The world’s coastlines offer some of the most spectacular scenery for road trips. The meeting of land and sea creates magical vistas that change with every turn. These routes combine natural beauty with engineering marvels, taking drivers along cliff edges, over stunning bridges, and through charming coastal communities.
Here is a list of 20 of the most breathtaking coastal drives from around the globe that showcase nature at its finest while providing unforgettable travel experiences.
Pacific Coast Highway, California, USA
This iconic 655-mile route along California’s rugged coastline delivers consistently stunning ocean views from San Diego to San Francisco. The most dramatic section runs through Big Sur, where the Santa Lucia Mountains plunge into the Pacific Ocean, creating dramatic cliffs and vistas.
Pull-offs dot the highway, allowing drivers to stop and admire the crashing waves below or spot migrating whales during the right season.
Great Ocean Road, Victoria, Australia
Stretching 151 miles along Australia’s southeastern coast, this memorial to soldiers from World War I offers breathtaking views of the Southern Ocean and famous limestone formations like the Twelve Apostles. The road winds through landscapes from rainforests to beaches and dramatic cliffs, connecting quaint coastal towns.
Koalas can often be spotted in the eucalyptus trees along certain stretches, adding a touch of Australian wildlife to this scenic journey.
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Amalfi Coast Drive, Campania, Italy
This narrow, winding road carved into the cliffs of Italy’s Sorrentine Peninsula presents drivers with sweeping views of the azure Mediterranean Sea and colorful villages. The 30-mile route between Sorrento and Salerno passes through charming towns like Positano and Amalfi, with their pastel buildings cascading down hillsides toward the water.
Ancient churches, fragrant lemon groves, and terraced vineyards add cultural richness to the natural beauty of this UNESCO-listed destination.
Chapman’s Peak Drive, Cape Town, South Africa
Often called one of the most spectacular marine drives in the world, this 5.5-mile engineering marvel hugs the mountainside between Noordhoek and Hout Bay near Cape Town.
Cut into the near-vertical face of Chapman’s Peak, the road features 114 curves and offers panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean and Hout Bay Harbor. Sunset drives are particularly popular as the fading light bathes the sandstone mountains in a golden glow.
Causeway Coastal Route, Northern Ireland
Winding along the northern coast of Ireland for nearly 200 miles, this route connects Belfast to Derry/Londonderry with breathtaking sea views. The drive passes the hexagonal basalt columns of the Giant’s Causeway, dramatic castle ruins like Dunluce perched on cliff edges, and the heart-stopping Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge.
Game of Thrones fans will recognize many filming locations, adding another layer of interest to this already captivating journey.
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Cape Peninsula Loop, Cape Town, South Africa
This circular route around the Cape Peninsula takes drivers from Cape Town through charming coastal villages and past stunning beaches with mountain backdrops. The road passes through the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, where baboons roam freely and the Atlantic and Indian Oceans appear to meet.
False Bay’s eastern shores offer excellent whale-watching opportunities during migration season, while the western Atlantic side features dramatic rocky coastlines and crashing waves.
Trollstigen Mountain Road, Norway
Though not fully coastal, this spectacular road connects to Norway’s famous fjords with a series of hairpin turns that climb a steep mountainside. The ‘Troll’s Path’ includes an impressive bridge across the Stigfossen waterfall and several viewing platforms offering breathtaking valley vistas and distant ocean views.
The dramatic mountain landscape and glimpses of fjord water make this a must-drive route for coastal scenery enthusiasts.
Cabot Trail, Nova Scotia, Canada
This 185-mile loop around Cape Breton Island combines Celtic cultural heritage with stunning Atlantic coastal vistas and forest landscapes. The northern section runs along cliffs overlooking the Gulf of St. Lawrence, while the eastern portion passes through the Cape Breton Highlands National Park with its lush forests and wildlife.
Fall drives are particularly spectacular when the hardwood forests explode with vibrant autumn colors against the deep blue backdrop of the ocean.
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Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland
Spanning over 1,500 miles along Ireland’s western seaboard, this is one of the longest defined coastal routes in the world. The drive passes rugged headlands, pristine beaches, and charming fishing villages steeped in local culture and history.
Highlights include the towering Cliffs of Moher rising 700 feet above the Atlantic, the lunar-like landscape of the Burren, and remote Connemara with its wild ponies and blanket bogs.
Great Eastern Drive, Tasmania, Australia
Tasmania’s east coast offers a stunning 108-mile coastal journey from Orford to St Helens, showcasing some of Australia’s most pristine beaches and dramatic scenery. The road passes the famous Bay of Fires with its orange lichen-covered rocks, crystal-clear waters, and powdery white sand beaches.
