Coastal
The Sea Cliff Bridge Run
A short, dramatic stretch of highway suspended above the waves south of Sydney.
32 km45 minEasy
Spring
A Magazine for the Open Road
Find the drive worth the detour.
Mountain passes, coastal highways, and forest backroads — curated for drivers who'd rather take the long way round.
Featured Road Trips
Four drives worth planning a weekend around
Hand-picked routes covering coastline, mountain, forest, and desert — each one tested by our own writers behind the wheel.
Coastal
Mountain Pass
Atlas Mountains Switchbacks
Tight hairpins and wide valley views on one of North Africa's great mountain roads.
96 km3 hrModerate
Forest Route
The Autumn Canopy Drive
A quiet backroad that turns into a tunnel of red and gold every October.
54 km1.5 hrEasy
Desert
Monument Valley Straight
Miles of open asphalt with nothing but red rock and sky on either side.
140 km2 hrEasy
Interactive Route Cards
Tap a route to see the details
Distance, drive time, and difficulty for each route — expand any card for the full breakdown.
Sea Cliff Bridge, Australia
Coastal highway, suspended above the ocean
32 km
Distance
45 min
Drive Time
Easy
Difficulty
Best driven early morning when the road is quiet and the light hits the water directly. Several pull-offs along the bridge make for easy photo stops.
Atlas Mountains, Morocco
High mountain pass with tight switchbacks
96 km
Distance
3 hr
Drive Time
Moderate
Difficulty
Narrow in places with limited visibility on bends — confident driving and good brakes recommended. Closed occasionally after heavy snow in winter.
The Canopy Drive, Forest Route
Quiet backroad through dense autumn woodland
54 km
Distance
1.5 hr
Drive Time
Easy
Difficulty
Peak colour usually lasts about three weeks in October. Watch for wet leaves on the tarmac after rain — they reduce grip more than people expect.
Monument Valley Straight, USA
Long, open desert highway through red rock country
140 km
Distance
2 hr
Drive Time
Easy
Difficulty
Fill the tank before setting out — fuel stops are far apart. Sunrise and sunset light give the rock formations their deepest colour.
Best Seasons to Travel
Every route has its moment
The same road can feel like a completely different drive depending on the season — here's when each style of route is at its best.
Summer
Long days on the coast
Autumn
Forest routes turning gold
Winter
Desert roads at their clearest
Driving Tips
Before you set off
Simple habits that make scenic routes safer and more enjoyable, especially on unfamiliar roads.
Download offline maps
Mountain and forest routes often lose signal for long stretches — a downloaded map avoids any guesswork.
Check fuel before remote stretches
Some of the best routes have very few petrol stations — top up whenever you see one, not just when you need to.
Build in extra time
Scenic routes are slower than the map suggests — pull-offs, single-lane bridges, and viewpoints all add up.
Check seasonal road closures
Mountain passes can close with little notice after snowfall — always check current status before relying on a route.
Use pull-offs, not the road shoulder
For photos, only stop where it's actually safe to — designated viewpoints exist for a reason on narrow routes.
Pack for the elevation, not the forecast
A mountain pass can be 10°C colder than the valley below — a layer in the boot solves most surprises.
Photo Gallery
Frames from the road
A working collection of images from contributors driving these routes themselves — unfiltered and unposed.
Latest Travel Articles
From the road journal
Notes, guides, and the occasional cautionary tale from our contributors out on the road.
June 2026 · Coastal
Driving the Sea Cliff Bridge at sunrise
Why the first hour of daylight is the only time this road feels like it belongs entirely to you.
Read the article →
May 2026 · Mountain Pass
What nobody tells you about hairpin bends
A practical look at gear selection, braking, and visibility on tight switchback roads.
Read the article →
April 2026 · Forest Route
The three-week window for peak forest colour
Timing a forest drive around leaf colour is harder than it looks — here's how we plan for it.
Read the article →Contact
Get in touch
A route we should feature, a correction to make, or just a story from the road — we read every message.