The Jurassic Coast has recently been named as the UK’s best road trip destination, if you fancy taking on the route, then make sure to book a stay in Sidmouth – the ideal destination along the Jurassic Coast for exploring both Devon and Dorset.

The accolade comes from the company Moneybarn who recently ranked the best driving routes for people wanting to take a road trip this summer. The research looked at a variety of factors including the top 40 driving routes and reviews from TripAdvisor, accident data, social media statistics, sunlight hours and tourist attractions in the area.

The Jurassic Coast is a 96 mile long route that begins in Exmouth, in Devon and travels across the border into Dorset. According to Moneybarn, the route was given an overall road trip score of 8.69 out of 10 and was ranked first in terms of sunlight hours, 3rd for the amount of nearby tourist attractions and 16th for road safety. The research also found that the Jurassic Coast had nearly 400,000 hashtags on Instagram and 662,000 Google searches.

With those incredible views, we’re hardly surprised that the Jurassic Coast has ranked so highly. As one of the UK’s first UNESCO World Heritage sites and covering millions of years across the route, it is perhaps the most fascinating coastline in the south west. By visiting the Jurassic Coast, you not only get to see rocks from the Jurassic era, but also from the Triassic and the Cretaceous periods. You can even figure out where on the timeline you are from the colour of the rocks, in Sidmouth, you’ll notice that the coastline is red, which marks it as having formed during the Triassic era, that means it dates back to around 252 million years go! This is hugely different to the rocks towards the end of the route in Dorset, which are white.

If you fancy heading on a roadtrip this summer, why not make Sidmouth your destination of choice? There are a host of events taking place in and around the town to make the 20th anniversary of the Jurassic Coast being named a World Heritage site throughout 2022, including some held at Sidmouth museum – perfect for anyone exploring the coast as part of a summer road trip!

If you are embarking on a road trip along the Jurassic Coast, Sidmouth is a great place to call home for a few days. There are a host of accommodation options, so you can easily choose a property that best suits you and your needs, from camping to luxury hotels and cosy cottages. The town is home to a host of independent shops and high street names, along the popular shopping area and the two beaches. Jacob’s Ladder beach and the Town Beach both offer a great place to spend some time in the sunshine. It isn’t all about the coast in Sidmouth either, Mutters Moor and the Byes are incredibly picturesque and there are plenty of countryside walks around the East Devon Way which falls within the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Sidmouth is also a great spot for exploring the rest of the coastline, Exmouth where the Jurassic Coast starts, is nearby, as are the towns of Budleigh Salterton and Beer and nearby Ladram Bay has some incredible rock formations to enjoy. The towns of Lyme Regis and Charmouth are also less than an hour away by car, making Sidmouth a great town for exploring the wider area.

Find out more about what’s on and things to do in and around Sidmouth here.