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Announcing Gadling's "Perfect Road Trip" Contest
Troubles at home? Far removed. Stressed from work? No longer. All that matters is the here and the now -- driving along gorgeous back-country roads, mercifully traffic-free.
If road trips delight you, then Gadling's "Perfect Road Trip" contest will make you ecstatic. We're partnering with Cadillac to send one lucky winner (and a friend!) on his or her perfect road trip, all expenses paid. All you have to do is tell us your favorite road trip, and if you're selected as the winner, Cadillac will provide --
- airfare for you and a friend from your home(s) to the start of your road trip destination;
- a new Cadillac SRX to drive for the duration of the road trip (sorry, you have to give it back at the end of the trip);
- money for fuel and expenses along the way (think: hotel and meals);
- airfare from the road trip's end point back to your home.
- Tomorrow, we'll publish a post in which you can leave a comment telling us about your favorite road trip. ENTER HERE!
- You don't have to have been on the road trip before -- it can be one you're dreaming about -- but try to be specific. Make us drool over your imagined itinerary. (Hint: the prize will be available in September, so try to think of a relevant destination -- and that destination must be in the Continental US.)
- You can only leave one road trip suggestion, so choose wisely. Successive road trip ideas will remain visible on the site, however, for other people to dream about.
- Gadling's road trip gurus will choose the 5 best road trip ideas from those left in the comments.
- We'll present Gadling's readers with the list, and they'll vote on which is the best road trip -- and therefore, who should be the winner of the contest.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
nismo334 Jul 15th 2009 1:05AM
This is sooo Awesome!!! I'm going to have to think of the best road trip ever!
Michele Jul 27th 2009 10:38PM
My dream road trip would be to start in San Francisco, seeing all the sites of San Francisco driving down the PCH, seeing Pebble beach checking out Santa Cruz, stopping and seeing Clint Eastwood in Montery/Carmel,heading through Big Sur waving at Hearst Castle, taking a tour if possible, chilling in Santa Barbara like the old soap days on TV and finally land in LA and Hollywood! Shopping on Rodeo drive! My dream date is my hubby of 23 years and this would be a great early 25 year anniversary trip!
Duane Fike Jul 15th 2009 9:46PM
WE WANT TO TRAVEL AROUND THE BOARDERS OF THE ORIGINAL 48 STATES AND AS MUCH AS I CAN, IN THE STATE OF ALASKA, IN NORTH AMERICA.
THAT IS SOME THING I HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT FOR A LONG TIME!
MY WIFE AND I WILL HAVE BEEN MARRIED FOR 47 YEARS IN OCT. 2009 AND THAT WOULD BE A PERFECT GIFT FOR OUR ANNIVERSARY.
Cherie Ellis Jul 15th 2009 10:41PM
We would like to go back to Nashville,Tenn,&Gatlinburg,Tenn,& Asheville,N.C. or drive out west to see my Son in Wyo.
Michelle Jul 16th 2009 12:02AM
Florida Keys
Cheryl Shoemaker Jul 16th 2009 3:00AM
I drive so much for work that it gets tiresome, but if someone says "roadtrip!" I can get revved up again. Driving for pleasure is definitely better than driving for your boss. I have driven through some beautiful places but didn't have time to stop and take in the sights because of a deadline.
Horsepower is a wonderful thing, whether it be fine motoring or fine horseracing. It would be lovely to return to Kentucky for a Thorughbred tour. In Kentucky, you can visit two of the three shrines any race fan should visit (sorry, but the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame is in Saratoga, New York-another road trip).
We would start in Florence, just south of Cincinnati. Turfway Park would be racing at the time and morning workouts would be a good way to start the day. Then it's south on I-75 to visit the Kentucky Horse Park in Georgetown. The Park is home to Cigar and Funny Cide, among other champions of all breeds.
It's a short, breathtaking drive to several Thoroughbred farms along the back roads of Fayette County, especially in the fall. The beautiful trees that form a canopy over the well-kept roads and the stone fences make one think they're in the past, expecting to come up behind a horse-drawn wagon on the road.
We will, however, see horses romping through the pastures of bluegrass. September is weaning time, so the little ones will be busy learning life without their mommies, just frolicking like schoolchildren at recess. Three Chimneys Farm, one of hundreds of farms big and small, is the home of Kentucky Derby winners Smarty Jones and Big Brown.
