Drives of a Lifetime 2nd Edition: 500 of the World's Greatest Road Trips

by National Geographic Society

Compiled from the favorite trips of National Geographic's legendary travel writers, Drives of a Lifetime spans the globe to reveal the best celebrated and lesser-known road trips on the planet. Inside this fully updated and revised edition--featuring more than 20 new drives--you'll find routes through spectacular landscapes, ideas for quick getaways, leisurely journeys of discovery, and revelations of secret worlds beyond Google Maps. Some are legendary long-distance odysseys; others are easy day trips close to home, taking you down charming local byways. All will inspire you to pack up the car and hit the road. The possibilities are endless: Take Colorado's San Juan Skyway for a 10,000-foot climb over towering mountain passes. Or travel the ancient Silk Road on an expedition across Central Asia and through time. Or why not drive the perimeter of Puerto Rico, a tropical paradise with many beaches along the way? Whatever your taste and budget, you'll find plenty of routes tailored to your interests. Alongside detailed descriptions, full-color maps guide the way and planning tips help you make the most of your journey; top 10 lists offer quick, easy side trip ideas. Beautiful, informative, and inspiring, this luxurious volume is a lifelong resource that readers will treasure.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Reference, Photography, Adventure

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

The National Geographic Society (NGS), headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States, is one of the largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations in the world.
Founded in 1888, its interests include geography, archaeology, and natural science, the promotion of environmental and historical conservation, and the study of world culture and history. The National Geographic Society's logo is a yellow portrait frame—rectangular in shape—which appears on the margins surrounding the front covers of its magazines and as its television channel logo. Through National Geographic Partners (a joint venture with The Walt Disney Company), the Society operates the magazine, TV channels, a website, worldwide events, and other media operations.

Reviews

[Sara Strand · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so great! The photos are beautiful, but the trips are fantastic. I like how eat trip has pertinent information like the roads you'll be on, the duration of the trip, how many miles, and what you need to bring. I also liked that it gave you landmarks and places you'll see along the way if you want to plan out where to have lunch, rest stops, bathroom breaks, or even hikes you want to take to explore the area. Extremely helpful information, especially if you're a parent trying to plan out the best family vacation ever. ;)

[Liviu · Rating 5 out of 5]

another coffee table book one browses often but this one actually has a lot of cool ideas for driving (and I actually did a few drives mentioned there from Italy, Austria, Switzerland and Germany from the book, and a bunch from here in the US before actually reading about them in this one, and plan to do more as opportunity arises); excellent stuff with tons of inspiration for trips - has a companion with 500 journeys of a lifetime but this is better imho (if you are a fan of driving in cool places of course)

[Kasey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun book with lovely pictures. It's like a wishbook for road trip loving adults! However, I question some of the choices, as I have driven some of the routes and some I personally thought were amazing got only honorable mentions, and others that I didn't think were that great were featured. A good example of this is Alaska, where the Denali "Highway" a long, remote, washboard-rough gravel route that we didn't find to be that spectacular was featured above the Richardson Highway which was amazing. Hatcher Pass was probably the most unbelievable road I have travelled and it and wasn't even given a mention. But that's just my opinion I guess. Overall it has some really amazing routes I hope to travel someday.

[Meg - A Bookish Affair · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Drives of a Lifetime" begins with an amazing drive that my husband and I took a few weeks ago: Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park and then takes turns through places both well known and those that are more off the beaten path. Filled with the customary gorgeous pictures we've come to expect from National Geographic as well as fantastic descriptions of the drives, this book certainly made my to-visit list much, much, much longer!

2020 might be the year of the road trip with COVID. We have not ventured far but when we've left home, we've taken a car and we have definitely rediscovered our love of the open road. This book contains road trips, both foreign and domestic and they all sound lovely. The book is broken down mostly by topographical features with a few fun categories thrown in the mix like gourmet trips (please take me).

This book has something for everyone and is a perfect mix of both attainable and trips-to-dream about for someday. It is also a really nice mix of trips that are well-known and those that explore much lesser known places. I love all of the travel tips for each road trip. With the purveyor being National Geographic, you know you are getting some really quality trips. I know this is a book that I want to keep looking at and would make a perfect gift for my fellow travel-deprived friends!

