3 family road trip ideas – my wishlist
There’s something about the lure of the open road that’s hard to resist. The idea of driving towards the horizon, the wind in my hair, looking for a new adventure around the next corner – so my brain is always plotting new family road trip ideas.
Admittedly most of my driving is a rather less scenic motorway or school run, but after our road trip along the Pacific Coast Highway in California, aka Highway One, with my then three-year-old, I’ve been dying to set out on another.
Ah but where? Or where first… Inspired to come up with some family road trip ideas, these three are high on my wishlist – this time, we might skip the American muscle car.
The Spanish road trip
I’ve lost track of the number of trips I’ve made to Spain – my first overseas holiday was Mallorca, my daughter’s first was Lanzarote. Even my most recent was Barcelona!
But I’ve always fancied a road trip through some of the historic cities, especially Seville, Cordoba, Granada and Ronda.
Having finally visited Granada a couple of years ago, I’m already ready for a return trip. And my Spanish road trip wishlist has grown as well to a 900km adventure, starting in Cadiz and finishing with Toledo and Madrid. I think I’d better go soon before I add anywhere else…
For more great ideas of road trip activities with kids, as well as the best road trip snacks for kids, check out my top tips
Iceland’s ring road
Highway 1 is certainly the only ring road I look forward to driving around. Having visited Iceland for a long weekend before my daughter was born, we saw some of the highlights – Reykjavik, the Golden Circle including the geysers, Gulfoss, and the Blue Lagoon – but didn’t have chance to venture further afield then.
But following the 1,332km circular road around Iceland, I’d get to spot thousand-year-old ice floating on Jokulsarlon glacial lake, discover puffins in the Westman islands, gaze out at the fjord at Akureyi and discover spectacular landscapes along the way – maybe with a bit of off-roading as a bonus.
I didn’t get to see the Northern Lights either, so those are still on my list.
For more tips on planning an Iceland road trip with kids, check out my guide
Canada mountain road trip
The most ambitious itinerary of them all – not least because here be bears (if I’m lucky). So far my only experience of Canada has been Toronto (which is wonderful) and Vancouver is another Canadian city I’d love to visit.
Then heading out into the Rockies through Whistler and Jasper towards the astonishingly beautiful Lake Louise, the mountains reflecting in its stunning bluey-green waters (I think we’d skip the snow chains to do this one in spring/summer).
Then back through the vineyards of the Oakanagan Valley to Vancouver once more. Around 2,000km from start to finish. But what an adventure!
For more family road trip ideas in the UK, check out this post as well as our California road trip last summer
PIN FOR LATER: FAMILY ROAD TRIP IDEAS
Images courtesy Depositphotos
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These are 3 great ideas, I’d love to do them all. They are all so different but what they all have in common is spectacular scenery. My husband would have to drive so I could admire the view! #FarawayFiles
Thanks – that’s one thing I love about road trips too, with a car, you can have so many different experiences. Ideally I’d pack my husband to do the driving as well!
I’d love all three of those road trips! I’m a big fan of the freedom that a road trip affords. Exploring those bits along the way to where you’re going sometimes leave the biggest memories. I will have to do your Pacific Coast road trip one day! Cheers and thanks for sharing with #FarawayFiles, Erin
Definitely – we stopped so many times along the way on the Pacific Coast highway, and could have stopped a lot more if we didn’t actually have to arrive at our accommodation. I suspect we could do that route again without repeating ourselves!
We go to Iceland next year and renting a car is def a priority #farawayfiles
Exciting – will look forward to reading about that.
Cool ideas. We are doing an epic Euro road trip next year before heading back to Australia. Definitely taking in Spain and Portugal, a visit to Phoebe in France and probably as far east as Montenegro! #FararwayFiles
Liking the sound of this Katy! We’ve road tripped in Spain, Portugal and all the way to Montenegro so just shout if you want any pointers….but above all make sure you really do get to us at Lou Messugo!
Needless to say, a stay at Lou Messugo is on my wishlist as well! With or without the road trip 🙂
Thanks – and wow, that sounds an amazing adventure. Portugal is another of my favourite countries, and I would love to go to Montenegro especially. I hadn’t realised you were heading back to Australia though.
Ooh I like to hear what Katy just wrote above! As you know we love a good road trip and go on at least one big one every year. We’ve done both Iceland and Spain but would absolutely love to do one in Canada and Highway . #farawayfiles
I do – I wish I could have the time to do a serious road trip like yours… one day, maybe.
I was lucky enough to do that Canadian road trip when I was a teenager. We didn’t go as far north as Whistler but we did go further east to Banff which I would highly recommend. It left a very strong impression on me! If you ever get to that part of Canada make sure you get to the coast and go whale watching. So many orcas! #FarawayFiles
Amazing – and whale watching is something I’d love to do. I’ve always managed to mistime my trips to whale territory for one reason or another so far.
I’d love to do all of these. But especially Iceland and Canada. I’ve been to Vancouver a few times and it is lovely. I’d love to explore more of Canada. #farawayfiles
Everything I’ve heard of Vancouver really tempts me – even if I can’t manage a whole road trip, I’d love a stay there.
We’ve not done any road trips with our kids. I have such a horror of getting stuck on the motorways here in the UK that I always consider flying or getting the train when I’m abroad. I did love the road trip I did down the Californian coast though so perhaps I should reconsider – I like the idea of visiting several places on the one trip. Thanks for sharing on #FarawayFiles
I have had some very tortuous journeys on motorways in the UK – somehow the wide open roads of the USA never seem so mundane.
Your wishlist sounds very appealing! I’m making a mental note of places I want to drive to in Spain, I agree it would be a great road trip destination. Pre-kids we drove from Nice to Bilbao, the scenery in this Pyrenees was amazing but I’m keen to explore the south, Seville is lovely and I’ve heard great things about Grenada and Córdoba. We’re doing our first family road trip next month through eastern Sicily, can’t wait!
Thanks! My Spain wishlist gets longer and longer I think – I do love the countryside around the Pyrenees, especially Languedoc-Roussillon as well. Enjoy Sicily
Oooh I’d love to do that road trip in Iceland. You can just imagine the stunning scenery. I’m lucky in that my husband loves to drive, which means my job is looking out the window and enjoying the scenery. #farawayfiles
Same here – I know this is one holiday I wouldn’t need to tempt him to hard to come on.
Great ideas! I’m with you on Spain and Iceland…really want to do a version of your west coast jaunt. Canada is beautiful…I’ve sort of done that (albeit on a Greyhound bus)! Lake Louise is stunning!
I know so little of Canada given how big it is – would definitely be fun to go back and do it when you’re behind the wheel 🙂
Driving in Iceland is a great experience. Doing it in a 4WD vehicle at your own pace is a great way of experiencing the country’s landscape.
I would love to get out and explore Iceland, one visit just whetted my appetite