World’s Best Road Trips

by Willy Volk on

In March, my wife and I drove from Florida’s east coast to its west coast for a long weekend. In total, we put 600 miles on the car. Does that qualify as a road trip — or is it just a long drive?

In August, we’re planning on taking our two dogs and driving from Florida, through Georgia, and up to Indiana. We plan to be gone for 2+ weeks, and that trip will add about 2500 miles to the car. Does that qualify as a road trip — or is it just insanity on wheels?

Want to spin your wheels out on the open road but can’t figure out a good route? Check out Concierge, which has put together a dreamy list of the world’s best road trips, including:

Finally, after you read the piece, you can vote on your favorite road trip — or nominate a new one altogether.

In case you’re wondering, my all-time favorite road trip was the three-month tour my wife and I took along South Africa’s coast, from Durban to Cape Town: wicked pretty, varied scenery, friendly people, and lots to do.

Do you love road trips? See also:

The Most Dangerous Roads in Europe

by Willy Volk on

Although they may not be as terrifying as some of these roads, a new report (PDF) by Eurostat, the European Commission’s statistical office, claims that roads in Eastern Europe are the most dangerous in the EU. Conversely, the safest roads are found in the northern member states and in Malta. Other paranoia-inducing trivia includes:

  • Latvia, Romania, Lithuania, and Slovakia had the highest number of persons killed in road accidents.
  • Death rates on the roads in Greece are 5 times greater than death rates in the UK.

If you’re looking for some good news, you can rest a little easier in the big cities. According to the report, urban regions are the safest. Th report even singles out Berlin, Vienna, Stockholm, and Brussels as among the safest capitals in the EU.

If you’re planning on driving in Great Britain, Ireland, Spain, and Switzerland, and you want to know which roads are the safest, you may want to visit EuroRAP. EuroRAP lets you check the safety rating of roads in those countries before you actually hit the on-ramp.

The Car Entertainment Organizer Keeps Your Stuff Organized

by Willy Volk on

I always begin every road trip with the best intentions: magazines go here, maps go there, the cooler goes in that spot over there. However, after only a few hours — faster, maybe, if we’re traveling with our dog — the car’s a mess, and nothing is where it’s supposed to be. If you’re like me (God help you!), then maybe you need a car entertainment organizer.

Essentially an open-faced suitcase that straps to the rear of a car seat, the organizer features 7 mesh pockets, including a dedicated space for tissue; small, mesh pockets for storing easily-lost items (crayons, dog treats, and lottery tickets); and larger pockets (for stuffing CD cases, maps, or candy bars). Made from reinforced 600 denier pack cloth, the organizer runs an affordable $15.

If only it would repel dog hair…