You can travel by plane, by train, or by sea, but you’ll never get the same experience as with what you’ll get on a road trip. There’s something about the long and winding road — and the wind gently pressing on your face — that’s partly hypnotic and wholly satisfying.

In a commissioned survey by Hertz in the UK, which polled 2,000 British adults, the top three road trip routes were made up of US-based trips. These include Route 66, the Grand Canyon and the Pacific Coast Highway, with 56% of respondents naming the US as “the road trip capital of the world”.

Furthermore, the research identified the ingredients of an epic road trip: wide-open roads, driving past famous attractions and spotting wildlife along the way. Discovering views and taking in the scenery is the main purpose for adults over 38-years-old, while millennials want to enjoy a new experience.

Following the research, Hertz has launched three new routes to its USA Road Trip Planner: Canyons of Arizona and Nevada, California Surfing and Totally Texas, providing inspiration for routes to experience iconic and off-the-beaten-track scenic drives and pit-stops. A free online resource, the Hertz Road Trip Planner also features the legendary Route 66, along with 30 other bespoke routes across the USA.

“Gems such as the Route 66 are still as popular as ever”

Temerity Vinson, senior director of international marketing at Hertz, said: “The survey results clearly show how much adventurers love the USA for a road trip. The influence of social media has had a huge impact on destinations of choice, bringing increased awareness of less well-known areas, as well as ensuring that gems such as the Route 66 are still as popular as ever.”

Instagram memories

Of millennials, more than two-thirds admitted the places they see on Instagram affect their choice of location, compared to only 13% of over 38s. In fact, 30% of millennials said they are unlikely to visit somewhere if they’ve never seen photos of it on Instagram.

The survey, conducted via OnePoll in December 2018, found an average of 12 photos a day are taken on a holiday or a trip. 57% of respondents said they are most likely to take a photo of a landscape or cityscape while on a trip.

It seems that photographs make memories, with 36% of millennials saying that they would struggle to remember their trip if they didn’t post a photo of it.