Road Trips
By Lonely Planet | Buckle up for a big adventure.
A regional guide to Europe’s best road trips
Packed with ancient history, sophisticated cities, cultural treasures, fine food and even finer art, Europe has an embarrassment of riches and is a dream for all kinds of travellers. And with landscapes boasting rugged coastlines, rolling country fields and mighty mountains (to name but a few), …
EuropeRoad-tripping through Hill Country: Texas’ up-and-coming vineyards
Regis St. LouisLonely Planet Writer<p>One of America’s great unsung wine regions lies right in the heart of Texas. Hill Country may be better known for barbecue, but its rich soil has proved ideal for producing top-quality vineyards. There are currently over 70 wineries scattered across the hilly, …
WineUnforgettable road trips on Australia’s East Coast
Charles Rawlings-WayLonely Planet Writer<p>Australia’s East Coast offers plenty to get excited about for road-tripping explorers. Along sun-bleached blacktop, you’ll find picture-perfect beaches, hip cities, lush rainforests, the Great Barrier Reef and abundant native wildlife. Driving routes can meet …
AustraliaRoad-tripping Sweden’s sublime Bohuslän Coast
Drifting across the mirror-still surface of a shallow bay in Kosterhavet, Sweden’s first national marine park, the reason why the Bohuslän Coast beguiles visitors becomes as clear as the water barely stirring beneath the kayak.<p>In a country lauded for its stewardship of the environment (Sweden ranks …
EuropeBehind the wheel: our best European road trips
To mark the launch of our latest <i>Best</i> <i>Trips</i> book we asked Lonely Planet staff to share their stories of times spent on the road. Ever the adventurous bunch, these daring drivers recall time spent navigating hairy mountain paths, drifting down coastal roads on the hunt for brilliant beaches and …
Road TripsTravel gear reviews: perfect kit for road trips
It’s just you, a set of wheels, a full tank of gas and the wide open highway; it’s easy to see why a road trip is the essence of travel for many people.<p>In our latest gear reviews, we look at a range of kit ideal for long journeys by car and motorbike, from a clever cooking stove that’ll even run on …
Lonely PlanetRoad trip: Toulouse and the architecture of southwest France
Anita IsalskaLonely Planet Writer<p>Southwest France is chock-full of crumbling abbeys, medieval villages, and Gothic churches that blush gold in the sunlight – you just have to know where to look.<p>Setting out from the pink city of Toulouse, this road trip itinerary takes in 10 centuries of compelling …
France5000 years in 5 days: a historical trip through Ireland's Ancient East
Catherine Le NevezLonely Planet Writer<p><b>Day 1</b><p>Dublin<p>Kick off in the Irish capital with an overview of the country's history at the 1877-established National Museum of Ireland – Archaeology. Just some of its highlights are the world's most complete collection of medieval Celtic metalwork, and four …
IrelandSan Luis Obispo: the perfect pitstop on your California road trip
Tim RichardsLonely Planet Writer<p>Hitting the wide open road between these two cities, you’ll encounter ocean views, historic sites, wineries and pretty towns. These attractions merge neatly in San Luis Obispo on California’s Central Coast, making it the perfect place to take a break.<p>Hearst Castle is …
CaliforniaUnexplored Spain: road-tripping around Extremadura
Isabella NobleLonely Planet Writer<p>This Portuguese-border-hugging homeland of many a conquistador is a place where the past lingers. Venture here and you’ll uncover time-warped old towns, rickety castles, serene monasteries, beautiful countryside and mouthwatering regional cuisine.<p>Our seven-day …
SpainGame of Thrones to the Gobbins: Northern Ireland's Causeway Coast
Paula HardyLonely Planet Writer<p>Northern Ireland has never had to contend with dragons, white walkers and the chill of an endless winter. That hasn’t stopped its wild landscape scoring a starring role in HBO’s <i>Game of Thrones</i>.<p>Driving the 120-mile Causeway Coastal Route from Belfast to …
IrelandArizona's top five scenic drives
Amy C. BalfourLonely Planet Writer<p>Back roads. Byways. Scenic highways. Arizona is chock full of them. Here are five of our favorites.<p>Route 66: small-town America, with a side of kitsch<p>'Get your kitsch on Route 66' might be a better slogan for Arizona's scrubby stretch of Mother Road, with its …
Road TripsHow to road-trip Canada on a budget
Benedict WalkerLonely Planet Writer<p>Canada is big and beautiful, but climate, distance and the high cost of domestic travel make it hard to get to know her. Having the freedom to throw your stuff in the trunk and set off as you please makes self-driving a tempting way to explore this frequently …
Lonely PlanetThe Grand Canyon: how to get the most from a short trip
Andy MurdockLonely Planet Writer<p>On my first trip to the Grand Canyon, I made a classic rookie mistake: part of a longer road trip, I didn't give myself much time and I didn't do any advance research, so I ended up with a version of the Griswold experience. There it was - big, beautiful but somewhat …
National ParksOn the road in remote Chile: ways to conquer the Carretera Austral
