Taking a road trip has become one of the most popular ways of traveling these days. Why is it so? Well, this kind of traveling allows you to explore the highlights of a place, while often stumbling upon some undiscovered, hidden gems along the way. People who choose a road trip for their vacation mode are usually the adventurous and daring type of people, they enjoy the sense of discovering the unknown. The best thing about taking such a trip that you can pack anything you need in your car, you’re not as limited with luggage as when traveling by plane. If you’re considering taking a road trip this year, read to learn about the best road trips to take in 2020.
Route Nationale 7: Paris to the Riviera
One of the world’s most thrilling road trips for 2020 is definitely the road trip along Route Nationale 7 in France. It is a 670-mile route and it is a French equivalent of Route 66 as the road stands for freedom and insouciance. With the opening of the new autoroute, RN7 became a secondary way and almost lost its identity. The difference between RN7 and an autoroute is that the former takes you through the French life and landscape. There are some scenic rural areas with villages, cows, crops, and trees along the way. There is also a number of medieval villages, which show a stunning history. It is an amazing way to simply hire a campervan in France and just get out there and have fun. The highest point of the route is the 1,161m Col de la République in the Pilat hills, so make sure you don’t skip it. Valence, a great gastronomic spot is also nearby. Another interesting point is the capital of nougat, Montélimar. France is quite famous for its chateaus, you can climb up to one in Mornas and enjoy a circus show. There are also many other famous landmarks you can see when on your road trip. Some of these are a Roman theatre, Arc-de-Triomphe, Papal Palace, the gothic basilica, to name a few. There are many excellent wine estates to stop by and enjoy some of the most prestigious world wines.
The Mongol Rally – Prague to Siberia
It is one of the craziest routes for banger races with its length of 10000 miles starting from Prague and finishing in Siberia. It’s definitely not a usual road trip! If you decide to take up this race, there are some rules which you must follow. The first one is that race participants have to drive small cars with engines up to 1.2 liters. There are more than 300 teams participating in the race every year. The race heads south-east across Europe along the highway in Romania, which offers scenic and jaw-dropping scenery. The road then continues through countries such as Bulgaria, Turkey, and Iran. One interesting stop in Iran is definitely the unusual and one-of-a-kind giant fire pit in the middle of Turkmenistan’s desert, also known as the Door to Hell. Then comes a rocky, dirt road through the mountains of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. You can try some national food along the way. And if your car breaks down (and it probably will at some point), you’ll be amazed by the friendliness and helpfulness of the locals. Finally, you go through Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Mongolia before you reach the finish line, 6 to 8 weeks after you began your journey.
Travel tip: if you’re short on time, read on to learn about what to visit in Prague with only a few days’ time.
The Wild Atlantic Way
Moving on to something a bit different and located in the USA, the coastlines of the Wild Atlantic Way are something truly unique. This route features wide, white beaches, high mountain tops, and deeply rooted history. The route starts from the Inishowen Peninsula in Donegal and finishes in Kinsale, County Cork. It is 2500km long. The County Sligo coast features the huge famous Ben Bulben mountain, which is breathtaking. The Sligo Bay is perfect for all kinds of fun activities such as walking along the beach, riding a scooter, taking a Voya seaweed bath on Strandhill Beach, flying a kite and surfing. Good thing about the road trip is that you can take all of these things with you in the car: buy a scooter stand and put your scooter on it (you’ll save plenty of space in the car + it will be safe), pack your kite and a surfboard, and you’re sure not to miss out on fun. The further west you go, the landscape becomes wilder, the cliffs more imposing and the mountains higher and higher.
Argentina and the majestic Andes
Southern Salta with its majestic Andes, a stunning canyon and the most important Inca archaeological site is truly a dream road trip. The trip starts in colonial Salta, following a natural loop along gravel roads, past the many vineyards and small, rural towns, before hitting the highway. It is actually the ancient Inca route, now the iconic Ruta 40, which passes by rural hamlets and bronze foothills studded by cactuses. The views across desert-like valleys are stunning. A journey back to Salta along the Ruta 68 offers some great landmarks as well. You can see some of the most impressive geological landmarks in Argentina. Don’t miss out on the food, music, and culture of Salta.
Southwest US and the stunning national parks
If you’re interested in seeing some of the most beautiful national parks in the world, Southwest US is the place to start. You’ll start from Santa Fe, New Mexico and drive to Colorado, Utah and Arizona towards Las Vegas. There are five national parks along this route and all of them offer something different to see and learn about. The first one is Chaco Culture National Historical Park, the perfect one for night sky viewing. The next one is the Mesa Verde National Park, a place of cliffside dwellings of the ancestral Pueblo people. Then comes the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, home of gorgeous painted cliff sides and deep dark stone. The iconic of them all – the Grand Canyon is the next stop. This is something that can’t be described with words, it’s simply breathtaking. In the end, make a stop at Lake Mead National Recreation Area, as it is a perfect outdoor retreat before hitting the big city of Las Vegas.
The world is full of undiscovered and magnificent places, and this list is just the tip of the iceberg. But it’s worth starting somewhere, right?