Posted on January 20, 2012 by Fiona Hilliard

Real driving enthusiasts know a holiday isn’t just about how many historic sights you can tick off, how good the hotels are or how good the grub is along way. For a real driving holiday, what really matters is the road. Long, winding, tricky, taking you into the mountains, speeding you along through the bush, the way the road takes you can vary, but it’s the personality that really counts, and two of the most desirable routes have to be the long scenic stretches of the Trans-Canada and Route 66 – but which pips the other to the post when you get right down to the axle grease?

Head-to-head

With such excellent sights and stretches of straight, smooth road to enjoy, how to decide which route is the perfect drive for you? You’ll just have to book flights to Canada and then to the US (or vice versa) and find out for yourself.

What’s So Great About Trans-Canada?

The Trans-Canada Highway boasts the ability to say it’s the world’s longest national highway, at a whopping 4,860 miles. What’s more, burning rubber along this road with Canada car rental gives you the chance to pass through ten different provinces – all the way from the Pacific to the Atlantic.

For this epic car or RV journey, you need to set aside some serious time – anywhere from 6 weeks at the minimum to somewhere like three months if you really want to explore the surroundings as you go.

The Road

The highway is well maintained and a pleasure to coast along, but remember it’s best to drive in the warmer months. Thanks to potential heavy snowfall and ice, even Canadians tend to avoid the trip during the winter months.

 

Highlights

The real jaw dropping moments you can expect to enjoy on the Trans-Canada include Kicking Horse Pass on the Alberta-BC border, where you’ll be able to enjoy some stunning vistas of the surrounding countryside and the gorgeous waters of Lake Louise, nestling between high mountain peaks covered in glaciers.

Why does everyone love Route 66?

Colloquially known as The Mother Road, Route 66 has been a favourite with grease junkies for a very long time. Linking Chicago, IL with Los Angeles, CA, it was first established in 1926 and provides the perfect trail for seeing the US at speed.

 

However, following the historic route is tricky these days, as it was officially removed from the US highway system in 1985, meaning you’ll need to rely on maps closely to recreate a similar route to cover the 2,448 miles.

 

• The Road

 

Each drive along Route 66 is unique, thanks to the fact the old highway isn’t there anymore. This means you can enjoy your drive following in the footsteps of drivers past while also carving a brand new route just for you.

 

• Highlights

 

One of the most fabulous things about Route 66 is the attractions that sprung up to entertain travellers passing along it. From excellent sights like the Painted Desert, Meteor Crater, Meramec Caverns, the Petrified Forest and the Grand Canyon to bizarre hotels and museums, there’s always something worth checking out.

James writes for Skyscanner.net, a flight comparison website based in Edinburgh. For more information about Skyscanner, visit the Skyscanner Youtube channel.