World Cup 2026 Road Trips: The Best Routes from Every Host City

Taking the top spot is the A1A Coastal Route, stretching over 230 miles from Miami to Orlando along Florida's Atlantic coast, with an estimated driving time of three and a half hours one way. There are 78 attractions along the route and with an estimated trip cost of around $314, it secures first place in the ranking.

The estimated trip cost covers round-trip fuel (around $78), rental car prices average $53 a day, and a hotel in June costs around $175 a night. Those looking to enjoy a cold beer while catching a game can expect to pay around $8 for a large beer.

The route itself heads north from Miami, hugging the coastline through Fort Lauderdale and the more relaxed stretches of Palm Beach County before opening up onto the Space Coast. Kennedy Space Center is the standout stop on the northern leg, after which the road turns inland toward Orlando which of course has the inevitable pull of the Disney and Universal theme parks.

As for the games, Miami's Hard Rock Stadium is hosting four group stage matches, among them Scotland vs. Brazil on June 24 and Colombia vs. Portugal on June 27, as well as the Quarter Final and Third Place Play-Off.

The drive from Houston to Corpus Christi is the second-longest in the top five, but the Gulf Coast it tracks along the way more than justifies the distance.

You’ll arrive in Galveston within an hour of leaving Houston, which is well worth an overnight stop. Some of the key things to see are the Strand historic district, Bishop's Palace and Moody Gardens' three glass pyramids.

South of Galveston, the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, winter home of the endangered whooping crane, is the natural highlight before Corpus Christi, where the USS Lexington aircraft carrier museum and the Texas State Aquarium round out the route.

Houston’s NRG Stadium hosts five group stage matches, starting with Germany vs Curaçao on June 14. The day after that game is the natural departure point, south to Galveston, a night on the island, and back in time for Portugal vs. DR Congo on June 17.

Miami appears for the second time in the top three, and it's easy to see why. The city sits at the gateway to some of the most distinctive driving terrain in North America, whether that's heading south into the Keys or west across the Everglades.

The Tamiami Trail does the latter, cutting 130 miles through the heart of the Everglades in around an hour and a half each way, with 51 attractions along the route and an estimated cost of $344.

Naturally, the Everglades dominate the journey. Shark Valley is the first major stop, with a tram tour and observation tower looking out over the River of Grass, before the road continues through Big Cypress National Preserve and into Everglades City, where boat tours navigate the mangrove maze of Ten Thousand Islands.

Naples makes for a strong endpoint and a sharp change of pace, offering a contrast to the surrounding Everglades landscape. The pier is an iconic landmark, and while currently closed for rebuilding after hurricane damage, it's still worth seeing from the shore. Fifth Avenue South, the beach and the Botanical Gardens are all worth the stop before the return east.

Houston is the second host city to place two road trips in the top five and while the cost is similar to the Galveston route, it offers a very different experience. At 197 miles and just under three hours one way, it's worth taking the backroad route via La Grange and the Colorado River valley instead of the direct I-10. With 32 attractions along the way it’s a rewarding drive, costing around $45 in fuel for the round trip and an estimated total cost of $327.

The stops along the way are distinctly Texan. Start with a break at Brenham's Blue Bell Creamery, one of the most beloved ice cream producers in the state and a fine excuse to pull over early. From there, make time for Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site, where Texas declared independence from Mexico in 1836, before stopping at Gruene Historic District, one of the best-preserved 19th-century towns in the state. San Antonio is a strong endpoint, as the Alamo, the River Walk and the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, could easily fill a full day.

The two-day gap between Portugal vs. DR Congo on June 17 and Netherlands vs. Sweden on June 20 at NRG Stadium makes this a natural overnight run between fixtures.

Monterrey is the third host city to feature two road trips in the top 10 and both entries share something the others don’t: at just 25 miles from the city, either can be done in under an hour one way, making them the easiest trips in the entire study to fit around match schedules.

The estimated trip cost for the Huasteca Canyon drive to Santa Catarina comes in at just under $160, or even less if you decide to skip the overnight stay and treat it as a day trip.

Before you leave Monterrey, make sure you set aside time for Parque Fundidora, a vast green space imaginatively repurposed from a former steelworks[LV1] , and the Santa Lucia Riverwalk.

Once you're into the mountains, head straight for La Huasteca Canyon, limestone walls rising 300 metres from the canyon floor, with rock climbing and hiking trails at the base if you want to make a proper day of it. If you'd rather take things at a slower pace, Chipinque Ecological Park is the place to go, with pine and oak forest and long views back over the city that are well worth the stop.

The second of Monterrey’s two top 10 entries is the drive to Santiago, which is also the most affordable road trip in the entire study. At an estimated $128 all in, with rental car costs around $40 a day and beer at $3, Monterrey sets the cost benchmark for the tournament. The route itself is short, 25 miles to Santiago and 40 minutes each way, meaning it can easily slot into tournament schedules.

Santiago is one of Mexico's designated Pueblos Mágicos, a national program recognizing towns of exceptional cultural or natural beauty. La Boca Dam and its reservoir sit just outside town offering kayaking and boat tours on the water, while Cola de Caballo, the Horse's Tail waterfall, is a short drive further into the Sierra Madre foothills.

The Estadio BBVA in Monterrey hosts three group stage matches: Sweden vs. Tunisia on June 14, Tunisia vs. Japan on June 20 and South Africa vs. South Korea on June 24. At under an hour from the stadium, Santiago works equally well as a pre-match excursion or a day trip between fixtures.

Across the top 10 there are plenty of standout drives, but one route that’s worth a detour for fans visiting Mexico is the Tequila Heritage Route.

The second of Monterrey’s two top 10 entries is the drive to Santiago, which is also the most affordable road trip in the entire study. At an estimated $128 all in, with rental car costs around $40 a day and beer at $3, Monterrey sets the cost benchmark for the tournament. The route itself is short, 25 miles to Santiago and 40 minutes each way, meaning it can easily slot into tournament schedules.

Santiago is one of Mexico's designated Pueblos Mágicos, a national program recognizing towns of exceptional cultural or natural beauty. La Boca Dam and its reservoir sit just outside town offering kayaking and boat tours on the water, while Cola de Caballo, the Horse's Tail waterfall, is a short drive further into the Sierra Madre foothills.

The Estadio BBVA in Monterrey hosts three group stage matches: Sweden vs. Tunisia on June 14, Tunisia vs. Japan on June 20 and South Africa vs. South Korea on June 24. At under an hour from the stadium, Santiago works equally well as a pre-match excursion or a day trip between fixtures.

Across the top 10 there are plenty of standout drives, but one route that’s worth a detour for fans visiting Mexico is the Tequila Heritage Route.

The 2026 World Cup is a genuinely unprecedented tournament, 48 teams, 16 cities, three countries, and a travel footprint that stretches from the Sierra Madre to the Canadian Rockies.

To determine the best road trips to complete around each host city, we researched three routes that can be done as part of a World Cup visit (including both shorter and longer routes), to give fans routes to explore the region during downtime between matches.