Embarking on a road trip is an exciting way to experience the beauty and charm of a country up close. When it comes to picturesque landscapes, cultural diversity, and historic wonders, Switzerland undoubtedly ranks high on the list. Geneva, with its stunning lakeside setting and international appeal, serves as the perfect starting point for an unforgettable Swiss road trip. In this blog post, we will delve into the details of a 3-day road trip in Geneva, uncovering hidden gems, sharing travel tips, and highlighting the cheapest place to rent a car in Europe.
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Day 1: Discovering Geneva’s Delights
Morning: Exploring the Heart of Geneva Kickstart your road trip adventure by exploring the enchanting city of Geneva. Begin your day with a visit to the iconic Jet d’Eau, a majestic fountain that shoots water 140 metres into the air. Stroll along the shores of Lake Geneva, soaking in the serenity and admiring the surrounding mountains. Don’t miss the Flower Clock, a unique timepiece crafted with vibrant blooms that perfectly exemplifies Switzerland’s attention to detail.
Lunch: A Culinary Sojourn Geneva’s culinary scene is a melting pot of flavours influenced by its international population. Head to the Old Town for a delightful lunch at a local bistro. Indulge in Swiss fondue, a classic dish that blends gooey cheese with crusty bread, offering a true taste of Swiss tradition.
Afternoon: Museums and More Spend your afternoon immersing yourself in Geneva’s rich cultural offerings. The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum provides a thought-provoking insight into humanitarian efforts, while the United Nations Office at Geneva showcases the city’s diplomatic significance. Art enthusiasts can explore the Museum of Art and History, boasting an impressive collection of European and Swiss art.
Evening: Lakeside Magic As the sun sets, Geneva’s lakeside ambiance takes on a magical glow. Enjoy a leisurely evening stroll along Quai du Mont-Blanc, where the lights of the city reflect on the tranquil waters. Consider dining at a lakeside restaurant, savouring Swiss cuisine while being captivated by the panoramic views.
Day 2: A Scenic Drive to Lausanne and Montreux
Morning: Hitting the Road Bid farewell to Geneva as you embark on a scenic road trip to Lausanne. The route winds through picturesque Swiss landscapes, offering glimpses of charming villages and sprawling vineyards. This is where the cheapest place to rent a car in Europe comes into play – with the flexibility of having your own vehicle, you can curate your journey at your own pace, taking detours whenever an enchanting vista beckons.
Afternoon: Lausanne’s Allure Arrive in Lausanne, a city perched on the shores of Lake Geneva. Explore the Olympic Museum, celebrating the spirit of the Games and human excellence. Wander through the Old Town’s narrow streets, lined with historical buildings and inviting cafes. For panoramic views, climb up to the Cathedral of Notre-Dame and relish the stunning vistas of the city and the lake.
Lunch: Lakeside Indulgence Savour a lakeside lunch in Lausanne, enjoying fresh Swiss cuisine while admiring the shimmering waters of Lake Geneva. The city’s dynamic energy and cultural offerings are sure to captivate you during your short visit.
Afternoon: Montreux’s Musical Charms Resume your journey and make your way to Montreux, famously known for its annual jazz festival. Explore Chillon Castle, a mediaeval fortress nestled on the shores of the lake. The castle’s rich history and stunning surroundings make it a must-visit attraction. As you stroll along the lakeside promenade, you’ll understand why Montreux has been a muse for artists and musicians.
Evening: Riviera Radiance Montreux’s serene charm takes on a new dimension as the sun sets. The golden hues cast a warm glow on the waters, creating a picturesque setting. Enjoy dinner at a local eatery, and if you’re visiting during the Montreux Jazz Festival, let the music and lively atmosphere add to your memorable experience.
Day 3: Exploring the Swiss Countryside
Morning: Into the Mountains On the final day of your 3-day road trip in Geneva, venture into the Swiss countryside, where idyllic scenes await. Drive through the Swiss Alps, a region famed for its dramatic landscapes, lush meadows, and quaint villages. If you’re visiting during the warmer months, consider a hike or cable car ride for breathtaking views.
Lunch: Alpine Flavor Savour an authentic Swiss lunch in one of the mountain villages, indulging in hearty dishes that showcase the alpine flavours. Whether it’s raclette, rosti, or a comforting bowl of fondue, the cuisine here is a reflection of the mountainous surroundings.
Afternoon: Scenic Splendours As your road trip draws to a close, take a leisurely drive back to Geneva, relishing the beauty of the Swiss countryside one last time. Capture memories and snapshots of charming villages, rolling hills, and snow-capped peaks.
Evening: Reflection and Farewell Back in Geneva, spend your final evening reflecting on the unforgettable journey you’ve had. Consider taking a twilight cruise on Lake Geneva, where the city lights mirror on the water, providing a fitting finale to your Swiss road trip.
Conclusion: A Road Trip to Remember
Geneva’s allure is merely the beginning of a Swiss adventure that promises enchantment, diversity, and natural beauty. A 3-day road trip from Geneva to Lausanne, Montreux, and the Swiss countryside provides a kaleidoscope of experiences that celebrate the essence of Switzerland. With the freedom of your own vehicle and the guidance of this itinerary, you’ll uncover hidden gems, savour local flavours, and create memories to cherish for a lifetime. So, when the wanderlust beckons, consider a road trip through Geneva and beyond – where Swiss charms await at every turn.
Car enthusiasts have spent decades likening the sound of engines to music. Driven hard, the pitch changes of a car shifting through its paces make a heart-racing soundtrack … see, we just did it again. It’s hard to avoid.
But the automotive industry is going electric. Electric cars produce very little sound.
What can automakers do to evoke the body’s emotional response to the sounds of acceleration and braking?
Call Grammy winners, it turns out.
Mercedes-AMG used last week’s CES consumer electronics show to reveal a musical soundscape for its future electric cars.
The company worked with Grammy winner will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas to develop what it calls “a groundbreaking interactive musical experience” for its electric vehicles (EVs).
The system — Mercedes-AMG calls it MBUX Sound Drive — “uses software that allows music to react to the way the car is being driven, creating a harmonious relationship between motion and melody,” the company says. “This turns the car into a virtual musical instrument.”
BMW, Porsche Have Similar Projects
It’s not groundbreaking — BMW and Porsche developed similar systems previously.
Porsche’s Soundtrack My Life system isn’t available for purchase yet. But the company revealed testing versions more than two years ago. Mercedes’ project seems to follow the same principle.
Though it might not be as original as Mercedes-AMG suggests, MBUX Sound Drive is still a cool idea. And it will have one unique feature — the company may let other artists add to it over time.
“Artists from around the world will be able to create tracks, representing any music genre, in a new immersive audio format using MBUX Sound Drive studio software,” the brand explains. So if will.i.am’s vision doesn’t match your tastes, you could someday download alternative soundtracks created by dozens of different artists.
The company says the system will be available “globally from mid-2024.” The company says any Mercedes EV using the second-generation MBUX user interface will be able to download it.
One of my favorite things to do in Mexico is swim in the beautiful cenotes of the Yucatan. Here are tips for visiting a cenote in Mexico, and how to enjoy them responsibly.
Cenotes in Mexico are super cool! The Mayan people used cenotes to supply their ancient cities (like Chichen Itza) with fresh water, as well as a sacred place to conduct sacrificial offerings to their gods.
Offerings were made to the Mayan god Chaac, the god of rain, when drought threatened the area. The Maya also believed these underground wells were entrances to the afterlife.
