Three installments in (here, here and here) and we think you’d agree that, in the words of Jerry Garcia, “What a long, strange trip it’s been.” Hopefully, it’s been a worthwhile one too. It’s just that we have so many airport customers, we wanted to make sure to fit them all in before this series became a long list of every airport in North America in alphabetical order (admittedly our goal, but it wouldn’t be nearly as interesting—or as truly weird).
By now you know—and lots of other people are discovering—that electric mobility is here to stay. ChargePoint will be there for you every mile of your EV journey—today, tomorrow and beyond—no matter where you want to go. So, sit back, strap in and set your autopilot for the fourth and final chapter of off-the-beaten-path destinations our airport customers can help you explore. This time we’re headed for the Northeastern US and Toronto, a region rife with history, beauty and, it turns out, lots of EVs:
Boston Area
“That’s wicked pissah!” is something you might hear as you pull up to a ChargePoint charger at Boston’s famed Logan International (BOS). Don’t worry, it’s (probably) a compliment. Once you’ve paid your respects at the airport’s 9/11 outdoor memorial that honors the passengers who flew out of Logan on that fateful day, sightsee your way through the beautiful New England countryside to visit our friends at T.F. Green Airport (PVD) in Providence, Rhode Island, 60 miles south as the crow flies. On your way, stop by:
- World's Largest Air-Insulated Van de Graaff Generator: A 40-foot-high contraption that creates 2million-volt indoor lightning storms of static electricity? Yes, please. It’s hard to beat and only 10 minutes from BOS.
- H.P. Lovecraft House: The final residence of the author behind The Call of Cthulhu and other stories that have fueled your nightmares since you were a kid, 10.5 miles from PVD.
New York Area
New York has one of the biggest EV initiatives in the nation, so it’s not surprising the region’s main airports—John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)—all feature ChargePoint solutions. What is weird (other than the retro TWA Flight Center at JFK Terminal 5) are these attractions:
- The New York Earth Room: Located a mere 10 miles from LGA in Manhattan you’ll find this surprisingly compelling million-dollar room full of dirt.
- Silverball Museum: Ever since we were young, we’ve dreamed of visiting a museum that was also a pinball arcade. This one features more than 180 playable vintage machines and is less than an hour from EWR.
Washington, DC
Airplanes? Electric cars? The founders would hardly recognize the nation they established two and half centuries ago. You’re lucky though because, thanks to our airport partners, you can visit many of the historic documents and see the iconic sites from the earliest days of the republic in an EV. Our nation’s capital is well represented, with charging spots at Baltimore/Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport (BWI) and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). Once you’ve done the 1,000 other things on your itinerary, check out:
- Edgar Allan Poe’s Grave: When it comes to weird, it doesn’t get much stranger than the life and works of the famed author, Edgar Allan Poe. Well, except for maybe his death—or, more precisely, his gravesite. First unmarked, the series of headstones that have since demarcated Poe’s remains have gone through trials and tribulations nearly as mysterious as the man himself. See it for yourself, only 10 miles from BWI in Baltimore, MD.
- Starship Enterprise NCC-1701: The original Star Trek series of the late 1960s and its many spin-offs have sparked the imaginations of countless people, while introducing them to the wondrous possibilities of the future. Now, drive your electric car over to the National Air and Space Museum to see the starship that started it all (well, the actual model, anyway), located a mere 4 miles from DCA.
Toronto, Ontario
When the Toronto Raptors beat our hometown Golden State Warriors for the NBA championship this past June, we couldn’t stay mad for long. It’s not only because the city lives up to its very Canadian reputation for being home to some the politest people on the planet, it’s also sports the country’s largest airport—Toronto Pearson International (YYZ)—who say nice things like this about us:
Our environmental commitment and today’s announcement didn’t happen without the support of our many partners such as @TRCA_HQ’s Partners in Project Green and @ChargePointnet. Learn more about how we work with partners: https://t.co/rqrarMY472 #CountOnPearson #Cdnpoli
— Toronto Pearson (@TorontoPearson) July 29, 2019
While you’re there, catch a nap in one of the airport’s famous sleep pods while you charge, because you’ll want to be well rested for what’s next.
- Casa Loma: In business, it always pays to learn from other people’s mistakes. Since we’re into electricity, we find Sir Henry Mill Pellatt to be a particularly relevant cautionary tale. A century ago, Pellatt, the founder of Toronto Electric Light Company, squandered his fortune building this 98-room castle in downtown Toronto. Recently, the place has doubled as a set for some of the X-Men films, less than 30 minutes from YYZ.
- Cube Houses: We remember when nobody took electric vehicles seriously, so it’s a shame this really cool design didn’t catch on for housing. They were recently sold for condos, so you’ll have to catch them while you can, 30 minutes from the airport.
You did it! We hope you’re as proud of yourself as we are for making it through 4,000 words, give or take, of some of the most unusual places you can take your EV. As for us, we’re off to call up some more airports so you can get even further—and weirder—in the future.
In the meantime, use the hashtag #weirdEVspots on Twitter to show off some of the strangest places you’ve been in your EV. Feel free to tag your favorite airport if it’s not on our list and ask them why they haven’t called us yet. We’ll wait.
?Question: Where is the most unusual place you have charged on the ChargePoint network?
— ChargePoint (@ChargePointnet) July 16, 2019
? Tag interesting spots with #weirdEVspots and be entered to win a special prize!
EV charging made easy at places like @TorontoPearson thanks to our friends at @ChargePointnet ?? pic.twitter.com/9HNi2fjXbp
— Natalia Lasakova (@natlasakova) July 16, 2019
The new @ChargePointnet setup at @no_airport is great! Plugged in and ready for my trip to @DTWeetin. #ChevyBolt #EV
— Dan C Williams (@dancwilliams) July 16, 2019
