In honor of the 100th anniversary of “On the Road” author Jack Kerouac’s birth, and in spite of rising fuel prices, we thought we’d dream a bit of hitting the road. Whether travelling the dramatic Icefields Parkway through the Canadian Rockies or Pakistan and China’s Karakoram Highway, the world’s most scenic mountain rides feature stunning vistas, steep climbs, and nervy cliff-clinging curves. The open roads of the prairies, tundra and deserts such as Iceland’s Ring Road and America’s Route 163 offer views that seem to go on forever. The warm breezes and ocean views along the best coastal drives along Italy’s Amalfi Coast and the Great Ocean Road in Australia allow us to relax, breathe in the sea air and simply enjoy being on the road.If you’re into bucket lists, here’s some images of the best drives worldwide to take before none of us can afford to drive anymore.
Chapmans Peak Drive, Cape Town, South Africa. Photo: Hoberman/UIG 
This is Route 1 also known as the Pacific Coast Highway. The road is situated next to the ocean with the mountains in the distance. The road goes off into infinity into the sunset. USA. Photo: Joe Sohm/Visions of America/UIG 
Monument Valley, Route 163 at Dawn, Utah, USA. Photo: Joe Sohm/Visions of America/UIG 
The Icefields Parkway highway cuts through the Canadian Rocky Mountains. This photo is from the fall season. Photo: Matthew Bailey /VWPics/UIG 
Road leading through the tundra towards the mountain range Lambafjoll / Lambafjoell in winter, Northeastern Region / Norourland eystra, Iceland. Photo: Sven-Erik Arndt/Arterra/UIG 
Silver linden / silver lime trees (Tilia tomentosa) bordering avenue in summer. Photo: Sven-Erik Arndt/Arterra/UIG 
Ouray, Silverton Colorado – Wet autumn road goes from Ouray to Silverton Colorado, the “Million Dollar Highway” with color, Route 550. Photo: Joe Sohm/Visions of America/UIG 
Pasadena Freeway, Arroyo Seco Parkway, CA 110 empty highway leads to downtown Los Angeles in morning light. Photo: Joe Sohm/Visions of America/UIG 
Trebbia valley. Liguria. Italy. Photo: Enrico Bottino/REDA&CO/UIG 
Road and Lake Pukaki looking towards Mount Cook National Park, South Island, New Zealand. Photo: Jumping Rocks/UIG 
Road in Chott el Djerid salt lake. Tunisia. Photo: Mikel Bilbao/VWPics/UIG 
A tunnel in the Amalfi Coast, UNESCO, World Heritage Site, Campania, Italy. Photo: DanieleOrsi/REDA&CO/UIG 
Landscape between Salar Salinas Grandes and Susques in the Altiplano. Argentina. Photo: Martin Zwick/REDA&CO/UIG 
Salvador Dali Desert in the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve in the Andean mountains, Sur Lípez Province, Potosí Department, Bolivia. Photo: Marica van der Meer/Arterra/UIG 
Empty Route 1. Ring Road, winding national road in desolate barren landscape in summer at Austurland, East Iceland. Photo: Sven-Erik Arndt/Arterra/UIG 
Manali to Leh highway, Tibet. Photo: Rahul Sharma/IndiaPicture/UIG 
Drone aerial view of winding road and red car in Utah, USA. Photo: Joe Sohm/Visions of America/UIG 
Canejo Grade, Route 101 Streaked Lights at dusk, south of Ventura, Camarillo, California, USA. Photo: Photo: Joe Sohm/Visions of America/UIG 
Argentina. Salta region. Ruta 40 Quebrada de las fiechas. Photo: Giovanni Mereghetti/UCG/UIG 
Tunnel in the Amalfi Coast, UNESCO, World Heritage Site, Campania, Italy. Photo: DanieleOrsi/REDA&CO/UIG
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