Despite their slightly creepy history, these days cenotes in Mexico are enjoyed by foreigners and locals alike as refreshing jungle swimming holes and cave diving hot-spots. No trip to Mexico is complete without swimming in a cenote!
Here you’ll find details about Tulum cenotes, as well as cenotes near Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Valladolid too.
After spending years living in and regularly traveling to Mexico as a digital nomad, I wanted to put together a helpful guide to my favorite cenotes throughout the Yucatan Peninsula.
Hi, I’m Matthew Karsten
I’ve been traveling the world for 10+ years as a professional photographer & writer. I hope you enjoy my Mexican cenote tips! If you find them useful, using my affiliate links to book something will give me a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Thanks!
Mexico Cenotes Map
HOW TO USE THIS MAP: Above you’ll find a map of cenotes in Mexico. Click on the top left of the map to find separate layers marking the route and points of interest. You can hide and show different layers, or click icons on the map to see the names of places I mention in this travel guide. “Star” the map to save it to your own Google Maps, or open the map in a new window for a larger version. Enjoy!
Cenote Swimming in Mexico
Best Cenotes In Mexico
What Exactly Is A Cenote?
Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula is famous for its amazing cenotes — natural pools of fresh water located in limestone caves. These pools are connected to each other through the world’s largest underground river system.
Rain water seeps through the porous limestone, collecting underground.
Cenotes themselves are created when the limestone surface collapses, creating a cave opening into this river system. Some cenotes are “open air” meaning the roof has completely collapsed, while “cave cenotes” may have most or all of their roof still intact.
Many cenotes in Mexico are home to a variety of fish and plant life, some even have turtles!
There are supposedly over 6000 different cenotes located in Mexico. Some have been turned into swimming holes for tourists, others are used for technical cave scuba diving, and many more are simply inaccessible – hidden in the remote Mexican jungle.
Best Cenotes In Tulum
Casa Cenote in Tulum
Casa Cenote (Cenote Manatí)
One of my favorite Tulum cenotes, Casa is an open-air cenote that looks more like a river than a typical cenote. Jungle plants go right up to the edge of it, and it’s an excellent spot for snorkeling. It’s narrow but VERY long, so you might want to use a life jacket (they have them) if you’re not a strong swimmer.
Locals call it “Cenote Manati”, because there used to be a population of Manatees living in it. While they are no longer there, a friendly crocodile named “Panchito” does sometimes make appearances to swim with tourists. I wouldn’t pet it, but otherwise there’s nothing to be afraid of!
Dos Ojos Cenote is one of the coolest cenotes near Tulum. It’s very popular for scuba diving, due to its “two eyes” (sinkholes) separated by a 400m long underwater tunnel. But it’s also fun for snorkeling, as there are plenty of caves to explore that are just above the water line.
Because Dos Ojos is one of the most famous cenotes in the Yucatan Peninsula, it can get crowded fast. It’s actually part of a huge cenote complex, and there are many different ones you can visit in the area.
Gran Cenote (aka Great Cenote) is one of the closest cenotes to Tulum. In fact it’s possible to ride a bike here if you want to. It’s not super big, but has two cool chambers separated by a cave tunnel. They also have a mini turtle sanctuary!
A nice cenote for swimming and snorkeling, they also have showers and restrooms on site. It’s grown in popularity over the years, and can see huge crowds sometimes.
This cenote hidden in the jungle of Tulum is a special one. A full on cave cenote, it’s lit with led lights, but still kept looking natural, which I love. The water is super clear, and snorkeling here makes you feel like a cave diver. Which, by the way, you’ll see plenty scuba divers disappear into the abyss beyond.
It’s generally one of the less-crowded cenotes in Tulum, partly due to its steep price to enter compared to others.
The Car Wash Cenote is located right off the road from Tulum to Coba, and used to be where locals would wash their cars! Now it’s a proper Tulum swimming cenote where you’ll see tons of fish, water lilys, iguanas, and even some turtles from time to time.
Car Wash has a few wooden jumping platforms, a rope swing, and is another cave diving spot. There are a lot of downed trees at the bottom too, making for a unique underwater world to view while snorkeling around.
Cenote Calavera gets its name from the appearance of a skull, with three openings into the ground. It’s a very deep cenote in Tulum which cave divers love. Perfect for jumping from the sides (there’s even a narrow opening you can drop into).
It’s sometimes called The Temple Of Doom by professional scuba divers. There is a swing, as well as a climbing rope. They have lounge chairs for sunbathing too.
This shallow water cave cenote is located next to the ruins of Coba (about 45-minutes from Tulum). It boasts crystal clear blue water and many stalagmites hanging from the ceiling. It’s a dramatic looking cenote, and one of my favorite cenotes near Tulum.
The shallow water makes this a great cenote to visit with a family or small kids, although the stairs down are pretty steep and slippery. So just be extra careful! Choo Ha is actually one of 3 cenotes located around Coba, and it’s possible to buy a ticket that covers all of them.
Laguna de Kaan Luum is a clear shallow lake with bright blue water which encircles a deep cenote (sinkhole). With a depth of approximately 262 feet, the waters of this cenote supposedly have magical properties.
Kaan Luum is also perfect for scuba diving or freediving with the deeper area cordoned off to prevent entry to swimmers. There are water hammocks, swings, and small tower that you can climb for a great view of the whole area.
Prefer a guided tour? Explore some of Tulum’s beautiful cenotes as well as some Mayan ruins.
Best Cenotes In Cancun
Cenote La Noria
Cenote La Noria
The best cenotes near Cancun are located along the Ruta De Cenotes (Cenote Route) just outside the city of Puerto Morelos. La Noria was my favorite of these cenotes. It boasts milky blue water, some rope swings, a jumping platform, and dramatic cave stalactites hanging from the roof.
Cenote Verde Lucero is a fun one, with different cliff jumping spots and even a zipline! A very popular cenote that many tours stop at. They also have kayaks to rent here. If you are staying at a hotel in Cancun, these are some of the closest cenotes to go to.
Cenote Sol y Luna is the first cenote you’ll encounter on the Ruta de Cenotes. It’s a big complex, featuring the cenote itself, as well as a pool, waterslides, temazcal sauna, ATV rides, and more. The cenote is large and green, with fun zipline and some jumping platforms. Lifejackets are provided (and required) here.
A super fun cenote to visit near Cancun is called Boca de Puma (Mouth of the Puma). It’s actually comprised of two different cenotes, one in a cave, the other open-air. They also have a zipline course here, as well as a handful of rescued spider monkeys who roam free in the jungle, but aren’t afraid of people at all. One of them wouldn’t leave Anna’s side!
This cool cenote called Ojo de Agua has multiple openings (eyes) into the crystal clear water below. There are jumping platforms up to 20 feet high, and swimming through the caves below is super fun. You have to shower before getting in, and there’s a little place to buy lunch here too.
Visit 4 different cenotes on a guided tour from Cancun. Includes kayaking, zip-lining, rappelling, and more!
Best Cenotes In Playa Del Carmen
Jardin del Eden Cenote
Garden Of Eden Cenote
Cenote Jardin del Eden (Garden of Eden) is a large open-air cenote just outside Playa del Carmen. It’s pretty popular with locals and expats, with lots of shady trees, multiple decks for jumping or sunbathing, and plenty of little fish swimming around. A great spot for snorkeling!
Depending on the time of year, and time of day, it can get crowded here. However because it’s big, there is usually plenty of room to spread out.
Located right next to Garden of Eden, Cenote Azul has stunning blue water. The “blue” cenote boasts a nice small cliff you can jump from, a wooden boardwalk, and a few shaded areas to hang out.
