Taking the Long Way Home, Intentionally, in the Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro
Guest Contributor
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Finally getting off the road, and seeing what I’d missed before
On a recent road trip home, I decided to take the Pacific Coast Highway to my hometown of Cupertino, California. Toyota handed me the keys to the new 2018 4-Runner TRD Pro and it was the perfect opportunity to opt for the scenic route.
We woke up at 5:00 AM to head north and make it onto Pacific Coast Highway by dawn. It was a breezy trip with miles of winding roads and dense fog along the coast.
Related: See how the Toyota 4Runner helped these two best friends make the holidays a breeze
Taking the “Off” Road Home
We blazed through the winding roads with only a few short stops in between for breakfast and photos. The weather wasn’t aware that we wanted a coastal scenic tour to see views of the ocean and it blocked out the views with fog. This is typical down this stretch of the coast, but we didn’t think it would affect us for hundreds of miles. Hours later, the skies cleared and we were able to enjoy the views with much more clarity. Some of the most beautiful coastlines are along this stretch in California, and our views did not disappoint.
Enjoying Your Co-Pilot’s Company Is Key to the Journey, Too
The view didn’t stop us from enjoying one another’s company while listening to some old school classics, football podcasts, and driving comfortably. Not to mention – tackling some of those rocky trails with that 4-wheel drive capability.
The 4Runner had so much space that my boyfriend even built my dog her own ‘room’ in the cargo area while she snoozed over every turn and speed bump during the rest of the trip.
At the End of The Road, Tucking the 4Runner Between The Greens For the Evening
I’m from a small Northern California town called Cupertino that fell fast for the real estate bubble caused by the burst of Silicon Valley technology. Once Apple established its headquarters there, it put the town on the map, on your iPhone weather, on your iMac locations, and on everyone’s radar. It used to be a much different town, but it surprised me how nostalgic I still get while visiting. My parent’s humble house is atop a small hill, with a one-way road up to the very last driveway. Tucked between the greens, we settled our shiny Barcelona red Toyota for the night.
Enough Room For Everyone is an Excuse for a Tourist Excursion
We took the family in the 4-Runner to San Francisco to be tourists for a day. We visited the Golden Gate Bridge then spent the rest of the day by Pier 39, Fisherman’s Wharf, Alcatraz, and Ghirardelli Square. After indulging in San Francisco’s famous seafood and clam chowder paired with Ghirardelli chocolate malts, we had our fill of tourist attractions. As much as we love to explore, it was refreshing to jump back into the 4-Runner before flopping belly first on the couch to enjoy some quality family time.
A little more about the Toyota 4Runner 4×4 TRD Pro
There are so many features that made the 4Runner perfect not just for our trip north, but for driving every day. These include:
- 4×4 4.0L V6 5-Speed Automatic
- MPG 18 city/22highway
- 270 Horsepower, enough to climb hills but not guzzle gas
- Automatic headlights
- Backup camera
- Windshield de-icer
- Privacy glass on rear side and rear liftgate windows
- Front and rear mudguards
- Air conditioning in every row
- Multi-informational display panel
- Multi-terrain select
- All-terrain tires
- Tilt/telescopic steering wheel with cruise control
- Towing capacity of 5,000 lbs., which gives us time to dream of maybe brining ATVs or an RV with us next time.
Visit Toyota.com for even more stunning features on the 4-Runner TRD Pro.
Our trip took about ten hours including a few short stops, but we would have been ‘couped’ up (see what I did there?) if it weren’t for the extra space in this sport utility vehicle. And the stops along the way: Timeless.
Disclosure: Toyota provided the 4Runner for this story; all opinions are my own.
