Flights are fast, ferries are fun, but nothing beats the nostalgic thrill of a good ol’ road trip. You can not only travel where you want, when you want, but can bring whatever you want along for the ride – be it more than seven kilos of luggage (gasp!), unlimited snacks, or even your four-legged friend.
In Australia, the humble four-wheeled adventure is a quintessential cultural practice, with our nation's abundance of gorgeously scenic drives, bizarre roadside curios and secret nature spots making any kind of long road trip more than the average drive. So, it’s a no brainer that an Australian city has topped a recent ranking of the world’s best destinations for a scenic drive.
To determine the rankings, worldwide car rental site, DiscoverCars.com collected more than 250,00 tourist reviews, rating destinations out of ten. Tasmania’s capital, Hobart, claimed the top spot with an impressive average rating of 9.25 from 1,189 reviews, climbing from 13th place in 2023. Flanked by the rugged peak of kunanyi / Mount Wellington and the glittering waters of the River Derwent, this region offers bounds of natural beauty just a drive away.
Starting in Hobart, you can drive north through long lines of coast and leafy forests to the pristine waters and red rocks of the Bay of Fires. There are countless wineries and roadside oyster joints to stop at along the 280-kilometre route, with a refreshing swim at Wineglass Bay awaiting you at the finish line.
Alternatively, you can venture south to the beautiful Bruny Island, which is a feasible and fun road trip from Hobart. The ferry terminal is at Kettering, a 35-minute drive south of Hobart, and will have you on the island in just 20 minutes. For a longer journey, head further south to the gastronomic paradise of the Huon Valley. The scenic drive is rewarded with stunning mountain landscapes and winds through charming rural countries, like Glen Huon and Judbury. Make sure to stop for plenty of wine tastings (as long as you’re not the deso driver), pick up fresh fruit from local farm stalls and experience paddock-to-plate dining at its best.
To “maximise the variety” in their top 20 list, Discovercars.com only included the highest ranking city from each country. However, they gave shout-outs to Cairns, the Gold Coast, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, all of which were strong contenders had the rules been different.
You can check out the full top ten destinations for a scenic drive below:
- Hobart, Australia
- Funchal, Portugal
- Kefalonia, Greece
- Ponta Delgada, Portugal
- Larnaca, Cyprus
- Christchurch, New Zealand
- Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe
- Menorca, Spain
- Lanzarote, Spain
- Budapest, Hungary
Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Australia newsletter for more news, travel inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox.