Three drives are worth a day in the fall from here: Apple Hill above Placerville, the aspens in Hope Valley on the far side of Carson Pass, and the harvest in Napa. Each one asks something different of the car. Here is how I would pick, and what a day actually costs when you rent from me instead of a counter.
Apple Hill, about 40 minutes
Apple Hill is a cluster of family farms in Camino, just past Placerville on US-50. From Folsom it is a straight run up the highway, about 40 minutes with no traffic. The farms open from early September into December, and on October weekends the whole hill fills up. Go on a weekday if you can. If it has to be a weekend, leave before nine and you will beat the line of cars at the exit.
This is a trunk trip. You come back with apples, a pie, a pumpkin or two, and on a good day a Christmas tree order. Any of my cars does the drive, so pick by what you carry and who is riding.
- Two people, a normal haul: the Chevrolet Volt at $55 a day. It is a plug-in hybrid, so the highway leg runs on gas and the farm-to-farm crawl runs on the battery. Cheapest day out in the fleet.
- Kids, grandparents, a stroller: the Subaru Ascent at $85. Seven seats and a flat cargo floor. Ask about a child seat when you book.
- A group of six or seven: the Dodge Grand Caravan at $75. Sliding doors on a crowded farm lot are worth more than you think.
Hope Valley and Carson Pass, about two and a half hours
The best fall color within reach of Sacramento is in Hope Valley, on Highway 88 just south of Lake Tahoe. The aspens turn from late September into the middle of October, and the drive over Carson Pass is the point of the trip as much as the destination. Plan on two and a half hours each way from Folsom, longer if you stop at every turnout, which you will.
Two things to know. First, the pass sits above eight thousand feet, and the first snow can come in October. California requires you to carry chains in a snow zone when controls are posted, even in a four-wheel-drive car, so after the middle of October check Caltrans before you leave. Second, the good dirt spurs off 88 are where the photos come from, and a low car does not belong on them.
- The car for this trip: the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited at $95 a day. Four-wheel drive, real ground clearance, and the top comes off for the clear days, which in early October are most days. Ask me about chains when you book.
- If you are not leaving the pavement: the Subaru Ascent at $85 handles the pass on all-wheel drive with room for everyone's layers.
Napa and the harvest, under two hours
Harvest in Napa runs from late August through October. The valley smells like fermenting grapes, the tasting rooms are busy, and the drive from Folsom is under two hours on I-80 and 12. This is the trip where the car is part of the day, so it is also the trip where people ask about the Tesla.
- The Tesla Model S Plaid at $205 a day. Quiet, quick, and it pulls up to a winery the way you want it to. Napa has plenty of charging, so range is not a question on a day trip. Drivers need to be 25 or older for this one.
- The sensible version: the Chevrolet Volt at $55. Same road, same tasting rooms, fifty dollars more left for the wine.
Whoever drives is not tasting. That is not a rule of mine, it is the law, and every tasting room in the valley will tell you the same.
What a day costs, all in
The daily rate is the daily rate. There is no platform fee on top, because you are booking with me directly. What changes the total is protection and delivery, and both are your choice at booking.
- Protection. Use your own full-coverage policy at no daily charge with a $1,000 hold on your card, or take Standard Protection at $45 a day with a $500 hold and your responsibility capped at $500, or Premium at $65 a day with no hold and nothing out of pocket.
- Pickup. Free in Folsom. Delivery is $40 within ten miles and $80 to Sacramento International Airport or anywhere ten to twenty miles out.
So an Apple Hill Saturday in the Volt, picked up in Folsom on your own insurance, is $55. The same day with Standard Protection is $100. A Hope Valley day in the Jeep with Standard Protection is $140. There is nothing else on the invoice.
How to book
Text or call me with the car and the dates, or use the booking form on the home page. I confirm within about fifteen minutes, you get the agreement and the invoice by text and email, and you pay by card, Venmo or cash. The deposit is a hold on your card, released after the car is back. If you are flying in for the weekend, tell me the flight and the car meets you at the airport curb.