Ferraris For Father's Day

Many hair colors ago . . . I drove a Ferrari

In another lifetime I'd be a race car driver. Or a luxury sports car designer. I love cars. When I was little I had a huge collection of Matchbox race cars instead of dolls. I had my red Ferrari 328GTS all picked out for my sweet 16 and was devastated when I woke up that morning and there was no shiny new Italian sports car in the driveway (shocking, I know). Instead there was an extra set of keys to the powder blue Nissan Stanza wagon on the kitchen table. Devastated, I tell you.

A few years ago Mr. C&G bought me the most perfectly amazing Mother's Day present, an afternoon of driving my dream cars down long winding country roads in rural New York and New Jersey. Gotham Dream Cars runs half day tours, exotic car rentals, and white knuckle laps around a race track in locations throughout the country. If your father or the father of your kiddos is a car fanatic this is one awesome gift, with a bonus for you because you get to ride along in the passenger seat. Just don't forget a stylish head scarf and Jackie O style sunglasses.

Switching drivers in our super car convoy

Book the Dream Car Tour and six of the world's most expensive cars will be yours for a morning or afternoon. The selection changes depending on their inventory but on my drive I was behind the wheel of a Ferrari F430, Mercedes Benz SL65 AMG, Lamborghini Murciélago, Lamborghini Gallardo, Bentley Continental GT, and the Porsche 911 GT3. I would trade in my Volvo for any one of them in a heartbeat, without a care as to where the rest of my family (or any groceries) would fit.

Rarely do you get a chance to sit in any one of those (much less six) without winning the lottery, selling your start up (or travel blog, cough, cough), or shacking up with a superstar athlete. When you arrive at the Gotham Dream Cars HQ you'll be given an in depth orientation on the cars and the rules of the road and the importance of safety. They are all incredibly powerful machines with costly maintenance and repairs so you'll want to pay close attention. A simple scrape of the bumper could cost more than a year of college tuition (just kidding, sort of).

Sing it with me "I'm still Jenny from the block"

Instructors will be in a lead car and a chase car to ensure the group stays together on the adventure and sticks (roughly) to the speed limit, but it's just you and your chosen passenger in each super car. Two way radios are standard equipment and the lead instructor will call out directions or alert you to any traffic situations ahead. All eight cars stay together in a very stylish convoy and it's hard to lose sight of your fellow enthusiasts.

You'll drive each car about 15 miles before stopping to switch. We worked our way from Teterboro Airport (the better to check up on your private plane) to Bear Mountain State Park and back. There are a few cars, like the Murciélago, where your passenger will be replaced by an instructor just because it's so low to the ground or it's hard to see out the tiny windows. Mr. C&G got into the car behind me and said when I stepped on the gas pedal the thunder from the exhaust almost blew a hole through his chest. See, I'm a natural. Now if I could just convince him to go another round in the passenger seat while I'm behind the wheel. . . A perfect Father's Day present!