Article written by Will, part of Team UDA (and Photographer)
Day 1 – Wednesday
I’d been looking forward to this trip for a long time. I hadn’t been to the eastern side of the United States before, and my journey would take me to Toronto, Niagara Falls, Syracuse, Lake Placid and then finally a visit to New York City.
I was also excited to see clients who had become good friends and to share the three-day MINI Takes The States (NEW YORK) rally organised by MINI. It felt like a very special trip was about to begin and i couldn’t wait! Let’s go!
The morning started with plenty of excitement. I’d packed my bags and checked everything was ready and I’d not forgotten anything. I was taking with me my Sony camera, along with seven days’ worth of clothes and toiletries. I was looking forward to taking lots of photographs, so the camera was an important part of the trip!
I picked up Jake on the way to the airport. We were flying to Amsterdam first, then connecting to Toronto, where we expected to arrive at around seven in the evening. I’d booked a table at 360 Restaurant, high up in the CN Tower.
When we arrived, Toronto was lit up and looked magnificent. We took a taxi to the tower, which completely blew me away. The CN Tower rises 553 metres above the city. I’d seen it in photographs and in diagrams of tall buildings, but standing beneath it was something else. Wow!
I’ve always been fascinated by skyscrapers. Growing up, I could never quite get my head around how tall they. I’m not too keen of heights, but I’m also drawn to going to the top of tall buildings. My palms start to sweat and my legs turn to jelly, yet I still want to be up there. My body is telling me, “No, this is frightening,” while my mind is saying, “Yes, I want to see it.” That conflict between the two is hard to explain, i guess I just want to scare myself!
I’d booked a table right by the window, which slowly revolves as you dine. Well tenchnically the window doesn’t move, I do and the floor beneath my feet, giving you changing views across the city. I ordered a 16-ounce, 30-day-aged Canadian AAA prime rib steak, cooked medium rare, with mushrooms and blue cheese sauce, accompanied by a wonderful glass of red wine. It was cooked to perfection and absolutely incredible. A wonderful start to the trip.
Day 2 – Thursday
We were up early, at six, and headed to a local coffee shop near our apartment for breakfast. Our hire car, a MINI Countryman Cooper S, was due to be dropped off at eight. It arrived bang on time, so we loaded our luggage and set off for Niagara Falls.
Driving out of Toronto was fairly straightforward. We headed south along Lake Ontario towards the falls. It was my first chance to see Toronto and the surrounding area in daylight.
The drive took just over an hour. We parked and walked down to the falls, which were simply magnificent. Places like this feel familiar because I grew up seeing them in films from the 1980s and 1990s. It can feel as though you already know them, but then you arrive and see them first hand for yourself. Niagara Falls was so immense and beautiful that it completely blew my mind.
After about an hour there, we got back on the road and crossed the border into the United States to have lunch with our clients, John and Vicky.
They joined our very first Scotland tour in 2025. Since then, they’ve been on the Wales Grand Tour and Swiss Alps Tour, and they’re booked on two more tours for 2027: Ireland and the Pyrenees. They clearly enjoy travelling with us, and we feel very lucky to have them with us. Over time, they’ve become good friends.
They invited us to their home so we could see where they lived, which was lovely. Afterwards, we went out for lunch in Fredonia. It was a beautiful, sunny day, and we sat on the balcony at the White Inn, a lovely old Victorian building.
The food and hospitality were incredible. I ordered spaghetti, which arrived in a huge, hollowed-out Parmesan cheese wheel. The pasta had been tossed inside it, so the cheese melted slightly into the rich, creamy sauce. I had a side of meatballs, and it was absolutely delicious. I ate everything and was full for the rest of the day. I enjoyed a beer with John and had a great conversation with him and Vicky. It was a magical lunch in America. I was still pinching myself that I was there, sitting in the sunshine in this beautiful place.
We’d be meeting John and Vicky again at the start of the rally the next day. After saying goodbye, we headed back towards Buffalo, where the rally would begin. Before the day was over we had dinner plans with two more couples who had travelled with us: Bob and Barbara, and Chuck and Linda.
Bob and Barbara joined us on the Scotland Tour and Swiss Alps Tours this year. They are fabulous guests and will be joining us again next year on our Ireland tour for 2027. Chuck and Linda came on our Scotland tour this year and are booked on the Pyrenees tour next year. It was wonderful to see them again and share the evening in their company.
Bob had chosen a beautiful corner restaurantm The Red Coach Inn beside the falls on the American side. Earlier in the day, I’d seen the falls from the Canadian side, so this gave a completely different perspective. It was just as beautiful. After a wonderful dinner we took a short walk down to the falls. They were lit up against the night sky and illumination lights, and the scene was magnificent. It was a lovely evening with good friends.
