We know the wonders of a road trip through the canyons of Utah or the Amalfi Coast in Italy or along the California coast. But so many roads around the world offer beauty of all kinds.
“Road trips have become a popular way of seeing the world, especially post-Covid as more and more people feel uncomfortable traveling on public transport,” said Alex Kindred, auto insurance expert at Confused.com. “However, as road trips become more popular, so does the traffic along the route. Choosing an underrated route is a great way to experience the fun of a road trip while avoiding the crowds.”
I’m in the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York and a pretty farm road between Penn Yan and Geneva unexpectedly takes my breath away. There are many quaint streets like this, so seek them out and ask the locals wherever you are.
A study by confused.com analyzed the 50 top-rated drives that had this at least Google searched the world’s most underrated road trips for the last 12 months. (Six US tracks rank in the top 10.) Here they are:
Top 10 most underrated road trips:
Rank; road trip country; % of “good” ratings; Annual search volume; Overall grade /10
1- Causeway Coastal Route, United Kingdom; 98.1%; 23,700; 9.19
Cushendun Caves along the Causeway Coast, Antrim, Northern Ireland
The most underrated road trip is this The Causeway Coastal Route in Britain in Northern Ireland. Although 98.1% of the trip’s Tripadvisor reviews were positive, the trip had only 23,700 searches in the last 12 months. The drive passes many popular attractions such as the Glens of Antrim, as well as well-known film locations Game of Thrones.
Close behind in third place are two road trips in the USA. Tennessee’s Foothills Parkway offers spectacular views of the Great Smoky Mountains and the Tennessee Valley.
The Lamar Valley, on the other hand, offers wildlife viewing opportunities and is sometimes referred to as “America’s Serengeti.” Drivers can see wolves, bison, pronghorn, badgers and bears.
The US’s Trail Ridge Road, Beartooth Highway, San Juan Skyway and Needles Highway also make the top 10.
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2 – Route des Cretes, France; 98.5%; 131,200; 8.27
View of the Provençal town of Cassis, the Bay of Cassis and distant mountains from the top close-up … [+]
In second place is the Route des Crêtes in France. Despite the breathtaking and highly rated views this road trip has to offer, this trip has only been searched 131,200 times in the last year.
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3- Foothills Parkway, United States; 97.5%; 68,700; 8.17
Scenic drive along the newly completed section of the Foothills Parkway. The completed section is 16 … [+]
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3- Lamar Valley, USA; 97.4%; 68,000;8.17
The sun rises over the Lamar Valley near the northeast entrance of Yellowstone National Park … [+]
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5- Trail Ridge Road, USA; 98.6%; 156,400; 7.86
There is a short hike just off Trail Ridge Road next to the Tundra Communities Trail Head … [+]
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6-Beartooth Highway, United States; 98.2%; 142,300; 7.66
A landscape of lakes and mountains along the Bear Tooth Highway, between Montana and Wyoming, to Yellowstone … [+]
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7- Route Napoleon, France; 100.0%; 270,200; 7.45
Port of Golfe-Juan, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region of France. This is the beginning of … [+]
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7- San Juan Skyway, United States; 95.7%; 24,780; 7.45
Vista along the San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway in Colorado. The length of the minor road is 236 miles. That … [+]
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7- Needles Highway, USA; 97.9%; 140,500; 7.45
Needles Highway in Custer State Park in the Black Hills of South Dakota.
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10- Great St. Bernard Pass, Italy; 96.4%; 82,800; 7.25
The beautiful Saint Bernard pass between Italy and Switzerland, where the mountain dog … [+]
“When planning an upcoming road trip, the route isn’t the only thing to consider before setting off,” says Kinread.
“If you plan to drive the route in your own car, it’s important to check your car insurance to ensure your vehicle is fully insured while abroad. Alternatively, if you are planning to rent a car for your trip, always check the cost of car rental abroad. Renting a car can be a huge expense, especially when combined with the cost of fuel, which again varies from country to country.
“When driving abroad, drivers should also make sure they have a valid driving license with them. It’s also important to research the driving rules in the country you’re visiting and see if you need an international driver’s license to drive there.”
(To learn more about the joys and tips of road tripping, listen to my award-winning travel podcast, Places I remember: Episode 18, for a road trip in France/Belgium; Episode 32, for a road trip along the California coast; Episode 34 to learn more about road tripping in a recreational vehicle; and Episode 52, Chasing the Blues from Mississippi to Memphis. Follow on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts, or on my website at the link in my bio.)
