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15 Places Every Car Enthusiast Should Visit Before They Die

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Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Speedway, Indiana

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Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Speedway, Indiana

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Emma Bassant from Toronto, Canada places flowers at the mosaic named for the John Lennon's song "Imagine" December 8, 2015 at Strawberry Fields, the Central Park garden dedicated in his honor, in New York. Today marks the 35th anniversary of the night John Lennon was gunned down by Mark David Chapman outside his home in New York City. AFP PHOTO / TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP / TIMOTHY A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)

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NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 25: A general view of atmosphere at the memorial for actor and director Harold Ramis outside the Hook and Ladder 8 station on February 25, 2014 in New York City. The Hook and Ladder 8 was featured as the film location for the Ghostbusters Headquarters in both of the Ghostbuster movies which Harold Ramis acted in.
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Bucket List Builder: 10 Vacation Destinations for Car Enthusiasts

When I plan an itinerary for our family vacations, I always make sure to include something that each member of our family will love. Since we have varying interests, this ensures that everyone gets to do or see something that they really enjoy. When it comes to my husband, I know I can never go wrong with something car-related. So, if you know a car enthusiast, this list is for them.

International Car Forest of the Last Church – Nevada This incredible art installation features more than 40 cars, each a unique masterpiece. Some cars are balanced on top of each other, while you’ll find others sticking out of the ground. This interesting roadside attraction is a must-stop-and-see when you’re road-tripping through Nevada. It’s located on Highway 95, just 1 mile from downtown Goldfield (about halfway between Las Vegas and Reno).

Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum – Indiana The museum is located inside the track, between turns 1 & 2, and it’s open every day of the year except Thanksgiving and Christmas. Inside the museum you will find an exhibit of cars that have won the Indy 500, racing-themed fine art and photography in the gallery, and use your own camera or purchase a printed photo of you inside a real race car! Other exhibits are not permanent, making your visit unique each time you go.

Bonneville Salt Flats Speedway – Utah Easily seen as you drive on I-80, west of Salt Lake City, these unique flats are a not-to-be-missed natural phenomenon. The Bonneville Salt Flats Speedway can be found in the western portion of the 30,000 acre flats. Plan now for World of Speed , which will be held September 10-13, 2021. Admission is $20.00 per day including Pit access or $50.00 for the entire event including Pit Pass.

Cadillac Ranch – Texas There are many great sites to see along Route 66, but this one is perfect for car lovers. Cadillac Ranch is located just west of Amarillo and was built by a group of art-hippies from San Fransisco in 1974. It’s now a piece of public art that is constantly changing. So if you’re heading to Cadillac Ranch, don’t forget to bring a can of spray paint so you can leave your mark on this evolving monument.

The Henry Ford – Michigan When talking about cars, there is one name that resonates with everyone, whether you know a lot about cars or not, and that name is Henry Ford. This incredible experience will give you hours and hours of enjoyment. History and innovation are alive and well at The Henry Ford through museum exhibits including Presidential Vehicles and Heroes of the Sky. Then enjoy a self-guided tour at the Ford Rouge Factory Tour with an observation deck and an elevated walkway that give’s you a birds-eye view of the assembly line.

Team O-Neil Rally School – New Hampshire Choose from one to five-day fun and educational courses for drivers of all experience levels. Located in New Hampshire’s scenic white mountains, Team O-Neil Rally School provides an authentic rally setting and experience featuring dirt, snow and gravel driving courses.

NASCAR Hall of Fame – North Carolina You’ll find everything you’ve ever wanted to know about NASCAR and more under one roof at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Through interactive experiences, realistic racing simulators, and educational exhibits about the history of NASCAR and its drivers, you’ll find an unforgettable experience here.

The Peterson Automotive Museum – California From Hollywood Dream Machines to Building an Electric Future, you’ll discover some of the world’s most iconic and rare vehicles at this museum. Take yourself on a self-guided tour of the newly renovated Vault which features more than 250 vehicles from around the world.

Carhenge – Nebraska Carhenge is a pop-culture icon that is open year-round. This replica of England’s Stonehenge is like nothing you will find anywhere else. 39 automobiles are placed in this to-scale replica, and you can visit daily from dawn to dusk. While you are there, you can also see other car sculptures erected at Car Art Reserve, and no visit is complete without a Pit Stop… which is what the gift shop is called. The gift shop is open from May through September.

National Corvette Museum – Kentucky Known as the “Gateway to all things Corvette,” this museum offers a variety of temporary and permanent exhibits to educate visitors on the Corvette’s past, present and future. Just across the street from the museum, you can take a tour of the Corvette plant, too.

March 1, 2021

How to Plan Your Adventures on Any Budget I love creating valuable content for you. However, there is a cost to maintaining a website. The links below are affiliate links, and when you click on a link I may earn a small commission, BUT there will be no additional cost to you. Let me help you create your next adventure! AIRFARE: Get great deals and expert guidance when booking your next flight by using CheapOAir . HOTELS & ACCOMMODATION: Undercover Tourist provides discounted hotel stays in many cities and resorts across the United States. Getaway invites you to relax and unwind in their tiny cabins nestled in nature. ACTIVITIES: CityPASS offers admission to the most famous and popular attractions in many major cities for up to 50% less than the combined regular price of admissions. From simple tours to extreme adventures, Viator makes it easy for you to create memories wherever you go at a lower price. With Gametime you can find tickets to your favorite live events including sports, concert, and theatre experiences. City Experiences give you the chance to explore unique places and have unforgettable experiences. Undercover Tourist provides attraction prices at discounted prices to theme parks, attractions, concerts and sports. VividSeats allows you to easily find tickets to the events you love, whether it be sports, concerts, comedy shows or theatre. Trusted Tours and Attractions provides discount tickets to top US sightseeing tours, attractions, and museums. The Sightseeing Pass is designed to make your trip planning easier by allowing you to select the places you want to see for a fraction of the price. PARKING: The Parking Spot makes long-term parking near the airport a superior experience.

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USA TODAY 10Best

Car-nival: 10 best attractions for car lovers across the US

Best Attraction for Car Lovers (2023) April 21, 2023

If you’re a car fanatic, the U.S. is packed with places that celebrate these marvels of engineering. From car museums and factory tours to behind-the-wheel driving experiences and live auctions, these 10 attractions should be on every automobile enthusiast’s bucket list.

No. 10: Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum - Birmingham, Alabama

More than a quarter million people pass through the doors of the Barber Motorsports Museum each year to enjoy the collection of some 1,600 vintage motorcycles, of which more than 900 are on display at any given time. The collection includes around 100 Harley-Davidsons and more than 50 vintage Lotus cars.

No. 9: Mullin Automotive Museum - Oxnard, California

This privately owned automobile museum in Oxnard, California showcases the personal collection of philanthropist Peter W. Mullin, with a focus on French coachbuilders. The 46,000-square-foot museum is open to the public on Fridays and Saturdays, and tickets should be purchased in advance.

No. 8: Marshall Steam Museum - Yorklyn, Delaware

Auto enthusiasts can travel back in time at the Marshall Steam Museum, where they can peruse the world's largest operating collection of Stanley steam cars, as well as a 1916 electric car and two 1930s Packards. Train fans can even check out the Auburn Valley Railroad with its 1/8th-size coal-fired steam trains that circle the property.

No. 7: Revs Institute - Naples, Florida

The automobiles showcased at the Revs Institute in Naples are among the most important and rarest built, almost all meticulously restored to peak operational condition. Visitors can see more than 100 vehicles from 1896 to 1995, including a 1939 Mercedes-Benz W154 Grand Prix, 1896 Panhard et Levassor Wagonette and the first Porsche 550-01.

No. 6: America's Transportation Experience / AACA Museum - Hershey, Pennsylvania

America's Transportation Experience / AACA Museum Inc., an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institute, celebrates the automobile through a series of vintage cars on display and interactive exhibits covering cars, motorcycles and other automobiles from the 1890s to the 1980s. It's also the home of the most extensive collection of Tucker automobiles and memorabilia in the world.

No. 5: America's Car Museum - Tacoma, Washington

America’s Car Museum celebrates the automobile with a collection of some 250 vehicles spanning more than a century of automotive history, as well as another 100 automobiles on loan from private collections. Visitors can easily spend a day exploring their 12 galleries and 9-acre campus.

No. 4: National Corvette Museum - Bowling Green, Kentucky

The Corvette, America's legendary sports car, is manufactured only in Bowling Green, and the city also plays host to the National Corvette Museum. Automobile enthusiasts will find a collection of more than 80 Corvettes in period settings alongside numerous interactive exhibits. Visitors can even get behind the wheel of a C6 Corvette in their Corvette Simulator.