[Chris Scrivener · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. I've been lucky enough to have driven a few of these in France , Switzerland and Germany.. Atunning photos and great detail

[Armelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a pretty book and fun to look at. The pictures are gorgeous. The descriptions are fairly minimal, but they do tell you what’s along the route.

I’ll never go to 99 percent of the places described, but that’s okay - I can dream.

[Kent · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised at how many of these locations I have already experienced in my life. I quite enjoy a good drive along a sea coast or mountain byway. This book identified a few that are close enough that I hope to experience them soon. Fun!

[Renetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Planning a road trip and this book has some beautiful areas I'd like to see.

[Nat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paging through this collection of sights and roadtrips is one of the most therapeutic actions I can take for my beatnik-wanderer soul. 10/10 would recommend.

[Jane · Rating 2 out of 5]

I counted this book rather than read it as I got annoyed by how unworldly it is; skewed to the USA and just north and south of the US borders, and Europe.
It is over a third USA, over a third Europe and less than a third rest of the world.
Useless for my upcoming trip to South Africa or anywhere I might do a road trip.

Of the ones with a map, here is my breakdown; not very ‘gourmet’.

Chapter 1 hills
18 USA
5 Central America
2 Asia
0 Australasia
11 Europe
0 Africa

Chapter 2 coast
2 Canada
10 USA
2 Central America
3 Asia
4 Australasia
8 Europe
2 Africa

Chapter 3 rivers
2 Canada
13 USA
2 Central & South America
1 Asia
0 Australasia
5 Europe
0 Africa

Chapter 4 less travelled
1 Canada
7 USA
4 Central & South America
1 Asia
2 Australasia
5 Europe
3 Africa

Chapter 5 village
2 Canada
6 USA
1 Central & South America
0 Asia
1 Australasia
10 Europe
0 Africa

Chapter 6 urban
2 Canada
4 USA
4 Central & South America
2 Asia
0 Australasia
5 Europe
0 Africa

Chapter 7 history
1 Canada
8 USA
3 Central America
3 Asia
0 Australasia
9 Europe
0 Africa

Chapter 8 gourmet
0 Canada
2 USA
1 Central America
1 Asia
2 Australasia
11 Europe
2 Africa

[Ktmholm · Rating 3 out of 5]

This 2nd edition coffee-table book (i.e. lots of photos) attempts to cover, as the subtitle says, 500 of the world’s greatest road trips (wildlife adventures, mountain drives, etc). Given that the focus is world-wide, most travelers will find some of their favorites omitted, and the book is most suited for armchair travelers who will enjoy the gorgeous photographs.

[Cell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rievaulx Abbey 看起來真漂亮（咦？總覺得我最近才寫下不怎麼喜歡看廢墟之類的話
問了一下 Google地圖，它說：
「很抱歉，系統無法規劃從「里兹 英國」到「Rievaulx Abbey...」的大眾運輸路線」
……真不愧是以開車為主題的旅遊書

--
電子書除了目次與索引，沒有文字重排
基本上我就只看圖片了

--
有出現台灣的地點：
太魯閣、蘇花公路、恆春半島

[Don Gubler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some intriguing trips. The places I have been are described pretty accurately. Lots of places worth visiting.

[Jessi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the different categories in this book, from gourmet road trips to mountain vistas to perfect bike trails. The photographs were nice as well.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Makes me want to get in my car and start driving to see all the world’s beauty!!!

[Samuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love amazing roads, and this book contains many. It is a wonderful read for avid travelers.

[Karl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pictures is outdated.

[Kashmira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect resource to reference when planning my roadtrip to Scandinavia.

[Dray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stellar book. really a great overview of road tripping around the world. Nicely designed and the web sites are phenomenal. Recommended.

[D · Rating 5 out of 5]

very informational; beautiful pictures

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like all of the books put out by National Geographic this one is stunning. The photos, as you would expect are just stunning. It’s also a perfect book for these times – you can look through and read about all the places you might want to go when going is a thing again. The vicarious thrill of reading about places far away is a good thing to brighten the days right now.

The chapters are set up by type of drive; hills and mountains, sea and shore, rivers, valleys and canyons and so on. I enjoyed reading about these castle drives – I was able to follow the Loire Valley drive while on a trip to France when I was in High School. Not that I did any of the driving! Now I can dream about that trip again.

