Epic Drives of the World

Epic Drives of the World from Lonely Planet describes 50 of the world's most exciting road trips, including, of course, the Pacific Coast Highway.

This handsome and hefty coffee-table book isn't cheap, but it's the kind of publication that will make a great gift for someone, possibly yourself. In addition to the 50 drives covered in depth (four pages per drive), each one has three more suggestions at the end of other similar drives you might like.

Epic Drives: Pacific Coast Highway

Which leads us to the Pacific Coast Highway. This is one of nine USA drives included in the book, and to start at the end, the other suggested drives if you liked the PCH are the Okanagan Valley Tour in Canada; a Modern Art Meander in Provence, visiting the places painted and lived in by artists like Picasso, Van Gogh and Matisse; and Wonders of Ancient Sicily, taking in ancient ruins, farmland and volcanoes. I'm not sure how these are similar to the Pacific Coast Highway, but never mind.

The main drives each have two two-page spreads, following a similar format. Most have a full-page photo to really whet your appetite for the beauty of the drive, an overview map, several more inspiring photos or the occasional artwork, and about two-three pages of text.

Epic Drives of the World

Each drive also has a Directions box, which doesn't actually give you the directions but instead has practical information like the start and end points, length of the drive, the best time of the year to do it, and suggestions of where to stay, where to eat and a Hot Tip. Don't expect in-depth information, though – you only get one recommended place to stay and one to eat in the whole 1050 miles from Seattle to San Francisco!

This kind of book is not about detailed information, however. You'll still need guidebooks and maps if you're going to make the drive. They're about ideas and inspiration, and for that they work well. The author of the PCH entry captures the feel of the drive well, and the book is a collection of well-written essays rather than a guidebook-style more factual approach.

Other Epic USA Drives

If driving the Pacific Coast Highway inspires you to plan another road trip in the USA then there are plenty here to choose from, including a Napa Valley drive. That hardly counts as epic, being only 156 miles (251km), although it has novelty value as the driver tackles it using an electric vehicle.

Route 66 is included, of course, along with drives around the Southern Utah National Parks, the Going to the Sun Road in Glacier National Park, and a drive through the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Epic Drives of the World Sample Drive

Drive around the World

The book covers the world, of course, and includes six drives in Australia, though only five in the whole of Asia: India, Bhutan, Vietnam, Nepal, and South Korea. So China is missing completely, as is Russia. Ireland is represented by The Wild Atlantic Way and a circular drive from Belfast that takes in the Antrim coast.

There's one drive in Scotland, which is an odd choice, from Portree on the Isle of Skye to Applecross on the mainland. This is a beautiful drive but only 74 miles (119km) in length – again, hardly epic.

Why not cover the North Coast 500, which has been described as 'jaw-droppingly beautiful' and 'Scotland's answer to Route 66'? This was introduced in 2015, two years before the book was published, and would be a much better choice if you want to justify the word 'epic' in the title.

The Verdict

This is an enjoyable read and a beautifully-produced book. We have a few quibbles over the choices, which is always the case with lists of any kind, but we certainly wouldn't object to receiving it as a present, and would be happy to give as one to a keen driver or armchair traveller.

You can find it on Amazon.

Other books pages

The 17-Mile Drive between Carmel, Pacific Grove, and Monterey
Pacific Coast Highway Travel takes the 17-Mile Drive from Carmel to Pacific Grove and Monterey, stopping to see the Lone Cypress and beautiful coastline views.
Washington State Travel Guide
The Washington State travel guide from Frommer's covers hotels in Seattle, driving the Pacific Coast Highway, Olympic National Park, where to eat and more.
Pacific Coast Highway Stops
Pacific Coast Highway stops include big city vacation destinations like Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego, and smaller places like Monterey.
California Coast Guide
One of the best California coast guides is the California Coastal Access Guide, describing the coast’s beaches, National Parks, State Parks, with many maps.
Cannery Row in Monterey
To John Steinbeck Monterey's Cannery Row was a place of sardine canneries, bums and honky tonks, but today the Monterey Aquarium attracts visitors.
Driving the Pacific Coast Highway in Three Days
Pacific Coast Highway Travel's advice on driving the Pacific Coast Highway in three days, including the best places to stay, and the best things to do and see.
Maps of the Pacific Coast Highway: Free Driving Maps of the PCH
Road maps of the Pacific Coast Highway or PCH are essential for anyone planning to drive the trip, and detailed routes are available for free.
Napa and Sonoma Guidebook
The Napa and Sonoma Guidebook to California Wine Country is from the Moon Handbooks’ travel guide series with reviews of wineries,vineyards, and wine tastings.
Cycling the USA West Coast
Lonely Planet's Guide to Cycling the USA West Coast is a bicycling guidebook for anyone touring California, Oregon and Washington by bike.
Driving the Pacific Coast Highway in Two Days
Pacific Coast Highway Travel's advice on driving the Pacific Coast Highway in two days, including the best places to stay, and the best things to do and see.
Driving the Pacific Coast Highway in Four Days
Pacific Coast Highway Travel's advice on driving the Pacific Coast Highway in four days, including the best places to stay, and the best things to do and see.
Soul of Los Angeles
Soul of Los Angeles from French publishers Jonglez is a travel guide to 30 Exceptional Experiences in California's largest city.
Greetings from California
Greetings from California is a beautiful coffee-table book which describes the legends, landmarks and lore of California, including the Pacific Coast Highway.
Coastal California Guidebook
Lonely Planet's Coastal California guidebook is the ideal travel guide for driving or cycling the Pacific Coast Highway from the Oregon border to Mexico.
California Driving Laws
If visiting California and planning to drive the Pacific Coast Highway it's important to know California driving laws in case they differ from your own state.
Washington Coast Charging Stations
Pacific Coast Highway Travel's guide to Washington coast charging stations for electric vehicles along Highway 101 from Oregon and around the Olympic Peninsula.
Gardens Of the Pacific Coast Highway
Plant lovers can visit hundreds of gardens along or near the Pacific Coast Highway,ranging from lush gardens in the Pacific North-West to southern California.
California Coast Charging Stations
California coast charging stations are so numerous that the Pacific Coast Highway is one of the best US road trips to drive in an electric vehicle or EV.
Free San Francisco Kindle Guide to Free Attractions
101 free San Francisco attractions and things to do are in the Kindle guide, 101 Free Things to Do in San Francisco, in the Travel Free eGuidebooks series.
West Coast RV Parks
One of the best guides to West Coast RV Parks, covering campgrounds in California, Oregon, and Washington, is West Coast RV Camping from Moon Guides.
Pacific Coast Highway Drive Times and Distances
Drive times and distances on the Pacific Coast Highway or the quickest routes from Seattle to San Francisco to Los Angeles to San Diego.
Driving the Pacific Coast Highway in Five Days
Pacific Coast Highway Travel's advice on driving the Pacific Coast Highway in five days, including the best places to stay over, and the best things to do and see.
John Steinbeck California Guide
This John Steinbeck California Guide, A Journey into Steinbeck's California, shows readers how towns like Monterey, Carmel and Salinas influenced the author.
Guide to the Olympic Peninsula
Moon's Spotlight Guide to the Olympic Peninsula covers hotels, restaurants, and sights, including Forks, the Olympic National Park and other places.
Oregon Coast Charging Stations
Pacific Coast Highway Travel's guide to Oregon coast charging stations for electric vehicles, from Brookings in the south to Astoria in the north.