No. 3: Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum in Philadelphia celebrates “The Spirit of Competition” with a collection of more than 75 historically significant cars, ranging from Ferrari and Bugatti to Corvette and Ford, collected by Dr. Frederick Simeone over the course of five decades.

No. 2: Savoy Automobile Museum - Cartersville, Georgia

The Savoy Automobile Museum in Cartersville, Georgia is the "Southeast's new automotive hangout," says expert Joel Kokoska. The museum routinely changes out exhibits to showcase the variety of automobiles past and present that have left an indelible mark on the industry. Past exhibits have included iconic wood-paneled vehicles, muscle cars, British cars and much more. The ever-changing collections is a key reason why you'll want to visit again and again.

No. 1: Speedway Motors Museum of American Speed - Lincoln, Nebraska

The Speedway Motors Museum of American Speed showcases history-making cars, from Indy 500 racers to one of the world’s largest collections of exotic and historic American racing engines. Museum exhibits cover several topics, including toys, pedal cars and driving safety.

About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards

Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best .

The Experts

Joel kokoska.

Like so many in the automotive industry, my... Read More

Like so many in the automotive industry, my passion for all things automotive started at an early age with memories of Hot Wheels and car shows! As I grew up in a car culture family my automotive path started like many with an afterschool job at a local hot rod shop. Working in a small business, I saw many sides to the business which helped shape my understanding of the highs and lows a business owner goes through to meet the demands of the business. I have been involved in the hot rod industry for over 33 years now and continue to help ensure the continuation of the industry and expand its footprint to the next generation of hot rodders by currently serving on the Hot Rod Industry Alliance (HRIA) committee for SEMA. Stay connected with me through my channels on Instagram or LinkedIn .

Lee Spencer

An award-winning motorsports journalist with more... Read More

An award-winning motorsports journalist with more than 25 years experience covering NASCAR racing, Lee Spencer has distinguished herself in a variety of roles including lead NASCAR writer for FoxSports.com , the first female beat writer for Sporting News and senior NASCAR writer and editor for Motorsport.com . Currently, Spencer is a regular contributor to RacinBoys.com and also serves as a guest host on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Catherine Smith

Catherine Smith, Readers' Choice Awards... Read More

Catherine Smith, Readers' Choice Awards Production Manager and Social Media Director for USA TODAY 10Best, has a special interest in unique culinary experiences and off-the-beaten-path adventures. Catherine is the founder of Her Bags Were Packed where she focuses on helping women release emotional baggage through solo travel and self-discovery.

10Best Editors

USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More

USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.

Best Attraction for Car Lovers

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Back to readers' choice.

These are the 10 best attractions for car lovers across the U.S., as voted by readers

If you ’ re a car geek, the United States is packed with places that celebrate these marvels of engineering. From car museums and factory tours to behind-the-wheel driving experiences and live auctions, these 10 attractions – voted as the best by our readers – should be on every automobile enthusiast ’ s bucket list.

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15 Affordable Destinations All Car Lovers Should Visit

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For a lot of people, a car is just something you use to get from point A to point B. For auto enthusiasts, however, they are marvels of engineering, or even works of art. Just as auto lovers span the globe, so do landmarks, festivals, shows and museums dedicated to cars.

If you’re a true car lover, there are a handful of destinations you need to visit before you die. Here are 15 of the best destinations to see rare and beautiful cars.

Petersen Automotive Museum

Los Angeles

Named the 2016 Museum of the Year by International Historic Motoring Awards, the Petersen Museum is a haven for gearheads. Situated on the third-most traveled intersection in Los Angeles, the museum anchors the far end of the city’s famed Miracle Mile.

Exhibits in the car museum include The Art of Bugatti, Harley vs. Indian, The Unconventional Canvases of Keith Haring and Cars Mechanical Institute. Entry is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and students, $7 for children and free for active-duty military, personal care attendants and children under 3.

Mercedes-Benz Museum

Stuttgart, Germany

Few countries boast an automotive tradition as rich and storied as Germany, and the name Mercedes-Benz is synonymous with German engineering. With a visit to the auto icon’s namesake museum in Stuttgart, tourists will travel through the 130-year history of the automobile industry.

The museum is home to 1,500 exhibits and 160 vehicles spread over nine levels. The tour, which lasts about two hours, transports visitors from 1886 to the present. Although several packages exist, a single adult day ticket costs 10 euros, or about $10.80.

Bonneville Salt Flats Speedway

Tooele County, Utah

Completely devoid of life and so flat that the curvature of the Earth is visible to the human eye, Utah’s mythical Bonneville Salt Flats stretch more than 30,000 acres. Moreover, the greatest land speed records in history have been set and broken in this land of salt, which borders Utah’s famous lake of salt. There’s a reason the site bears the nickname “automotive heaven.”

A global destination for motorheads since 1896, Bonneville saw racers set the official land speed record of 141.73 mph in 1914. In the ensuing decades, the 300, 400, 500 and 600 mph records were also broken on site, as was the sound barrier. Anyone can visit this destination for free.

The Autobahn

It’s impossible to craft a list of automotive meccas without mentioning Germany’s legendary Autobahn. Although it’s known around the world as a vehicular free-for-all, the Autobahn has suggested speed limits in many places. Additionally, the frequent traffic jams enforce de facto limits.

The German superhighway — which is actually a network of limited-access freeways that let drivers jaunt from city to city — traces its roots to 1913. Although it was built over several generations, it is most commonly associated with Adolph Hitler, who greatly expanded the Autobahn after realizing its military potential. There is no cost to ride, but a German driver’s license can cost up to $3,000.

Check It Out: The Cost of a Car the Year You Were Born

Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Indianapolis

Arguably the most famous racetrack in the world, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is host to three of the greatest contests in the racing world: the Brickyard 400, the Indycar Grand Prix and the Indy 500. Known as “the racing capital of the world,” the speedway opened in 1909 to accommodate the growing popularity of the sport. The same year, 22-year-old Alice Huyler Ramsey became the first woman in history to drive 3,800 miles across the U.S.

The speedway still beckons race fans from around the world. Ticket prices vary depending on the event.

North American International Auto Show

Although Michigan is the most expensive state to own a car, it is home to Detroit. The Motor City is the location of the world’s largest exposition of vehicles and auto-related technology. In 2016, most of the show’s 61 vehicle debuts were exclusive global firsts. Additionally, 5,000 journalists from 60 countries attended the event, as did the world’s most significant concentration of auto engineers, executives, designers and builders.

The show consists of six separate events wrapped into one spectacular festival. Ticket prices vary by event, but you can expect to pay $500 for The Gallery, $110 for the Industry Preview and $400 for the Charity Preview, $390 of which can be written off.

Daytona International Speedway

Daytona Beach, Fla.

Few names in the automotive world are more recognizable than the Daytona International Speedway. Home of iconic events like the Daytona 500, it’s the hallowed ground where racing giant Dale Earnhardt Sr. won 34 titles — that’s more than any other driver in history.

Tours include a tram that lets visitors experience the speedway’s legendary 31-degree banks. Tickets cost $18 for adults and $12 for kids and are free for children 5 and under. Pricier all-access tours and VIP options are also available.

Shelby Factory Tour

The late Carroll Shelby’s impact on the evolution of American race cars is immeasurable. Shelby guided the design of legends like the AC Cobra and Ford’s line of high-performance vehicles, which culminated in the Shelby Mustang.

Shelby’s legacy lives on at the Shelby Factory in Las Vegas. Guided tours are available for free every day except Sunday, and visitors are welcome to check out the Shelby Heritage Center and Carroll Shelby’s Store, as well. The showroom is a great and affordable place to visit with kids.

National Automobile Museum

One of the top five American museums dedicated to cars, the National Automobile Museum in Reno places more than 200 vehicles against life-like street scenes. Exhibits are as varied and inventive as Cars on Mars, the 1908 U.S. to Paris Auto Race, the Bill Harrah 1911-1978 Collection, and permanent collections like the Celebrity Autos exhibit.

The museum charges $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and $4 for children. Kids 5 and under can enter for free.

Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Auction

Known for providing “The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions,” Barrett-Jackson is the gold standard of the collector car industry. Barrett-Jackson auctions take place throughout the year in Scottsdale, Ariz., Las Vegas, Palm Beach, Fla., and at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut. Half a million people attend the company’s four auctions, and millions more watch on TV.

Adult tickets cost $70 in advance or $80 at the gate. For military personnel and students, those prices drop to $60 and $70, respectively. Children’s tickets cost $25 at the gate.