The next morning is early workout time again. This day it will be at Keeneland Race Course, perhaps the most beautiful track in the world! It's filled year round with horses, either in training or for sales, and in September, horses are gearing up for the October meet, which offers championship racing. It's also the sight of one of the most extensive racing libraries in the world.
We'll skip out the back gate of the racetrack and turn on Rice Road which will lead us to Old Frankfort Pike, another scenic road from a bygone era. There's a little hidden golf course in a burg called Duckers where a quick nine holes would be a nice change of pace, if it's not too hot.
West on I-64 takes us to Louisville, home of the Kentucky Derby itself and the Kentucky Derby Museum. The museum, on the grounds of Churchill Downs, is devoted to all things Derby. It is a mecca for the horseracing enthusiast and is educational in a fun way. After touring the museum, we will then see the track up close and perhaps walk in the most famous winner's circle in the world.
That's a trip I would like to take sometime without having to hurry to get to work.
Susan Blake Jul 16th 2009 4:16AM
My perfect roadtrip would be driving through MA & NH. I would love to show my husband where I grew up, see both of my sisters & my best friend. I haven't been "home" since 85.
russell wolfe Jul 18th 2009 12:49PM
I love the state fo Colorado; but, have never gotten to enjoy the state in the summer. I guess the perfect road trip would start with a flight into Denver where I would then travel to one of the many places I have bookmarked to eat at.
After a night in the mile high city maybe a drive down to Colorado Springs and Pikes Peak. Again, this is an area I have seen in business travel but never a chance to really take it all in and do the tourist thing.
Another day another short drive to the Hot Springs for a day of relaxing and then maybe off to Aspen. I have never seen Aspen in the summer. The locals say they came for the winter but stay for the summer. I would really love to see this.
I guess after that it would be back a quick trip up and around the ski resorts just to see them in the summer time and then back to the airport for the trip back to the hot humid east coast.
Jon Bird Jul 16th 2009 10:38PM
I'd drive with my wife around the Gaspe Peninsula and down into New Brunswick and Maine.
Barrie Lewis Jul 16th 2009 11:52PM
Any trip in that vehicle could be considered a road trip...and you could drive for 2 days to Anywhere USA before deciding to turn around and head home.
I would head to the Florida Keys. There's nothing like traveling along the ocean when you're in a luxury ride....it's just smooth sailin'. My first stop would be in Key Largo just to re-fuel and catch a bite to eat before checking in for a short rest. Then back on the road in the morning. By mid-afternoon I'd be touring the beach side in Key West with the breeze blowing through my hair....you know...SunRoof Top - Digging the Scene!!!!!!! Might as well enjoy the benefits of first class and use valet parking at all my favorite stops. (Wouldn't want to risk getting that baby scratched!!!) A good meal...a few dances. Then it would be smooth sailing - back to north Florida where the sun always looks good on a caddy!
Linda Harmon Jul 17th 2009 5:21AM
How lovely that this should come at this time.. My husband and I will celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary in September and had wanted to do something special.
Life circumstances change for all of us.. He had open heart surgery last year, and this year will be the first time, he will be able to travel so our plans have had to be changed to allow for his illness.. Our perfect road trip would be just to leave our home with no destination in mind and explore America's backroads, getting back to nature and enjoying everything we can, that comes our way.
rhonda blanks Jul 17th 2009 5:51AM
I would like to Start in Jersey. Stop in North Carolina, South Carolina, Savannah Ga, then Jacksonville,Daytona and then Miami.
guy moore Jul 17th 2009 9:27AM
The perfect road trip would be Route 66, the Grand Canyon, painted desert,
petrfied forest, etc.
Richard Moore Jul 17th 2009 4:44PM
Route 66...traveling every part of it that is still around from Chicago to Santa Monica...visting all the traditional tourist stops...Blue Whale, La Posada, Painted Desert. Petrified Forest, Blue Swallow, Grand Canyon, ---all the stops and ending in Santa Monica...great trip..
Jordan Jul 21st 2009 10:52AM
Take a 2 day trip to Virginia Beach, drive up and down the coast with that sweet SRX, take some surfboards with you, (which would fix in the SRX) It would be great soft sands and rolling waves or the sensation of the warm sun as it evaporates tiny drops of ocean from your skin and your car. Drive the 23Mile Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Maybe go watch a drive in movie, nice open moonroof, on a hot sept. day. Go shopping fill the SRX up with stuff your gonna buy =)
oh and a camera to take pics of the car and your trip!
Thats what I would be up to.
-Jordan