See the World One Mile at a Time

If you love and have the means to travel, maybe travelling around the world by car would be something you would enjoy. There are many beautiful places to be explored where you would never have to leave your car unless you wanted to. Here is a list of wonderful places to visit where you can enjoy the beautiful scenery by automobile. You will be on four different continents on your incredible journey.

I. Australia
1. Great Ocean Road, Australia
Our first tour we are going take on our driving trip around the world is Down Under to the continent of Australia. In Australia you will find the Great Ocean Road which is a 160 mile road that was originally built as a war memorial to those soldiers who fought in World War I. Along this road you will see the cliffs of Port Campbell National Park and the well known rock formations, the Twelve Apostles, as well as kangaroos, penguins, and other well known Australian wildlife.

2. Milford Road, New Zealand.
Not only does the large country of Australia, but also the small island nation of New Zealand has beautiful scenic roads. One of the most beautiful roads in the world is the Milford Road. This road is an incredible journey through the heart of Fiordland National Park that you will never forget. You will take it through the peaceful Edlington Valley, past mirror lakes and disappearing mountain, through a tunnel and past waterfalls until it ends at breathtaking Milford Sound.

II. Europe
3. Great Dolomite Road, Italy
This road, not for the faint of heart, is a narrow, steep, and winding, but if you have the stomach for it, it is well worth the drive. If you don't think driving it is for you, however, public busses are available. From the road you will see Europe's most photographed, amazing, jagged peaks of the Dolomite mountains as well as fields of poppies, edelweiss, and buttercups. There are occasional places to stop and walk a ways to stretch and see the marvelous vistas.

4. Amalfi Coast, Italy.
The Amalfi Coast lies along the Mediterranean coastline from the town of Naples to Sorrento. This road winds through fishing villages that hug mountain cliffs. The road itself is a scary winding road that offers beautiful vistas of the blue water and passes picturesque towns such as Ravello, which is a whole town inside a castle; and the town of Conca dei Marini where you will see the Emerald Cave.

5. Grossglockner High Alpine Road, Austria.
The Grossglockner High Alpine Road is a winding, high elevation road that takes you right below some of the highest mountains in Austria and along lush glacial meadows. From above, you can look down on the Pasterzen Glacier. The road begins in the town of Lienz and takes you through the Hohe Tauern National Park. It is the second most popular tourist attraction in Austria, only to Schonbrunn Castle.

6. Furka Pass, Switzerland.
This road is a winding narrow high elevation road through the Swiss Alps. It has scary turns and driving it is not often attempted anymore because of the tunnel that was built in 1982 that takes you through the mountain instead of over it. There is bus service and a sight seeing train that go over the pass, and the road is still open to those who are daring enough to try it. The beautiful high mountains surrounding you from the road make the journey worthwhile.

III. North America
7. Pacific Highway 1, California, Oregon, and Washington.
In the Western United States lies some of the world's most beautiful country. Much of this can be observed from the comfort of your automobile as you travel this nearly 2000 mile long road. It runs along the Pacific coastline from the Mexican border to the Canadian border. Along this beautiful road can be seen mountains, miles of ocean, waterfalls in places, and rain forest. The most well known part runs from San Luis Obispo to San Francisco in Californina, but it changes names to Pacific Coast Highway 101 and travels along the coast of the states of Oregon and Washington.

8. The Cabot Trail, Canada
Located on the Eastern Canadian island Province of Nova Scotia, lies a little known 106 kilometer paved road called the Cabot Trail. Here you will enjoy breathtaking scenery while being immersed in Scottish heritage. As soon as you cross the causeway from the mainland to the island, you will begin meandering along the rugged coastline beside the mountains. There are places along the road, such as Cape Breton National Park, where you can enjoy beaches and picnic areas.

IV. Asia
9. National Highway 315, China.
From the city life and the Great Wall of Beijing to the grassy country, National Highway 315, also known as "The Silk Road, takes you through some of the most diverse terraine imaginable. This historic road connected Oriental silk trade to the buyers and sellers of the West. By driving along this ancient road, you are passing through centuries of China's incredible history. Along the way, you will see ruins of Ancient Chinese civilizations as well as see the progress that China is making towards being a country of the modern age.

10. Hai Van Pass, Vietnam.
In Vietnamese, Hai Van means "ocean clouds", so you can imagine what you will see along this Asian scenic byway. It is a 2 mile long road that runs along the mountain range near the South China Sea. The tropical climate gives the surrounding countryside a lush beauty and the overlook of the ocean makes it an absolutely beautiful drive. It can be a treacherous drive, so there is now a tunnel that passes through the mountains making the road less busy for the local drivers.