Ferrari Factory and Museum

Maranello, Italy

In the world of luxury sports cars, there is Ferrari and then everything else. Visitors to the Ferrari factory and museum can see the famous Ferrari track, which has hosted every road test for every Ferrari vehicle since 1972. Additionally, guests can board luxury shuttle buses that wind along the Fiorano track and coast Viale Enzo Ferrari Boulevard in the famed factory itself.

Tours are available every day excerpt Christmas and New Year’s Day. Tickets are 13 euros ($14) for adults, 11 euros ($11.87) for students and seniors, and 5 euros ($5.40) for minors.

Concours d’Elegance

Pebble Beach, Calif.

Automotive appreciation at its most upscale, the Concours d’Elegance epitomizes high-end taste. The competition includes 200 of the world’s most valuable collector cars showcased on a famous fairway: the 18th hole at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

Living the luxury life will cost you, however. General admission tickets are $325 if purchased prior to Aug. 1 and $375 after. VIP tickets will run you $750, and the Chairman’s Hospitality Luxury Package costs a cool $2,500.

National Corvette Museum

Bowling Green, Ky.

The National Corvette Museum in Kentucky pays homage to one of the world’s most instantly recognizable vehicles. More than 80 Corvettes are on display, trapped in time in displays that match their historical eras. Visitors can ogle mint-condition classics, test their knowledge of trivia, see emerging prototypes and even take a lap at the adjoining Motorsports Park.

Plant tours are $10 for adults and $5 for students ages 10 to 16. No one under 10 is admitted, and combo packages are available.

Cadillac Ranch

Amarillo, Texas

A unique tribute to the legendary Caddy can be found in the desert of Northwest Texas, along a lonely stretch of the iconic Route 66. The unique and free roadside attraction is a tie-die monument built by San Francisco hippies. The artistic altar to the unmistakable Cadillac tail fin consists of 10 partially submerged vehicles, all with their noses down and facing west in a line.

From the 1949 Club Sedan to the 1963 Sedan de Ville, the chronologically ordered cars are buried at the same angle as the Giza Pyramids, or so the legend goes. It’s free to visit, and you can join other tourists in leaving your mark on the monument in spray paint.

Havana, Cuba

Havana is a living time capsule of America’s automotive past. In 1960, during the height of the Cold War, the U.S. imposed a trade embargo on the Caribbean island. Out of necessity, the Cuban people found ways to keep their motors running. While the old vehicles don’t always get the best gas mileage, they’re certainly fun to look at.

Now that U.S. residents can legally visit Cuba, head to the island and see these classics before the inevitable wave of modernity hits. Mercedes diesels, pink ’55 Dodges, ’54 Buicks and red-and-white ’56 Chevys are all common sights on the island.

If you’re considering a trip to Cuba, plan to spend about $72 per person per day, not including airfare.

Up Next: How Much Is Your Car Really Worth?

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The Inventory

The Ten Ultimate Vacations For Car Lovers

You can enjoy even the worst road trip , but there are some drives that every gearhead wants to experience. We got Jalopnik readers to put together the ten ultimate destinations for the motoring soul.

10 Places in America Every Car Lover Needs to Visit

The fastest bucket list around.

Visitors look at vintage automobiles dur

There’s more to American car culture than cruising up and down Main Street, USA. Museums, race tracks, historical sites, and automotive artistry litter the American landscape. Here are ten must-see places every car lover should visit before they die.

National Corvette Museum

This place is about more than just a few classic Corvettes on carpet. The museum is a vast complex that includes the NCM Motorsports Park—a sprawling track that hosts several motoring events for amateurs and professionals alike.

Bonneville Speedway

Bonneville is a speedway in name only. The site for numerous land speed records is a lonely place way out in the Bonneville Salt Flats of Utah. The salty track is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, too. It’s one of the few places in the U.S. to see cars reach insane speeds.

Every August is Speed Week, the largest meet of the year, where hundreds of drivers compete to set speed records in various categories. (You may want to expedite a trip here, though. The salt flats are deteriorating, which has led to event cancellations.)

Cadillac Ranch

Located in Amarillo, Texas, Cadillac Ranch is a public art installation of ten classic Cadillac cars half-buried nose first in the Texas ground. The Cadillacs range from the 1949 to 1963 model year—the heyday of massive tail fins and chrome galore. The display, visible from the road but located on private land, is open to the public, who are encouraged to interact with the cars, which includes bringing a can of spray paint to add to the automotive graffiti that now adorns the vehicles. (Honorable mention: Nebraska's Carhenge , which is exactly what you think.)

Indianapolis 500

Indy is called “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” for a reason. It’s unlike any other racing event in the world, with attendance often reaching nearly 300,000 on Memorial Day. And you don’t have to be a racing fan to enjoy the festivities (diminishing interest in the IndyCar series hasn't sunk the race itself as a cultural event for this very reason).

The race is all about the tradition of the event—race day is meticulously planned with pre- and post-race ceremonies, and the famous bottle of milk ready in victory lane at the conclusion of the 500 miles. Also, who doesn’t like seeing ridiculous race cars reach speeds north of 200 miles per hour?

Petersen Automotive Museum

The Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles is a museum filled with rare vehicles from automakers all over the world. The museum has more than 100 vehicles on display at any one time, with the other half of the collection stored in “The Vault,” a basement storage facility that requires a premium admission ticket. The museum offers several galleries and often runs exclusive exhibits such as one for Porsche, which displayed a rare 1939 Porsche 64—one of two in existence.

Henry Ford Museum

The Henry Ford Museum, located at the home of the Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan, is one of the largest indoor-outdoor museums in the U.S. It’s also home to iconic and historical vehicles you can’t see anywhere else. It contains John F. Kennedy’s presidential limousine, the bus where Rosa Parks was arrested (pictured), a 1950s-era Oscar Mayer Wienermobile, and the first production-built Ford Mustang.

Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

Pebble Beach is the go-to event for automotive high society. The event, held at the conclusion of Monterey Car Week, hosts gorgeous pre- and post-war cars rarely seen outside of museums or private collections. Owners compete in several categories in hopes of earning the coveted Best of Show award that goes to just one car in attendance. Cars you could see there include the 1938 Phantom Corsair, 1929 Duesenberg J Murphy Convertible Coupe, 1930 Bentley Speed Six, and many more forgotten classics.

Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Auction

You don’t need a trust fund and an offshore bank account in the Cayman Islands to enjoy a Barrett-Jackson classic car auction. Just being there is a joy. You can watch as hundreds of thousands of dollars (if not millions) roll across the auction block. You can then peruse the various cars that have new homes and owners.

A Barrett-Jackson auction often plays host to automakers auctioning off the first production vehicle of a new model with the proceeds donated to a charity—which could see otherwise affordable cars sell for millions of dollars. You might see a boat or airplane auctioned off, too.

Woodward Dream Cruise

Every August, the suburbs north of Detroit fill with more than a million car enthusiasts who want to zip up and down Woodward Avenue—or at least watch a fleet of gorgeous vehicles do so. The petro-passion here has turned the one-day rolling car show into a weeklong automotive extravaganza.

The event harkens back to the 1950s and 1960s when carloads of kids and young adults would spend nights and weekends cruising up and down the road. Today, the Woodward Dream Cruise is a major automotive event, with automakers, suppliers, and other automotive companies participating. It’s a must-see for any car enthusiast.

Daytona 500

Daytona is the NASCAR equivalent of the Indy 500. It’s called “The Great American Race” and is often one of the first racing events of the new year—being held in February since the inaugural race in 1959. The Daytona 500 is a direct successor to the Daytona Beach and road course that was instrumental in the formation of NASCAR. And yes, they raced on the sandy beach. Today, the Daytona 500 is a massive event for race and non-race fans alike. It’s a worthy entry on any automotive bucket list.

Anthony is a freelance writer covering the automotive industry and horror entertainment.

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A Car Enthusiast's Guide to Italy's Motor Valley

Elizabeth Heath

The Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy is home to the Motor Valley, where some of the world's most renowned sports cars are built. Dubbed "the land where speed was born," the Motor Valley centers around Modena and includes Parma , Bologna , and parts of the Romagna, the eastern portion of the larger region.

For sports car enthusiasts, a tour of the Motor Valley offers the chance to visit the assembly lines of some of the world's fastest and most expensive cars, ogle rare and priceless editions in automotive museums, and even drive one of the stunningly fast sports cars on a professional race course.

Here are some highlights of the Motor Valley, a must-see for car-lovers visiting Italy.

