Does the open road beckon? Immerse yourself in the Ultimate Road Trip, USA and Canada

The ribbon of black that beckons from coast to coast, from mountains to oceans, from rivers to deserts, from cities that touch the sky to forests and plains.

The potential of unlimited adventure, unriveled vistas, the wind in your hair, the radio cranked up and the opportunity for photos to fill a dozen Instagram accounts.

Many of us still bear the psychological scars of pandemic lockdowns, so the promise of the freedom afforded by 4 million miles of public roads in the US and another 650,000 in Canada is a powerful incentive to leave the mundanity of every day life behind and set out on a road trip of a life-time.

Andrew Collins is an inveterate globe trotter and road tripper who has written and edited dozens of travel guidebooks. His latest offering Ultimate Road Trips USA & Canada, is an inspirational and practical guide to 32 of the best road trips across the two countries.

Andrew has crisscrossed the region numerous times, having driven through every US state and Canadian province. His travel goal is to travel to every county in the US. Currently he's been to 2296 counties out of 3065 (including parishes in Louisiana and boroughs in Alaska).

Car vacations were already gaining in popularity before the pandemic. Now, with travel picking up again, there's an even stronger interest in the independent journey; when with your significant other, family or a group of friends you can just hop into a car, hit the open road, and seek out less-crowded encounters with natural beauty.

Including epic journeys like California's Highway 1, the Canadian Rockies, coastal New England, Hawaii and Alaska, each chapter in Ultimate Road Trips USA & Canada features route maps and colour photos. It also has descriptions of all the must-see highlights including short hikes, family-friendly attractions and world-class museums, and the best places to eat and sleep, from quirky diners and hip cafes to retro-cool motels, cosy cabins and stylish glamping resorts.

You'll learn the best times to go both for great weather and avoiding the crowds, and find invaluable tips on ensuring a smooth ride.

The book is a one-stop guide to road tripping in the two vast countries - filled with glorious photography, it covers everything from taxes and tipping (always a hard one for Aussies to get their heads around), to best eats and sleeps, travelling with kids, RVs and towing, camping and budgeting your time and how best to manage in the COVID era.

There are also 26 road trip tips, tricks and hacks covering car rental fees, insurances, roadside assistance, hotel loyalty programs, national park passes, farmers markets, taking the slow road, investing in a good cooler, paying attention to weather conditions and much more.

The first stop-off in the book is the heart of Alaska:

Hawaii comes next followed by Vancouver Island to the Canadian Rockies, the snow-capped peaks of Washington, the Pacific Northwest wine country, through Oregon, California, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, West Texas, Montana and Wyoming, the Dakota Badlands, the Great Plains, the Great Lakes, Upstate New York, Quebec, the Canadian Maritime, the Eastern and Western Appalachians, Coastal Carolinas and the Gulf Coast plus many other great road trips.

Other books in the series:

Ultimate Road Trips USA & Canada is published by Hardie Grant. AUD $45.