There’s lots of small fish in this cenote too, who will nibble on your dead skin if you put your feet in the water. A natural Mexican fish spa! Make sure to walk the jungle path that circles the cenote too, it’s super cool.
Cenote Yax Kin is a wonderful cenote in Mexico for families and kids. This is due to its large shallow areas, something that most cenotes don’t have. They also have lounge chairs, and pathways that take you to even more cenotes that are part of the same complex.
There are grills and campsites available to rent too. Keep an eye out for all the HUGE iguana lizards who like to hang around this cenote! Sometimes they chase each other up trees. It’s pretty entertaining.
Cenote Ik-Kil is a super popular cenote near the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza, and is often included as a stop on guided bus tours. As such, it’s often packed with people. Massive vines stretch down to the water, making it look very dramatic. While cool, due to the crowds, it’s not my favorite cenote in the area.
Cenote Zaci is located right in the heart of the Mexican town of Valladolid, and an easy bike ride from anywhere in town. It’s not quite as popular as others, but has a few different cliff jumps, some big black fish swimming around, and sometimes a little waterfall.
One of the most photogenic cenotes in the Yucatan, Suytun Cenote has become an Instagram sensation. Sunlight streams down from a hole in the ceiling, making for a very dramatic scene. Due to its popularity, it can get quite busy as everyone waits in line for a photo on the circular walkway.
Each person gets about a minute to pose on the walkway for photos, before they blow a whistle and let the next person in line get their turn. Makes a wonderful photo, but is not a very magical experience like some other cenotes can be. A bit of a tourist trap.
X’canche cenote is next to the Mayan ruins of Ek Balam, and part of the archaeological site. It’s pretty cool, and looks like a circular crater in the ground with steep sides. It’s about a mile (1.5 km) walk from the Mayan ruins, but they also offer bicycles to rent.
To get down to the water itself, you need to walk down a couple of very steep wooden staircases. The water is less clear than some other cenotes, so there isn’t much to see with snorkeling gear. There are some jumping platforms, a free rope swing, plus ziplines & a rappel that you do for an extra fee.
This cenote in Mexico is a bit off the beaten path, about 30-minutes from Valladolid. It doesn’t see as many tourists as others do. It’s actually part of a 3-cenote complex. It’s a massive cave cenote, with a single hole in the top that allows sunlight to stream in. There’s also a knotted rope hanging down for climbing!
One of the most unique cenotes I visited in Mexico, Sac-Aua has a giant island in the middle of it, creating a doughnut shape. They rent kayaks here, so you can cruise around the island. There’s also a jumping platform, and a bunch of iguanas hanging around. They also have a cavern (cave) you can visit, and will cook a traditional Mayan meal for lunch too.
There’s lots to do at this cenote near Valladolid. A 22 meter jumping platform, 10 meter rope swing, caves to explore, and when you enter, you’re treated to a traditional Mayan blessing. There is also food, a swimming pool, hammocks, and a massive colorful mural to enjoy when you’re done with the cenote. Loved this one! It wasn’t too crowded either.
The best site to book a rental car in Mexico is with Discover Cars. They search both local and international car rental companies to help you find the best possible price. This is the easiest way to rent a car and drive in Mexico.
Renting a car offers the best flexibility for exploring and visiting some of the more remote cenotes around the Yucatan Peninsula. It’s my favorite way to get around! You can use my Mexico cenote map at the top of this article to help you find them all.
Take A Guided Cenote Tour
There are several tour options for visiting cenotes leaving from Cancun, Playa del Carmen or Tulum. Some are part of Mayan Ruins tours, while others combine cenote visits with ziplining, ATV’s and other adventure activities. One popular option leaving from Cancun is the Xenote Experience.
Bicycle Or Taxi
Some of the Tulum cenotes can be reached by bicycle, as well as some cenotes near the town of Valladolid. For most others, unless you have your own rental car, you’ll need to hire a local taxi to take you. Often taxi drivers will give you their business card, allowing you to call them when you’re done visiting the cenote to get a ride back into town.
Turtle in a Cenote
Tips For Visiting Cenotes In Mexico
To avoid polluting the water in cenotes, most places require you to shower before entering. Please don’t use sunscreen either, as it can be harmful to wildlife.
Many cenotes in Mexico provide life jackets for people who are not strong swimmers. Most cenotes don’t have a shallow area — they can be super deep.
Some cenotes include rope swings, jumping platforms, zip lines, and will rent you snorkeling gear.
Cave divers frequent some cenotes, so make sure to give them plenty of room, and be careful where you jump!
Some cenotes can get very crowded, depending on the season and time of day. If you arrive at a cenote and see a bunch of tour buses, it might be worth looking for another if you want to avoid crowds.
The water in most cenotes is pretty cold, as they are fed from underground sources.
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READ MORE MEXICO TRAVEL TIPS
I hope you enjoyed my guide on cenotes in Mexico! Hopefully you found it useful. Here are a few more wanderlust-inducing articles that I recommend you read next:
Have any questions about visiting cenotes in Mexico? What about other suggestions? Join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter to share!
Indigenous languages are under threat. Some 3,000 — three-quarters of the total — could disappear before the end of the century, or one every two weeks, according to UNESCO.
As part of a movement to protect such languages, New Zealand’s Te Hiku Media, a broadcaster focused on the Māori people’s indigenous language known as te reo, is using trustworthy AI to help preserve and revitalize the tongue.
Using ethical, transparent methods of speech data collection and analysis to maintain data sovereignty for the Māori people, Te Hiku Media is developing automatic speech recognition (ASR) models for te reo, which is a Polynesian language.
Built using the open-source NVIDIA NeMo toolkit for ASR and NVIDIA A100 Tensor Core GPUs, the speech-to-text models transcribe te reo with 92% accuracy. It can also transcribe bilingual speech using English and te reo with 82% accuracy. They’re pivotal tools, made by and for the Māori people, that are helping preserve and amplify their stories.
“There’s immense value in using NVIDIA’s open-source technologies to build the tools we need to ultimately achieve our mission, which is the preservation, promotion and revitalization of te reo Māori,” said Keoni Mahelona, chief technology officer at Te Hiku Media, who leads a team of data scientists and developers, as well as Māori language experts and data curators, working on the project.
“We’re also helping guide the industry on ethical ways of using data and technologies to ensure they’re used for the empowerment of marginalized communities,” added Mahelona, a Native Hawaiian now living in New Zealand.
Building a ‘House of Speech’
Te Hiku Media began more than three decades ago as a radio station aiming to ensure te reo had space on the airwaves. Over the years, the organization incorporated television broadcasting and, with the rise of the internet, it convened a meeting in 2013 with the community’s elders to form a strategy for sharing content in the digital era.
“The elders agreed that we should make the stories accessible online for our community members — rather than just keeping our archives on cassettes in boxes — but once we had that objective, the challenge was how to do this correctly, in alignment with our strong roots in valuing sovereignty,” Mahelona said.
Instead of uploading its video and audio sources to popular, global platforms — which, in their terms and conditions of use, require signing over certain rights related to the content — Te Hiku Media decided to build its own content distribution platform.
Called Whare Kōrero — meaning “house of speech” — the platform now holds more than 30 years’ worth of digitized, archival material featuring about 1,000 hours of te reo native speakers, some of whom were born in the late 19th century, as well as more recent content from second-language learners and bilingual Māori people.
Now, around 20 Māori radio stations use and upload their content to Whare Kōrero. Community members can access the content through an app.