Ferrari-Focused Attractions

Ferrari race cars and sports cars were first made in Modena, and two museums in and near the city tell the story of the legendary company and its larger-than-life founder, Enzo Ferrari.

Ferrari was born in a farmhouse in northeast Modena, where his father had an auto repair shop. That preserved farmhouse plus a modern annex, shielded by a bright yellow roof designed to mimic the streamlined form of a Ferrari, comprise the Museo Enzo Ferrari . The museum has displays on Ferrari's life, the founding of the Scuderia Ferrari racing team and later, of the eponymous race car manufacturer. A futuristic exhibit area holds an astounding collection of mint-condition vintage Ferraris, as well as new prototypes. In the original Ferrari family home and workshop, visitors can see a display of Ferrari engines—possibly more of interest to real car buffs—as well as Enzo Ferrari's office, kept as it was when he occupied it.

For an extra fee, the museum offers a driving simulator that puts participants behind the wheel of a Formula 1 race car. There's also a gift shop (naturally) and a cafe.

In Maranello, a few miles outside Modena, the Museo Ferrari Maranello contains more displays on the history of the Ferrari brand, as well as models of F1 race cars and sports cars. Included in admission is a bus tour of the Fiorano test track and an outdoors-only look at the factory complex where Ferraris are built. Note that no photography is allowed during the factory/track tour, and visitors stay on the bus the entire time.

The Maranello museum also offers, for an extra fee, two driving simulators, photos inside a recent model Ferrari, and for groups, the chance to book a tire change experience, where they get to race the clock to change an F1 tire in a simulated pit stop.

For Lamborghini Lovers

The story goes that when Ferruccio Lamborghini, a tractor manufacturer and lover of fast cars, approached Enzo Ferrari with a suggestion for how Ferrari could improve his cars' design, Ferrari told him, in so many words, to "stick to building tractors." Lamborghini's response to the slight was to start his own sports car company, and Lamborghini Automobili was born. Today, the sports cars are still produced at the site of the original factory—now greatly modernized—at Sant'Agata Bolognese, about 15.5 miles (25 kilometers) from Bologna.

The MUDETEC Museum , also on the site of the original factory, holds a priceless, decades-spanning collection of Lamborghini cars, and offers an optional driving simulator for those who want to feel what it's like behind the wheel. But the experience that Lamborghini devotees reserve months in advance is the factory tour, which allows guests to visit—but not photograph—the production lines for the Aventador and Huracán models. Each car is custom made per client order, and the precision—down to the second—with which the cars move through the line, from empty chassis to painted and upholstered vehicles is indeed impressive.

Lamborghini also offers the Esperienza, a day-long program where participants visit the museum and factory tour, then transfer to the Autodromo di Imola to drive one of the fabled sports cars on a real racetrack.

More Highlights from the Motor Valley

Maserati Showroom and Factory Tour: In Modena, visitors to the futuristic Maserati Showroom can see the current range of Maserati sports sedans and the company's new SUV, which has quickly become a best-seller. During the factory tour, guests can witness the precision robotics and meticulous quality control on the assembly line. The company offers a range of driving experiences, from practice runs on a racetrack to a day of full-speed racing, with prices beginning at 3,900 euros.

Panini Motor Museum : This Modena museum houses a collection of 19 rare and vintage Maseratis, dating from 1934 to 2002.

Pagani Factory Tour : Find out how much work goes into each handmade Pagani roadster, which cost around $1.4 million. But if you have to ask the price, you probably can't afford it.

Ducati Museum and Factory Tour: Swap four wheels for two at the Ducati motorcycle museum and factory tour. Driving experiences are also available.

Dallara Academy : Long associated with F1 and IndyCar racing, Dallara only introduced its first street sports car in 2017. The Dallara Academy offers a history of the company, as well as hands-on experiences to help visitors understand the science behind automotive design.

Where to Stay in the Motor Valley

If the purpose of your trip is primarily to tour sports car museums and participate in factory tours, it makes sense to base in Modena. Fortunately, especially for members of your party who are not wild about expensive cars, Modena is a great city to visit in its own right, with an important culinary and artistic heritage. It's the center of balsamic vinegar production, while prosciutto and parmesan cheese from neighboring Parma feature prominently in local cuisine. A historic opera house, the Ducal Palace, the 12th-century Duomo, and the Museum Palace complex are all worthwhile diversions in Modena.

In the heart of Modena's centro storico , or historic center, the Hotel Milano Palace is a well-priced 4-star hotel. For something decidedly more upscale, celebrity chef Massimo Bottura and his wife, Lara Gilmore have opened Casa Maria Luigia , a luxury guesthouse in a parklike setting just outside Modena. Bottura, whose Osteria Francescana has repeatedly been designated the World's Best Restaurant, oversees the breakfast menu, so rest assured that it won't be your average hotel breakfast buffet.

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Top 7 U.S. Vacation Destinations for Car Geeks

Planning a vacation? Why not feed your inner car geek at the same time? Whether you prefer cutting-edge Corvettes or classic Cadillacs, these seven museums definitely have something to satisfy every car aficionado.

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National Corvette Museum

7. National Corvette Museum (Bowling Green, KY)

Kentucky is not just Thoroughbred country, but Corvette Headquarters. Any ’vette fans will definitely want to tour the National Corvette Museum located on a 55-acre campus in Bowling Green. Guests can tour the actual Corvette plant, as well as take a 3-mile loop ride in one of the brand’s featured cars like the 1979 Corvette Red Coupe. Thrill seekers will not want to miss the nearby NCM Motorsports Park, where visitors can take a whirl with a professional driver.

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Gateway Canyons Resort Photo: Destination Colorado

6. Gateway Canyons Resort (Gateway, Colorado)

Drive to Gateway, Colorado to experience the car geek haven known as Gateway Canyons Resort. Discovery Channel founder John Hendricks forged this car lover’s attraction. Tourists can roam the on-site car museums that include historical rarities like the 1954 Oldsmobile F-88 concept car and the 1906 Cadillac Model H Coupe. Speed demons can go for a spin in a supercar or exotic vehicle available for rent. You can also test out the nearby off-roading track.

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Petersen Automotive Museum Photo: David Zaitz

5. Petersen Automotive Museum (Los Angeles, California)

LA boasts one of the world’s largest auto museums, the Petersen Automotive Museum, that teems with 25 public galleries and over 100 cars. Pour over film-featured cars like the 1992 Batmobile from Batman Returns , Lightning McQueen from Disney Pixar’s Cars & Cars 2 , as well as the 1964 Aston Martin DB5 from the James Bond movie Skyfall . Guests can also pay an admission premium to access the “vault,” which accommodates the museum’s more private collection.

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NASCAR Hall of Fame Photo: NASCAR Hall of Fame

4. NASCAR Hall of Fame (Charlotte, North Carolina)

Head to the NASCAR Hall of Fame to wander over 150,000 square-feet of race car history. Tourists can also browse the Glory Road area that houses 18 historic cars and features 40 different racecar tracks. You can also peruse the Hall of Honor that immortalizes NASCAR’s famous inductees. With 50 interactive attractions like racing simulators and four floors containing around 1,000 artifacts, learning about racecar history has never been so fun.

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The Kennedy Car at the Ford Museum Photo: Day in Tech History

3. Henry Ford Museum (Dearborn, Michigan)

Michigan boasts one of the U.S.’s car history gems, the Henry Ford Museum. View the Driving America display that features historical American cars like the 1865 Roper, the oldest surviving car in the country, as well as Henry Ford’s first gas-fueled vehicle. The Presidential Vehicles exhibit showcases historic presidential rides, including the iconic 1961 Lincoln Continental limousine that John F. Kennedy was assassinated in. Visitors can also engage in the museum’s plethora of interactive features, like building a Model T.

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A flashy 1931 Cord Speedster at the Auburn cord Duesenberg Museum Photo: Larry Edsall

2. Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum (Auburn, IN)

Classic car enthusiasts will want to visit Auburn, IN to check out the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum. This former headquarters-turned-museum-building boasts elegant Art Deco architecture. The main show room area is filled with color from the vintage Auburn, Duesenberg, and Cord autos on display. Guests can delight in the 120 cars the museum houses as well as nine car-themed galleries depicting the history of the Auburn Automobile Company, as well as Indiana-built cars.

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Tesla robots assembling some rad models at the Fresno factory Photo: Tesla Motors

1. Tesla Factory (Fremont, CA)

For those privileged owners of Tesla cars, cruise to Fremont for a private tour of the Tesla Factory. Set foot on the holy ground where Elon Musk ’s brainchildren are born. The front of the factory houses a small array of historical Teslas, like the Tesla Model S and Roadster. Witness firsthand the amazing robotic production machines, as well as the human assembly line workers that add the finishing touches to the aluminum body components before they are painted.

