-worn paths and open up your sight, heart and mind to incredible vistas like none other.
Guoliang Tunnel Road, China
Really, there are just too many incredible road trips possible in Asia. If you want to create your own itinerary, consider your top priorities: beaches or jungle, peaceful flat roads or thrilling dirt roads, city sights or cultural centers!
South America
South America has epic road trips aplenty! From it’s northern coast along the Caribbean Sea to it’s legendary Cape Horn in the South, the western mountains of Peru to the jungles of Brazil in the East, every road showcases this continent’s diverse cultures and regions.
Route 10, Uruguay
Whether you want to traverse salt fields and stargaze or count switchbacks and mountain peaks, there is opportunity for every road tripper in South America. And given how expensive it can be to fly from country to country in this vast continent, road trips are the perfect way to get from place to place.
Africa
The continent of Africa is vast, home to the world’s oldest human stories and untamed wilderness. It is a place that calls for the ultimate respect and, in return, will reward you with the ultimate adventure.
In the creative spirit of this mythic continent, rather than list specific routes we list specific countries that are road-trip friendly and will inspire you to delve into the locale and create your own route.
A road trip lets you take time to really get to know a place, interacting with locals, appreciating wildlife, marveling at history, and that is exactly what a continent like Africa deserves. If you call a part of Africa home, take advantage of the wonder on your doorstep. If you are fortunate enough to visit Africa, it will leave you with once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
Planning
Regardless of where you go, there are some things to consider before heading out. We mention that you may want to let the road lead you where it will, but you still need to be prepared.
Make a list of everywhere you want to go (sights, restaurants, parks)
Choose the best season for your destination or area
Choose the right transportation for the terrain
Check brakes, emergency kits, car insurance, license requirements, etc.
Take advantage of one of the many road trip apps
Download Google Maps Offline
Give yourself plenty of time
Allow for spontaneity
Again, a Google search and forums with other road trippers will give you many more suggestions. We particularly liked the lists and tips from The Road Trip Expert, A Cruising Couple and Two Wandering Soles (especially for their pandemic-specific ideas!).
Inspiration
Still not sure if you’re ready for a road trip? Need a little bit more inspiration? Or just can’t head out yet but wish you could?
There are countless books, films and television series that will take you on virtual road trips until you’re ready for the real thing. Here are just a few to get you daydreaming!
Books
Motorcycle Diaries by Che Guevara
Are You Listening? by Tillie Walden
Long Way Round by Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman
On the Road by Jack Kerouac
Flaming Iguanas by Erika Lopez
Films
Y Tu Mamá También
Little Miss Sunshine
Paris Can Wait
Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
Sideways
Share your favorite road trip inspiration with us on social media @shootmytravel.com!