“It’s an invaluable resource of acoustic data,” Mahelona said.
Turning to Trustworthy AI
Such a trove held incredible value for those working to revitalize the language, the Te Hiku Media team quickly realized, but manual transcription required pulling lots of time and effort from limited resources. So began the organization’s trustworthy AI efforts, in 2016, to accelerate its work using ASR.
“No one would have a clue that there are eight NVIDIA A100 GPUs in our derelict, rundown, musky-smelling building in the far north of New Zealand — training and building Māori language models,” Mahelona said. “But the work has been game-changing for us.”
To collect speech data in a transparent, ethically compliant, community-oriented way, Te Hiku Media began by explaining its cause to elders, garnering their support and asking them to come to the station to read phrases aloud.
“It was really important that we had the support of the elders and that we recorded their voices, because that’s the sort of content we want to transcribe,” Mahelona said. “But eventually these efforts didn’t scale — we needed second-language learners, kids, middle-aged people and a lot more speech data in general.”
So, the organization ran a crowdsourcing campaign, Kōrero Māori, to collect highly labeled speech samples according to the Kaitiakitanga license, which ensures Te Hiku Media uses the data only for the benefit of the Māori people.
In just 10 days, more than 2,500 signed up to read 200,000+ phrases, providing over 300 hours of labeled speech data, which was used to build and train the te reo Māori ASR models.
In addition to other open-source trustworthy AI tools, Te Hiku Media now uses the NVIDIA NeMo toolkit’s ASR module for speech AI throughout its entire pipeline. The NeMo toolkit comprises building blocks called neural modules and includes pretrained models for language model development.
“It’s been absolutely amazing — NVIDIA’s open-source NeMo enabled our ASR models to be bilingual and added automatic punctuation to our transcriptions,” Mahelona said.
Te Hiku Media’s ASR models are the engines running behind Kaituhi, a te reo Māori transcription service now available online.
The efforts have spurred similar ASR projects now underway by Native Hawaiians and the Mohawk people in southeastern Canada.
“It’s indigenous-led work in trustworthy AI that’s inspiring other indigenous groups to think: ‘If they can do it, we can do it, too,’” Mahelona said.
You could be forgiven for thinking that Porsche would be happy resting on their laurels when it comes to the Taycan. After all, there is already a plethora of existing variants—it’s a congested squad to choose from between the barebones base model, all the way up to the sufficiently bonkers Turbo S. Add to the fact that there are two distinct body styles, and the potential combinations for performance and styling become seemingly endless.
But that’s not at all how the German automaker has been at it, in recent times particularly. Their brand-wide “…well, there’s always room for improvement” mantra on performance ceilings (or lack thereof) is something that has kept Porsche fans and the broader car enthusiast community on the edge of their seats for the past decade or so.
While there of course has always been a vacancy for something that could sit above the Turbo S models in a performance sense, the Porsche Taycan is broadly perceived as an automobile meant to be more utilitarian in nature. That—and the fact that EVs are still in their infancy across the board—and it’s Porsche this time who could be forgiven, if they had so chosen to stop short of producing a (for lack of a better symbol) GT-E variant.
There’s been no official nomenclature associated with this mysterious up-and-comer of a Taycan, but it’s the results which do nothing to hide that this car has all the requisite characteristics to be considered in the same ilk as Porsche’s quintessential GT4, GT3 and GT2 bloodline. We reckon that it’ll surely be given a (GT) badge that gives credence to its resumé, once it’s made official to the public. The “Turbo GT” moniker is already being uttered by some in the industry.
Now, here’s what we know for sure.
The Nürburgring Nordschleife Lap Time
7:07.55
On the surface, it’s just a number. But when given a bit of context, a clearer—and quite frankly, stunning—picture gets painted.
This achievement places the upcoming Porsche Taycan variant in some very esteemed company, both within its own line-up and relative to other high-performance EVs. It’s not at all far off the pace of the automaker’s flagship 911 GT3 and GT3 RS models, coming in at just a few seconds behind the sub-7-minute benchmark setters. It’s virtually just as quick as the relatively brand new Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS MR, of which it has a near-2000-lbs weight penalty against it.
Factory Porsche Driver Lars Kern
Compared to other EVs that have done the ‘Ring run, this smashes Porsche’s own Taycan Turbo S time by a whopping 26 seconds, and perhaps more sensationally, the Tesla Model S Plaid time by more than 17 seconds. This however, wasn’t quite enough to make it quicker than the current EV record holder. That title is still held by the Rimac Nevera—practically splitting hairs with its time of 7:05.29—which is made all the more impressive by the fact that this new Taycan will cost a small fraction of the Croatian-made hypercar retails for, and there’s seating for 4 (or 5) to boot.
We look forward to sharing more details with you as they become available. Stay tuned!
Thanks to its amazing location, there are tons of fun day trips from Jacksonville, just a short drive from downtown. Jacksonville is located next to gorgeous islands and beaches, nature preserves, and historical sites. I never get sick of exploring this area – there are so many fun day trips from Jacksonville to be had.
After visiting the area for five years and living south of Jacksonville for over a year, I’ve had the privilege of experiencing dozens of day trips. The best part? I know there are still so many places to visit near Jacksonville that I haven’t discovered yet!
Best Day Trips From Jacksonville Florida
From beaches and kayaking to historical sites and museums, just hop in the car, and you’ll be a short drive away from many incredible day trips from Jacksonville. It’s hard to choose the “best” excursions near the Bold City because there are so many fantastic ones. I’ve narrowed down this list to my favorite day trip destinations; there’s something for everyone;
1. Saint Augustine
Just a 45-minute drive from downtown Jax is the gorgeous city of Saint Augustine. What makes this such a special day trip from Jacksonville is that St. Augustine is the oldest city in the nation – founded in 1565. So, expect a ton of rich history, an old fort/monument, museums, parks, restaurants, and more.
I live halfway between St. Augustine and Jacksonville, so I’m lucky enough to visit the “Ancient City” quite often. To me, it’s by far one of the best places to visit near Jacksonville, FL. No matter if you’re a frequent visitor or a first-time tourist, it’s a city that’s always worth checking out. Just by turning a different corner, you’ll find something new.
St. Augustine is also home to lots of great shops, breweries, parks, and coffee shops. Personally, however, I find simply walking around the historic downtown area fun to do on its own. The architecture and cobblestone streets are just incredible.
Distance from Jacksonville Florida: 45 minutes – 40 miles/64 kilometers from downtown Jacksonville Location: Downtown St. Augustine Getting There: If you want to head down to St. Augustine from Jacksonville, your best bet is to rent a car. You can also take the bus if a car isn’t an option. Best Tour from Jacksonville Florida:St. Augustine: Hop-on Hop-off Trolley Tour with Museum Entry Must-Do Activities:Taking a trolley tour is an absolute must in St. Augustine. Walk through the grounds of Castillo San Marcos. If you happen to be visiting during the holidays, I highly recommend the Nights of Lights Pirate Ship Tour. Where to Eat: Llama is one of my favorite restaurants in the world – and I’ve been to 25 countries! It’s Peruvian and the food is to die for. The Conch House is a fun restaurant and bar right on the water. And River and Fort has an awesome rooftop bar with an incredible view.
2. Amelia Island
Amelia Island is located 45 minutes northeast of downtown Jacksonville and is another fantastic option for a day trip from Jax. The family-friendly island has a pristine beach, an adorable downtown area/main street, and great restaurants and bars. Not to mention an almost endless list of outdoor/nature-centric activities as well.