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Sources: Automobile Magazine , autoNXT , Travel Channel , Roadtrippers , Corvette Museum , Classic Cars , Automobile Museum , Petersen Automotive Museum , NASCAR Hall of Fame , Henry Ford Museum , Autoweek , Electrek

The News Wheel is a digital auto magazine providing readers with a fresh perspective on the latest car news. We’re located in the heart of America (Dayton, Ohio) and our goal is to deliver an entertaining and informative perspective on what’s trending in the automotive world. See more articles from The News Wheel.

10 Best Things to do in Japan for Car Lovers

David Meskens is an intern from Belgium. He is a last-year International Business Management student from Thomas More in Belgium. He came to Japan to learn as much as possible from the Japanese culture and to get some work-ready experience. He is a big sports fan. Basketball is his favorite, and he recently became passionate about Sumo wrestling after attending an event in Japan.

This post may contain some affiliate links. When you click through and make a purchase we may receive some commission, at no extra cost to you .

Japan is known for its technological prowess and attention to detail. It is a dream destination for car enthusiasts. From iconic Japanese car manufacturers to meticulously crafted sports cars and the vibrant car culture , Japan has a lot to offer to those passionate about the automotive world. In this article, we’ll guide you through a trip designed specifically for car lovers in Japan, highlighting must-visit locations and experiences that will leave you craving more.

1. Nissan Crossing

2. honda collection hall, 3. mazda museum, 4. subaru visitor center, 5. nissan heritage collection, 6. super autobacs, 7. visit a race track, 8. tokyo car culture, 9. nissan gallery global headquarters, 10. toyota museum, japan wonder travel tours , other articles you might like.

Located in the upscale Ginza district of Tokyo , Nissan Crossing offers an immersive experience for Nissan fans. The showroom features an array of both current and concept vehicles, showcasing the brand’s cutting-edge technology and design. Be sure to check out the virtual reality zone for an interactive glimpse into the future of automotive technology.

Situated at the Twin Ring Motegi race circuit in Tochigi Prefecture , the Honda Collection Hall is a must-visit for fans of the renowned Japanese automaker. This museum showcases a vast collection of Honda vehicles, motorcycles, and racing machines, highlighting the brand’s rich history and engineering achievements.

Take a trip to Hiroshima , the birthplace of Mazda, and visit the Mazda Museum located at the company’s headquarters. Embark on a guided tour to learn about Mazda’s history, design philosophy, and innovative technology, such as the rotary engine. You’ll also get a rare opportunity to see the assembly line where Mazda cars are manufactured.

Located in Gunma Prefecture , the Subaru Visitor Center offers a fascinating insight into the world of Subaru. Enjoy exhibits showcasing the brand’s history, rally racing heritage, and advanced engineering. You can also take a factory tour to witness the production of iconic models such as the Impreza and the Forester.

Housed within the Nissan Technical Center in Kanagawa Prefecture , the Nissan Heritage Collection is a treasure trove for car enthusiasts. With more than 300 cars on display, this collection chronicles Nissan’s evolution over the decades, from classic Datsun models to legendary sports cars like the Nissan Skyline GT-R. Be sure to add this place to your must-see list.

Super Autobacs is a popular chain of automotive superstores in Japan that cater to car lovers and tuners alike. With a wide variety of aftermarket parts, accessories, and car care products, Super Autobacs is a one-stop shop for all your car needs. Don’t miss the in-store garage, where you can watch professional technicians working on custom car modifications.

Experience the thrill of Japanese motorsports by attending a race at one of the country’s famous tracks. Suzuka Circuit, Fuji Speedway, and Twin Ring Motegi regularly host both domestic and international races, including Formula 1 and Super GT events. If you’re looking to get behind the wheel yourself, many circuits offer track days and driving experiences for enthusiasts.

Immerse yourself in Tokyo’s vibrant car culture by attending a car meet up or visiting the famous Daikoku Futo parking area in Yokohama , where car enthusiasts gather to showcase their unique and modified vehicles. Keep an eye out for local events like the Tokyo Auto Salon or Tokyo Motor Show, which offer incredible displays of custom cars and cutting-edge technology.

Nestled in the heart of Japan’s bustling metropolis, the Nissan Gallery Global Headquarters serves as a contemporary showcase for the renowned automaker’s cutting-edge innovations and designs. This captivating space offers visitors a unique opportunity to explore the latest in automotive technology, witness the evolution of Nissan’s iconic vehicles, and engage with interactive exhibits. At the Nissan Gallery Global Head Square, one can truly immerse themselves in the visionary spirit that drives the company’s commitment to shaping the future of mobility.

The Toyota Museum in Tokyo showcases the rich history and innovative achievements of the world-renowned Toyota Motor Corporation. Visitors can explore the fascinating evolution of automobiles, from classic models to cutting-edge technology, through interactive exhibits and displays. This captivating destination offers an engaging experience for car enthusiasts and curious minds alike, providing insights into the past, present, and future of the automotive industry.

Japan Wonder Travel is a travel agency that offers guided tours throughout Japan. From private walking tours to delicious Food and Drink tours, we can help you organize the best tours just for you! If you want to explore Japan and learn more about the history and backstories of each area you are visiting, our knowledgeable and friendly English speaking guides will happily take you to the best spots! In addition, we can provide you with any assistance you may need for your upcoming trip to Japan, so please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or need some help!

▶ Tokyo Tsukiji Fish Market Food and Drink Tour Explore the most lively and popular fish market in Tokyo and try some of the local’s favorite street foods and sake with one of our friendly and knowledgeable English speaking guides!

▶ Tokyo 1–Day Highlights Private Walking Tour (8 Hours) There’s no better way to explore an area than taking a tour with a knowledgeable local guide. You will have the chance to learn about the history and interesting background stories of Tokyo, as well as discover some hidden gems which can be hard to do without a guide.

▶ Mt. Fuji Day Trip Bus Tour from Tokyo Experience the breathtaking views of Mt. Fuji by visiting the highlights of the area on our guided sightseeing bus tour! Departing from Shinjuku in central Tokyo, you can travel comfortably to all of the best spots in the area by bus.

▶ Kyoto Private Full Day Walking Tour On this full-day private tour of Kyoto, you will be able to see the highlights of Kyoto in just one day and at the same time develop a deeper understanding of both the culture of the area and Japan as a whole.

Happy traveling!

Stay informed of the best travel tips to Japan, the most exciting things to do and see, and the top experiences to have with the Japan Wonder Travel Newsletter. Once every two weeks we will introduce you to our latest content.

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23 Incredible Road Trips in the U.S.

Whether you’re looking for sweeping views of the pacific ocean or a multiday adventure through national parks, these road trips provide plenty of opportunities to explore the united states..

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Glacier National Park is one of many scenic places you can visit on an American road trip.

Photo by Zack Frank / Shutterstock

In a country as large as the United States, there’s no shortage of destinations and detours to explore by car . Whether your idea of the perfect American road trip entails an epic, cross-country journey or a shorter jaunt through a few of its most iconic national parks , your options are as large and varied as the country itself.

Even if you don’t have the time to drive cross-country, there are plenty of road trip routes (ranging from three days to a week or longer): classic California itineraries , New England routes that shine especially well in the fall, scenic East Coast adventures, and a variety of Midwest journeys for folks farther from the coasts.

No matter your mode of transportation—be it van, RV, motorcycle, or four-door sedan—these are 21 of the best road trips in the nation to consider.

Put a New Twist on Route 66—Make It an American Whiskey Road Trip

Plan your next Route 66 trip around thirst-quenching stops.

Photo by Peek Creative Collective/Shutterstock

There are many ways to do a cross-country road trip in the USA, but these two itineraries will take you through some truly iconic American places.

1. Chicago to Los Angeles: A Whiskey Road Trip on Route 66

It doesn’t get more American than a 2,000-mile drive along the entirety of Route 66. There are endless ways to take this legendary trip (including an EV version —but to take your cross-country road trip to the next level, we recommend exploring another American pastime: whiskey.

Starting in Chicago and ending in L.A., you’ll stop by some of the leading craft distilleries in the United States, like Few Spirits in Chicago, Still 630 in St. Louis, and Red Fork Distillery in Tulsa. In between tastings, make time for detours to natural attractions, like the Grand Canyon, and quirky roadside curiosities, like Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas. Just remember to drink responsibly—this is a road trip after all.

Plan your trip

The full itinerary: Put a New Twist on Route 66—Make It an American Whiskey Road Trip

No cars are allowed on Mackinac Island, so you need to park before taking the ferry to this spot.

