Forget about badly organised coach trips from your holiday resort; the best way to experience the sights, culture and way of life of a country, is to take a road trip. And being able to hire a car at any Avis branch across the world makes road trips a real option, not just a daydream!

The home of the great road trip has to be the United States, with thousands of miles of wide open highway criss-crossing America and creating some of the most famous road trips in the world. The iconic Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica takes in 2,400 miles of ever changing country, while the Pacific Coast Highway includes the magnificent Big Sur. On the East Coast, you can drive all the way from New England to the southern tip of the Florida Overseas Highway, with its 43 bridges across the Florida Keys.

World wide, there are lots more thrilling drives for you to enjoy with a little help from Avis. The Savannah Way carries you 2,300 miles from coast to coast in Australia, from Cairns, in Queensland to Broom on the west coast, via 15 stunning national parks. Discover the spectacular settings for Lord of the Rings by driving the 300 miles of New Zealand’s South Island, or drive across Canada, taking in incredible wildlife and wilderness along the 5,000 miles of the Trans Canada Highway – a trip that makes Avis GPS an essential extra.

Europe too has some stunning drives right on your doorstep, so you don’t have to fly off around the world to enjoy a classic road trip. From the French Riviera to Italy’s beautiful Amalfi Coast, from Finland’s 1000 Lakes to the ethereal beauty of Iceland, there’s so much to see. Head for Central Europe and put your driving skills to the test with the twisting, winding Alpine passes. Great St. Bernard Pass, in Switzerland and Grossglockner High Alpine Road in Austria, both offer breathtaking views. These can be quite challenging but having an extra driver gives you a chance to enjoy some of the scenery and sharing the drive.

And don’t forget about the top road trips you can take right here at home, from the Devon and Cornwall coasts, to the historic Highlands of Scotland, plus of course, the all time classic Lands End to John O’Groats run.

Renting a car from Avis gives you the freedom to explore anywhere you want, in your own time and the way you want. Plus, you can choose the perfect car for any journey, be it a convertibles for Route 66 or a 4×4 for the Australian Outback. And thanks to the convenience of one-way rentals, one-way trips are no problem.

So this summer, forget the bland resort holiday full of fellow Brits; head out and discover the real world on an original road trip with Avis Car Rental Rent a Car.

The two Bank Holidays in May are always welcome but after the winter we’ve had this year, they definitely need celebrating. With an Avis car, you can make any trip, near or far, just that little bit more special…

Impress your friends…
Bank Holidays are great for catching up with friends you haven’t seen for a while. Especially if you have pals who live somewhere that has better scenery. Make the most of it by hiring a car instead of taking your own – you don’t have the expense of a hotel, so why not travel in style? Rent a BMW or a Mercedes for the weekend and enjoy the celebrity lifestyle. If you are not 100% sure where you are going Avis GPS to make sure getting lost doesn’t spoil your image.

Enjoy the UK as a tourist…
Living here tends to make you take Britain for granted. Bank Holiday travel outside your own country doesn’t mean going too far when there are three others to explore within the UK.

A really good trip is to take the sleeper to Edinburgh, explore the city and then pick up your Avis rental car to get out to a small family run hotel on the Scottish Coast. Driving back in stages can then take you to Holy Island and the historic city of York. With additional driver cover, you can share the driving and the sightseeing.

Or head further north to Inverness and taking the car to the highlands. Otherwise fly to Dublin then pick up the car at the airport and spend the Saturday evening toasting the Bank Holiday with smooth single malt or some real Irish Guinness. From Dublin you can then take the car up the coast and spend a night in Belfast before flying home from there. Single tickets are available to and from any airport, and a car can be dropped off at any Avis desk, so just make your own rules.

Some early spring sun…
May Bank Holiday weekends at home can be a lot of fun but it’s tempting to plan a longer European break at Whitsun as the kids will be off school at half term. Getting a fly/drive deal is easy and there are so many possibilities within 2 hours of major UK airports.

