January 2025

Epic adventures: Iconic road trips celebrating anniversaries in 2025 

Max Schmidt, chief adventurer of CamperDays, shares his pick of iconic routes marking milestones this year

As winter blues take full effect and Brits long for something to look forward to, booking a holiday has never been more tempting. 

Max Schmidt, chief adventurer at CamperDays, Europe’s leading campervan and motorhome tour operator, says: “The new year is in full swing urging Brits to look to their spring and summer travel plans, but so many places out there to explore makes choosing between them a challenge.

“There are many destinations and routes celebrating a special anniversary in 2025 to consider for your travels. From ten-year-old North Coast 500 to the midlife Route 66 and the old and wise French city of Caen celebrating 1,000 years, let 2025 be a year to travel differently with a road trip to get the most from these iconic spots. It’s a great time to visit a destination celebrating a milestone anniversary, as visitors can expect a range of special celebrations to mark the occasion.”  

Below, Max shares his pick of road trips with a reason to do them in 2025.

North Coast 500, Scotland – 10 years

The ultimate 516-mile scenic loop begins and ends in Inverness, improving access to over a dozen towns and settlements around Scotland’s stunning northern coast.

As well as getting the chance to enjoy jaw-dropping Highland scenery, the NC500 caters to many interests – one of which being the growing trend towards dark sky tourism. We all know that more and more Brits have been witnessing the northern lights lately, especially in Scotland, and that’s because auroral activity is expected to be at its peak in 2025.

NC500 celebrates its tenth birthday in March. For a week in March (15-22), CamperDays recommends picking up a two-person VW Camper Car costing £189 total, or a four-person Voyager Campervan for larger groups at £362 total.

Pennine Way, Lancashire – 60 years

Venture to the north of England for its first National Trail which launched 24 April 1965. Thirty years before he founded the Pennine Way on Malham Moor, the journalist-turned-secretary of the Rambler’s Association, Tom Stephenson, used his column in the now-defunct Daily Herald to call for a ‘long green trail’ in England.

The 268-mile stretch begins at the northerly point of the Derbyshire Peak District, climbing upwards through the Yorkshire Dales, Northumberland National Park and ending just over the Scottish border in Kirk Yetholm.

While it’s primarily a walking route, road trippers can choose to take the easterly A1 passing through Leeds, Durham and Newcastle upon Tyne, or the westerly M6 through Manchester and the Lake District – both coming in at under five hours without stopping.

Route 66, USA – 99 years… beat the crowds or snag a deal!

Lovingly called the “Mother Road” by famed American novelist John Steinbeck and arguably the most famous road trip in the world, the 2,400-mile Route 66 travels across eight American states, unimaginable natural beauty, and almost a century of history and change.

While anniversary years, especially centenaries, are always packed with merriment, one downside is unfortunately crowds, congestion, and possibly higher prices.

Why not get in early and take the trip in 2025? Besides, anniversary celebrations in the State of Illinois kicked off in 2021, and huge investment and improvements to the infrastructure in the lead up to its hundredth birthday were begun well in advance.

A Cruise America C-25 can be picked up in Chicago on 9 June 2025 and dropped off in Carson, Los Angeles on 30 June for £3,104 total, or £37 per person per night. The same vehicle over the same dates would cost £1,980 total if started in Los Angeles and ended in Chicago, saving a whopping 36% (£1,124) by going against the grain.

Caen, France – 1,000 years

Caen will celebrate 1,000 years of history in 2025, so why not make a pit stop in the port city on a road trip through Normandy?

Aim for the Caen Millennium Parade on 9 May which will cover a 5km stretch of the city centre and recount the age-old story of the north French commune. Expect to see over a thousand performers and local residents bringing that history to life.

Until 20 March 2025, residents and tourists have registered for Les Veilleurs de Caen, or the Caen Watchmen, a year-long participatory art project of English-speaking choreographer Joanne Leighton. Participants will book a sunrise or sunset slot to watch over the city of Caen for one hour, creating a continuous chain of watchmen. While all slots are now full, visitors can enjoy the city of Caen under the watch of an eagle-eyed guard.

2025 Jubilee

If you caught Conclave in cinemas this year and you’ve got a newfound or refreshed admiration for Catholic imagery, then you’re in luck, as 2025 is a jubilee in the Catholic Church. The 2025 Jubilee Year is set to contain many celebrations of faith and forgiveness.

Pilgrimages will be inevitably up this year as believers and non-believers alike will embark on the Via Francigena (Canterbury to Rome) or Camino de Santiago (terminating in Santiago de Compostela, or Finisterre).

While pilgrimages are usually undertaken on foot, those short on time could convert the arduous march into a scenic road trip. Three or four days is certainly possible but allow for one week to a fortnight for a more rewarding, immersive and slower-paced drive.

A Voyager Campervan can be hired for three weeks in summer (9 June – 30 June) picking up and dropping off in London £1,625 total, just under £20 per person per night.

About CamperDays   

Launched in Germany in 2013, CamperDays is Europe’s leading camper tour operator, working with 150 partners in over 700 locations globally.

CamperDays facilitates access to over 35,500 vehicles available for rent worldwide, including in the UK, Europe, Australia, USA, Canada and South Africa. The platform allows customers to choose from a selection of trusted providers globally via an easy three step booking process, with rentals available from just £70 per day. 

Since it was launched, CamperDays customers have booked over 1,000,000 nights in vehicles rented through the site. CamperDays provides access to a broad selection of campervans and motorhomes catering to every type of traveller, with transparent pricing and no hidden costs. All vehicles come with insurance, with excess, as standard, to allow renters a truly carefree holiday. 

For more information or to make a booking, visit the website: www.camperdays.co.uk.