Stories > Join us for the american dream - Gran Turismo California
Join us for the american dream - Gran Turismo California

Join us for the american dream - Gran Turismo California

Published 2016-10-20 by Administrator

The american muscle car. It all started in the 1960’s. The space race was on. Juri Gagarin was the first man in orbit. The united states was set to put a man to the moon. This was the golden era for the american automotive industry.

Take a coupe with a beautiful silhouette. Add an enormous engine with insane amounts of power. Fantastic acceleration, which would leave everyone else behind. The unmistakeable sound of a howling V8. Complete disregard for secondary items like fuel consumption. Both skill and guts were required to go fast. They were cars that separated the men from little girls. These were the features that made icons of the Ford Mustang or the Dodge Charger.

These cars demanded the full attention from the driver. But, few other cars were so much fun to drive. Especially on an open desert road with a big trail of dust behind. This is something that we all want to experience at least once in our life.

The road trip of your life - muscle car included

We have managed to secure 30 Ford Mustangs from all over California. They will be delivered to Los Angeles on March the 26th. It is now your turn to experience the american dream. We are organising the road trip of your life - an epic drive from Los Angeles to San Francisco, Napa Valley, Reno, Las Vegas and back. 2200 kilometers of beautiful roads like the Pacific Coast highway, and insane experiences like Las Vegas. Muscle car included. All you need to do is to be in Los Angeles by the end of March.

Event schedule and route

The event starts in Los Angeles on the 26th of March, with check-in, briefing and dinner in the Roosevelt hotel in Hollywood. The road trip starts the morning after, and lasts a full ten days before you are back in Los Angeles again. Nine days of driving on some of the best roads California has to offer. Ten evenings of fun with your friends in places like Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas. And - at least 25 serious items to check off your life’s bucket list.

26 March / Sunday - Los Angeles

Welcome to California and Los Angeles. This first day we check-in to The Hollywood Roosevelt hotel, where we later have dinner and the drivers briefing.

Bucket list items: United States, California, Los Angeles, Hollywood, Hollywood walk of fame, The Hollywood Roosevelt hotel, American muscle car.

27 March / Monday - Drive from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara (102 miles)

After breakfast in the hotel we all drive to the Griffith Observatory, which is famous from many movies, such as Rebel without a cause with James Dean, The Rocketeer, Transformers and The Usual Suspects. Here we take a short tour of the observatory and enjoy the view over Los Angeles.

The driving continues with a visit to Six Flags amusement park, where we all try at least one roller coaster and have lunch. (We strongly suggest to do the roller coaster ride before lunch, not after)

Then we head southwest, towards the coast and Santa Barbara where we stay the night. Dinner tonight will be on the extremely popular Santa Barbara pier.

Bucket list items: Griffith Observatory, Transformers, James Dean, The rocketeer, Six Flags amusement park, insane rollercoaster ride, The snake (road), Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara pier.

28 March / Tuesday - Drive from Santa Barbara to Monterey (229 miles)

Today is all about Pacific Coast Highway, or PCH. The number one scenic route in the United States. Known from movies like Basic Instinct, Iron Man, Fast & Furious and Sideways. PCH is the number one filming location for any car chase in Hollywood.

We continue north from Santa Barbara on the PCH towards Gorda, Big Sur and finally Monterey, where we stay the night. Tonight we will have dinner in a restaurant with a great view of the Monterey harbour and the sea.

Bucket list items: Pacific Coast Highway, Basic Instinct, Iron Man, Fast & Furious, Sideways, Gorda, Big Sur, Hearst Castle, Monterey.

29 March / Wednesday - Drive from Monterey to San Francisco (123 miles)

No big rush today, since the total driving distance is only 123 miles. Plenty of time to visit a few famous companies headquarters in San Jose on the way. Companies like Apple, Facebook and Tesla.

When we arrive in San Francisco later this day, we stay in Hyatt in Fisherman’s Wharf. Dinner? Seafood in the harbour, of course. Fisherman’s wharf in San Francisco probably has the best seafood on the planet.

Bucket list items: Salinas, San Jose, Apple HQ, Facebook HQ, Tesla factory, San Francisco, seafood in Fishermans wharf.

30 March / Thursday - San Francisco to Napa Valley (100 miles)

The Golden Gate. One of the most important landmarks in the world. Today it is our turn to cross this famous bridge. Then we drive towards Napa Valley for one or two visits to local wineries, and then to stop for the night in a hotel in the heart of the region. This night we will enjoy dinner with a wine tasting of local wines in one of the fine dining restaurants with french inspired cuisine in Yountville.

