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BY Nancy Mueller Leave a Comment ON March 5, 2018

Take a Luxury Tesla Road Trip in Okanagan, BC

For a Boomer girlfriend getaway, it’s hard to top a luxury Tesla road trip along Route 97 in BC’s beautiful Thompson Okanagan region. Here’s why:

Tesla “Wow” Factor

Tesla Model s P85

Every great road trip starts with a fun vehicle. But driving a Tesla kicks that way up a notch with its undeniable “Wow” factor. Just imagine Lucy & Ethel or Thelma & Louise behind the wheel of a luxury electric car like our Tesla Model S P85 sedan all-wheel drive, and you have some idea of our grand adventure. When a neighbor heard of our pending trip, he said, “You do know that the Tesla can go from 0 to 60 in a nanosecond, don’t you?” I didn’t, but not to worry. I knew we’d figure it out. And we did.

After landing at Kelowna Airport, we met up with Ryan, our host from Power Trips, who offered a quick, but thorough, orientation on driving our Tesla before turning over the keys – or rather the key fob for our remote car entry. With its cool feature of door handles that slide out when sensing your approach, Tesla had us hooked from the start.

We were off, not quite in a nanosecond, since we still had to make it out of the parking lot and onto the freeway (in our case an adventure in itself), but soon enough.

And what’s a great road trip without an accompanying playlist? Once we got familiar with the display panel and settled on our eclectic choices (from Bobby Darin to the Beatles, Beach Boys and more – MUCH more), we eased into the sublime comfort of driving our luxury model. It’s a heady feeling knowing you can accelerate instantly at the slightest pedal to the mettle. Then add the fun of causing more than a few head turns while you whizz along the highway.

Tesla Curbside Parking

After watching us park perfectly in downtown Vernon, a passerby backed up a few steps and said: “Mind if I ask how much this car cost?” My girlfriend and I looked at each other, then responded: “Umm. About $150,000.” Was it wrong of us not to mention that was the “new” price or that we were only renting the Tesla for our girlfriend getaway?

At several more stops on our road trip, people asked what it was like to drive one (“Exhilarating!”), how far we could drive without recharging (“426km, almost 265 miles, per charge.”), or in one case, how we had even managed to get our hands on one since his girlfriend had been on the waitlist for the last six months.

Sounds of Silence in a Tesla

If you’re not used to driving an electric car, expect some mental and physical adjustment, like shifting from driving an automatic to a stick-shift. Besides overcoming the twitch to turn the key in the ignition, we also had to get used to the sounds of silence. We marveled at how quiet the model was, so quiet in fact, that even after the engine was on, it was hard to tell if it was actually running. And if we couldn’t hear it, that meant that the people standing in front of our car couldn’t hear it either so we couldn’t assume they would simply move out of the way when we were ready to pull out of our space in the parking lot.

Tesla Charger Stations

Driving a Tesla means no gas stops needed, but you do need charging stations. Ryan had assured us we’d have no problem finding any along Route 97, and he was right. How cool to know that while we were off exploring wineries, golf resorts or even staying at our resort, we could recharge the Tesla for as little or as long as needed. Plus, at many destinations, we discovered that valet service is only to happy to help out, even if the team needs to go to YouTube for advice.

Just know that charging times vary, depending on whether using a Tesla destination charger (up to 8 hours for a full charge) or a Tesla Supercharger (typically 45 – 60 minutes). Our car also came with an adapter, so if we had needed to (We didn’t) we also could have used any electric vehicle charging stations along the route.

Tesla Green Factor

Wanderboomer with Tesla

Besides the sheer fun of driving such a cool car, the ultimate payoff of getting behind the wheel of a Tesla is knowing that you’re in a vehicle with top energy efficiency and minimal environmental impact.

Ready for your own Tesla test drive? For more information on how you can play in BC’s Thompson Okanagan region, too, visit:

Power Trips.

Many thanks to our hosts for the chance to take a Tesla tour in Okanagan, BC:

Tourism Vernon.
Tourism Kelowna.
Visit Penticton.
Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association.
Destination British Columbia.

Up Next: Roadtripping Attractions in Beautiful Okanagan, BC

How about you, Wanderboomers? Have you driven a Tesla? Share your experience with us here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Canada, Luxury Travel Tagged With: British Columbia, Road Trips

BY Nancy Mueller 1 Comment ON October 11, 2016

Top 5 Tips for Getting a Taxi in Vancouver, BC

yellow-taxi

Wondering how to get a taxi the next time you travel to beautiful Vancouver, BC? Here are my Top 5 Tips to get you where you need to go:

1) Catch a Cab at Convenient Locations.