Photo from Shutterstock

2. Bangor, Maine, to Seattle, Washington: The Great Northern on U.S. Route 2

Covering both the U.S. and Canada, a cross-country trip along U.S. 2 is ideal for anyone who wants to experience the vast diversity and expansiveness of North America. This drive runs the entire top border of the U.S. and showcases otherworldly natural wonders like Acadia National Park in Maine, the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore in Wisconsin, and Mackinac Island in Michigan. The route also passes through Canada, taking road-trippers through Ontario into Quebec—this route may focus on nature, but you won’t want to miss a stop in Montreal or Ottawa.

You’ll also get to explore Montana and Glacier National Park ( reservations may be required ) before passing the Columbia Plateau and ending in the Pacific Northwest’s largest city, Seattle. Don’t miss spending time in the Olympic Peninsula (home to Olympic National Park) for a peek at one of the most scenic places on the West Coast.

3. Dana Point to San Francisco: Driving California’s Pacific Coast Highway

The seemingly endless views of the Pacific Ocean along Highway 1 (also known as the Pacific Coast Highway) are what road trip dreams are made of, and exactly what makes this California road trip so popular. However, with so many stops along the 655-mile stretch, we pulled together a list of the ones well worth pulling over to view. Don’t miss the perfect surfing waves in Santa Cruz, seasonal cuisine in Malibu, an afternoon a the boardwalk in Santa Monica, or a night in Big Sur as you drive between Dana Point (just south of Los Angeles) and San Francisco.

The full itinerary: The Best Stops for a Road Trip on the Pacific Coast Highway
The AFAR Guide to San Francisco

Wooden pier with shops on top juts out into the ocean

The seaside town of Monterey was the setting for John Steinbeck’s Cannery Row .

Photo by Denise Lett/Shutterstock

4. Big Sur to Mono County: A Literary Road Trip Through Northern California

Yes, this itinerary requires you actually put down your book to drive, but seeing some of the pivotal places that shaped American authors will be so worth it. Follow in the footsteps of writers like Jack Kerouac, Maya Angelou, and Amy Tan on this road trip that takes you through literary landmarks in Northern California, such as Caffe Trieste, a meeting place for Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, Alan Watts, and other bohemian writers and thinkers. This 12-stop itinerary is perfect if you live in the San Francisco Bay Area because you’ll be able to stay make these trips in one or two days.

The full itinerary: The California Road Trip All Book Lovers Should Take

Wide shot of a red canyon with a river running through it

Arizona may take its nickname from the Grand Canyon, but the state has far more natural wonders than just that one.

Courtesy of Shutterstock

5. Phoenix to the Grand Canyon: An Iconic Arizona Road Trip

This 240-mile Arizona road trip takes travelers along some of the state’s most iconic highlights, including its most famous one, the Grand Canyon. A great itinerary for first-time visitors and returning travelers alike, it offers plenty of opportunities for scenic drives, hiking, and biking—as well as tasty food along the way. Hike the 2,704-foot-tall Camelback Mountain in Scottsdale or take in the beautiful red rocks of Sedona on a hike to Cathedral Rock while exploring the Grand Canyon State.

The full itinerary: The Classic 5-Day Arizona Road Trip
Grand Canyon guide: The First-Timer’s Guide to the Grand Canyon
Where to eat in Phoenix: A Chef’s Guide to the Best Restaurants
Where to stay: The Best Hotels in Arizona ; The Best Airbnbs in Sedona

The Delicate Arch living up to its name in Utah’s Arches National Park

Photo by tusharkoley / Shutterstock

6. Zion to Grand Canyon: A National Parks Road Trip in the Southwest

If you’re looking to visit as many national parks as possible in one road trip, this southwestern itinerary is for you. This journey through Utah and Arizona lets you hike Angel’s Landing in Zion, feel tiny under Delicate Arch in Arches National Park, explore Fairyland Loop Trail in Bryce Canyon, and, of course, raft down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. Most visitors to the Grand Canyon remain on the rim, but take at least four days to venture within the canyon and take advantage of the trails and river rafting.

The full itinerary: The Ideal Road Trip Through U.S. National Parks
Utah’s 8 Best National Parks and Monuments
10 Best National Parks and Monuments in Arizona
The First-Timer’s Guide to the Grand Canyon

Couple sitting in front of a curving road

Stop and admire the winding roads of the San Juan Skyway.

Photo by Anh Luu/Shutterstock

7. San Juan Scenic Skyway Road Trip: An Adventure Through Southwestern Colorado

This Colorado trip takes you along the 232-mile loop of the San Juan Scenic Skyway, where you will see plenty of alpine forests, mining towns, and craggy peaks. And for anyone looking to enjoy refreshments after a long day of driving, this route features many opportunities to stop at some of the best breweries in Colorado , such as Ska Brewing Co. in Durango.

The full itinerary: The Ultimate Southwestern Colorado Road Trip
Five Classic Colorado Road Trips To Take This Year

In small-town Buena Vista, the riverfront Surf Hotel offers front-row seats to Colorado-style adventure seekers.

Courtesy of the Surf Hotel

8. Denver to Montrose: A 420-Mile Road Trip Through Colorado

Want to explore even more of the Centennial State? Head out on this weeklong road trip where you can fish for salmon in Colorado’s largest reservoir, visit numerous small towns, like Paonia and Crawford, with thriving art scenes along the Colorado Creative Corridor , and explore Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, one of the least visited national parks in the nation.

The full itinerary: Art Stars, High-Altitude Wines, and a Remote National Park: The Ultimate Colorado Road Trip
Where to stay: The Best Hotels in Colorado
The AFAR Guide to Denver

Woman walking by a mural of a river and bridge

Portland may be Oregon’s largest city, but with a population of some 652,000 (or 2.5 million in the larger metropolitan area), it isn’t intimidatingly large.

Photo courtesy of Travel Portland

9. Portland to Astoria: An Oregon Coast Road Trip for Outdoor Lovers

If you love the outdoors, then this six-day road trip along the coast of Oregon is for you. After driving to Coos Bay from Portland, travelers will meander along Oregon’s dramatic, rocky coastline, discovering some quintessentially Pacific Northwest vistas along the way: evergreen forests, seaside dunes, and marine ecosystems. Between stops, there are ample opportunities to stretch your legs hiking, kayaking, or strolling around the region’s small towns—like the historic old town in Florence.

Of course, it wouldn’t be an Oregon road trip without a stop (or three) at a craft brewery, such as Fort George Brewery in Astoria, or cozy coffee shop, like Bread & Roses in Yachats.

The full itinerary: An Outdoor Lover’s Road Trip on the Oregon Coast
The AFAR Guide to Portland

The State Capitol Building in Nashville marks the end of this road (trip).

Photo by photo.ua / Shutterstock

10. Seneca Falls, New York, to Nashville, Tennessee: Follow the Path of the Women’s Suffrage Movement

Starting in New York’s Finger Lakes region and ending at the State Capitol Building in Nashville, this road trip traces the route of the national women’s suffrage movement. Highlights include stops at the Susan B. Anthony Museum & House ; Union Square in New York City, which was the site of the first suffrage march; and the Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument in Washington, D.C.

The full itinerary: Celebrate Women’s Suffrage on an Epic, Self-Guided Road Trip
Where to stay: The Best Hotels in Nashville
The AFAR Guide to Nashville
The AFAR Guide to Washington, D.C.

A long shot of a mountain-backed city, framed by flowers and trees

Asheville is one must-stop on a North Carolina road trip.

Courtesy of ExploreAsheville.com

11. Charlottesville to Asheville: A Scenic Road Trip Through Virginia and North Carolina

The Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the most scenic drives in the country. Beginning in the soft hilly meadows of the Appalachian Mountains from Shenandoah National Park down into the Blue Ridge Mountains, then into the Great Smoky Mountains, this five-day road trip is best done at a slower pace, which is perfect for admiring the dramatic outlooks and green plateaus. This eclectic itinerary features stops at an art museum, a dairy farm, and plenty of hiking trails.

The full itinerary: The Ultimate Blue Ridge Parkway Road Trip
Where to stay: 12 Dreamy Blue Ridge Mountain Cabins You Can Rent on Airbnb and Vrbo
8 U.S. National Park Road Trips to Take in Your Lifetime

Dowa:kwe dance group from Zuni Pueblo in 2019

Courtesy of Indian Pueblo Cultural Center

12. Albuquerque to Las Cruces: Discover New Mexico on This Three-Day Road Trip

This route steers you away from New Mexican tourist hot spots like Taos and Santa Fe and instead takes you on a three-day adventure with places that teach you about Pueblo history. You’ll stop at Indian Pueblo Kitchen (formerly known as Pueblo Harvest), a restaurant inside the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center that features Indigenous cuisine ; pick up peppers at Three Brothers in Hatch; and slide down the dunes in White Sands National Park.

