I absolutely love going on road trips! They’re such an amazing way to discover new places. You get the chance to explore way more than usual and tailor the journey exactly to your liking, which is why I was so excited to plan a summer road trip from the U.K. to Germany.
Normally, we’d fly from London to Germany, but earlier this year, we drove from the U.K. to Austria for a festival. That trip showed us just how simple and enjoyable it is to drive across Europe. Originally, we planned to rent a car in London, take a ferry from Dover in southern England, and then drive around. However, our last-minute traveling plans took us up north, so we adjusted our itinerary.
Fortunately, there are plenty of options for ferries to mainland Europe and for picking up and dropping off rental cars in various locations. So, we chose to take the DFDS ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam and rented a car from Newcastle, with plans to return it in London. It was a smooth plan!
After starting our journey from Scotland, we stayed at the Roomzzz Hotel in Newcastle. The stay was comfortable, almost like being in an apartment rather than a typical hotel room.
After a good meal and a restful sleep, we were all set to catch the ferry to Amsterdam. Taking the overnight ferry from Newcastle was like a mini-cruise, and we made sure to enjoy the experience! We booked the Commodore Deluxe cabins, which came with access to a lounge offering snacks and drinks throughout the trip.
Our adventure to Germany was on the way! The ferry had more space than expected, and the onboard breakfast ensured we reached Amsterdam the next morning feeling refreshed and well-fed.
After a brief stop in the charming Dutch town of Zaandam, we headed to Nurburgring, Germany. It’s a spot we wouldn’t typically think of visiting, but curiosity won. Nurburgring is a famous Formula 1 race track, and a friend suggested checking it out. Made perfect sense because Germany is well-known for its iconic car brands like BMW and Mercedes-Benz, so embracing the car culture was a must on our trip.
Our plan was to spend the majority of our time exploring Germany’s beautiful castles, vineyards, and everything else we love about the country. Visiting Nurburgring added an exciting twist to the itinerary. We were lucky to visit during a Formula Truck event with plenty to see and do. The highlight was getting to experience the Nordschleife racing track, legendary in the Formula 1 world. We booked a session to ride around the track at thrilling speeds, something we couldn’t do anywhere else.
But don’t worry—we weren’t the ones driving! A professional race track driver would take us around, knowing the track inside out and maximizing speed through every turn. You can drive your own car on the track, but the speedy, unfamiliar terrain was definitely out of my league.
After settling in at a hotel, we went to get fitted for our racing suits in preparation for the next day’s track adventure. We also checked out the impressive Green Beast, a Mercedes Benz specifically built for the track.
With some spare time, we decided to try Go-Kart racing. It was the perfect way to get into the racing spirit! These electric Go-Karts were surprisingly fast, even though I should be used to how powerful electric vehicles can be. Racing was a blast, although I have to admit, Lloyd was much better than me. I had quite a few spin-outs and came in last each time.
Eventually, we wrapped up the day with a nice dinner at Bitburger Gasthaus, conveniently located next to our hotel. Lloyd enjoyed Schnitzel, while I opted for steak and chips. For dessert, I chose Kaiserschmarrn, one of my favorites.
Having filled our bellies, we called it a day, excited for the high-adrenaline fun that awaited us the next day.