L.A. DAY TRIP: PORSCHE EXPERIENCE CENTER

Porsche Experience Center Los Angeles

Put the pedal to the metal at Porsche Experience Center Los Angeles, one of only two locations in North America. Less than a 30-minute drive from the Anaheim Resort, the Porsche Experience Center Los Angeles is an ideal day trip for auto enthusiasts who want total immersion in the Porsche culture.

The 53-acre facility allows guests to book two-hour and four-hour experiences on a 4-mile driver development track. The full Porsche product line is available to book through the driving experience, including 911 GT3 that has a cool purchase price tag starting at $143,600.

The course itself features eight different on-road modules that provide guests with a range of driving conditions. A three-quarter-mile straightway allows drivers to test the acceleration of vehicles, with a banked curve that replicates one on the north loop of Germany’s famed Nürburgring. The ice hill, however, puts skills to the test with a 7 percent slope, water jets and a low-friction surface that presents a challenge for even experienced drivers. Other circuits along the track include off-road conditions with rough terrain and 40-degree ascents, and a low friction circle with highly polished concrete.

Each driving experience, which is available for participants ages 21 and older with a valid driver’s license, includes one-on-one coaching with a Porsche Driving Instructor. The bespoke coaching time is customized for specific interests, focusing on skills such as oversteer, understeer and overall car control.

Guests under the age of 21 may watch the action from the Speedster Café patio or second floor balcony, tour the gallery that features a rotating collection of Porsche vehicles from the museum in Stuttgart, Germany, or book time in the simulator lab. Available in 30- or 60-minute sessions, the simulator lab allows guests to choose from a variety of Porsche vehicles and tracks from around the world like the Nürburgring, Daytona, Le Mans and Monaco. For an even more realistic simulation, visitors can add virtual reality to their simulator lab experience, which closely mimics the speed and physics of a real driving session.

Finish off the day with a bite to eat at one of two dining establishments at the center. Speedster Café offers casual grab-and-go fare like coffee and sandwiches, with views of the driver development track. Upstairs, Restaurant 917—named after the 917 race car that gave Porsche its first overall wins at Le Mans in 1970 and 1971—offers farm-to-fork fare for lunch and weekend dinners. Reservations are highly recommended for the modern restaurant, which offers seasonal a la carte entrees in addition to a three-course chef’s tasting menu.

Porsche Experience Center Los Angeles is located at 19800 S. Main St., Carson, CA 90745. Book an experience or learn more at porschedriving.com.