Published: April 2026
Drives Worth Renting a Car For
Some roads are destinations in themselves β the kind of drives that make renting a car the entire point of the trip. From volcanic landscapes to coastal cliff roads, these are our picks for the world's most spectacular drives that are accessible in a rental car (no rally experience required).
Europe
1. Amalfi Coast, Italy (SS163). The original cliffside coastal drive. Narrow, hairpin-filled, and absolutely stunning. Best in a compact car, ideally early morning. See our full Amalfi guide.
2. Grande Corniche, France. The upper coastal road from Nice to Monaco β 30 km of clifftop driving with views across the entire CΓ΄te d'Azur. Where Grace Kelly's iconic chase scene was filmed, and where, sadly, she also had her fatal accident β a reminder to drive carefully on mountain roads.
3. Trollstigen, Norway. Eleven hairpin bends climbing 858 meters through a mountain pass, with waterfalls cascading alongside the road. Open June to October only.
4. Ring of Kerry, Ireland. 179 km of lush green coastline, ancient ruins, and dramatic Atlantic views. Best driven counter-clockwise (tour buses go clockwise).
5. TransfΔgΔrΔΘan Highway, Romania. Called "the best road in the world" by a famous car show. A spectacular high-altitude mountain pass through the Carpathians, open only June to October.
Americas
6. Pacific Coast Highway, USA (California Route 1). Big Sur is the crown jewel β 140 km of coastal highway clinging to cliffs above the Pacific. One of the most photographed roads on Earth.
7. Overseas Highway, USA (Florida Keys). 180 km of bridges over turquoise water from Miami to Key West. Crossing the Seven Mile Bridge feels like driving over the open ocean.
8. Icefields Parkway, Canada (Highway 93). 230 km through the Canadian Rockies between Banff and Jasper β glaciers, turquoise lakes, and wildlife at every turn.
9. Ruta 40, Argentina. The western spine of Argentina, stretching 5,000 km along the Andes. The Patagonian section through Bariloche to El Calafate is the most dramatic.
Asia & Oceania
10. Great Ocean Road, Australia. 243 km of Southern Ocean coastline, rainforest, and the iconic Twelve Apostles. See our full guide.
11. Milford Road, New Zealand. Homer Tunnel to Milford Sound through ancient rainforest and sheer mountain walls β New Zealand's most dramatic drive.
12. Karakoram Highway, Pakistan/China. The highest paved international road in the world, crossing the Himalayas. Not for the faint-hearted but utterly extraordinary.
Africa & Middle East
13. Chapman's Peak Drive, South Africa. 9 km of coastal road carved into the cliffs between Hout Bay and Noordhoek near Cape Town. Possibly the most beautiful short drive on Earth.
14. Tizi n'Tichka Pass, Morocco. The High Atlas crossing from Marrakech to the Sahara β 2,260 meters of switchbacks through red rock canyons.
Arctic & Volcanic
15. Iceland Ring Road (Route 1). 1,322 km around the entire island β glaciers, volcanoes, waterfalls, and landscapes that look like Mars. See our complete self-drive guide.
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Find Your Rental Car βTips for Scenic Driving
Start early β the best light is in the morning and the roads are emptiest. Drive the direction that keeps you on the view side (usually the outer lane). Use pull-offs for photos β stopping on the road is dangerous and illegal. And remember: the drive is the destination. Don't rush to the endpoint. Stop often, breathe deeply, and soak in the scenery that makes these roads legendary.
The Dangerous Roads database provides safety ratings and photos for many of the mountain passes mentioned above.