Your best chance of getting a cab is much higher at designated taxi stands near popular tourist arrival spots. Think airport, train, bus station or hotels. From your hotel, you can schedule a cab pick-up in advance in one of three ways: by phone (though it may take several minutes to get through to a dispatcher), via an app on your smartphone, or through the services of your hotel concierge.

Outside of transit hubs or your own hotel, your best bet of flagging down a cab is in the downtown corridor. Not having any luck? Simply walk to any nearby hotel like The Listel Hotel on Robson Street or the Hyatt Regency in the downtown core and catch a cab from there.

2) Know Where You’re Going.

Seems obvious, doesn’t it? When you hop in the cab, you should expect the cab driver to get you where you want to go as quickly as possible. But for hotels with more than one location in the same Vancouver vicinity, it’s not enough to say, “The Fairmont,” for example, because your driver will ask, “Which one?” If you respond, “Downtown,” you probably mean the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, but you might also mean the Fairmont Pacific Rim or Fairmont Waterfront because all three locations are relatively close to each other.

If you didn’t know there was more than one Pinnacle Hotel in Vancouver, you might also think that “Pinnacle Hotel Waterfront,” and “Pinnacle Hotel on-the-Pier” are one and the same. However, one gets you to a downtown location (Pinnacle Hotel Waterfront) while the other (Pinnacle Hotel on-the-Pier) takes you across the Lions Gate Bridge into North Vancouver. Oops! Play it safe and be sure you know both the name and address of your destination.

black-top-taxi

Note: While both the body of the Yellow Cab and the Black Top Cabs are yellow, they are two different cab companies. If you plan to use vouchers from a travel company, verify with which cab company the vouchers may be used.

3) Plan for Special Needs and Unexpected Delays.

While taxi stands are available at major city attractions like the Vancouver Aquarium, cab sightings are fewer in non-peak hours or off-season so plan accordingly. Also, just because you can book a cab ahead of time doesn’t mean the cab will be there for you at the reserved time. In a nanosecond, rain and everyday traffic tie-ups can impact your schedule, from dinner reservations to departures and everything in between. Add road closures due to construction or dignitary motorcades like a royal visit by William and Kate, or Harry and Meghan, and you may experience taxicab stress.

In 2014 the Vancouver Taxi Association, together with the BC Coalition of People with Disabilities, implemented an enhanced taxi training program, Ask-Listen-Act. The goal of the program is to ensure accessibility, safety and respect for everyone. When reserving your cab ahead of time, confirm that your driver and taxi are equipped to handle any special needs you may have for your comfort and convenience.

4) Have Your Payment Ready.

Plan to pay your driver with Canadian currency, if possible. But don’t worry if you haven’t exchanged your US dollars into the local currency yet. Vancouver cab drivers are happy to accept U.S. dollars, especially considering the current favorable exchange rate. If you pay in US dollars, be mindful of that exchange rate between the two currencies. In most cases, you can also pay with credit card. Be sure to check with your bank beforehand to be aware of foreign transaction fees. Tipping ranges from 10 – 20% of the cab fare with 15% the standard.

5) Download the Free YVR Zone Fare Map.

To find out what the typical cab fare is from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to your destination, download the free YVR Zone fare Map. For further information on Vancouver cab fares, visit Taxi Fare Finder.

Many thanks to Tourism Vancouver for the opportunity to explore Vancouver, BC. Some, though not all, of my expenses were hosted. All opinions are my own, as always.

Other Helpful Links:
Tourism Vancouver
Yellow Cab app
The Listel Hotel Vancouver

Wander on!

Nancy

What’s your favorite way to get around a city, wanderboomers? On foot? By bus? Trolley, Taxi or Towncar? Please share with us here.

Filed Under: British Columbia, Business Travel, Canada, Luxury Travel, Vancouver BC Tagged With: Black Top Cabs, Fairmont Hotels, Pinnacle Hotel On-the-Pier, Pinnacle Hotel Waterfront, taxi, taxicab, Vancouver BC, Yellow cab

Hello fellow wanderboomers! I’m a Seattle-based travel journalist, specializing in fun travel adventures for the young at heart. My articles have been featured in Hemispheres, AAA Highroads Magazine and Northwest Travel & Life Magazine where I'm a frequent contributor. When this Wanderboomer isn’t traveling, I help global executives polish their personal and professional brand for long-term results.
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