The great Aussie road trip is a classic. But with the cost of living steeply escalating, thrifty travellers are swapping far-flung vacations for the wide-open road. Here’s where they’re headed.

When it comes to road trips, Australia is truly blessed. There are seemingly endless roads that wind through breathtaking landscapes, from the expansive coast to the iconic red outback. And in an era of rising living costs, budget-savvy travellers can embrace campsites, caravan parks and apps like Hipcamp to explore the country without breaking the bank.

Youi surveyed over 2000 Aussies to uncover our road trip habits and our favourite destinations. We’ve broken down the top travel trends, destinations and findings below.

Top road trip travel trends

There’s a lot of ground to cover on an Aussie road trip. Half of us racked up over 500 kilometres on the odometer on our last journey, while a quarter of us logged an incredible 17 hours or more behind the wheel. For a third of respondents, budget was a factor in choosing a road trip. On average, their most recent trip cost $1108, covering fuel, accommodation, meals and entertainment.

Baby Boomers proved to be the most intrepid road trippers, travelling longer, driving further and veering off the beaten path more often. While 20 per cent of all respondents travelled over 1000 kilometres, that figure jumped to 32 per cent for Boomers.

Top road trip destinations

On, the Great Ocean Road is a string of perfect coastal towns threaded together by breathtaking scenery. (Image: Getty/Alexwise)

Queenslanders proved to be the biggest road trippers in the country, with 33 per cent spending over 17 hours on their most recent journey.

As for the top road trip overall, it’s no surprise that a classic took the crown: Victoria’s Great Ocean Road. An impressive 39 per cent of respondents named it their favourite. Among Victorians, 63 per cent chose the iconic route, while 45 per cent of South Australians also ranked it as their top pick.

Perth to Esperance is a favourite Australian road trip. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

Meanwhile, travellers from New South Wales singled out the Sydney to Brissy drive as their go-to. 43 per cent of Queenslanders awarded top gong to outback Queensland, whereas West Australians ranked the Perth to Esperance route as their favourite.

Wherever you are, Youi has teamed up with Hipcamp to bring travellers five epic, unsung road trip itineraries across Australia, in the states of NSW, Victoria, Queensland, SA and WA that celebrate the beauty, vastness and diversity of the landscape. It’s time to hit the road!

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