I See Your Euro Summer, and I Raise You: The Turo Summer

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For many of my peers, summer has become synonymous with Euro Summer. Unfortunately, as Euro Summering has exploded in popularity, so have airfare prices, customs lines, and the number of beach-goers per grain of Riviera sand. 

When even luxury travel editor Yolanda Edwards is lamenting the inconveniences of traveling within Europe, you have no choice but to pay attention.

This summer, I’m going to propose something wild. I sowed the seeds of the idea last winter, and my concept recently reached full bloom: opt for a road trip instead. 

I began mapping out a list of pros and cons in the middle of June, while winding down California Highway 1 in a BMW X1 with my Nashville-based best friend beside me. Things got lopsided quickly. Forfeiting our passports and a ten-plus hour flight also meant: no checked baggage, customs lines, public transport, cobblestone roads, AirCon-less heatwaves, or fifth floor walkups with weird, lofted layouts. 

Instead, it earned us a stay at Bernardus Lodge & Spa in Carmel Valley and a long weekend kayaking with sea otters, wandering Carmel, hiking to Pfeiffer Falls in Big Sur, whale watching in Monterey Bay, and pulling over whenever something caught our eye. 

For whatever reason, the road trip has earned an association with motels and fast food. I am now of the opinion that a road trip can be just as chic, and much more convenient, as a flight to lands far away. A few things, I learned, make all the difference. 

You’ll need a trusty navigator, music queue-r, and potential second driver. Road trips are not for new relationships, fractured friendships, or family members who drive you mad.

Start With the Car

Sexiness is admittedly a category where the Euro Summer shines. Renting a car – especially a sports car or convertible – can even the field. 

I know car rental services suck. Go for a Turo instead. The ‘rental reinvention’ marketplace allows you to rent the exact car you want, wherever you want it, for however long you want. Your ‘host,’ aka the car’s owner, can also deliver it to you. Whether your wildest dreams entail a Corvette, Porsche, or Chevy Cargo Van (your dreams are valid, too), Turo has an option for you. 

As I mentioned, I rented a BMW X1 for our trip, and it was roomier, cleaner, and more souped up than my beloved Mini Cooper Countryman. Picking it up was a breeze, driving it was a blast, and dropping it back off was criminally simple. All of the rental planning, logistics, and comms happened within an app – I just showed up, grabbed the keys inside, and got going. 

Pick At Least One Great Stay

The beauty of a road trip is that you can go high and/or low with it. And if you’re replacing your Euro Summer, you’re going to want to go high on at least one leg of your stay. 

For us, that was Bernardus Lodge & Spa. The grounds are beautiful and boast a glimmering pool, relaxing spa, gorgeous rose garden, and overall laid-back vibe. We returned exhausted each evening, and the lodge was a cozy place to warm up, order room service (the farm-to-table restaurant Lucia is excellent) and watch a little Chef’s Table. 

Through TQE’s travel coverage, we’ve seen a surge in wellness-forward hotels and resorts. Many are appropriately oriented around nature, which also happens to make the backdrop for a great road trip. I asked TQE travel editor Lauren Harano to offer a few places at the center of the wellness hotel x road trip route Venn Diagram:

• The Madeline Hotel & Residences: Travel + Leisure’s #1 resort in Colorado, this Telluride hotel has Colorado’s backcountry in its backyard
• Kimpton Armory Hotel: Bozeman's first and only luxury boutique hotel
• Post Ranch Inn: a romantic getaway atop the cliffs of Big Sur
• The Little Nell: Aspen’s only Five-Star, Five-Diamond, ski-in/ski-out hotel
• The Lodge at Spruce Peak: 300+ guest rooms, suites, penthouses, and, importantly, tree houses in Stowe, VT

You Can’t Go Wrong Going West

The West Coast is generally a great region for road tripping and has plenty of gorgeous options. I asked Lauren Harano for a few of her favorite routes anywhere in the US of A, though, just in case you’re East Coast-bound. Some ideas: 

1. CA to CO: LA → Moab → Telluride → Boulder. Allot ~7-9 days for this trip. “Give Moab 2 days,” Lauren advises, “Telluride 2-3, Boulder 2.”
2. CA to MT: LA → Salt Lake City → Bozeman. Plan to spend ~5-6 days on this one. According to Lauren, “SLC is mostly a stopover (1 day), Bozeman deserves 3-4.”
3. PCH Loop: San Francisco → Santa Cruz → Big Sur → Carmel. Up to ~5-6 days, or great for a long weekend at minimum. Santa Cruz 1 day, Big Sur 2-3, Carmel 2.
4. CO loop: Denver → Boulder → Aspen → Vail. Plan ~6-7 days. Boulder 1-2, Aspen 2-3, Vail 2.
5. New England for fall foliage, but summertime works, too: Boston → Stowe, VT → North Conway, NH → Camden, ME. In total, ~7-9 days: Boston 1-2, Stowe 2-3, North Conway 1-2, Camden 2.

Vet Your Fellow Travelers’ Vibes

This probably goes without saying, but you’ll need a trusty navigator, music queue-r, and potential second driver. Road trips are not for new relationships, fractured friendships, or family members who drive you mad.

They’re perfect for long distance friends (like Talia, who I met at summer camp decades ago), adventurous couples, and young families. Ensuring you have similar travel priorities is always important – as is alignment on music taste.

Provisions Are 100% Necessary

Nothing takes a road trip south faster than hangry travelers. Always have provisions on hand – even if you have all of your meals mapped out. One of my favorite moments of the weekend was actually an unplanned stop at a roadside fruit stand after whale watching. Intrigued by the signs and citrus, we pulled over, stretched our legs, and stocked up on stone fruits, granola, chocolate cherries, and some Ghia for good measure.

In terms of pre-packed snacks, I prioritize a little something sweet and a little something salty (and aim for both to be a little healthy). Some recent favorite finds include BjornQorn, Sockerbit Swedish Candy, and Quinn Peanut Butter Pretzels on the snack front, and Strange Water Sparkling Coconut Water and Leisure Hydration Electrolyte Refresher drinks. 

Go Forth and Turo Summer

I hope to make it back to Europe in an upcoming summer, but this summer, I feel fulfilled. The open road offers simplicity and spontaneity, and who doesn’t need more of that right now? Not to mention the very-big, very-delicious cherry on top: if you forget your passport, it’s seriously no big deal.  

Want a custom route? DM us @thequalityedit, and one of our travel editors will help you map it out.