Mountain Drives
There are drives listed from all over the world which is the book’s strength and it’s downfall. You can read yourself across Europe or just spend time in a part of the United States. Reading about riding the Beartooth Highway reminded me of the trip the hubby and I took a couple of years ago. The scenery was just extraordinary. I would love to go back at another time of year to see how different it looks. I can tell you that in a state of overwhelmingly beautiful scenery this was one stunning drive.

Driving by the Sea
If your dreams are to be by the sea you can turn the pages of the book and read about scenic drives by the coast. If you ask me it’s very calming to watch the water and with a book you don’t have to worry about driving off the road! Paging through allows you to see other states and other countries and perhaps zero in on a future trip.
I spent a fair portion of my life on a little island off of the coast of New Jersey so I understand the lure of the ocean but rivers and lakes are also scenic. One of the prettiest drives out West is along the Columbia River Gorge. It’s a trip we made several times as we drove back and forth across the country when we were living in our fifthwheel.

Driving TO See
Or as the book calls it, Driving Through History. Sometimes the point of the drive isn’t so much the scenery but the history along the way. This would include following battles whether Civil War or Revolutionary War in this country or WWI or WWII in Europe among others. Out West following in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark by car is a very popular family drive.

Driving to Eat
You can even find drives that focus on food. WHERE DO I SIGN UP! OK, it’s maybe not the time to be planning one of these tours right now but a girl can dream, can’t she? Following a cheese trail in the Netherlands or finding the best seafood in England. No matter what, there is a food drive for you – truffles anyone? Maybe the book can inspire a fun menu.

All in all the book was a wonderful diversion from the boring of the day to day and it offered possibilities of a future full of beauty and exploration. I know I will enjoy having this on my shelf to pull out when I need a break from my normal. And like any National Geographic book it would make a wonderful gift for anyone you know with a bit of wanderlust.

[Alex · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a good coffee table book with excellent photography, but is very thin on information for people who may actually drive some the routes described.

As you would expect in a coffee table read the information is presented thematically, with no attempt to provide a geographic finding aid which would be useful to narrow down trip locations beyond the entire planet. Maps are small, and little detail is offered about food, accommodation, weather, local politics, or even where to locate a vehicle.

Driving any of these trips would take considerable additional research. In areas I am familiar with I noticed that some of the authors are quite happy to subject themselves to huge stretches of interstate or bald prairie that many will describe as mind numbingly dull.

This is a pretty book which might give you an idea about a trip, but as a tool to assist people actually considering the drives, a reader is left with more questions than answers.

[Katherine Doll · Rating 3 out of 5]

A beautiful guide, done in typical National Geographic style.

Lots of gorgeous photos, florid travel brochure-like summaries of the drives and sights to be seen along the routes, tiny little maps of the route and an even tinier map of the route area placed within the country. Little information of real value to folks actually planning these drives.

I would say this book would be a starting point for further research to those with pots of money to spend, or those who love to imagine themselves with pots of money.

[Megsbookclub · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am seriously counting down the days until we can travel again! This National Geographic book has me craving an adventure! Drives of a Lifetime has over 500 road trips. Do you ever just go for a drive? Sometimes we like to grab the dog, roll the windows down, push the sunroof back, turn the music up and take a long drive! There are so many great drives no matter where you live. Be sure to check this out, it would be a perfect holiday present!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Made me ready to pack a bag & go. Or run to the computer and buy the book. Practicality took over and I did neither. Life calls, and who has the space for another book? Although this one is very tempting as it is a nice overview into travel ideas; each article provides enough info for the adventurous to go or the detail-oriented to start research. I did add it to my Amazon wish list and copy one page for our upcoming Vermont getaway.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

a good book in the "national geographic" lifetime travel-book series, with a heavy dose of american routes.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great vivid pictures that feature popular routes. I enjoyed seeing the miles and time lapse on the road trips. Definitely a coffee table/adult wishlist of places to visit.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I only jotted down 38 of the 500 trips that I (realistically) want to take and will, the book itself is a wonderful journey.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I certainly enjoyed thinking of the places I want to go.

[R.J. Gilmour · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of interesting drives across the planet from the folks at National Geographic. A handy guide includes not only the trip, a brief description but also the highlights of each drive.