Carolyn McCarthyLonely Planet Writer<p>Whether by foot, two wheels, or four-wheel drive, the Carretera Austral is an iconic challenge and a journey through South America’s most sublime end-of-the-world landscapes.<p>Among the world's finest road trips, the Carretera Austral – or "Southern Highway" – is a …
South AmericaHokkaidō road trip: exploring Japan's wild north
Rebecca MilnerLonely Planet Writer<p>With its wide-open spaces, national parks, active volcanoes, forests of silvery beech, forlorn coastlines and remote fishing towns, Hokkaidō is ideal for road trips.<p>Japan is famous for its efficient rail system and doesn't exactly scream road trip. But when most …
Road TripsItaly's six best road trips
Duncan GarwoodLonely Planet Writer<p>Here we highlight six classic road trips, ranging from gentle Tuscan jaunts to hair-raising mountain adventures.<p>A taste of Tuscany<p>Taking in two of Italy's great medieval cities, the wine treasures of Chianti, and swathes of classic Tuscan scenery, this two-day …
EuropeHighs and lows of the 395: road tripping down California's highway of superlatives
Clifton WilkinsonLonely Planet Writer<p>Yet for all its many attractions, it's relatively unexplored, especially compared to California's other big name draws. It takes about four days to get a good feel for the region so join us on a north-south, semi-secret, always spectacular road trip.<p>Day one: …
Road TripsAlbanian road trip: history behind the bunkers
Larissa OlenicoffLonely Planet Writer<p>While ‘the land of eagles’ may be better known for its stormy communist past (with some 750,000 concrete bunkers still scattered around to prove it), it has a rich and diverse historical and cultural legacy. The best way to take in Albania’s ancient castles, …
EuropeSouth Dakota's best scenic drives
Ryan Ver BerkmoesLonely Planet Writer<p>With jaw-dropping scenery and hundreds of miles of winding roads, western South Dakota is a driver’s playground. These top routes make up some of the state’s best scenic drives. The region is rife with iconic national parks and top attractions, with some …
Road TripsFrom highway to high waves: five offbeat coastal road trips
Etain OCarrollLonely Planet Writer<p>California's Big Sur and Australia's Great Ocean Road may get all the headlines when it comes to coastal driving but they're not the only places where you can lose yourself in spectacular scenery, glowing sunsets and glistening surf.<p>The following routes are equally …
Road TripsBeyond the dunes: road-tripping Mongolia's Gobi Desert
Stephen LioyLonely Planet Writer<p>Giant sand dunes fringed by sun-scorched valleys. Primordial fossils hidden within flaming-red cliffs. The sun setting pink and purple over a Mongolian yurt. Few experiences bring together offbeat adventure and epic road-tripping quite like bouncing through …
List-WorthyBotswana: the rewards of self-drive safaris
Anthony HamLonely Planet Writer<p>Botswana may have a reputation as the most exclusive safari destination in Africa, but it does offer an incredibly tempting alternative to the fly-in, upmarket-tented-camp experience: the more budget-friendly self-drive safari.<p>Botswana is made for road (and road-less) …
WildlifeA road trip in the Peloponnese
Anna Kaminski<p>Lonely Planet Writer<p>Add to that terrific winery-hopping, boutique accommodation in historic stone towers and the unfailing hospitality of the locals, and you have the recipe for a memorable road trip.<p>Tour the Nemean Wine Route<p>The ideal place to start your Peloponnese road trip is the …
Road TripsThe Golden Ring: a road trip through the heart of Russia
East of Moscow lies the land of small historical towns, ancient onion-domed churches, gingerbread cottages and largely unspoilt countryside, all in sharp contrast with the imperial megalomania of Moscow and St Petersburg. When the USSR started opening up for foreign tourists in the 1960s, the …
EuropeDriving Egnatia Odos, Greece’s modern ancient highway
One of the most fascinating drives across Greece is the 670km journey from the Turkish border crossing of Kipi in Thrace to Igoumenitsa on the Ionian Sea. Known as the ‘Egnatia Odos’, after the ancient Roman Via Egnatia which conveyed tradesmen, armies and regular travellers across part of its …
EuropeArabian sights: road-tripping in Oman
Oman is hot right now. Not as in boiling (although it can be at the height of summer when the mercury touches 40C); hot as in ‘of the moment’. Its star has risen steadily thanks to a carefully nurtured tourism industry and a growing appreciation for its natural and cultural riches.<p>After all, where …
TravelThe Pan-American Highway: join us on the ultimate road trip
Ask your friends what their idea of a cool road trip is and you’ll get some great suggestions. South of France in summer in a convertible. Safari in Africa in a jeep. Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles. But you can trump them all and laugh in the face of their puny routes by answering with the …
Road TripsPicking the right set of wheels for a classic road trip
There’s nothing quite like the freedom of the open road – but, whether it’s a Sunday drive through the timeless back roads of the English countryside or a continent-spanning overland epic, you’ll need to pick the perfect motor to get the most out of the trip.<p>Jump in the back seat, strap yourself …
Road Trips