It may be Route 66’s centenary year, but America’s most famous highway has been pipped to the post in a new ranking of the world’s most desirable family road trips – by the Scottish Highlands.
New research of 2,000 UK adults, commissioned by USA holiday specialist Ocean Florida, asked Brits which of the world’s great road trips they would most like to experience with their family.
The Scottish Highlands narrowly took the top spot, chosen by 31%, ahead of Route 66 at 28% – perhaps proving that even in its 100th year, America’s Mother Road can still find some stiff competition a little closer to home.
But America gets the last laugh.
While Scotland takes the individual crown, the USA completely dominates the overall road-trip bucket list, claiming five of the top 10 places.
Alongside Route 66, almost one in five Brits (19%) dream of driving California’s Pacific Coast Highway, 17% want to take the road from Miami to the Florida Keys, 10% selected a wider Florida fly-drive adventure, and 7% chose the Blue Ridge Parkway.
The World’s 10 Most Wanted Family Road Trips, According To Brits
1. Scottish Highlands, Scotland – 31%
2. Route 66, USA – 28%
3. Great Ocean Road, Australia – 21%
4. Pacific Coast Highway, California, USA – 19%
5. Ring Road, Iceland – 17%
6. Miami to the Florida Keys, USA – 17%
7. Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland – 16%
8. Florida Fly Drive Adventure, USA – 10%
9. Romantic Road, Germany – 9%
10. Blue Ridge Parkway, USA – 7%
The findings come at a particularly fitting moment for the American road trip, as Route 66 celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2026, with centennial celebrations taking place across the USA throughout the year.
And a century after Route 66 helped make the open road synonymous with American adventure, the research suggests the appeal is far from fading.
Among Brits who have experienced a family road trip, 56% agree that some of the best family memories are made on the road.
And what makes those journeys memorable isn’t necessarily the big-ticket experiences.
Exploring roadside attractions tops the list (41%), closely followed by stopping for scenic photographs (40%) and sharing stories and conversations along the way (37%).
A third (33%) said singing along to music together makes a family road trip memorable, while 22% treasure the family playlist and 19% still rate classic road-trip games such as I Spy.
What Makes The Perfect Family Road Trip?
41% – Exploring roadside attractions
40% – Scenic stops for photographs
37% – Sharing stories and conversations
33% – Singing along together
22% – Listening to the family playlist
19% – Road-trip games
Natalie, Head of Brand Marketing for Ocean Florida said:
“We’ll give Scotland this one – just! But with five American experiences making the top ten, it’s clear the British love affair with the great American road trip is going nowhere. Route 66 turning 100 is a brilliant reminder of what makes this kind of travel so enduring. It’s freedom – stopping somewhere because it catches your eye, changing the plan, finding something you weren’t expecting and experiencing a destination rather than simply arriving in it. That’s increasingly how people want to travel. The itinerary needs to fit the family, rather than the family fitting the itinerary.”
For families inspired to take to the road themselves, Ocean Florida specialises in tailor-made Florida and wider USA holidays and fly-drives, allowing travellers to build itineraries around the destinations, experiences and pace that suit them.