Amelia Island can become crowded during the summer months, so I prefer visiting during the shoulder seasons months of April and May or September and October. It’s still warm enough to sunbathe at the beach, but the crowds have subsided.
I love going to Amelia Island to get some fresh seafood, a craft beer, and relaxing in the sun for a couple of hours. It’s really hard not to love this area.
Distance from Jacksonville Florida: 45 minutes – 33 miles/53 kilometers Location: Amelia Island Getting There: Traveling to Amelia Island is easiest by car. Unfortunately, there isn’t any public transportation to the island, unless you take an Uber. Best Tour from Jacksonville Florida:Amelia Island Guided Kayak Tour of Lofton Creek Must-Do Activities:Taking a stroll down the charming main street in Fernandina Beach is a blast. There’s tons of shopping, a brewery, and lots of eateries to try out. Renting an electric bike to cruise along the beach is a great outing as well. Where to Eat: Whenever I visit Amelia Island, going to Amelia Island Brewing Co. is an absolute must. Their beer is great, and the shrimp chowder and gouda short rib sandwich dishes are super delicious. Another great option for a fun environment is the Salty Pelican Bar & Grill.
3. Little Talbot Island State Park
The Talbot Islands offer a great day trip from Jacksonville – and Little Talbot Island is my favorite. Here, you’ll find five miles of gorgeous beaches, bike trails, and wildlife-watching opportunities. I love hiking the ancient dunes, looking for seashells, and taking a swim.
Many people don’t think of camping in Florida, but this state park is a really fun and beautiful option if you want to sleep under the stars. What’s great about Little Talbot Island is that it’s only 30 minutes outside of Jacksonville.
Distance from Jacksonville Florida: 30 minutes – 26 miles/42 kilometers Location:Little Talbot Island State Park, 12157 Heckscher Dr, Jacksonville, FL 32226 Getting There: When visiting Jacksonville, it’s best to have access to a car; driving is the easiest way to get to Little Talbot Island State Park. You can also take the car ferry. Best Tour from Jacksonville Florida:Talbot Island Kayak Tour Must-Do Activities:Basking in the glory and beauty of nature is what it’s all about at Little Talbot Island State Park. Take a kayak tour, go hiking, or break out the binoculars to do some bird watching.
4. Cumberland Island
Georgia’s largest barrier island is Cumberland Island, and it’s located an hour away from Jacksonville. It’s known for having one of the most spectacular natural habitats in the world with stunning, undeveloped beaches.
The island is home to the largest nesting of loggerhead sea turtles, and there are also feral horses, armadillos, wild hogs, and many species of birds. It’s truly a wild and beautiful place to visit for a day trip.
Distance from Jacksonville Florida: Hour and a half – 38 miles/61 kilometers Location: Cumberland Island Getting There: You’ll need to drive and take a ferry from St. Mary’s, Georgia. Best Tour from Jacksonville Florida:Cumberland Island Walking Tour Must-Do Activities:It’s all about nature and history on Cumberland Island. Go hiking, swimming, or fishing. Visit the First African Baptist Church, tour the famous Plum Orchard Mansion, and explore the Dungeness Ruins. Where to Eat: There’s only one restaurant on the entire island at the renowned Greyfield Inn, run by the Carnegie family. They only offer one seating per night at 7 p.m., so it’s probably not the best option for a day trip. You might want to pack a picnic and some snacks.
5. Jekyll Island
A little over an hour from Jacksonville is Jekyll Island, Georgia. You’ll have to pay a toll to get on the island, but it’s a small fee and so worth it. This beautiful island features quiet, gorgeous beaches, great restaurants, golf courses, museums, and more.
Whenever I go to Jekyll Island, going to Driftwood Beach is a necessity. I always make time to go to Tortuga Jacks for a waterside drink and a bite, and I recommend you do the same! You can easily spend the entire day exploring this fun hidden gem.
Florida is home to some of the most beautiful geological features. The Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park is just outside of Gainesville and makes for a super cool day trip from Jacksonville.
The main attraction of the park is the 120-foot-deep sinkhole. Take a small hike to the staircase that leads you close to the bottom of the sinkhole with lush vegetation and cooler temperatures. It’s a nice respite during the summer heat!
Distance from Jacksonville Florida: 1 hour and 20 minutes – 74 miles/119 kilometers Location: Devil’s Millhopper Geological State Park, Millhopper Road, Gainesville, FL Getting There: Driving to the state park is the easiest and best option. Best Tour from Jacksonville Florida:Daily ranger-led tours Must-Do Activities:The main point of the visit is to admire the beauty of the limestone sinkhole. Hiking down and up those stairs is sure to get your heart pumping! Where to Eat: Gainesville is just a short drive away with lots of dining options. I usually always stop at The Social at Midtown, Satchel’s Pizza, or El Indio Mexican Restaurant.
7. Osceola National Forest
Less than an hour from Jacksonville is the Osceola National Forest. This beautiful gem is the perfect place to go when you’re looking for a peaceful day in nature. It’s also a great day trip in Jacksonville for couples.
There are miles of trails for hiking, beaches for swimming, and ponds for fishing. There’s also an area for target shooting and trails for OHV riding. Although located just 45 minutes from the city, you’ll feel like you’re hours away.
Distance from Jacksonville Florida: 48 minutes – 49 miles/79 kilometers Location: Osceola National Forest, 24874 US-90, Sanderson, FL 32087 Getting There: Traveling by car is your best option. Best Tour from Jacksonville Florida: There aren’t any tours available, but try and time your visit with the annual Civil War reenactment. Must-Do Activities:With over 200 acres of nature, you can spend hours wandering the trails, swimming at the beach, or just keeping a watch out for wildlife. Where to Eat: Lake City is the closest town to the park. This tiny but adorable town has some yummy options for food, like Jessica’s Bistro, Marion Street Bistro, and Cedar River Seafood of Lake City.
8. Gainesville
Gainesville is a super fun option for a day trip from Jacksonville. The University of Florida college town is lively, and hip, and offers tons of ways to spend your day. There are gorgeous parks, delicious restaurants, and fun activities in this inland Florida town.
The perfect day in Gainesville, in my opinion, looks like going to the Florida Museum of Natural History or the Kanapaha Botanical Gardens before heading to Swamp Head Brewery for an IPA. Although, there is something to offer everyone – no matter the age.
Saint Simons Island, Georgia is one of the best places to visit near Jacksonville. It’s been named one of Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Islands in the Continental U.S., and U.S. News’ 16 Top Romantic Getaways in Georgia, as well as 15 Most Romantic Small Towns in the United States.
The small island is the perfect day trip to hang out at the beach, stroll the oceanside main street, and eat some delicious seafood. I was recently in Saint Simons Island with my sister, and we couldn’t get over how charming it was.
Distance from Jacksonville Florida: 1 hour and 13 minutes – 75 miles/120 kilometers Location: Saint Simons Island, Georgia Getting There: Driving by car is the best travel option. Must-Do Activities: Walk around Pier Village and stroll the grounds of Fort Frederica. Then, spend a few hours on the perfect sandy beaches. Where to Eat: This small island has a lot of great dining options! When I recently visited, I loved Porch, Barrier Island Brewing, and Mallery Street Cafe. I’d recommend any of these spots.
10. Daytona Beach
It’s a little bit of a drive from Jacksonville, but if you’re up for it, head south for a day to Daytona Beach. This world-famous beach town is bustling during the peak summer months and the celebrated Bike Week.
Home to the Daytona International Speedway and the renowned Daytona 500, this city welcomes hundreds of thousands of tourists each year; not only for the race – but also for its vibrant beach scene.
