Ten Of Our Favorite Scenic Road Trips

Those who love road trips are the curious, the spontaneous, and the free-spirited—and travel inspiration abounds when we hear the amusing or alarming tales of others. From Iceland and Austria, to Mexico and Alaska, the road trips that follow offer many reasons to jump in the car and explore a new destination. Here are our favorites, told through the images and anecdotes of ten different photographers.

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American-Australian photographer Jesse Lizotte’s series ‘Alto Aqui’ depicts his two-week trip traversing the Baja Peninsula on Mexico’s northwestern coast. Lizotte had his cameras stolen, and the photographs that the series comprises of are from a camera that survived the robbery. You can find the series here.

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French photographer Valentin Duciel has the luxury of spending weekends escaping city life in the countryside of Provence, France. Back in 2016, we had the pleasure of learning more about his road trips, which often include improvised meals, naps on the roof of a van, and a cold beer or five. Click here to see Duciel’s photo diary.

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Brazilian photographer Gleeson Paulino and German designer and director Nathini van der Meer were set up on a blind friend date; the next time they saw each other they embarked on a three month long coast-to-coast road-trip across the United States via the deep south. Read their adventure here.

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“Alaska is perhaps my favorite place, a rare place where nature is still at full work, preserved in a unique way.” Canadian photographer Alex Strohl traveled through almost inaccessible land to tap into the remoteness of wild Alaska, creating authentic memories in moments of unpredictable weather. More on the story here.

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Melbourne-based photographer Sarah Pannell left central Adelaide for the rolling green hills of Mclaren Vale, the viticultural region of the South Australian state. It was there she often pulled over on the side of the road to capture picturesque moments—where the sea meets clifftops, forests, farmlands, and mountains; spotting a koala, kangaroo and dolphin or two. To read more, click here.

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Austrian photographer Daniel Gebhart de Koekkoek took to the road to document the dramatic beauty of the Austrian countryside. From rivers of emerald water and captivating alpine roads to towns that sit framed by rolling hills, highlights included a local meal in a charming village and a swim in fresh lake water in the Northern Limestone Alps. Read the full feature here.

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German photographer Stefan Haehnel started his road trip in Reykjavík and went north towards the Snæfellsnes peninsula. “Neither words nor photographs can capture the feeling of standing in an endless lava field covered in moss or next to a geysir while it erupts”, he insists. His imagery of the magical Icelandic landscapes does, however, insist otherwise. Find out more here.

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Polish photographer Magdalena Wosinska road tripped through upstate New York for our 24 Hours feature back in 2014. Her spontaneous adventure with friends led to naked lake swimming amongst water snakes, cuddles with goats, and washing poison oak off limbs before getting drenched by rain. Read the full story here.

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Zurich-based photographer Julien L. Balmer captured the ancient city of Fès in Northern Morocco, known for its medieval medina and labyrinth of small streets, used by donkeys, mules, and pedestrians. Balmer hired a car and drove to the surrounding countryside in the early mornings, without a map, a plan, nor a care in sight. More on Balmer’s story here.

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Théo Gosselin went on a road trip with his girlfriend and two friends across Europe. The four of them started their trip in France and drove across the United Kingdom to the north of Scotland; towards its vast lands and mountains. Their photo diary explores the beautiful landscapes of Scotland, with group campfires, baby frogs, and breakfast in bed just some of their adventures. See the full story here.