Bucket list items: Golden gate bridge, Napa valley, Domain Chandon (wine producer), Robert Mondavi (wine producer), Yountville.

31 March / Friday - Drive from Napa Valley to Reno (200 miles)

Time to say good bye to California and head east towards Nevada. Our next stop will be in Reno, famous for its annual air race and multiple casinos. The road to Reno will takes us through Sacramento, where we stay for lunch.

Reno is, like Las Vegas, famous for its casinos, albeit much smaller in size. We stay the night in a large hotel in the city centre, and have dinner and a Friday night party close to the nightlife and all the fun.

Bucket list items: Nevada, Sacramento, Reno.

1 April / Saturday - Drive from Reno to Las Vegas (450 miles)

A day all about driving. Being the longest driving day, about 450 miles, this day will be spent on the road. We will follow the US 95 southeast from Reno all the way to Las Vegas. In Las Vegas we check in to one of the famous mega hotels on the strip (The Venetian) and have dinner in a restaurant on the strip.

An insane amount of movies have been shot here, my personal favourites being Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Ocean’s Eleven and Hangover.

Saturday night in Las Vegas with your new best friends? What can go wrong? God help us.

Bucket list items: Desert road, Las Vegas, The Venetian, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Ocean’s Eleven, Hangover.

2 April / Sunday - Hoover dam and Grand Canyon and then back to Las Vegas (250 miles)

If you have survived the Saturday night, then it is time to rise and shine for a new day on our glorious road trip. Today we have two major bucket list items for any trip to the United States - Hoover Dam and Grand Canyon.

Both are about 120 miles from Las Vegas and are easily reachable by car. We will have lunch close to Grand Canyon, and then return back to Las Vegas for a second night in the most decadent city in the world.

Bucket list items: Breakfast in Las Vegas, Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon.

3 April / Monday - Drive from Las Vegas back to Los Angeles (324 miles)

This is it. Our final day on the road. But, a very fine day it will be. After a good nights sleep in Las Vegas, we head west through the Mojave desert towards Los Angeles. In the Mojave desert we visit the aircraft boneyard, famous for its thousands of airplanes parked in the middle of the desert in various stages of decay. Completely awesome for anyone who likes thousands of airplanes parked in the middle of the desert in various stages in decay.

Back in Los Angeles later this day, we check in back to Hollywood Roosevelt. It is time to unpack your car and relax a few hours in your room. This night we have a very special surprise for you. You are not going to believe where we are going to have the events closing dinner.

Bucket list items: Mojave desert, Aircraft Boneyard, Secret Los Angeles restaurant place.

4 April / Tuesday - Check out from hotel

KTHXBYE and thank you very much for joining us on this trip.

Join us for Gran Turismo California

The event is 7800 EUR (+ VAT in some countries) and includes nine nights in hotels (a mix of four and five star hotels), nine dinners in various restaurants, lunches (not every day), road books and maps, lots of visits and special events along the road and an unforgettable adventure in California and Nevada with your own muscle car and your new friends.

The trip includes a Ford Mustang rental car. If you want to rent another car on your own, or already have a car in Los Angeles, you can deduct 800 EUR from the price.

The price is for two people sharing one car. We only have 30 cars available.

>> E-mail (peter@granturismo.org) to register to this event.

The 2017 calendar Gran Turismo Califorina is the first event of the 2017 season. There are eight more. For the 2017 season we will go back to our favourite tracks and venues (Nurburgring, Poland, Estonia, Saint-Tropez), as well as see some completely new places. Apart from Gran Turismo California, we have one more surprise for you. The complete 2017 calendar will be released on Thursday 27 October. If you are subscribing to our newsletter you will be the first to know.

Coming Events

Gran Turismo Europa
6-14 September 2025
Montreux - Andermatt - Como - Monaco - Saint-Tropez
Special Event Cairo
6-8 November 2024
Cairo, Egypt
Subscribe to our newsletter

The latest news and stories. All the best roads, hotels and restaurants. Invitations to exciting events. Be the first to know by subscribing to our newsletter.