Distance from Jacksonville Florida: 1 hour and 28 minutes – 95 miles/153 kilometers Location: Daytona Beach Getting There: Driving yourself is the fastest option, however, you could also take a bus. Best Tour from Jacksonville Florida:Daytona Beach: Guided Kayaking or Standup Paddling Tour Must-Do Activities:The Daytona International Speedway is a sight to behold, the beach’s boardwalk has a Ferris wheel and other rides and games, and you can also drive your car on the beach, which is a really cool experience. Where to Eat: Ocean Deck Daytona Beach has an awesome, relaxed vibe with incredible food. Crabby’s Oceanside and Fratelli’s Pizzeria are also fantastic.
11. Ravine Gardens State Park in Palatka
Palatka is a quiet and charming inland, riverside town with a lot of character. The Ravine Gardens State Park is a day trip from Jacksonville that is seriously underrated. I went here about a month ago and was blown away by how beautiful it was.
Take a hike through the park and its lush vegetation, cross two suspension bridges, and marvel at the waterfalls. It’s a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Distance from Jacksonville Florida: 1 hour and 5 minutes Location: Ravine Gardens State Park, 1600 Twigg St, Palatka, FL 32177 Getting There: Driving by car is the best and easiest option. Best Tour from Jacksonville Florida:Guided tours are offered by the park. Must-Do Activities:Walk the 1.8-mile paved road through the breathtaking ravines with beautiful views. Try and time your visit during the peak flowering season for azaleas – January through March. Where to Eat: The downtown Palatka area has some great dining options. My favorite eateries are The Magnolia Cafe, Corky Bell’s Seafood at Gator Landing, and Velchoff’s Corner.
12. Ginnie Springs
If you’re looking for a unique spot to cool off during the hot summer months, Ginnie Springs is such a fun day trip option. It’s a little bit of a distance from Jacksonville, but trust me when I tell you that it’s totally worth it.
Kayak, paddleboard, or float the crystal clear waters of the Sante Fe River. You can also rent a snorkel and a mask to explore the waters filled with large bass, catfish, and turtles. It’s without a doubt, some of the most beautiful water I’ve ever seen.
Distance from Jacksonville Florida: 1 hour and 37 minutes – 85 miles/133 kilometers Location: Ginnie Springs, 5000 NE 60th Ave., High Springs, Florida 32643 Getting There: Traveling by car is the best option. Must-Do Activities:It’s up to you how you’d like to spend your day at Ginnie Springs – it depends on what activities you like to do! You can chill out on an inner tube, enjoy a more active day on a paddleboard, or play a game of volleyball. Where to Eat: You’ll want to drive into north Gainesville for a meal after a day of swimming. Head to Northwest Grille, Country Foodly, or Las Margaritas.
13. Juniper Springs Recreation Area
One of the oldest and most popular recreation areas on the East Coast, the Juniper Springs Recreation Area looks like something out of a postcard. It’s an oasis under a dense canopy of palms and oaks.
The crystalline pool of fresh spring water is a magical place to swim, and you can take a short walk on the Juniper Run Nature Trail. There are plenty of picnic areas as well.
Distance from Jacksonville Florida: 1 hour and 50 minutes – 111 miles/178 kilometers Location: Juniper Springs Recreation Area, 26701 FL-40, Silver Springs, FL 34488 Getting There: Getting to the springs is easiest and fastest by car Must-Do Activities:Simply soaking in the perfect, clear waters is enough to make the day trip worth it. There’s a shallow end to relax and cool down in, and a deeper end for jumping. Where to Eat: Unfortunately, there are no dining options near the park. It’s best to pack your own snacks and a picnic.
14. Savannah
One of my favorite things about living in Jacksonville is its close proximity to the amazing city of Savannah, Georgia. If you get up early and hit the road, you can spend all day in Savannah and be back home before it gets too late.
Savannah is known for its history, French architecture, massive oak trees with hanging Spanish moss, and thriving arts and culture scene. There’s something about this city that oozes the epitome of Southern charm. Plus, they have some fantastic restaurants and breweries.
Distance from Jacksonville Florida: 2 hours and 2 minutes – 139 miles/224 kilometers Location: Savannah, Georgia Getting There: You can get to Savannah either by car, train, or bus. Best Tour from Jacksonville Florida:Savannah Hop-On Hop-Off Trolley Tour Must-Do Activities:There’s SO much to do in Savanna; stroll through Forsyth Park, spend a couple of hours on Tybee Island, walk through the historical Bonaventure Cemetery, and admire the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist. Where to Eat: Savannah is overflowing with delicious food. My favorite restaurants are The Olde Pink House, Alligator Soul Restaurant, and The Ordinary Pub.
15. Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens
Another day trip from Jacksonville, that’s a little further afield, but totally worth it, is to Cedar Lakes Woods and Garden. With over 50 garden displays to admire, these botanical gardens have koi ponds, waterfalls, and gorgeous views.
The trails take around an hour and a half to complete and each step is surrounded by pure beauty. It’s another peaceful and tranquil trip to get you out of the city’s bustle.
Distance from Jacksonville Florida: 1 hour and 52 minutes – 96 miles/154 kilometers Location: Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens, 4990 NE 180th Ave, Williston, FL 32696 Getting There: Traveling by car will be your best and easiest choice. Must-Do Activities:The trails will guide you through garden displays like Bamboo Island, Ginger Gardens, and others. Where to Eat: Southern Gainesville will be your option for yummy food. I’d recommend Blue Gill Quality Food, Red Rice Kitchen, or Yummy House.
Best Day Trip Tours from Jacksonville Florida
If you want to take the guesswork out of planning a day trip from Jacksonville, you can always take an organized tour. Here are some highly-rated, fun tour options to choose from:
1. CraigCat Boat Tour from Fernandina Beach:Have a blast on Amelia Island by taking a CraigCat Boat Tour out of Fernandina Beach. The 2.5-hour tour will have you on the water on a CraigCat Boat, which is essentially a go-cart on water. Spot wildlife such as dolphins, manatees, and turtles. Click here for more details.
Here are some answers to the most commonly asked questions about the best day trips from Jacksonville, FL:
What is the most popular day trip from Jacksonville Florida?
The most popular day trip from Jacksonville is the CraigCat Boat Tour from Fernandina Beach.
How many days do you need in Jacksonville Florida?
I recommend spending at least 3 days in Jacksonville, or ideally a week.
What are the best day trips from Jacksonville Florida by train?
The best day trip from Jacksonville, Florida by train is to head up to Savannah, Georgia, to explore the area. Tickets start from just $30.
What is the most beautiful place near Jacksonville Florida?
The most beautiful place near Jacksonville, Florida, in my opinion, is St. Augustine. Other beautiful areas include Amelia Island, St. Simons Island, and Jekyll Island.
Can you take a day trip from Jacksonville, Florida to Orlando?
Yes! You can take a day trip to Orlando since it’s less than 2 hours away.
Which popular place is very close to Jacksonville Florida?
The popular destination of Saint Augustine is just 45 minutes from Jacksonville, Florida.
In Conclusion
Jacksonville’s geographical location makes it a great place to have some excellent day trip excursions. That’s one of the biggest reasons I love living here so much. Within a short drive, you can be somewhere totally different.
Whether you’re looking for a day on an island or a dip in some natural springs, Jacksonville has a day trip outing for every interest.
Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus other vehicles in the same class. Value grade is for specific trim level evaluated, and may not reflect Consumer Guide’s impressions of the entire model lineup.
