Routes tips

Getting from the West Coast to the Caribbean and Central America hasn’t historically been easy—there simply aren’t many nonstop flights, which makes for long travel days. But new offerings from Alaska Airlines could change that.

Life on two wheels is a beautiful thing, and travel on two wheels can be epic. Here are a few of the world's greatest cycle routes to consider for your next big trip.

When entertaining the thought of travelling in the USA and all its many options, there's one that never fails to produce a frisson of excitement: a road trip through California. The Golden State has everything you'd imagine and more: beautiful beaches, expansive deserts, canyons and mountains, and of course San Francisco's iconic Golden Gate Bridge – but that's not where the colour ends. Vibrant cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego are home to a bursting array of bars and history; rolling peaks are covered with spring blooms and summer greens, giving way to the trails of snowboarders and skiers. Pacific waves welcome energetic surfers while tranquil, turquoise lakes are speckled with paddleboarders. The best way to see all that Cali has to offer is with your own set of wheels – but which path to choose? Here are some of the best routes for your California road trip.

Whether you want to keep fit while on holiday, or just explore new corners of the UK on foot, Jen and Sim Benson – authors of the new Wild Running: 150 Adventures on the Trails & Fells of Britain – have compiled their five favourite running routes in Britain.

Thailand is ripe for trekking. From its dripping, pristine rainforests to its towering, mist-enveloped mountains, there is a landscape that just begs you to get out on two feet and explore.

You can’t expect to fit everything Europe has to offer into one trip and we don’t suggest you try. For those taking a big, extended trip around the continent you could join a few countries together.

Pack your stuff, throw it in a camper van along with a surfboard and don’t look back… This might be an old cliché but it’s one for good reason: Australia really is one of the best places on Earth for a road trip.

Rugged and vast, Canada is a road-tripper's dream. Driving gives you the freedom to travel at your own pace – pull over and take in the scenery along the way or break up the journey with hiking and kayaking.

New Zealand’s roads and trails cut through incredibly diverse landscapes: snow-capped peaks and watery fiords, fertile plains, subtropical forest, glacial lakes and rugged coastline can all be explored on four wheels. Here is a selection of our favourite road trips in New Zealand.

What Britain might lack in urban cycle lanes, it more than makes up for with scenic cycle routes on rough mountainsides, through dappled forests and along windswept coastlines. Here, Rough Guides writer Portia Jones shares a selection of brilliant bike routes in the UK. 

South Africa's ever-changing landscapes, pristine coastlines, quirky small towns and abundance of wide open spaces have cemented the country's reputation as one of the world's best road trip destinations.

Slamming on my brakes, my bike came to a standstill in a country lane shaded by trees. A lone sheep stood in the middle of the road, bordered by 8ft high bushes. Looking left, then right, it baaed with confusion before galloping towards me and scampering up a bank.

Lovers of luxury rail journeys have a couple of new routes to add to their travel wish lists now that one of the world’s most iconic trains has announced its return to the tracks of Southeast Asia.

Breeze Airways will add nearly a dozen new routes from Florida this fall, and is celebrating with one-way flights starting at just $39. 

Alaska Airlines is heading to Guatemala with a brand-new route from Los Angeles to the capital of Guatemala City.

Breeze Airways continues to expand with new routes this fall from Florida, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and more.

Delta Airlines is adding new routes that will bring travelers to The Bahamas, Las Vegas, and Florida.