Mondo Gran Turismo

More news and stories from the world of Gran Turismo

Here lies the body of the unknown chef
Here lies the body of the unknown chef
Someone gave his life to lay the foundation for all the amazing food we enjoy today.
Here is my new addiction
Here is my new addiction
I have a new hobby. It's a lot of fun.
We wish you a great summer!
We wish you a great summer!
We wish you a great summer, and are very busy with the next season. Looking forward to seeing you soon.
The incredible horror at a motel in Texas
The incredible horror at a motel in Texas
The most unbelievable plumber's story in the world
Why you don't mess with Italian farmers
Why you don't mess with Italian farmers
An explosive story from La Spezia
All you need to know about Italy's history in ten minutes
All you need to know about Italy's history in ten minutes
Have ADHD? Look no further. We have compressed Italy's history to a less than ten minutes read. You will know everything about Italy's history and be much better informed than 95 per cent of your friends.
The flight safety briefing you have never heard
The flight safety briefing you have never heard
Don't skip this one
Here is the new Lamborghini logo
Here is the new Lamborghini logo
Automobili Lamborghini just came out with a logo refresh
Spa-Francorchamps to ban senior drivers in 2025
Spa-Francorchamps to ban senior drivers in 2025
Are you 55 years or older? Then you might not be able to drive on Spa-Francorchamps.
Was this Ferrari 288 GTO Enzo's apology to Niki Lauda?
Was this Ferrari 288 GTO Enzo's apology to Niki Lauda?
The secret deal between Lauda & Ferrari
How it all started: Gran Turismo Polonia
How it all started: Gran Turismo Polonia
20 years ago - Gran Turismo Events was born.
The true cost of owning a Ferrari
The true cost of owning a Ferrari
Objects in the mirror can be closer than they appear
Here are the top 60 pictures from the 2023 season
Here are the top 60 pictures from the 2023 season
Here are our favourite pictures from the 2023 season.
The astonishing stats from the 2023 season
The astonishing stats from the 2023 season
The total kilometres driven on all road trip events came in at 357 670 kilometres.
Here are our new rental cars for 2024
Here are our new rental cars for 2024
Out goes 2023 and in comes the 2024 season, and with it a plethora of new supercars available to rent from us.
Merry Christmas from Gran Turismo - Celebrating 20 years in 2024
Merry Christmas from Gran Turismo - Celebrating 20 years in 2024
The next season marks an anniversary for us, we have now been organising events for over 20 years.
Lotus vs Airplane - Who would win?
Lotus vs Airplane - Who would win?
Back in 2015, we raced a sportscar against an aeroplane on an airstrip in Sweden.
A night in The British Museum
A night in The British Museum
We spent an evening in the most important museum in the world. Here's how it went.
The absolute horror to ride in a Formula One car
The absolute horror to ride in a Formula One car
That time Peter got brutalised by a Formula One car on Yas Marina circuit
50 000 kilometres in 2023 - Here is the fast fleet of Gran Turismo
50 000 kilometres in 2023 - Here is the fast fleet of Gran Turismo
We do as we teach. Over 50 000 kilometres with our fleet of supercars in 2023.
No pulse: How Saab Turbo inspired a medical revolution
No pulse: How Saab Turbo inspired a medical revolution
The human body is fantastic, but it has it's weak points. A team of doctors decided to make it better.
Why we absolutely hate Dolphins
Why we absolutely hate Dolphins
They are some of the meanest and nastiest mammals that have ever existed
Here are the most common reasons for road rage and how to avoid it
Here are the most common reasons for road rage and how to avoid it
Please admit it. There have been times when you have wanted to murder someone next to you in traffic.
Do NOT wear Hawaii shirts at Lamborghini events
Do NOT wear Hawaii shirts at Lamborghini events
How not to dress at an elegant event invited by Lamborghini
Here is why I hate touchscreens
Here is why I hate touchscreens
The trend of big touchscreens in cars is a gigantic problem
The world’s most beautiful roads are in Switzerland
The world’s most beautiful roads are in Switzerland
Here is the holy trinity of Swiss alpine roads.
The legendary Rolls-Royce incident in Sweden in 1986
The legendary Rolls-Royce incident in Sweden in 1986
That time when Rolls-Royce went well out of their way to keep a client happy
Did the Ferrari Museum go too far?
Did the Ferrari Museum go too far?
How the Ferrari Museum coerced Marek to donate his car
Downforce is dark magic
Downforce is dark magic
I lost my downforce virginity recently. Here's how.
A postcard from Rome and The Vatican
A postcard from Rome and The Vatican
On March 23, we did a private tour of the Vatican.
Meet James Holm, our in-house photographer
Meet James Holm, our in-house photographer
Arguably the best automotive photographer in Scandinavia, James has been our event photographer since over a decade.
Houston, we have a massive problem
Houston, we have a massive problem
I love flying. This particular flight though, every pilot's nightmare became my reality.
Porsche is developing a hybrid 911
Porsche is developing a hybrid 911
It will utilize the latest hybrid technologies from the 919 Hybrid
Alfa Romeo is working on a new supercar
Alfa Romeo is working on a new supercar
They are pursuing a new Alfra Romeo tipo 33
Wallypower 118 - the coolest luxury yacht in the world
Wallypower 118 - the coolest luxury yacht in the world
Meet the luxury yacht from the movie "The Island"
Did you know? Rolex was founded in London.
Did you know? Rolex was founded in London.
The story of Rolex goes far beyond luxury watches.
The Ferrari F356 is the best Ferrari you never heard of
The Ferrari F356 is the best Ferrari you never heard of
Over the years, the F356 became one of the most sought-after cars in the world.
Sued by Ferrari because they deserved it
Sued by Ferrari because they deserved it
Guess what? Ferrari will sue you if you use their brand in a malicious way
Mr Bond, you have what the Greeks call thrasos
Mr Bond, you have what the Greeks call thrasos
Why James Bond films are so important.
The bizarre naming convention of Ferrari cars
The bizarre naming convention of Ferrari cars
Have you ever wondered how Ferrari determines the name for their cars?
More stories