Big & Tall Comfort
Big Guy
A-
Tall Guy
B
Big & Tall comfort ratings are for front seats only. “Big” rating based on male tester weighing approximately 350 pounds, “Tall” rating based on 6’6″-tall male tester.
Base price: $83,580 (not including $1795 destination charge)
Options on test vehicle: Lux Package ($3050), Raptor Graphic ($1075), keyless-entry keypad ($110), 17-inch black Beadlock wheels ($1995), Code Orange seat belts ($395), Interior Carbon Fiber Pack ($1725), leather and suede seats ($2995)
Price as tested: $96,720
Quick Hits
The great: Dollar value, fun to drive
The good: Roomy cabin, standard AWD
The not so good: Budget-grade cabin materials
Tom Appel:
What price extreme? How much are you willing to give up—in terms of money and personal comfort—in order to take things further than most folks are willing to go? We’re not talking about eating jalapeños or playing Royal Match until dawn here, we’re talking about your ride. What are the challenges of driving something completely over the top?
2023 Ford Bronco Raptor
We asked ourselves that question shortly after taking delivery of a 2023 Ford Bronco Raptor equipped with more than $11,000 in options. Ford’s ultimate off-roader (unless you count the F-150 Raptor) looks extreme standing still, and also looks like an ownership handful. Certainly, a vehicle this obviously caffeinated asks much of its caretakers.
For those not in the know, the Raptor caps a comprehensive line of rugged Bronco midsize SUVs, all of which are designed to steer off-road enthusiasts (and rugged-minded “soft roaders”) away from Jeep’s popular Wrangler SUV. And, about that mission: In 2023, Ford sold 117,000 Broncos, and Jeep 157,000 Wranglers. While Jeep has the sales edge, both models saw sales declines last year, though Jeep sales slipped more than Bronco sales.
The Bronco lineup ascends though the base Big Bend (about $41,000), Black Diamond ($44,000), Outer Banks ($49,000), retro-themed Heritage ($50,000), off-road-ready Bad Lands ($51,000), Everglades ($57,000), off-road/desert-runner Wildtrak ($63,000), luxury-oriented/retro-themed Heritage Limited Edition, and extreme off-road Raptor ($91,000).
All models are available in 4-door configuration, while all but the Outer Banks, Everglades, and Raptor are also offered with 2-doors. Power for most models comes from a 300-horsepower 2.3-liter turbocharged “EcoBoost” 4-cylinder. Standard, and only available on the Wildtrak and Heritage Limited Edition is a 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 good for 315 horsepower. Exclusive to the Raptor is another EcoBoost mill, a 3.0-liter V6 rated at a substantial 418 horses.
All engines mate to a 10-speed automatic, while a few 4-cylinder models can be had with a 7-speed manual. No surprise, all Broncos come standard with 4WD.
As for what makes a Raptor a Raptor, the list of upgrades is lengthy. Most notable is a chassis designed to provide more than 13 inches of suspension travel, almost two inches more than the Wildtrak. As noted above, the Raptor boasts 103 more horsepower than the Wildtrak, and a more comprehensive suite of drive modes. And while both the Wildtrak and Raptor are shod with 17-inch wheels, the latter’s 37-inch tires are 2-inches larger, and look impressively massive. The Raptor is also fitted with a unique grille, hood, front fenders, and taillight assemblies.
Inside, the Raptor boasts a number of upgrades including unique trim elements, a specific steering wheel, and red/orange seat trim.
Despite the steroid treatment, Consumer Guide found the Raptor to be surprisingly docile in regular use, though the daily commuting experience was not without its compromises. Here’s a rundown of the costs of going extreme:
Comfort:
While the Raptor cabin sits a little higher than that of other Bronco models, it’s not a terrible stretch to get up and into the car. Smaller folks might suggest otherwise. Once inside, there is no penalty for going with the Raptor, as cabin space and general seating comfort are pretty much the same.
Ride quality is another matter. While the Raptor ride is never harsh, it is comprised of significant up-and-down movement, which can grow wearisome on broken and wavy roads. Also, a fair amount of noise makes its way into the cabin, which can make conversation at highway speed a bit of a hassle.
The best part first: The Raptor is very fast. There’s plenty of punch for around-town stop-light drag starts, and ample muscle for passing and merging as well. And as we managed to enjoy the services of the Raptor during a snow event, we’re happy to report the baddest of Broncos makes short work of unplowed streets and drifted-over driveways.
And while the Raptor handles well, generally speaking, the large tires can work against you in cornering, as the uber Bronco plows somewhat in aggressive cornering, which can scrub off speed, and the vehicle’s width limits how much rush-hour traffic slicing and dicing can be performed.
One the plus side, our fuel economy was surprisingly not awful; we averaged 15.3 mpg, not bad for a 400-plus-horsepower off-road machine with full-time 4WD, that spent some time snow slogging. For the record, we saw 18.3 mpg in a test Bronco Wildtrak in somewhat lighter-duty driving.
Price:
At more than $90,000 to start, the Raptor is very expensive. And, for most folks, the very capable Wildtrak will prove to be a more vehicle than they will ever need. That said, if you have the money, and have to own the most-extreme Bronco, there’s little reason not to indulge your baser instincts. While the Raptors can be something of a chore to drive around town, it’s not that much of a hassle, and you won’t be burning very much more gas. Also, the Raptor is fun to drive, and that counts for a lot when you’re shelling out this kind of money.
Note: This evaluation did not include any serious off-road activity, and that activity is core to the Raptor mission. Indeed, if anything justifies the Raptor’s hefty bottom line, it is the truck’s legitimate rock-crawling credentials. The editors of Consumer Guide have enjoyed the services of a Bronco Raptor for the purpose of serious off-road fun, and can vouch for the truck’s bona fides.
Note: This evaluation is of the 2023 Bronco Raptor. The Bronco lineup is little changed for 2024.
Toyota on Saturday unveiled a convertible version of its new Century SUV.
Don’t look for it in showrooms, though. The vehicle is strictly a one-off build to haul around sumo wrestlers, The Yomiuri Shimbun reported.
It was built for the Japan Sumo Association, which celebrates its centennial next year, and was requested by retired wrestler Hakuhō Shō, a close friend of Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda. The reveal took place at Tokyo’s Ryogoku Kokugikan, where the winner of the year’s first Grand Sumo Tournament will be paraded in the vehicle.
“I’m grateful that the Century was chosen as the car that only the champion can ride in,” Toyoda said.
Toyota normally supplies vehicles based on its Crown for the parade but wanted to deliver a more prestigious vehicle this year. In addition to the missing roof, other modifications made to the Century SUV included reinforced suspension springs to handle the extra weight of any sumo wrestlers filling the seats. The rear bench was also raised.
Toyota has built convertible versions of its Century sedan in the past. The last was revealed in 2019. The vehicles are typically used by Japan’s emperor.
The Century SUV made its debut last fall. It’s the first SUV to carry the Century nameplate, and currently it’s only on sale in Japan. Availability in other markets hasn’t been announced, though there are rumors the SUV will be more widely available than the sedan, which was only sold in a handful of markets. The sole powertrain on offer is a plug-in hybrid system with a 3.5-liter V-6, with drive routed to all four wheels.
Travel insurance provides a vital safety net against unexpected costs that may arise due to the myriad things that can go wrong on the road. That includes everything from illness and injury to canceled flights and lost luggage to the death of a family member back home.
