Everyone should take at least one road trip in their
lifetime. It offers so much more than a simple beach holiday, showing you the
big and bold as well as the ordinary. One of the most famous routes for a
driving holiday is Route 66 however contrary to popular belief Route 66 isn’t
quite the epic road trip it’s made out to be. If you’ve read Jack Kerouac’s
seminal work On The Road the true experience of Route 66 can be a little
disappointing. It’s little used by Americans themselves for travel since the
1-40 was opened, creating a much faster route between Chicago and Los Angeles.
Route 66 may still be a great way to cover a lot of America’s middle section
but it has become a kind of theme park, catering directly to tourists feeding
them all the “classic” 1950s Americana from the movies and TV. Here I look at 5
alternatives for an epic road trip:
Pacific Coast Highway
or Highway 1, California, USA
This is a gorgeous drive along California’s coast from San
Francisco to Orange County. You should try to take the route from North to
South as this way you’ll be in the outermost lane, closer to see with no pesky
traffic blocking your view. San Francisco marks the official start of Highway 1
but if you wish to take in all of California’s magnificent coast and see its
famous Redwoods you could start higher up, all the way in fact in the Redwood
National Park, making it a trip of the Pacific Coast Highway.
Driving California’s coat allows you to follow the Pacific
Ocean all the way, stopping off for walks, swims or sightseeing. The areas
around Big Sur offer fantastic views as the road rises higher. California has
26 national parks in total plus lots more state parks and areas of exceptional
natural beauty. Big Sur is known as great place to hike so stop off and sample
this. Pick out attractions along the way that suit you e.g. the Monterey Bay
Aquarium or Disney Studios in LA, taking your time and enjoying California’s
famous laid back attitude.
Orange County, just beyond LA, is essentially the playground
of the rich and famous with residential areas such as Laguna Beach and Newport
Beach, it also marks the end of Highway 1. If you’ve got the time and
inclination why not take your journey a little further south to San Diego,
taking in more of California’s coastal beauty and culture including La Jolla,
San Diego’s trendy and affluent residential area. This completes your Pacific
Coast Highway adventure.
The Conor Pass,
Dingle Peninsula, Ireland
This route encompasses the highest mountain pass in Ireland
and narrow roads that dip down into valleys that meander around ancient glacial
lakes. Whether up high or down low, Conor Pass is full of spectacular views all
the way. Some sections will scare you e.g. driving on a cliff-top road, too
narrow for two cars to pass each other, with no barrier to stop you plummeting
over the edge.
Forget disabled road markings up here, there aren’t even any
regular ones- there are no lines showing the boundary between the road and
verge nor any dividing the lanes of traffic. Don’t worry though the lookout
points are seldom full and you’ll be able to park with ease. On such narrow
roads it could be a case of ‘every man for himself’ but in Ireland that’s not
the case. You have to learn to compromise on roads like this, backing up a mile
or so to find a good place to pass but it’s a thrilling experience throughout
and wonderful lessen in relaxing and enjoying the journey, not worrying about
the destination.
Touge Roads, Mount
Fuji, Japan
If you’re a petrol head you’ll love this road. It’s the
darling of driving enthusiasts in Japan; apparently the home of drifting, you
might see young Japanese ‘boy racers’ practice their cornering skills and
generally cutting loose on this wide open road. Apart from the magnificence of
the road itself the scenery here is impressive. As the road winds upward the
tree-lined hillsides give way to a clear mountain top that lays the countryside
out below you in spectacular fashion. The delicate charm and beauty of Japan
may seem like a surprising backdrop for revved up rally driving but mountain
roads such as these have always drawn the attention of those who like to test
the limits of their vehicle.
If sports cars are you’re bag there’s still the impressive
views from Japan’s highest mountain, Mount Fuji, to hold your attention.
Australian Outback
Road tripping in the Australian outback isn’t just one road
but an entire area to be explored. The sensation of really being in the middle
of nowhere is hard to replicate anywhere else in the world. The outback’s
stripped-back landscape is vast and should come with a warning sticker. You
can’t head out on a whim, you need to prepare for the fact there may not be
anyone else around for miles and mobile phone coverage is likely to be
non-existent in parts, but that’s the beauty of it isn’t it?
When you are planning you route, it’s important to know the
areas you will pass through, think that is going to be more exciting if you
cover a variety of places. For example, you can start by booking a hotel in
Adelaide with Expedia to save some money and travel towards the interior of the
country. You’ll see Australia’s beautiful south coast changing into wine
country where you’ll experience great eats and obviously great drinks. From
here continue on into the national parks, farmland and rocky outcrops of
Central Australia. This is truly a journey of contrasts which should show you
many sides of Australia.
Montenegro
Montenegro is a somewhat ignored destination but it’s up and
coming so I suggest getting there now while it’s still relatively cheap to
visit and not overcrowded. The bonus being that in a few years times when all
your friends are flocking there you’ll have the chance to smugly advise on the
dos and don’ts. As with Australia this is a country of contrasts and this road
trip aims to show those to you. Travel from the opulence of the coast over
steep mountain passes and on into the heart of the country where evidence of
the war that ravaged the former Yugoslavia is still visible. The towns feel a
little poor and dirty, including the capital Podgorica but are charming none
the less. The contrasts are quite shocking; notice the use of horse and carts
by farmers in the North and yachts and sports cars lining the marina in Budva
on the coast. Sanitation in the roadside garages and cafes is basic; no toilet
seat, just a shower basin type system that you squat over.
Continue on into the hills and valleys of Tara Canyon at the
top of country where bears and wolves live in the forests close to the road.
Tara Canyon is the second highest river gorge after the Grand Canyon but
differs from it greatly. It’s lush and green around this canyon, popular with
white river rafters and nature lovers it seems full of life. You can make the trip
there and back in a single day but why not spend a day or two here having fun
on the river and then drive south again and enjoy the luxuries of one of
Montenegro’s high class resorts e.g. Budva or Bari.
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