If you’re passionate about cars, driving and exploration like I am, then you’re sure to have some sort of road-trip travel bucket list. In addition to an addiction to travel, there are just some places in the world that were made for addictive driving. With scenic views far as the eye can see, there are just some locations in the world that require a little more driving time, just so you can take in the entire experience. With old man winter depressing the drive here locally with snow and ice, a girl can dream can’t she? The editors at CarsRoute.com compiled a list of the 15 most amazing roads all around the world, and I had to narrow it down to my favorite five – starting with a name that will be familiar to anyone who’s been to the Florida Keys: the Overseas Highway.
The Overseas Highway, Florida Keys
Built in 1938 on top of what was once the Overseas Railroad — which was destroyed by the Labor Day Hurricane that swept through the Florida Keys in 1935 — the Overseas Highway stretches nearly 130 miles from end to end, mostly over water across 42 bridges between Key Largo and Key West.
If you arrive on the highway at the right time, you can see some of the most awe-inspiring sunrises and sunsets anywhere in the country. Be prepared to idle on the highway if you come during the high tourist season, however. A drive that usually takes about four hours to complete can take quite a bit longer, especially on holiday weekends.
Atlantic Road, Norway
Nestled along the stretch of coastline known as the Hustadvika in the Western Fjords of Norway, the Atlantic Road is famed for its panoramic views of the islands between the towns of Kristiansund and Molde, where whales and seals can be spotted from the viewing points on the five-mile-long highway.
The road rises and falls with the contours of the land in many places, and can become perilous when the weather turns stormy, sending waves crashing onto the highway.
Trollstigen, Norway
You can both drive up the mountain and stop to take a walk on the viewing platforms at the top of Trollstigen, a winding mountain road near Rauma, Norway, whose name in English is translated as “troll’s footpath.” Its steep 9% incline and 11 hairpin turns feature breathtaking views of the Isterdalen Valley and the surrounding mountains, several of which have nicknames like Kongen (“the King”) and Dronningen (“the Queen”). Some 7,000 cars wind their way up the mountain every day at the peak of the tourist season (May through October), but it’s worth it to get a glimpse of the Stigfossen waterfall, which plunges hundreds of feet down the mountainside.
Pacific Coast Highway, California
One of the crown jewels of America’s national scenic byways system, the Pacific Coast Highway stretches just over 120 miles between Monterey and Morro Bay, Calif., along a narrow two-lane road that hugs the cliffs of California’s Central Coast, towering over the waves crashing into the shore below.
Some of the best spots to see along this roughly five-hour drive include Carmel-by-the-Sea and the Monterey Peninsula, home to Pebble Beach Golf Links and its famed 17-Mile Drive, as well as the Bixby Bridge in Big Sur, one of the most beautiful (and photographed) places in all of California.
Guoliang Tunnel Road, China
One of the world’s most dangerous roads — it’s been called the “road that does not tolerate any mistakes” since it first opened to traffic in 1977, high up in the Taihang Mountains of eastern China — the Guoliang Tunnel Road is a tight squeeze, about 12 feet wide by 15 feet high.
More than two dozen “windows” were chiseled out of the sides of the 3/4-mile-long tunnel during the construction to empty out rubble, and today they offer stunning views from the cliffs into the valley hundreds of feet below. The road was built by the local villagers here to connect Guoliang with the outside world, and since then it’s become a magnet for thousands of tourists every year.
Source: CarsRoute – Car News
