Living in “the city,” I don’t need a car often enough to own one, but I have to admit: I do miss the freedom you get when you’ve got a car. That’s probably why this year I took more road trips than I took in the previous 5 years combined.
Something about living in America, getting behind the wheel, and just driving somewhere: there’s this freedom, this opportunity, this experience to live as you want, go where you want to go. Road trips are increasingly my favorite way to travel.
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Road Trip Travel Blogs
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- Texas Road Trip: Dallas, Houston, and Austin
- Top 5 Best Road Trips in Spain
- Hipster Road Trip in Texas: Dallas to Austin
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So, in this post-birthday November malaise, getting behind the wheel of a brand new 2019 Lexus RX 350L for a road trip out of NYC and upstate to the Hudson River Valley was the perfect way to spend a few days.
While the autumn colors were already faded, driving through the mountains, valleys, and along the Hudson River was still serene and beautiful. Even more so in the comfort of my luxury Lexus rental for the week.
Out to the country on a solo road trip
From my home in Brooklyn, getting out of NYC isn’t necessarily easy, but I planned my trip departure time to avoid the legendary NYC traffic—and luckily avoided most of it.
Driving in and out of New York City can be stressful in its own right (on an earlier trip to the Catskills this summer, I had more than few issues getting out of the city. Most of that was due to the fact I left the city on a Friday afternoon, so inevitably was stuck in traffic. But this time: being stuck in traffic in the comfort of the Lexus RX was totally fine by me!
Driving out of New York City on a Monday morning, I had synched up my phone to the in-car display on the Lexus RX and the widescreen display on the dash made it easy to follow the directions out of the city. (I won’t lie: I’ve definitely struggled in the past driving in NYC often making wrong turns and crossing the wrong bridges!)
The bluetooth connection to my iPhone and Spotify account also kept me entertained for the entirety of my solo road trip. This was the third (or is it fourth?) solo road trip I took this year, and while some people might find them lonely: I find them exhilarating. There’s nothing like blasting your music (for me: Kim Petras) without having to worry about anyone else’s music tastes!
While the Lexus RX has tons of space for an entire family or a group of friends, it’ also an excellent option for a solo road trip. The car comes with plenty of luxury features, from a strong safety system to rain-sensing windshield wipers, seat warmers, and (importantly) an incredible sound system. (You better bet I was blasting my music!)
I made the most of my few days with the car: enjoying all the features and amenities, and the luxury of being out on the open road for a bit, too.
About the Lexus RX 350L
The all-new Lexus RXL delivers un-compromised styling with added passenger capacity thanks to the first-ever third row of seating. This new extended-length model also allows for increased cargo space (great for those planning extended trips). From the ambient inside lighting to the handcrafted trim, the RXL offers elevated comfort and style with innovation and performance.
Note: my road trip through Dutchess County was sponsored and supported by the Dutchess Tourism office. Thank you to Lexus for providing the Lexus RX 350L for the week, which made the trip possible.