A plane to Bergerac or Toulouse will deliver you straight into the heart of the French chateaux region to spend a few days driving around the gorgeous medieval villages and dining in style in the warm evenings. A trip to Alicante, Malaga or Lisbon in late May will mean packing sun lotion as the temperatures will be in the mid 20s at least. But if the thought of sunbathing makes you feel hot and bothered, check out flights to Venice – it’s one of the busiest regions in Europe for Avis and a great base for renting a car and exploring northern Italy.

With Avis car hire available at all major European airports, why not make the most of your May breaks?

If you have some great May Bank holiday tips or top locations let us know.

Getting out into the British countryside after working hard all week is great for relaxation and family time. So why not guarantee the car of your choice with Avis Select Series and make the most of your weekends this summer?

I am sure you’ll agree that spring is definitely in the air and it’s the perfect time to start planning weekend getaways for the warmer weather. So when Friday afternoon comes, leave the stress of work behind, arranging to pick up your rental car and look forward to exploring the beautiful British countryside. But don’t forget to plan the route before you leave.

Spoilt for choice

With Avis car hire available locally you can take your pick of UK destinations within 150-200 miles of home. Wherever you live there’s plenty to see, so check our favourite places to get some inspiration for your weekend getaway:

Devon boasts more than 300 miles of stunning coastline with 60 beaches of every kind for surfing, sailing, relaxing in the sun or strolling along the cliffs. With theme parks, castles and forts, zoos and aquaria, landscaped gardens and farm attractions to visit, it’s hard to fit it all into one weekend.

The Cotswolds in central England are famous for gentle rolling hills, charming villages and enticing tea shops. Stay in a lovely small hotel or wake up to breakfast at a local farm and enjoy the peace of the countryside. If that’s not your thing, why not visit Bath or Cheltenham for their rich history, impressive architecture, or even just the boutique shopping.

Brecon Beacons is a National Park in south Wales packed with vast natural landscapes, traditional market towns, canal paths, castles and lots of family attractions. Just being in the rolling countryside and valleys, big open spaces, and near to rugged waterfalls and caves makes work pressures vanish. Wales is a perfect place for guided walks, wildlife, camping and canoeing – and with a roomy Avis luxury car such as an Audi A4, there’s plenty of space for all of you and your kit.

Yorkshire is the largest county in England and is packed with weekend treats. Cruise around the beautiful Dales near Ripon and Harrogate, the Yorkshire Moors up by Pickering and Malton or along the coast to take in the delights of Scarborough and Whitby. After a bracing walk, why not stop for Sunday lunch and all the trimmings in a traditional Yorkshire pub before heading home in comfort.

With a rental car you won’t miss the train…

Trains are fine but with a rental car you don’t have the restriction of timetables or the fight for cramped seats, or getting the family’s suitcases from one train to another, especially after commuting all week long. Plus rail companies often resort to doing engineering works at the weekends which causes major delays for weekend breakers. It also means arranging extra transport to your hotel the other end and then relying on local buses if you want to explore… Not exactly a stress-free break. With Avis car hire you can book a luxury rental car for the whole weekend, take all the luggage you need and go exactly where you want, when you want.

We hope this helps you with inspiration for you weekend get away, but if you have any other suggestion of your favourite weekend getaway locations in the UK we would love to know.

As many of you’ll be heading to South Africa for the football & will be renting a car, we’ve teamed up with the Department of Transport to provide you with helpful driving tips to make your trip more relaxed & enjoyable.

For many people the challenge of driving an unfamiliar vehicle is hard enough, but is made more daunting by having to drive on the left hand side of the road – something which we assure you gets easier after the first day. The trick, aside from the gear lever being operated by the left hand, is the need to look to the left to focus on the central rear view mirror.

South African roads carry close to 10 million vehicles and while the highways have recently undergone major renovations some still have a fair amount of pot holes. Therefore caution is needed when driving, as an inadvertent encounter with a pot hole could cause serious damage to your rental vehicle. You should also be aware that many South African drivers are relatively inexperienced and may be inclined to making a few errors of judgement. So stay alert as you don’t want to sour an otherwise enjoyable drive.