The full itinerary: This New Mexico Road Trip Is the Perfect Introduction to the Land of Enchantment

Green tree near brown house during daytime

Historic Fort Martin Scott is one of the places travelers can visit to learn about Fredericksburg’s history.

Photo by Mark König/Unsplash

13. A Five-Day Scenic Road Trip Through Texas Hill Country

This Texas road trip starts and ends in San Antonio with stops in small towns like Bandera, Boerne, and consider a stop in Fredericksburg, which is one of AFAR’s best places to go in 2024 ). Over five days, you’ll find opportunities to stroll in a Japanese tea garden in San Antonio, relax along the Sabinal and Frio Rivers by inner tube, and eat as many tacos as you want. Seriously: You could eat tacos for every meal on this road trip and not get tired of them.

The full itinerary: Tree Houses, Tubing, and Tacos: The Ultimate Texas Hill Country Road Trip

Mount McKinley looms large on a drive through Denali National Park.

Photo by warnsweet / Shutterstock

14. A Weeklong Road Trip Through Alaska’s Most Majestic Sights

This weeklong drive in Alaska starts and ends in Anchorage. You travel along four scenic byways; explore Wrangell–St. Elias wilderness, the largest U.S. national park; catch sight of Denali, the tallest peak in North America; and enjoy the surprisingly stellar food scene of McCarthy, a one-road town with only a couple dozen residents.

The full itinerary: Glaciers, Mountain Peaks, and Organic Farms: The Ultimate Alaska Road Trip
Which Alaska National Parks Should You Visit?

More than geothermal pools, Kirkham Hot Springs features a piping-hot waterfall.

Courtesy of Idaho Tourism

15. Boise to Sun Valley: Explore Idaho’s Scenic Byways

Even a short road trip can be packed with adventure, good food, and scenery, which is exactly what this trip from Boise to Sun Valley along Idaho’s Ponderosa Pine Scenic Byway offers. Although the drive only takes six hours, we recommend taking a few days to explore all the stops and detours along the way. One can’t-miss spot is the Kirkham Hot Springs , where you can stand under a waterfall that will splash you with 135-degree mineral water year-round.

The full itinerary: The Little-Known Idaho Road Trip You Need to Drive
Things to do: The Best Outdoorsy Things to Do in Idaho

Grand Portage State Park is the only state park jointly managed by a state and a Native American band.

Photo by Shutterstock/QZ

16. Duluth to Grand Portage State Park: A Scenic Minnesota Sampler

Although there are many appealing road trips throughout the Midwest, this 143-mile, three-hour circuit, which starts and ends in Duluth, Minnesota, is worth keeping in mind. Meandering north on MN-61 with this itinerary, you will enjoy prime views of Lake Superior and towns like Grand Marais, as well as Grand Portage State Park, home to waterfalls, hiking trails, and opportunities to learn about the Ojibwe community who occupy the land today. Once back in Duluth, enjoy a beer at Canal Park Brewing Company before checking into the waterfront Canal Park Lodge nearby.

The AFAR Guide to Minnesota

Overhead view of curvy Kancamagus Highway through fall forest

Wind your way through colorful foliage in New Hampshire.

Photo by Shutterstock

17. Kancamagus Highway: A Quintessential New England Drive

Yes, you can take a road trip in New England at any time of the year , but this region shows off its best colors in the fall, when locals and tourists alike head out into the country to view the changing colors of the trees. Join other admirers of fall foliage on this popular, 34.5-mile road trip along New Hampshire’s Kancamagus Highway, colloquially known as the “Kanc,” for picturesque ponds, hiking trails, and scenic overlooks.

Plan Your Fall Getaway With This Peak Foliage Prediction Map

Ogunquit is home to the small, postcard-perfect harbor of Perkins Cove.

Photo courtesy of QualityHD / Shutterstock

18. Maine’s “Lobster Trail”: Travel Route 1 Along the Coast

Traveling Route 1, affectionately known as “the lobster trail,” along Maine’s jagged coastline is an exercise in indulgence. Sample lobster dishes in all forms—buttered, steamed, on a roll, or even in a decadent mac-and-cheese.

The trip starts in the quaint small town of Ogunquit , with its rare (for the area) 3.5 miles of white-sand beach. Make your first lobster of the journey count, steamed with a side of drawn butter at Barnacle Billy’s in picturesque Perkins Cove harbor. Stop at Big Daddy’s for a cone on your way to the shipbuilding center—and summer home of George H. W. Bush—Kennebunkport. Stay at the recently redesigned 150-year-old classic White Barn Inn , and consider a sailing trip for an afternoon. With lobsters cooked in ocean water, the legendary lobster roll at the Clam Shack is a must.

8 Scenic East Coast Road Trips to Take This Year

Interior of Leah & Louise restaurant in Charlotte

Throughout North Carolina’s Piedmont region, innovative restaurants, shops, and restaurants like Leah & Louise in Charlotte, above, are creating a buzz.

Photo by Peter Taylor Photography

19. Raleigh to Charlotte: A 4-Day Trip Through North Carolina’s Reinvented Core

North Carolina’s Piedmont region extends from the coastal plain to the Blue Ridge Mountains, and includes farmland and rolling wooded hills, especially on the 1-40 stretch near Hillsborough. Starting in Raleigh, drive the short distances to Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and Charlotte to see how these cities are innovating through art, food, and a celebration of the past. Take your time—four days should do—to experience downtown arts districts, James Beard Award–winning restaurants, and civil rights museums that speak truths. Plan your trip

A Road Trip Through North Carolina’s Reinvented Core

The Florida Road Trip You’ve Been Missing

Scenic South Walton is part of the Emerald Coast of Florida.

20. Scenic Highway 30A: A Sunday Drive Through South Walton, Florida

Florida is full of places to cruise with the top down, but it’s hard to beat a Sunday (or any day) drive along Scenic Highway 30A through northwest Florida, home to a postcard-perfect stretch of seaside towns known as South Walton.

The roughly 28-mile route through South Walton County kisses the coast for nearly all its length, taking you through gorgeous residential Gulf-front communities like Rosemary Beach, Grayton Beach, and Blue Mountain Beach . Roll down the windows and let the emerald-hued views in.

Pull over to explore, too—maybe to admire the New Urbanism architecture in Alys Beach or to swim in the clear waters at Grayton Beach State Park . (The beach here has been lauded among the best in the world.)

The full itinerary: The Florida Road Trip You’ve Been Missing

Two stand-up paddleboarders on the water at sunset

Stand-up paddleboarding is just one way to enjoy a Florida Keys sunset.

Shutterstock

21. The Florida Keys: An Island-Hopping Getaway

For a sunny road trip itinerary in Florida, skip Miami and head farther south. Beginning in Key Largo and ending in Key West, the Florida Keys Scenic Highway is often overlooked for more well-known routes up north, but it is well worth going out of your way to experience.

As the name suggests, this route is very scenic, so plan to spend at least a few days exploring it and numerous stops along the way. Some highlights include driving across the impressive Overseas Highway, stopping to admire art in the town of Islamorada, and enjoying the historic sites, food, and (of course) beaches in the city of Key West.

The full itinerary: How to Road Trip in the Lesser-Known Florida Keys

A brick building with an oversized guitar hanging off the side and a sign that says "Sun Studio"

Sun Studio in Memphis was the site of the famous Million Dollar recording session that brought together Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash.

Photo by f11photo on Shutterstock

22. Memphis to Bristol, Tennessee: A Music-Driven Adventure

If you have about a week to spare and a deep appreciation for music, take a road trip from one side of Tennessee to the other, starting in Memphis and ending in Bristol. The eastbound trip spans genres, including rock ( Graceland ), blues ( Beale Street) and, of course, country (did you really go to Tennessee if you didn’t go to Dollywood ?). Nashville serves as the halfway point on your journey—so consider penciling in an extra 48 hours to fully explore the state capital’s greatest hits.

The full itinerary: 5 Great American Road Trips For Music Fans

The stunning coastline near Cueva del Indio has been the backdrop of star-studded films.

