Rallying Point
Quail Lodge & Golf Club has indisputably established itself as the premiere destination for classic rallies. Sean Lorentzen explains why.
Quail Lodge & Golf Club has indisputably established itself as the premiere destination for classic rallies. Sean Lorentzen explains why.
For a classic car or motorcycle enthusiast, there's perhaps no more complete or satisfying experience than a rally. The experience of driving along scenic open roads, alongside good friends and legendary machinery with unique stops along the way captures the classic motoring experience in a single package in a way that few other events can. These events have been steadily gaining in popularity over recent years, and nowadays streaming groups of classic machines are becoming a more common sight on the roads of Monterey, California.
Quail Lodge & Golf Club has been a magnet for automotive and motorcycle enthusiasts since the first running of The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering in 2003, and as that world-famous celebration has grown so has Quail lodge's involvement in classic rallying. In 2019, Quail Lodge & Golf Club acts as “home base” for seven world-class rallying events catering to enthusiasts from around the globe. These events include The Quail Rally, The Quail Ride, Quail in Pink Drive for a Cause, Rally Nippon California, the California Mille, the Spring Colors Motoring Tour and unique purchasable Quail Lodge Guest Rallies.
The Quail Rally and The Quail Ride are both hosted and coordinated by the Quail Lodge & Golf Club's very own Peninsula Signature Events team. These evocative events have earned a reputation as the highlights for the property's flagship events, The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering and The Quail Motorcycle Gathering, respectively. These exclusive invitational events take drivers and riders through some of California's most beautiful landscapes, from the rolling hills of Monterey wine country, to the dramatic vistas of the Pacific Coast and even the challenging corners of WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. These unique events begin and end at Quail Lodge, and support a number of Monterey County charities.
For those looking to blaze their own trail, Quail Lodge hosts a series of four Moto Rally Experiences. These unique, all-inclusive experiences allow guests at Quail Lodge to arrive and drive in classic style, while traversing some of central and Northern California's greatest driving roads and most beautiful destinations. Classic vehicles are even available to rent for the drives. The four available experiences are The Scenic Route, a 148-mile tour north and west of Quail lodge including two tastings at Carmel Valley's finest vineyards; The Coastal Motoring Adventure, taking guests south along Pacific Coast Highway to the iconic vistas of Big Sur; ther Cruise Control California Tour, leading adventurous drivers north through dynamic driving roads to the world-famous Canepa Motorsports Museum; and The Golden State Road Rally, sweeping east through Salinas and Carmel Valley into the heart of Central California.
Quail Lodge & Golf Club is also proud to support the battle against breast cancer with its Quail in Pink annual initiative, raising funds to benefit women undergoing treatment in Monterey County. Since 2018, the initiative also includes the Quail in Pink Drive for a Cause, an exclusive 15-car rally through Pinnacles National Park with all proceeds benefitting Breast Cancer Assistance Group of Monterey County.
Outside of Quail Lodge's own events, it manages and plays host to a variety of rallying groups from around the world. Starting in 2018, the lodge acted as home base for Rally Nippon California, a gathering of some of Japan's premier car collectors driving across the globe. The route for 2018 took these participants from the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco along the California Coast to the beautiful lawns of Quail Lodge. The legendary California Mille will also be turning to Quail Lodge as the destination for their 1,000-mile rally in 2020. Quail Lodge will support the goal of bringing the spirit of the Italian Mille Miglia to life with participants' stellar examples of sports and racing cars from 1924-1957, the original years of the Mille Miglia. Lastly, the Spring Colors Motoring Tour has used this scenic locale as a destination for its seasonal exploration of California's natural beauty.
As classic rallying has grown in popularity, Quail Lodge & Golf Club has been constantly striving to offer the gold standard in rally services, hosting and coordination for these events. With the trend showing no signs of stopping, the team at Quail Lodge continues to improve in this expanding field, ensuring that this luxurious locale remains the hub for all those with a love for classic motoring.