A last note of caution relates to the much publicised crime situation. While the probability of such an incident is slim, we encourage customers to use “common sense”; so steer clear of driving late night in central major cities, be alert when stopped at traffic lights, do not leave valuables and hand bags in view of pedestrians and street hawkers etc. These simple actions will add to a trouble free journey.

Driving around South Africa:

To make your journey easier, Avis provide easy reference maps that cover many of the great drives available in South Africa. We would also recommend hiring a GPS device, which will safely guide you to your destination. In addition to this we advise that you travel with your lights on at all times; while the law doesn’t require this, it’s a sure way of reducing the chance of an accident.

Even more important is the need for you to familiarise yourself with the workings of the vehicle before you drive off. Know how to open the boot and bonnet, plus find where the tools are for changing the wheel in the event of a flat tyre.

Most drivers in South Africa are courteous and will accommodate the needs of another driver, but remember that unlike other countries where vehicles are automatically “given a gap” here it’s acquired partly by some assertive driving and accompanied by a big smile and appropriate gestures (not aggressive ones).

Obeying the law

Generally the road rules are fairly easy to follow,. In South Africa two of the more common speed limits are 60 kph and 120 kph – the former being applicable in built up areas, while the higher speed is for travelling on highways or main roads. If you do encounter a law enforcement office resist the temptation to “bribe” the officer. Politely greet the officer and acknowledge the error with the request to have the “ticket” issued will make the point that as a visitor you do intend to obey the law.

South Africa has some of the best scenic driving roads in the world. We hope that you will not only enjoy a number of these but that the activities and experiences on the way will be savoured and enjoyed.

Enjoy South Africa!

More than just car rental with Avis: We’ve partnered up with Lonely Planet and Stanfords to offer you free highlights maps and the chance
to win a holiday to Tuscany.

If you’re familiar with the Avis We Try Harder blog you’ll know how we often like to share tales of our road trips and offer advice on interesting itineraries to discover with your car hire. However this time we’ve decided to take a step forward and enlisted the help of the professionals; every week Lonely Planet are offering all visitors to the avis.co.uk the possibility to download new highlights maps of popular regions in France, Spain and Italy, and all absolutely free!

This is to celebrate the launch of 7 new-look regional guides covering a range of don’t-miss experiences perfect for foodies, walkers and culture lovers. This new series includes guides for Andalucia, The Italian Lakes, Tuscany & Umbria, Brittany & Normandy, Corsica, Naples & The Amalfi Coast and Provence & Cote d’Azur. And if you order your Lonely Planet guides from Stanfords, you will get 20% discount.

But that’s not all, we are also giving you a chance to WIN a fantastic food-lovers trip for two to Tuscany.

Visit our website to download your free highlights maps and for more information on how to enter the prize draw.

I recently decided to visit one of this country’s most mystical landmarks, Stonehenge. And as I live in London, I decided to see what else was on offer in that area, because I rarely get to explore this country’s heritage outside of the city.

On this road trip I discovered the marvellous array of attractions and historic sites around Stonehenge itself. I also found a recently renovated English tradition along the way.

Coming from London the journey involves taking the M3 south before heading West on the A303. It is here, near Basingstoke, that I discovered the reborn English tradition that is the recently renovated Little Chef in Popham, this featured on Michelin Starred chef Heston Blumenthal’s documentary “Big Chef takes on Little Chef”. This is well worth a visit if you’re travelling on the A303, although be prepared for a more crowded atmosphere than your standard Little Chef.

From here continue West until reaching the Legendary Stonehenge and take some time to marvel at its shear size and shrouded history. There are plans for the A303 to be placed in a 2km tunnel in the future, removing the road from sight and sound of the stones and meaning a coach journey, with a 1km walk to get there. So go and visit it sooner rather than later.

Why not drive further west enjoying the beautiful thatched housing and country roads that Wiltshire and Somerset have to offer, heading towards Glastonbury. Here you can venture into King Arthurs Avalon, also riddled with legend or enjoy a leisurely walk up Glastonbury Tor and enjoy the breathtaking views.

There are tons of heritage sites to visit in this area so I would recommend having a look around as there is far too much to cover off in this Blog. This drive around the Wiltshire and Somerset area will whisk you back in time and leave you wishing you had hired that car for just one day longer.

