Following Victoria's coast, this grand highway stretches for several hundred kilometers, starting just southwest of Melbourne. Among its stunning sights are the "Twelve Apostles," the 20-million-year-old rocky remnants of limestone arches that rise up from the Southern Ocean. A commemorative statue was designed to mark the road's 75th anniversary—it depicts the WWI veterans who built the thoroughfare, with one of the sculpted men handing a drink bottle to another because, as Roger Grant, chairman of Great Ocean Road Marketing, said, "Building the road with pick and shovel would have been very hard work and it would have been thirsty work."

For more information: Great Ocean Road

"Road Trip USA" author Jamie Jensen recommends the road along the pristine beaches of North Carolina's coast. In addition to the pleasures of the maritime landscape, Jensen says, the route is enriched by historical sites like Kitty Hawk, of Wright Brothers fame, and Roanoke Island, site of England's first attempted colony in the New World. He thinks that the section along Cape Hatteras National Seashore is especially rich. "And if you can stretch your coverage, the route through Georgia combines the lush wilderness of the 'Low Country' with the delightful architecture and delicious food of historic cities like Charleston and Savannah."

For more information: Highway 12

Winding for hundreds of miles along the southeast coast of South Africa between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth, the Garden Route traverses dense, lush forests, pristine white beaches and shimmering lagoons. The Mediterranean-like climate makes this area a popular destination for all manner of outdoor sports, from hiking to hang-gliding. Plettenberg Bay, a coastal resort center, is flanked by forest and marine preserves, and is the region's headquarters for dolphin and whale-watching excursions.

For more information: Garden Route and Plettenberg Bay

The Great River Road is one of 126 "distinct and diverse roads" designated by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation as "National Scenic Byways and All-American Roads." The route incorporates riverside roads in six of the ten states that border the Mississippi: Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Mississippi and Wisconsin, offering a tour of the area's natural and cultural treasures. Jensen favors the sections between St. Paul and St. Louis, which pass "across the surprisingly rugged uplands of 'coastal' Iowa, and nifty little cities like La Crosse, Wisconsin, Galena, Illinois and Hannibal, Missouri (home of Huck Finn!)"

For more information: The Great River Road

Convertible Car Magazine editor Stephen Ashdown says Scotland offers "many miles of empty roads far from civilization and some of the most breathtaking views of anywhere in the world. Among the many great drives, the Applecross Peninsula is one of the most enjoyable. Taken in a northerly direction, the entertaining, mostly single-track road gives views across the sea to the Isle of Skye and the Torridon Mountains inland. Motorists are warned by signs, however, that this challenging road is inadvisable to learner drivers."

For more information: Applecross Peninsula

Convertible Car Magazine editor Stephen Ashdown says Scotland offers "many miles of empty roads far from civilization and some of the most breathtaking views of anywhere in the world. Among the many great drives, the Applecross Peninsula is one of the most enjoyable. Taken in a northerly direction, the entertaining, mostly single-track road gives views across the sea to the Isle of Skye and the Torridon Mountains inland. Motorists are warned by signs, however, that this challenging road is inadvisable to learner drivers."

For more information: Applecross Peninsula

The roads on Canada's smallest maritime province can be rough at times (especially around spring thaw), but for every pothole there's a spectacular vista that more than compensates for the bumpy ride. The island's three major coastal routes are dotted with lighthouses, sandstone cliffs, golf courses and pristine sandy beaches. The Points East Coastal Route traverses wharfs, a winery and panoramas of the Nova Scotia mainland.

For more information: Prince Edward Island

Jensen says the "magical loop" around the Big Island of Hawaii includes "beautiful green forests rising out of deep blues waters, waterfalls cascading down black lava cliffs, with truly majestic snow-capped mountain rising high above it all. Whales leap offshore; there are gecko lizards, brilliantly colored birds, tropical fish swimming along coral reefs—and mai-tai cocktails to be savored at sunset. Heaven."

For more information: Big Island of Hawaii

Route 11 from Bellingham to Skagit Valley in Washington State is a 21-mile stretch of scenic byway that overlooks Chuckanut Bay and the San Juan Islands as it winds through the mountainous northwest coast. A leisurely pace is best for this route—allow for stops at the picturesque seaside towns, where you can sample fresh local berries and seafood or hike in the lush hills for even more sweeping views.

For more information: Chuckanut Drive

Route 11 from Bellingham to Skagit Valley in Washington State is a 21-mile stretch of scenic byway that overlooks Chuckanut Bay and the San Juan Islands as it winds through the mountainous northwest coast. A leisurely pace is best for this route—allow for stops at the picturesque seaside towns, where you can sample fresh local berries and seafood or hike in the lush hills for even more sweeping views.

For more information: Chuckanut Drive