One of the best things about what we do at Ultimate Driving Adventures is the friendships that grow along the way. Our guests may join us as clients, but as we travel together and share these experiences, those relationships become much more personal. We make memories together, and many of our guests become good friends. For me that connection is a big part of what makes every tour so special.
Day 3 – Friday
Today was the start of the official MINI Takes the States New York rally. On a crisp, sunny morning, Grand Island was the perfect place for all the MINIs to gather before setting off on the three-day roadtrip.
What a turnout. There must have been between 300 and 400 MINIs, and more than 800 people. Everyone was a MINI enthusiast, many were dressed up in Halloween costumes, and there was a real feeling of excitement. It was lovely to be part of it. Being there in another country, halfway across the world from home, made it feel even more special. There were plenty of familiar faces in the crowd: guests who had travelled with us before, along with people already booked on our tours for next year. It was lovely to share the morning with so many of our guests, past and future.
I took lots of photographs and really enjoyed the chance to share my passion for photography. I particularly enjoy portrait and landscape photography: pictures of people and pictures of places. I think I’m more drawn to urban photography than nature photography. Nature can be a tough subject to capture, while I enjoy photographing towns, villages, cities, buildings and the way they sit within the landscape.
At around ten, we set off for Syracuse, where we’d be staying that evening. The drive was about four hours, following the southern shore of Lake Ontario. Calling it a lake hardly seems to do it justice. It looked more like a sea.
As we drove along, I caught my first glimpse of the water between the houses lining the shore. At one point, I could see a city skyline far away on the horizon. I assumed it was Toronto, though I can’t be certain. It was also my first proper look at the towns and villages in this part of the country. The houses were made of wood, which was very different from what I’m used to in England. I noticed that there were no fences around the gardens.
Many of the houses had plenty of space around them, and something else stood out: the lawns! Everyone’s grass was short, neatly mown and looked beautiful. People clearly took care over their homes and gardens, which isn’t something you always see in the UK.
I did find myself thinking that this would be a beautiful place to live. There was so much space, the scenery was pretty, the climate was lovely, the grass was green, and there was that magnificent lake. The roads were incredible too. The only drawback might be the speed limits, which seemed a bit strange and didn’t always make much sense. Still, that didn’t dampen the drive.
Lunch was at Chick-fil-A, a place I’d never heard of before. Jake told me it was the American equivalent of KFC. I tried ten chicken fillets with ranch sauce, and they were delicious.
The woman serving us was so lovely. It turned out she and her husband were hoping to travel to Scotland in 2027, so we hope she’ll be able to join us on one of our tours.
After checking into our hotel near the rally venue, we had a quick power nap, then met up with Jason and Stephanie, clients who had become good friends, for a drink and something to eat. The diner was a classic American place, with TVs everywhere, booths around the room and a round bar in the middle. It was awesome.
Drinks with clients and good friends Jason and Stephanie
Afterwards, we made our way to the Mets’ baseball stadium. I don’t know much about baseball, but I recognised the name Mets and thought it must be the famous team from Men in Black. It wasn’t quite that; this was the Little League version of the Mets. Even so, it was a delightful evening with fellow MINI enthusiasts.
MINI had put on the food, drinks and entertainment. There was a DJ music battle, with one DJ taking on another, and a quiz that was great fun. It was a fastest-finger-first competition, with points for the quickest answers. My fingers weren’t quite quick enough, and many of the questions were about America, so I didn’t know the answers. Thankfully, Deb and Vicky, who had been on our Scotland and Wales tours, are very bright and clever. So I copied their answers!
Day 4 – Saturday
Today’s rally took us out of the suburbs of Syracuse and into the more rural landscapes of the Adirondacks. The autumn colours were in full bloom, and the drive was spectacular. The roads wound through the scenery and were incredibly smooth. Being out there with so many other MINI drivers made it a wonderful day on the road.
For lunch we bumped into our long stadning clients and good friends Deb and John whom we enjoyed a quick drink.
This was my favourite part of the rally, and I’d been looking forward to reaching Lake Placid, our destination for the final night. When we arrived, it had a lovely autumnal, almost wintry feel, surrounded by forest and lakes. The lakes we passed were glass-like, with incredible reflections, and the leaves on the trees were all kinds of colours!
We checked into our motel, which is probably the best word for it, then headed down the road to The Big Slide for supper. It’s a brewery and public house in Lake Placid, with its own beers brewed on site and a menu that includes brick-oven pizzas. The pizzas were absolutely fantastic, and I could easily have stayed all evening drinking their wonderful beers, but we had a big night with MINI to look forward to.
Lake Placid is famous for hosting the Winter Olympics in 1980. Tonight’s event was at the Mount Van Hoevenberg Olympic bobsled run. It was a great location, with plenty of room for all the MINIs to park. MINI had put on a small outdoor concert, with Smash Mouth as the headline act.
