A winding road through the British countryside
A winding road through the British countryside

A drive down memory lane 

 

If you've been dreaming of a classic road trip recently, you aren't alone... 91% of Brits have their fondest memories of road trips in the UK. We did some research to discover the effects of the revival of the great British road trip this summer, from mental health benefits to the British public's top destinations.

 

91% of Brits have their fondest memories of road trips in the UK
64% of people played Eye Spy on road trips
66% of people want to relive a happy road trip
The most popular road trip song is Summer of '69 - Bryan Adams

Top road trip destinations revealed

To inspire Brits to relive their own happy holiday memories, we have revealed the nation’s top three picks for nostalgic road trip destinations.

 

 

The Lake District

View over the Lake District

The Lake District

Taking the top spot with nearly a quarter (24%) of the vote, this UNESCO world heritage site is also the location of many Brits’ fondest holiday memories. Whether kayaking on the placid lakes or hiking the surrounding peaks, many remember taking a road trip to Britain’s largest national park over the summer holidays. This destination is so popular in fact, that it also takes the top spot (27%) for places Brits plan on taking a road trip this year as well.

The New Forest

The New Forest

The New Forest

At second place (16%) the New Forest forms many old memories of weekend getaways with the family to admire the idyllic countryside and wild horses. An easy two hours from London, the New Forest is the perfect destination to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, and relive childhood holidays. Looking for the ultimate playlist for the journey? Look no further than the nation’s top three most popular road trip songs: Summer of ’69 – Bryan Adams (24%), Living on a Prayer – Bon Jovi (24%) and American Pie – Don McLean (23%).

Snowdonia

Snowdonia

Snowdonia

Known for high peaks and sweeping panoramas, the breath-taking mountains of Snowdonia stuck in the memories of 15% of Britain. It wouldn’t be a British holiday without a bit of rain, and what better place to get rained on than atop the highest peak in wales? And if it’s too rainy to get out of the car, you can always play the classic Eye Spy game, as 64% of Brits report they do.

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Ultimate road trip tunes

We also asked for the top road trip soundtracks to bring back nostalgic memories, with Summer of '69, Living on a Prayer and American Pie coming in top spots! Visit our Spotify for the full playlist. 

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Win driving credits to get you there!

Win driving credits to get you there!

Win driving credits to get you there!

Head over to our Instagram page before Friday the 17th of September, to be in with a chance of winning £250-worth of Zipcar credits. All you have to do is follow us, and tell us about your favourite road trip memories!  

Enter now

Comp Ts & Cs:

£250 driving credit will be awarded at random to those who follow us and comment on our post on Instagram between Wednesday 8th September and before midnight Thursday 16th September. No cash alternative, winner must be an approved Zipcar UK member. Winner will be contacted by Instagram

About the Zipcar UK data:

The research data is based on a survey conducted with 2,003 respondents from the UK. The research fieldwork took place on 13th - 16th August 2021.