Road trips
There's Nothing Quite Like a Road Trip!
There's nothing quite like a road trip to fully experience a new destination. Road trips are a wonderful way to get up-close to the local people, to discover their culture, to witness their history and architecture. And of course to taste the exquisite local cuisine.
Danielle and I both enjoy road trips for the freedom they bring and the measure of control that they bring to your vacation travel. Fewer germs, more spontaneity, less waiting around in airports and train stations. Well of course, there's the traffic. But if you're driving a nice comfortable car with a great sound system, even that can be a somewhat pleasant experience.
The Open Road for Slow Travel
Another Road Trip advantage is that it enables Slow Travel. The slow movement as it applies to tourism and travel means not only travel at your own pace, but more importantly spending more time connecting with the locals, visiting them in their day-to-day lives, like exploring farmers' markets, meeting local artisans and discovering their work, attending local cultural events, and more.
One principle of Slow Travel is to use less environmentally damaging transportation, with air travel taking the lead in terms of emissions. If you don't have an EV yet, consider carbon compensation measures to offset the impact of your trip. The cost is minimal but worth the effort for your next trip. Typically, carbon offset programs involve planting trees which has the double benefit of reforestation and improving the beauty of the environment.
Ideal for Foodie Travel
Because we're foodies, we usually make it a point to visit wineries, cheese producers, charcuterie producers, food markets, growers of all kinds, etc. We try to avoid farms with livestock, especially in a foreign country because of issues coming back into Canada.
This section contains posts about various road trips Danielle and I we've taken over the years. Some are domestic, exploring areas in our own province. Other take place in a far-away country like one of our all-time greatest road trip in Italy)
What I find most appealing about a road trip is that you can make it into whatever you want, decide what your priorities are for any given occasion. In depth exploration or simply a way to get somewhere while enjoying the ride.
Our EV road trip machine
After driving a gas guzzler SUV for years, I decided to get serious about combating climate change in some small way by switching to an electric vehicle. Still an SUV mind you, but a highly efficient 2023 Nissan Ariya Platinum e-4ORCE Crossover SUV.
It's wonderfully pleasant to drive (huge understatement) and the battery delivers an impressive 438 km of autonomy in summer and 360ish km in winter.
Last fall in Italy we drove a DS-Automobiles DS-7 hybrid SUV. Also pleasant to drive and luxuriously over-equipped.
Should I Take My EV on a Road Trip?
Traveling by EV from Montreal to Wells Beach, ME in a Nissan Ariya. Estimated reading time: 11 minutes When on a road trip, does comfort and eco-friendliness trump practicality and travel time. The simple answer is: “it depends”. That’s what I discovered on a recent EV road trip to the Maine…
My Grand Canyon Road Trip Adventure
The Grand Canyon is one of those mythical destinations that is a must-see at least once in your life. Every time I go to Vegas, I'm tempted to go on a tour. But the 4 am departure and long bus ride convince me otherwise. So finding myself in Phoenix on business, it was a unique opportunity I could…
Seven Days in Siena, Italy – The Heart and Soul of Tuscany
Estimated reading time: 40 minutes Table of contents Siena is the Heart and Soul of Tuscany A Brief History of Siena Day 1 - Arrival in Siena Exploring Siena Navigating the Maze of Ancient Streets Our First Dinner In Siena Day 2 – Discovering Siena Piazza del Campo: Via Banchi Di Sopra…
Brescia, Hidden Gem in the Heart of Lombardy
The first stop on our road trip in Italy was Brescia, a hidden gem that deserves much more attention. Look for this lovely city in northern Italy, about halfway between Milan and Venice. It was a logical first stop on our Road trip in Italy. It is not known as a popular vacation spot. Travelers to…
Our Foodie Road Trip in Italy
Estimated reading time: 30 minutes A Long Overdue Dream Come True For over a decade, we’ve been dreaming of a road trip in Italy. That Mediterranean country was at the very top of our bucket list. And for good reason. There’s so much to love about Italy. The history, the culture,…