Quite simply – it was an amazing experience. I know the word is overused, but in this case, ‘amazing’ is ultimately, exactly what it was.
I felt completely exhilarated after completing the four-day road trip I took part of in September of this year. Porsche created the ultimate British Columbia guided driving tour for a small group of auto enthusiasts, winding the participants through 1,160 kilometres of highways and roads that show off the handling, smooth drive, and bold energy the brand is known for. Truly a bucket list trip, with every detail planned to a T. Or should we say planned to a ‘P’ – for Porsche?
I met with the Porsche professional team and other eager participants at Fairmont Vancouver Airport hotel on day-one, where our driving program both started and finished. We met our two instructors who divided us into two groups. Each instructor was to lead a convoy of Porsche 911’s throughout the entire trip, and every vehicle had a walkie talkie for easy communication between us and our expert Porsche guides, which was a fun and practical safety addition to the experience.
When we were each assigned our vehicle, my jaw dropped when I was tossed the keys to a Carmine Red 911 Carrera 4S. Was this my ultimate dream car? Absolutely. The classic, timeless 911 is synonymous with sport driving. If you love to drive, this is your car. The 4S has all the bells and whistles, including the twin-turbo horizontally opposed engine, all-wheel drive, a powerful transmission, exceptional braking system, and intuitive controls that are all designed for increased performance.
Sliding in behind the wheel of this powerful and pristine work of automobile-art, I was super-stoked to drive to our first destination. But what is a destination without that elusive journey to get there? In our case, it was the Sea-to-Sky Highway enroute to Whistler, BC, with a carefully curated plan for stops along the way. I immediately noticed the luxury and comfort of the 911 sport seats when I settled in, and once I began driving, I could feel them support me during cornering and some tricky maneuvering on this road. Increased confidence improves performance as a driver when you feel your car hugging you, while you hug the road. At times I felt like I was starring in my own action movie, where I was the leading man, outsmarting the bad guys in a car chase where my expert highly honed manoeuvring skills were on full display, in a gorgeous setting of course. Well. A guy can dream, can’t he?
The highlights of this particular roadway are the winding twists and turns along this famous coastal highway, the jaw-dropping scenery with both ocean and mountain views, and that unmistakable scent of fresh BC air. Pine, cedar and the sea. I couldn’t help but crack the windows to let every one of my senses take part in this driving experience. Spectacular. There is a reason why so many automobile TV commercials are shot on the Sea to Sky Highway. An aerial view of a car rolling along it shows off our beautiful province while inspiring any driver, to simply want to drive this.
Carving our way along it on a bluebird day, our first stop was the Sea to Sky Gondola. A quick trip up and we were at the mountain top, some 885 metres above sea level with a stop-in-your-tracks view. There were photo opportunities aplenty, and then we were off to Fergie’s in Squamish for a nice lunch. Back in our 911’s we drive onward to the Four Seasons Resort Whistler, one of the nicest luxury properties in the Village.
After check-in, we met with the team and discussed tomorrow’s plan over dinner at Sidecut Steakhouse. We had such a diverse group, with folks from Mexico City, Chile, China, Los Angeles and Toronto. Chatting over cocktails and a fabulous meal began our bond, and our shared excitement over the trip and the opportunity to drive such exceptional cars sealed it. We all couldn’t wait to hit the road again tomorrow. We were just getting started, and the excitement of our group was nothing short of contagious.
Day-two, a quick breakfast and we were aiming towards BC’s interior along the famed Duffey Lake Road, also known as part of Highway 99. Very scenic and less travelled, this road is open year-round. Tucked into BC’s glorious Coast Mountains, the road is 98 km long from Pemberton (just north of Whistler) to Lillooet. There are no gas stations (so prepare to fuel up in Whistler prior), plenty of fun hairpin turns, steep drops, and for me, steering my Porsche 911 through this section of our planned route was the highlight of the trip.
The car handled incredibly, and the Duffey Lake Road gave me the opportunity to experiment a little with speed and turning, even at 220 kilometres an hour. No commercial traffic means not having to navigate around huge trucks, and the steep climbs and descents of the road showed off the Porsche’s superior handling. The steering was beautifully responsive, there was no drift, and the perma-grin on my face only faded when it was time to tuck into our delicious lunch at the picturesque Tobiano Golf Course in Kamloops.
Back behind the wheel, we convoyed to Vernon via Highway 1, which is a four-lane divided highway that has been upgraded in the last few years. Fast and smooth, with some big commercial vehicles and trucks, this nice, divided highway led us to Highway 97 where we took the turnoff to Vernon. This part of our drive was very winding and much slower, with the road only one-way in each direction, plus it was easy to get stuck behind tractors on occasion. For me, driving a Porsche isn’t just about speed however, and this section of the journey gave me the opportunity to appreciate the quiet and settle back into the luxurious comfort of the interior.
“Porsche certainly knows how to impress
when it comes to luxury experiences.”
In Vernon, we checked into the Sparkling Hill Resort and Spa, the European-style Swarovski crystal themed hotel. Kicking back at the KurSpa was as revitalizing and relaxing as only a steam and sauna can do, followed by a wonderful dinner and a good night’s sleep, I dreamt of tomorrow’s next leg of the trip. How on earth would Porsche top these two already fantastic days?
The next morning, day-three, we drove towards Penticton via Highway 97 through the Okanagan Valley, with its sprawling fruit orchards and miles of wineries and vineyards. The road just seemed to rise up and meet my wheels, no matter what kind of terrain, speed or conditions. I felt relaxed, safe, and excited, all at the same time. Is there a better word than ‘smooth’ when it comes to how this drive felt? Somehow, that descriptor just doesn’t seem worthy enough for the velvety glide that was my experience.
We reached Peachland around lunchtime and were ready for a nice meal. Porsche certainly knows how to impress when it comes to luxury experiences, and they literally whisked us away by helicopter no less to Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards for lunch. Unbelievable.
Next? Onward to Spirit Ridge Resort in Osoyoos via Highway 97, located in Canada’s only desert, and where we would stay for our final evening. Located on a winery with gorgeous views overlooking the hills including Anarchist Mountain, we might have had to be dragged next morning to leave such a fine destination. But the dangling keys of our Porsche 911’s were too tempting to ignore or delay; we were here to drive after all. And drive we did.
Day-four, we headed via Crowsnest (Highway 3) up the Similkameen River Valley. The straight sections allowed for some serious test-driving speed and that wind-in-your-hair feeling. Gaining elevations, twisty turning roads, and travelling through Manning Park and its North Cascades Mountains was a great opportunity to really feel the handling in the high terrain. Since this road is wide and fast plus has those gentle curves for optimal road hugging, it was hard not to just laugh out loud at times. Driving a Porsche can make you feel just like a kid again, it’s that much fun.
I steered my vehicle through Hope and then dropped steeply down, carrying onward to the Sandpiper Resort in Harrison. With its waterfront views of Harrison River, lunch was both scenic and delicious. Our final leg of the journey followed; the drive back to YVR. I savoured every moment of the drive though, knowing I’d soon be handing back those keys and wrapping up my experience. Instead of feeling even just the slightest bit sad that it was soon to be over, I was floating with a sense of gratitude for the opportunity I was offered.
This Porsche Travel Experience package comes in at what you would expect, a bucket-list price tag. At $8,695 per person + tax, it is indeed a luxurious, perhaps once-in-a-lifetime splurge. But as the saying goes, we’re worth it.