Encompassing boreal forests, mammoth glaciers, and majestic fjords, this is a hugely rewarding drive that will stay with you long after it’s finished.

Begin in Anchorage, where it’s easy to rent a car at the airport, and follow the road that leads south across the Kenai Peninsula that clasps the base of the rugged Chugach Mountains and overlooks the Turnagain Arm of Cook Inlet.

The winding roads pass waterfalls and wildlife and you’re in a position to spot grazing Dall sheep on the cliffs, beluga whales in the waters below, and eagles and numerous seabirds above.

This road trip can be done in five hours, but unless you’re a truck driver, you’ll want to take two leisurely days and stop en route. The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is a good choice and you can pan for gold at Crow Creek Mine. In Seward, the nearby Kenai Fjords National Park is worth a stop to tour the singular paradise of fjords and glaciers.

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The Million Dollar Highway connects the old mining towns of Silverton and Ouray in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado, and passes through the Uncompahgre Gorge to the summit of Red Mountain Pass. A series of hairpin turns, without guardrails, borders some rather frightening vertical drops.

Keep your eyes peeled during the spring months for the elk, mountain goats, black bears and deer in the wildflower covered countryside.

The tiny National Historic Landmark town of Silverton and the small town of Ouray see Victorian buildings from the 1870s take you back to the frontier era. Just look out for the tumbleweed in your path.

While the Million Dollar Highway is certainly not a long stretch of road, you’ll need at least a day to take your time over those twists and turns in the road.

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The park stays open year-round, however parts of this route close from mid-September to mid-June. The Sun Road, as it’s also known as, crosses the Continental Divide at a spectacular elevation of 6,646 feet, at which point you’ll likely see mountain goats and bighorn sheep.

You’ll also pass by Jackson Glacier Overlook, which, as the name hints at, is a good place to spot glaciers.

The parkway is home to the Garden Wall, a sheer vertical cliff which was a huge feat of engineering when it was built 76 years ago and on the side of the road, the valley lies thousands of feet below.

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To make the best of this dual option drive, rent a car in San Francisco and go an hour north on U.S. 101 to Healdsburg, which is a Sonoma hub, crammed with tasting rooms and terrific restaurants. Further north on 101 you’ll come to Lake Sonoma where you can stretch your legs with a hike and breathe in the fresh Californian air.

Make your way to the Napa Valley and stop in at Calistoga where you can soak in a mud bath and check out the Old Faithful Geyser of California, which shoots up water every 30 minutes for a show straight from nature.

Crossing over to the Silverado Trail will take you on a lovely meander south past some of the region’s most noteworthy wineries where you can pick up some local bottled delights. When your tummy rumbles, make a beeline for the restaurant mecca of Yountville before heading to interstate 80 to return to San Francisco.

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Big Sur’s reputation for sheer beauty is justified: With the redwood groves of the Santa Lucia mountains on one side and the rocky beaches and sea lions of the Pacific on the other it’s surprisingly unspoiled.

A few days in spring or autumn would be an ideal time to take in this trip and a good starting point is San Jose, which is the closest major airport and you can arrange cheap car hire.

Cruise on through Monterey and Carmel, and then enter Big Sur where you’ll find small pockets of roadside restaurants in place of big towns.

The twisting road takes you past steep cliffs where a leisurely hike or a lunchtime picnic can break up the journey. Beachcombing is also a fun option at nearby try Jade Cove (where you’ll discover its namesake stone).

The free-spirited Jack Kerouac spent time here in the 60s and for lovers of his book ‘On the Road’ this trip reveals a hint of the bohemian along the way.

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Mercedes Benz unveiled their new Biome concept car at the Los Angelas Car Show design challenge. This is a full size non-working concept that shows exactly what Mercedes thinks about the future of automotive design. They focus on minimalist design, sleek curves. One of the most interesting parts of the Biome is the seating concept, where passengers sit together in a more relaxed longing fashion as you can see on the sketches below.

“It is too early to assume that will occur this year, with consumers facing interest rate rises and critically major utility cost increases.” said a representative at Webject.

I just had a glimpse of the amazing Astin Martin Club based in Singapore. It is seriously something straight out of a Bond movie. Decked out in Astin Martin decor the Dempsey Hill neighbourhood club is truly remarkable.

BMW are trying to set a new standard not just in luxury, but in design and green tecnology with their new diesel-electric car that can top out at 155 mph and go 31 miles on its electric engine alone.