I was panicking.

My husband Bill’s 70th birthday was looming, and I had no idea how to celebrate. 

I bounced ideas around in my head. It needed to be memorable. A big blowout? No. He’s not a party guy, and we don’t know enough people to fill a room. A bucket list item would be better. 

What if I got him a Corvette? Perfect—except the size of our financial portfolio is more like a file folder.

Then I found Turo, the car-sharing app that’s like Airbnb for cars. I typed in “Corvette,” and there it was: a 2021 model for rent less than 20 miles away. Affordable. Available. On his birthday.

When Bill saw it, his face said it all. I knew I had pulled off one of the best surprises of his life! The car was stunning and loaded with all the bells and whistles. It looked like something Tom Cruise would drive. Gray and black, low-slung and—you know, sexy. The owners handed us the keys, and off we went to Buena Vista for two days with a hot car, great weather and plans for total coolness. 

Just a few miles down the road, a group of kids leaned out their car windows as they passed us, giving us thumbs-ups and waves. With 700 horsepower under the hood, we were cruising grandly, feeling—well—cool. Forget that there was barely room for two six-foot-plus people. 

Then came our first restaurant stop. I pictured myself stepping out of the Corvette with my stiletto heel, all elegance and glamour. Instead, extricating myself from the low doorway was an ordeal. Graceful? Not even close.

People noticed everywhere we went. Whistles (for the car, not me), waves and “Woo-hoos” followed us everywhere. 

One man leaned in to admire it. “Is that a graphite wrap?” he asked.

Bill smiled coolly. “It is.”

I shot him a look and, once the man turned away, whispered, “You’re not really going to let him think this is your car, are you?” 

“Of course,” he said with a grin.

Back on the road, when Bill hit 105 mph on an open stretch, I screamed like a kid. With the top down, wind in our hair, music blaring, we were young again.

Of course, there were moments the illusion cracked. Upon our arrival at the hotel, I unfolded myself from the car like a praying mantis, all elbows and knees—before nearly face planting. Luckily, there were no witnesses.

After two days of mountain roads, we hit rush hour on our way home. Panic replaced cool. The only goal was to return the Corvette without a scratch. 

It was an unforgettable experience—two days of joy, adrenaline and borrowed coolness. Bill said he felt like a teenager again.

We also learned that driving a cool car isn’t nearly as easy (or as cool) as it looks. It took supreme effort and bending in ways we didn’t know we still could.

Handing back the keys was tough. Would we do it again? Absolutely. Every graceless move was worth it.

We are looking at a Mazda Miata next go-round. Pray for us.

Rent the Coolest Gift on Four Wheels

Struggling to find the perfect gift? Give them a bucket list gift they’ll never forget! 

Through the Turo app or at Turo.com, you can rent everything from luxury sports cars to vintage classics for a day or two (or more).

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:

The best view on Earth is from on top of a horse

As a horse person with a lifelong desire to visit New Zealand, I was thrilled when I was given the opportunity to participate in an eight-da... Read More » 

Surviving Disney with the grandkids: Disney expert offers advice for planning the ultimate vacation

The grandkids beg, wheedle and whine: “Grandpa, I wanna go to Disney World!”Where they imagine princesses, thrill rides and suitcases full o... Read More »