Beautiful and scenic roads take our breath away when we drive on them. Our world is filled with numerous roads worth visiting during our lifetime.
Here are TireMart.com‘s top picks:
Nurburgring (Germany)
This German racetrack has a worldwide reputation as the ultimate test for any sports car. Believe it or not, this track also functions as a toll road that is open to the public. Traffic is one-way and many sections do not have speed limits or intersections, making this a popular place for driving enthusiasts to travel to.
The Death Road (North Yungas Rd, Bolivia)
This road from La Paz to Coroico, Bolivia has earned its nickname “The Death Road” due to its slim width and cliffs that line the road. Most of the road is one single lane with no guardrails. While this road has ranked near the top of our list, we suggest putting it last on your own list to ensure that you are able to still see the rest.
The Autobahn (Germany)
This German highway is best known for its sections that lack any speed limit. Astonishingly, the highway is also known for its low rate of accidents. According to the German Federal Highway Research Institute: “The Autobahn fatality rate of 1.7 deaths per billion-travel-kilometers compared favorably with the 5.1 rate on urban streets and 7.6 rate on rural roads.”
Lombard Street (San Francisco)
This San Francisco street travels for several blocks through the city, but it is best known for the section on Russian Hill where it contains 8 sharp hairpin turns. Many people claim that this is the most crooked street in the world (although we’re not sure how someone would actually measure that).
Guoliang Tunnel (China)
This tunnel is the only passage between the village of Guoliang and the rest of the outside world. It is located in China’s Taihang Mountains, and before it existed the only access route to the village was a dangerous footpath. It took local villagers 5 years to complete the tunnel, which they finished and opened to traffic in 1977.
Mount Washington Auto Road (New Hampshire)
Located on Mount Washington in New Hampshire, drivers on this auto road will ascend 4,618 feet up to the summit. For years the weather station at the summit was home to the highest recorded surface wind speed on earth (231 mph), but a tropical storm beat this record in 2010 (251 mph).
Hoover Dam to Las Vegas Blvd (Nevada)
This route will take you across the dam on Interstate 93 and then you’ll have about a 30 mile drive to the main Las Vegas strip. Both of these roads have a very grand and “larger than life” feel to them, and both have played a role in the America’s history just as they will likely do in the future.
Overseas Highway (FL Keys)
Better known as Route 1, this highway travels from the mainland in Florida through the Florida Keys and ends in Key West. The road is 127 miles long and it has a total of 42 bridges. The longest bridge is 6.79 miles long (although its called the Seven Mile Bridge). Consider this to be your path to paradise on a future winter vacation.
Mount Evans Scenic Byway (Colorado)
This is America’s highest roadway and it ascends approx 5,540 feet to its summit in Colorado. Enjoy this drive and its scenic views all summer long! However, don’t expect to make the ascent during the winter. The road begins to close after Labor Day and remains closed once the area receives its first snowfall.
Old Route 66
While this road has seen its better days, much of Rt. 66 still remains and will take you through all kinds of small towns. This was one of America’s original highways and while driving down this road you’ll see miles and miles of Americana. Don’t worry, you don’t have to drive the full length. A brief departure from Interstate 40 as you drive through the southern mid-west will be sufficient to give you a history lesson.