I’ve spent a fair bit of time in the mountains since starting to snowboard in 1995, and to be honest I’ve tried most methods of getting out into Europe. 15 hour road trips in the back of unheated windowless Sprinter vans potentially being the highlight.

I’ve found over the years, flying into Geneva or Lyon and then self driving through Avis is an excellent way of tackling the transfer and still retaining independence while in the mountains. I love to explore, and having a hire car allows me that pleasure. This road trip takes you from Lyon Airport all the way to the highest city in France, Briancon and some of the ski resorts worth stopping at in between.

From Lyon airport you should head for Grenoble into the Daulphiné Alps and the Ecrins National Park and some fantastic ski resorts that will suit everyone from total beginners to hardened pro riders and off piste specialists.

The first main resort you will come across is L’Alp D’Huez, a famous stop on the Tour de France. The summit at Pic Du Blanc is an impressive 3300m and apparently has the longest pisted run in Europe at 16km. With 240km of runs and 2 snow parks there should be plenty to keep you occupied. My tip would be to take the “Alpette Rousses” lift up to “Dome de Petite Rousses” to get away from the crowds and marvel at the top lift station and its precarious position atop a 400metre cliff.

A few kilometres further down the valley towards Briancon is a right turn to Les Deux Alps, the party town of this part of the Alps. Bars, clubs and eating a plenty. My personal favourite being the Avalanche Club, although I can’t recall much from my time inside this little gem that is open till the small hours of the morning. The resort goes up to 3600m and has 225km of pistes. Glacier riding in the summer, 2 freestyle parks and smaller parks if you like jumps, spins and rails. You can access best high alpine area in the Southern Alps, La Grave, from here. If you like alpine charm character then head down to the little hamlet of Venosc from the main resort. Traditional building set in the depths of the Venosc valley below L2A.

20 minutes further up the valley towards Briancon is La Grave, although patrolled its total un-pisted and has no formal avalanche controls. Its high, it’s dangerous and should not be considered unless you know what you are doing or have hired a guide from Bureau des Guides de La Grave – La Meije. The area has unsurpassed off piste and 2150m vertical descent as well as some of the most amazing mountain scenery in this part of the Alps. Its also worth noting that the small restaurant at 3200m does an awesome steak, chips and tea, useful when its -32C outside.

From La Grave head towards Briancon and you’ll come over the high mountain pass of the Col Du Lautaret at 2053m, this is often closed due to snow falls. From here it’s all down hill to our last stop, the highest city in France and the sprawling ski area of Serre Chevalier. The three communities of Monetier / Chantemerle and Braincon link up to create a vast ski area of 250km of piste up to 2800m. Probably the most French and family orientated of the resorts in the area, which offers a wide range facilities and riding potential. It has great off piste and tree riding, plus a couple of parks. Briancon itself has a fascinating history and fortifications dating back to the 17th century, so if you do get this far then certainly take the time to drive down into the town and explore…Oh and its has the only McDonalds for about 2 hours…I’m sure some people will be interested in that.

View Lyon to Briancon in a larger map

Following my recent post on Top Gear’s review of arguably the world’s greatest driving roads, i-Motor magazine this month looks at the other end of the spectrum and identifies some of the most dangerous roads on the planet.

Below is my pick from their selection
- Eyre Highway, Australia – Has stretches of highway up to 300 miles without settlements is not an ideal place to break down! Also known for being the straightest, flattest road in the world, it’s ‘road trains’ are a familiar, yet dangerous, sight.
- Arc De Triomphe, France – One of the most recognisable monuments in France is found in the centre of a daunting road junction. With multiple lanes and no road markings, it needs to be approached with caution!
- Yungas Road, Bolivia – Built in the 1930’s and known as ‘Death Road’, it has unguarded drops of at least 600m along its single-lane track. Yungas Road is responsible for up to 300 deaths annually earning it the reputation as ‘the world’s most dangerous road’

I know from visiting China that although it doesn’t make the above dangerous road list, is always a place I’d chose to take the chauffeur driven option than drive myself – where have you been that would make you want to choose the chauffeur option?