La Guida - The Supercar Owner's Guide to Europe

Our favourite roads, hotels, restaurants and places to visit

Renaissance Tuscany Il Ciocco Resort & Spa
Renaissance Tuscany Il Ciocco Resort & Spa
A great hotel on a hill in northern Tuscany.
Road to Cristo Redentore
Road to Cristo Redentore
A serpentine road up the hill from Maratea to Cristo Redentore
Panini Collection
Panini Collection
The incredible car collection of Umberto Panini
More locations

Events Calendar

Beautiful road trips and famous racing tracks since 2002. Supercars only.

Gran Turismo Adriatica
4-12 May 2024
Croatia - Bosnia - Montenegro - Slovenia
Fully booked
Special Event Maranello
29-31 May 2024
Maranello, Italy
Fully booked
Gran Turismo Nurburgring
3-6 June 2024
Nurburgring, Germany
Fully booked
Gran Turismo Riviera
9-14 June 2024
Forte dei Marmi - Santa Margherita - Monaco - St Tropez
Fully booked
Gran Turismo Polonia
24-30 June 2024
Poland
Fully booked
Gran Turismo Dolomiti
29 August - 2 September 2024
Treviso - Cortina - Bolzano - Garda Lake
Fully booked
Gran Turismo Europa
8-15 September 2024
St Moritz - Andermatt - Lugano - Monaco - Saint Tropez
Fully booked
Gran Turismo Italia
22-28 September 2024
Bologna - Florence - Portofino - Barolo - Iseo - Como - Garda
Fully booked
Gran Turismo Toscana
9-13 October 2024
Florence - Chianti - Lucca - Florence
Fully booked
Special Event Cairo
6-8 November 2024
Cairo, Egypt
Gran Turismo St Moritz
10-13 February 2025
St Moritz, Switzerland
Fully booked
Gran Turismo Adriatica
3-11 May 2025
Opatija - Trogir - Mostar - Tivat - Tirana - Skopje - Sofia
Fully booked
Gran Turismo Nurburgring
Spring 2025
Nurburgring, Germany
Fully booked
Gran Turismo Riviera
8-13 June 2025
Forte dei Marmi - Santa Margherita - Monaco - St Tropez
Fully booked
Gran Turismo Europa
6-14 September 2025
Montreux - Andermatt - Como - Monaco - Saint-Tropez
Gran Turismo Sardinia
19-26 September 2025
Sardinia, Italy
Fully booked
The Drivers Collection
Contact us

While our head offices are in Geneva, Switzerland, the team is spread throughout Europe: Sweden, Poland, Italy and Croatia. Please select the appropriate team member to contact below.

For general enquiries, you can always use info@granturismo.org. For event registrations, please use registry@granturismo.org.

Justyna Weclawiak Justyna Weclawiak
Head of Event Organisation
+48 509 706 651
Björn Lagercrantz Björn Lagercrantz
Head of Finance
+46 (0)70 844 64 00
Michal Weclawiak Michal Weclawiak
Event Coordinator
+48 602 134 467
Zdravko Anticic Zdravko Anticic
Head of Content Creation
+385 (0)91 917 32 77
Pietro Bonuccelli Pietro Bonuccelli
Supercar Fleet Manager
+39 349 888 33 89
Marcin Jellinek Marcin Jellinek
Head of Special Events
+48 519 189 081
Nicolas Grandi Nicolas Grandi
Official Photographer
+39 347 917 42 70
Peter Ternstrom Peter Ternström
Founder and President
+39 331 332 50 80