I know, it’s not fun to think about, but travel insurance is the single most important thing you should purchase before your trip. It’s something I strongly advise travelers to never leave home without (I buy it for every single one of my trips). I’ve seen it help many, many people over the years. Myself included.
It’s easier than ever to find a policy that meets your needs and budget, especially with tools out there like InsureMyTrip.
In this InsureMyTrip review, I’ll go over what the company offers and the pros and cons of using them as a service to use when planning your trip.
What Is InsureMyTrip?
InsureMyTrip (IMT) is a travel insurance comparison site that has been helping people find their ideal policy since 2000. To be clear, this means that IMT does not provide any of the plans listed on its site. It does not offer any policies or underwrite any claims. Instead, it is a marketplace that makes it easy to find the best plan to meet your needs.
IMT searches all policies across 20 insurance companies according to your search criteria, and you’ll only be shown policies for which you’re eligible. This saves you the frustration of looking for travel insurance policies elsewhere, only to discover that they don’t cover your age range (or other requirements you have).
I’ll get into who IMT is ideal for further on in this review.
How InsureMyTrip Works
InsureMyTrip is a marketplace of 20 insurance providers. It searches all the plans offered by these providers to find the best plan for you. Obviously, this would take a ton of time to do yourself if you checked each policy individually. With IMT, it happens in a matter of seconds once you fill in your trip information and build a quote.
Plus, thanks to InsureMyTrip’s Best Plans Guarantee, you know that you’re only seeing plans with multiple positive ratings and reviews from actual customers.
Here’s the information you’ll fill in to get a free quote:
Once you enter your details, you’ll be brought to a page with various plans. The prices shown below are from an example quote for a 42-year-old traveler from New York going to Thailand for two weeks:
This is just a snippet of three (out of many) suggested plans and, as you can see, the price varies widely among them.
That’s where IMT’s comparison tool comes in. Just hit the “compare” box underneath the price to select and compare different plans side by side.
The comparison page looks like this:
The compare tool makes it easy to see the details of different plans side by side. This way you can easily see at a glance which ones work for your needs and which don’t. Ultimately, only you can decide whether you want higher coverage limits and are willing to pay a bit more for them but the comparison feature makes it easy to decide.
Personally, I always recommend getting at least $100,000 USD in coverage. You don’t want to skimp on coverage and, if something happens, end up hitting your limit before the problem is taken care of (read this post on buying travel insurance for more information).
No matter the plan you end up choosing, you’ll know that you’re covered with IMT’s Price Guarantee. This is another feature I really like, as it promises that you won’t find a lower price for the same plan elsewhere. So, when you search IMT, you know you’re getting the best possible price for that plan.
If that’s not enough to provide peace of mind, IMT also has a Money Back Guarantee. This means that you can cancel the policy during a review period (usually up to 10 days after purchase) and get a full refund as long as you haven’t made any claims yet or started your trip.
InsureMyTrip’s Guarantees
As mentioned above, InsureMyTrip has several important guarantees that ensure you buy the best policy for your trip. These guarantees include:
Price Guarantee InsureMyTrip’s Price Guarantee means that you won’t find the same plan cheaper anywhere else. While there are sites out there that might advertise lower prices, the discounts they’re offering aren’t strictly legal. Insurance is regulated by state, with specific rules around offering discounts and cheaper prices. IMT offers the absolute lowest prices while remaining fully compliant with all such regulations. Don’t choose a less reputable site for the sake of saving a few bucks, as it could create problems for you down the line if you need to rely on that insurance.
Best Plans Guarantee IMT promises to only offer the top plans on the market. Using data sourced from over 100,000 real customer reviews, it continually evaluates whether a provider can remain a recommended option to consumers. Each review contains a rating in the areas of coverage, cost, satisfaction, and claims (if any were filed). When you build a personalized quote, each plan will have a link to reviews, so you can read feedback from real users of that plan.
Money Back Guarantee Last but not least is IMT’s Money Back Guarantee, which enables you to cancel your plan during the review period and get your money back. Most plans let you cancel for a full refund during this period, though eligibility and review period timelines do vary by policy. Some also charge a nonrefundable administrative fee to get your money back. As always, read the fine print before purchasing to verify eligibility. You can also reach out to IMT’s customer service team if you have any doubts about whether the plan you want to purchase is covered by this guarantee.
Pros of Using InsureMyTrip
Quickly compare plans from 20 companies
Friendly customer care representatives
Easy-to-use website for fast and free quotes
Ability to customize your plan with optional add-ons, such as CFAR (Cancel for Any Reason)
Three guarantees for peace of mind (Best Price, Best Plans, Money Back)
Anytime Advocates® to help if your claim gets denied by the insurance company
Cons of Using InsureMyTrip
Does not search every travel insurance company
Must have set trip dates and costs to get a quote
Who Is IMT For?
InsureMyTrip is a helpful marketplace for travelers looking to find a personalized insurance policy. Specifically, IMT is best for those going on trips with set beginning and end dates that have major fixed and nonrefundable costs, as with IMT, you purchase a policy based on your estimated trip costs. These could include round-trip airfare, prepaid accommodations, all-inclusive vacation packages (such as cruises or resorts), or group tour packages.
This could apply to many types of vacations and travelers. However, I especially recommend IMT for:
Senior travelers as they include plans for folks over 70 and most other companies do not
Anyone who wants add-ons, like CFAR coverage
Cruisers (there are cruise-specific plans)
On the flip side, IMT is not a great option for digital nomads or long-term travelers who have ongoing expenses with no fixed end date and therefore won’t be able to insure a trip with a specific cost. (If this is you, check out this post on the best travel insurance for digital nomads.)
***
Travel insurance is something I never leave home without. Things can (and will) happen on the road. Be prepared by getting travel insurance. It can save you hundreds (or thousands) of dollars in unexpected costs and provide you with peace of mind and support should something go wrong.
I never, ever leave home without travel insurance. You shouldn’t either.
Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks
Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner. It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned.
Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.
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The New South Wales Government expects 750,000 motorists will be eligible for its new toll relief cash rebate.
It’s trialling the scheme over a two-year period, which started on January 1, 2024.
Eligible drivers will be able to claim a cash rebate for any toll usage over $60 per week per vehicle. Drivers will be able to begin claiming through Service NSW from April 2024.
Rebates will be calculated on a weekly basis and paid quarterly into the driver’s nominated bank account.
Motorists who travel on any New South Wales toll roads – except the M5 South-West, which has its own cashback scheme – for private use only will be eligible for the rebate.
Rideshare vehicles and taxis registered to a business and heavy vehicles aren’t eligible for the rebate.
The state government claims drivers who spend an average of $200 a week on their toll usage can expect to receive approximately $7280 in rebates per year. Motorists can claim a maximum of $340 a week with the rebate.
The NSW Government also announced it will offer a separate toll relief scheme for trucks to encourage drivers to take routes along toll roads rather than local streets.
Any NSW- or interstate-registered truck travelling on the M5 East and M8 with a valid E-Toll, Linkt or Eastlink account will be eligible for the rebate.
The rebate for trucks will be calculated based on one third of the trip total across the M5 East and M8. It will be automatically refunded back to the toll account in the form of toll cap credits each quarter.
The NSW Government estimates the truck rebate will cost $54 million over the two-year trial.
“The Minns Labor government’s number 1 priority is helping people across NSW with the rising cost of living,” said acting premier and minister for Western Sydney Prue Car.
“Capping tolls to $60 a week is a key part of our commitment to ease the financial burden being faced by many families.
“This toll cap will provide toll relief where it is needed most, to families who are doing it tough, particularly across Western Sydney.”
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