A few weeks ago saw the welcome return of Top Gear to our screens – the saviour of weekend viewing in my opinion! All the regulars are back, the TG team, the fantastic cars, breath-taking cinematography, crazy challenges and of course The Stig!

Not too long ago, the TG team declared the Stelvio Pass in the Italian Alps as the ‘greatest driving road in the world’ after taking a selection of supercars for a test drive. In the opening episode of this series the destination was Romania and the Transfăgărăşan.

The Transfăgărăşan road is a winding spectacle, littered with challenging hairpin turns, climbs and descents across the Carpathian Mountain range. It provided the ideal setting for Jeremy Clarkson and co. to drive their chosen cars – the Aston Martin DBS Volante, Ferrari California and Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder LP560-4.

The conclusion after an adventure getting there was that Jeremy admitted to having made a mistake pronouncing Stelvio Pass as the greatest road and gave the Transfăgărăşan road in Romania the title!

Do you have experience of driving along some of the featured roads or have recommendations on where to go to get that ultimate driving experience?

So after just finishing the Autumn Bank Holiday, I thought I would share with you my long weekend trip to part of the West Country. My friends and I decided to make the most of our last long weekend this year and escape London. We chose to go to Exeter, none of us had been before and the main reason to go was that a friend was moving there in three weeks to study a Masters degree and crazily had not visited the town.

We packed up my Peugeot 308 with four guys, luggage and a Frisbee (we were hopeful of some sun!), the drive from North London to Exeter was three and a half hours, the journey was comfortable for four grown men, so I can recommend the 308 for this trip. The drive to Exeter was largely motor ways, the M25 and M4 and surprisingly for a bank holiday the traffic was not too bad, just slowed slightly as we got closer to Somerset.

Once we arrived, we went straight to the Hotel to dump our bags and explore the city centre. I found Exeter to be a small town easy to walk around; it had plenty of the high street shops to bag a bargain, but no real boutique stores to explore. We found a nice little café on Cathedral Square for lunch with views of Exeter Cathedral dating back to 1114. Afterwards we headed down to the Quay to rent a canoe to explore the River Ex. I would definitely recommend that you book these in advance as they had a three day advance booking period, probably because it was a bank holiday weekend. We stayed around the Quays for dinner and ate at ‘On the Waterfront’ restaurant a Pizzeria. As a self proclaimed Pizza expert I would recommend visiting the restaurant, good pizza and good value. Staying in the area we headed to the local pub ‘The Prospect Inn’ which had a live band on in a large Marquee by the river.

The following day we decided to jump in the car and explore around the River Ex, we headed down to Exmouth, unfortunately the weather was overcast, so we did not spend long as the tide was in and with no sun the options were limited. So we decided to drive round to the other side of the river to Torquay. Torquay being a larger town had more to offer for an overcast day. We headed to the Barceló Imperial hotel and took the coastal walk, taking us above the English Riviera, even though it was cloudy the views were nice and it was peaceful away from the fruit machines and Ice cream shops.

Back in Exeter for the evening we ate at Michael Caines, a local restaurant also located on Cathedral Square and run by a local Michelin star chef, the meal was good, fresh local food and great value as they had a special promotion running. With no real plans we wandered around Exeter trying out the local pubs till we found one we liked. The ‘Old Fire House’ a pub that served local brewed ale, it had a nice chilled atmosphere, mainly lit with candles and seemed to be a very friendly crowd.

Last day of the long weekend and we hit the road early so we could stop of on the way back for lunch, we had the choice between Bristol and Bath, opting for Bath. Fortunately the journey was easy with barely any traffic till we hit Bath city centre. We managed to get parked although I can imagine if we had arrived much later than 2:30pm we would have struggled. After lunch we went to explore the city, unfortunately we did not have a great deal of time, but Bath is definitely on my list for a future visit and even with a brief experience I would recommend this for a weekend break, with great architecture, good pubs and restaurants and some nice looking shops and galleries.

So in three days we managed to discover a small fraction of the West Country and I know it has a lot more to offer, so would be interested in any tips for my next trip.