Freycinet National Park’s perfectly curved Wineglass Bay provides another highlight along this less crowded but equally magnificent coastal drive.
North Coast 500, Scotland
Scotland’s answer to Route 66 forms a 516-mile loop around the northern Highlands, offering drivers a mix of coastal cliffs, sandy beaches, and historic castles. The route passes through remote fishing villages, by ancient ruins, and alongside dramatic lochs that reflect the ever-changing Scottish sky.
Wildlife spotting opportunities abound with seals, dolphins, and even golden eagles appearing along this increasingly popular driving route.
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Hana Highway, Maui, Hawaii
This 64-mile stretch of road from Kahului to Hana features over 600 curves and 59 bridges, many single-lane, as it hugs Maui’s northern coastline. The journey offers views of towering waterfalls, lush rainforests, and black sand beaches with dramatic waves crashing against volcanic rocks.
Despite being relatively short in distance, the drive typically takes a full day due to numerous scenic stops and challenging road conditions.
Overseas Highway, Florida Keys, USA
This engineering marvel stretches 113 miles across 42 bridges connecting the Florida Keys to the mainland, with the Seven Mile Bridge being its crown jewel. Drivers travel above crystal clear waters in shades of blue and green while spotting marine life from the road.
The highway links charming island communities from Key Largo to Key West, each with distinct character and attractions, making for a uniquely American coastal journey.
Costa Brava Coastal Road, Catalonia, Spain
The ‘Wild Coast’ of northeastern Spain offers a magnificent driving route along rugged cliffs and hidden coves with turquoise waters. The winding road connects medieval villages like Tossa de Mar with ancient walls and whitewashed fishermen’s cottages in Calella de Palafrugell.
Ancient olive groves and pine forests add fragrant greenery to the coastal landscape, while the Mediterranean sparkles in shades of blue throughout the journey.
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Atlantic Road, Norway
Though just 5.2 miles long, this engineering wonder connects several small islands via eight bridges that leap from one rocky outcrop to another. The most famous section, the curved Storseisundet Bridge, creates an optical illusion, appearing to end mid-air when approached.
During storms, waves crash over the roadway, giving drivers the surreal experience of traveling through ocean spray while staying dry in their vehicles.
Sea-to-Sky Highway, British Columbia, Canada
Running 75 miles from Vancouver to Whistler, this route offers stunning views of Howe Sound’s deep blue waters against a backdrop of coastal mountains. The road climbs from sea level to alpine terrain, passing cascading Shannon Falls and the towering granite monolith of the Stawamus Chief.
Recent improvements have added several scenic viewpoints where drivers can safely pull over to appreciate the magnificent coastal panoramas of this Pacific Northwest treasure.
Na Pali Coast, Kauai, Hawaii
While the complete Na Pali coastline is inaccessible by car, the roads to its viewpoints offer some of Hawaii’s most breathtaking drives. The journey to Kalalau Lookout takes drivers through Kokee State Park, with its lush vegetation and misty mountain views, before revealing the dramatic green cliffs that plunge into the Pacific.
The contrast between the verdant mountains and the deep blue ocean creates unforgettable vistas worth every mile driven.
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Ruta 40, Patagonia, Argentina
Though much of this legendary highway runs inland, the southern sections pass close to the Patagonian coast with spectacular views of glacial lakes and distant ocean horizons. The road runs parallel to the Andes Mountains, creating dramatic scenery where snow-capped peaks meet coastal plains.
Remote and rugged, this route offers adventurous drivers a chance to experience the untamed beauty of South America’s southern coastline.
Copacabana to Santos Drive, Brazil
This coastal route connects Rio de Janeiro to São Paulo via beautiful beach towns and jungle-covered mountains that meet the Atlantic Ocean. The road passes the famous beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema before continuing through lesser-known but equally stunning coastal areas like Angra dos Reis, with its 365 islands.
Lush Atlantic rainforest forms a green backdrop to blue ocean views throughout this tropical coastal journey.
Ring Road, Iceland
Iceland’s Route 1 forms an 828-mile loop around the island, with significant portions running along dramatic coastlines. The eastern and southern sections offer views of black sand beaches, massive glaciers reaching almost to the ocean, and unique rock formations shaped by volcanic activity and fierce Atlantic storms.
Waterfalls cascading from coastal cliffs and floating icebergs in glacial lagoons create surreal landscapes unlike any other coastal drive.
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The World at Your Windshield
These coastal drives represent some of humanity’s most stunning blends of natural beauty and road engineering. From ancient paths widened for modern vehicles to purpose-built scenic routes, these roads offer travelers much more than merely a way to get from point A to point B.
They provide access to breathtaking vistas, cultural experiences, and natural wonders that might remain unseen. The next time you plan a journey, consider taking the scenic route—your memories will thank you.
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