I’d never heard of the band, but Jake mentioned a couple of their well-known songs and I recognised them. It was a chilly evening, so I spent most of my time inside, chatting with guests, eating, having a drink and enjoying the atmosphere.
Just like that, the night was over. We had one more rally gathering to look forward to on Sunday.
Day 5 – Sunday
We decided to find somewhere for breakfast rather than eat at the motel, which didn’t serve it. We drove a little way out of town to a wonderful mountain café, the Adirondack Mountain Cafe. I had steak and eggs, with the steak cooked medium rare and the eggs over easy, along with a cup of tea and some toast. It was wonderful.
After breakfast, we headed to the rally gathering, which started a little later than the previous mornings, at nine. As before, it was a chance to park up, meet people, enjoy everyone’s company, have some coffee and doughnuts, listen to a band and buy souvenirs.
The weather was stunning. We’d been blessed with sunshine and blue skies each day, and this morning was no exception. It was a lovely way to spend our last few hours with everyone.
At eleven o’clock, the rally came to an end. We said our goodbyes, and I headed off to catch a flight from Syracuse to LaGuardia Airport. I was going to New York City.
I’d never been there before, but I’d grown up seeing it on the big screen. So many films have been made there, and, of course, the city is also marked by the terrible events of 9/11. I wanted to visit the area, go to the museum and see it for myself. I’ve always been fascinated by skyscrapers, and New York has some of the most famous in the world. I was excited to photograph them and experience the city in person.
After landing, I took a bus to the subway, then the subway to my hotel in Lower Manhattan, next to the World Trade Center.
The first thing on my bucket list was a New York bar experience: buffalo strips and blue cheese, washed down with a pint of lager and a whiskey (or two) to follow. As it happened, one of the city’s most famous bars, O’Hara’s, was right opposite my hotel. It felt warm and welcoming, and right next to ground zero where the 911 attacks happened.
O’Hara’s became an important place for firefighters and police officers after the towers came down. The owner welcomed many of them in for drinks and refreshments while the clean-up was under way. The bar has shields from fire and police departments across New York City and New York State, and a memorial book, put together by the owner, with photographs from that day. The bar was damaged by the collapse of the towers which can be seen in the photographs. I can only imagine what it would have been like to be there on that fateful day!
While I was there, several firefighters came in for a drink. They had been there on 9/11. It was a very special moment to share a drink with them.
Day 6 – Monday
Today was all about seeing New York. There were three things I really wanted to do. First, I’d booked an early guided tour of the 9/11 Memorial Museum, before it opened to the public.
It was a wonderful experience. There was no one else in the museum, and our guide took us around the exhibits. The visit was emotional and moving, but also felt spiritual in a way. It’s difficult to describe the feeling of being there and seeing the history of that day up close.
After the museum, I made my way to the heliport near Battery Park to take a helicopter ride around the city. It was incredible. I had a seat next to the pilot, who looked so young he could still have been at school! He did a great job, and the flight was so smooth.
We flew around the Statue of Liberty and along the Hudson River, with fantastic views of Lower Manhattan and the World Trade Center. Then we continued north towards Midtown, seeing the city stretch out towards Central Park, the Empire State Building and all those magnificent landmarks.
Once I was back on terra firma, I made my way to the Empire State Building. It was an absolute must for me. Surprisingly, it was almost empty. There were no queues, and I went straight up to the 86th-floor observation deck. Looking out over Lower Manhattan was wonderful. I was in my element, taking lots of photographs.
I decided not to use my Sony camera that day and took pictures on my iPhone instead. In some situations, it’s just as good, and it was much more practical when I was moving around a big city like New York.
I’d ticked off the three things I’d most wanted to do, so it was time to do some clothes shopping for my daughters. They’d asked me to bring back something unique to New York City. I hit the shops, wandered along some back streets and did a bit more exploring, using the subway here and there. By then, I was completely knackered so it was time for an early supper before my flight.
My flight home was from JFK later that evening, so I still had time to enjoy some New York Italian food. I settled into a place called Serrano’s on 31st street, just around the corner from 34th Street and the train station to the airport. I love these street names, so easy to follow! When I arrived, it was quiet, but within half an hour it had filled with people coming in for dinner. The place was buzzing, and it was a wonderful experience.
I’d been a little anxious about how busy New York might be, with so many people and so much going on, but I genuinely didn’t feel overwhelmed by it. Around every corner there was something new to see. Just being there felt like a childhood dream, and I kept having to pinch myself.
I collected my luggage from one of the luggage storage places near the train station, got on the train and made my way to the airport.
I was sad to be leaving New York, but I was also really looking forward to getting home and seeing my family. I’ll definitely return. I’d love to come back with my family and spend a few days exploring and enjoying the city.