Photo by Alexsf.gr/Shutterstock

23. Arecibo to Condado, Puerto Rico: A Lesser-Known Side of a Well-Loved Island

In the minds of many, trips to Puerto Rico bring images of stunning beaches , delicious foods , and maybe a bioluminescent bay or two . But there’s plenty of history to be found here, too, as Puerto Rico was home to an Indigenous population known as the Taino, a heritage many Puerto Ricans embrace. That history can be explored via a road trip. Starting in the northern town of Arecibo, travel south to Ponce, then back north to Condado—along the way you’ll encounter petroglyphs, Indigenous sites, and breathtaking natural spots.

The full itinerary: A Puerto Rico Road Trip That Puts Indigenous Culture First

Additional road trip planning resources Picking the route for your road trip is only one part of your planning. From what snacks to pack to which podcasts to listen to, these additional resources will help you prepare for your next adventure:

Best road trip snacks
Road trip planning apps
Podcasts and audiobooks to download
What to pack for a road trip

This article originally appeared online in August 2020. It was most recently updated on April 4, 2024, to include current information. Additional reporting by Jessie Beck, Erika Owen, Ray Rogers, Terry Ward, and Sheryl Nance-Nash.

Protect Your Trip »

5 Epic U.S. Road Trips for Nature Lovers

Discover diverse landscapes, scenic coastlines and breathtaking backdrops across America.

Linn Cove Viaduct on the Blue Ridge parkway in the fall season. Road winding through the mountains with autumn colors and blue vibrant morning skies.

Getty Images

From the legendary Overseas Highway along the Florida Keys to the dramatic forest- and national park-lined Blue Ridge Parkway, there are plenty of enticing drives across the country.

Embracing the great outdoors can be revitalizing. After all, taking in awe-inspiring scenery along classic routes can help you unwind, recharge and boost your overall well-being and connectivity to the world at large. So, if you're ready to admire spectacular landscapes across the country, get your hiking gear, sketch pad and walking stick in gear and pack up the car for a road trip to remember.

[See: 11 Can't-Miss Hiking Trails in the USA .]

The Blue Ridge Parkway

Take a week to drive 469 miles along this winding and scenic mountain range named for its misty blue color. Connected by two national parks – Shenandoah National Park and Great Smoky Mountains National Park – the parkway stretches from Front Royal, Virginia to Cherokee, North Carolina. In Front Royal, make sure to check out the Dickey Ridge Visitor Center to hike along part of the parkway, and visit Fox Hollow and Snead farm for an exhilarating adventure. At Shenandoah National Park, which is just west of the District of Columbia, you'll find 500 trails filled with scenic paths and thick forests. Plus, there are many unique cabins, restaurants and antique shops along the route. Many people use this parkway to visit other major attractions, but the views and natural sights (including more than 1,400 known species of plants) of the Blue Ridge Parkway merit a trip all on their own.

The Loneliest Road (Route 50)

Despite its melancholy name, the Loneliest Road in America is an awe-inspiring route for bonafide nature lovers. Set off on a wild adventure that stretches from Sacramento, California, to Ocean City, Maryland. Driving across the country, you'll experience diverse weather conditions and beautiful scenery. This road trip weaves through brilliant mountain ranges, including the Sierra Nevada, Appalachian and Rocky Mountains. Camp out and stargaze in iconic national parks like the Great Basin National Park in Nevada, where you can spot thousands of stars on a clear night and catch jaw-dropping views of the Milky Way.

[See : 10 Stops to Make on a Vermont Road Trip .]

This scenic stretch is perfect for car lovers and nature lovers, alike. The drive begins in Pontiac, Illinois, where the Route 66 Association Hall of Fame and Museum and the Pontiac Oakland Auto Museum pay tribute to the classic brand. However, the backdrops along Route 66, all the way from Illinois to California, are especially spectacular. You'll pass by legendary natural wonders, such as the Grand Canyon, the Colorado River and the Black Mountains. This nostalgic route is also legendary for its link to pop culture. It's been featured in iconic poems, rock songs, television series and even John Steinbeck's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, "The Grapes of Wrath."

The Great River Road

Follow the might of the Mississippi River as it winds north from Minnesota and south to Louisiana. You'll cover 3,000 miles through 10 states, along with plenty of off-the-beaten-path towns. Another iconic road trip that taps into national nostalgia, this route will take you to interesting heights and takes about 10 days to complete. Wisconsin and Iowa offer striking and hilly terrain, and the Delta region spanning Memphis, Tennessee, and New Orleans yields unforgettable views. If you're a history aficionado, you won't want to skip stopping in Vicksburg, Mississippi, which features stories attractions like the Vicksburg National Military Park, along with a myriad of shops and restaurants. If you make it to New Orleans , toast a well-traveled road trip with the world's first mixed drink – the Sazerac, which was first created in the Crescent City.

[See: 6 Amazing All-American Road Trips to Take This Summer .]

The Overseas Highway (Route 1)

The Overseas Highway, a 113-mile drive along Route 1 connecting the Florida Keys offers the ultimate road trip for nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts, alike. The highway was historically developed for the Florida East Coast Railway in 1912, but it was destroyed by a hurricane in 1935. As a result, road construction turned the route into a beautiful, winding highway. This trip only takes a few hours, spanning from Miami to Key West , Florida. Make sure to carve out some stops for fishing, eating freshly caught seafood, enjoying a picnic and catching beautiful sunsets along the way. And don't skip stretching your legs and taking in spectacular scenery at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, Seven Mile Bridge and Bahia Honda State Park.

Tags: Travel , Vacations

About En Route

Practical advice on the art of traveling smarter with tips, tricks and intel from En Route's panel of experts.

Contributors have experience in areas ranging from family travel, adventure travel, experiential travel and budget travel to hotels, cruises and travel rewards and include Amy Whitley , Claire Volkman , Holly Johnson , Marsha Dubrow , Lyn Mettler , Sery Kim , Kyle McCarthy , Erica Lamberg , Jess Moss , Sheryl Nance-Nash , Sherry Laskin , Katie Jackson , Erin Gifford , Roger Sands , Steve Larese , Gwen Pratesi , Erin Block , Dave Parfitt , Kacey Mya , Kimberly Wilson , Susan Portnoy , Donna Tabbert Long and Kitty Bean Yancey .

Edited by Liz Weiss .

If you make a purchase from our site, we may earn a commission. This does not affect the quality or independence of our editorial content.

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Top 10 European Tour Destinations For Car Lovers

If you're looking for European destinations to visit then check out our list of the top 10 places for car lovers on tour.

Throughout the entire world, there are beautiful sights, comfy vacation spots, and interesting venues. Some are tailored to a specific breed of individual, especially those that focus on automotive enthusiasts. To see the best of the best, look no further than Europe.

Not only is Europe the home of many automotive manufacturers, but it’s also the home of motor sports itself. During the decades that have passed, Europe has been the home of many different locations, which car lovers can only dream of visiting. So, even though there are too many options to list here, these ten are arguably the best places for any gear-head to visit.

10 The Bentley Factory

For those who fancy luxury and pedigree mixed into one, the Bentley factory may just be the perfect place. Like many other high-end automakers, Bentley offers tours of its factory and production line.

RELATED: 10 Best Bentley Models, Ranked

Visiting the factory allows car enthusiasts to get a first hand look at how these stunning cars are made. Seeing the intense detail that goes into every inch of design and the mechanical excellence required to build the luxurious supercar certainly helps you to understand why they cost so much.

9 Pagani Factory

As mentioned previously, Bentley is not alone in offering tours of their headquarters. In fact, multiple companies do exactly that. Even the relatively new (If you count their start in the ‘90s as “new”) hypercar manufacturer Pagani gives pedestrians an opportunity to see the in’s and out’s of their workshop.

Obviously, the Pagani factory is quite large. There’s a lot to see when you visit it, including a small museum where some of the latest and greatest Pagani models are on display. Also, it’s only a short drive away from the legendary Modena, Italy: The home of many beautiful creations.

8 The Autobahn

Odds are if you’ve ever studied Germany before, you likely heard about the famous “Autobahn.” A long stretch of highway that has no speed limits, no rules, and is incredibly dangerous.

However, this danger isn’t guaranteed. Only those who go way too fast for their own good are the ones who end up being scrapped off the pavement. Nonetheless, it’s an engineering marvel made doubly impressive by the lack of law enforcement. For once, you can live out your Need For Speed dreams. Just be careful!

7 Mercedes-Benz Museum, Germany

Museums often get a bad wrap. Some view them as boring or outdated, especially now since the Internet can show us so much information. Although these critics may be correct in a certain sense, there’s nothing quite like seeing these things in person. Thankfully, Mercedes-Benz has a museum that exemplifies that notion.

Nestled comfortably next to the Neckar River in Stuttgart, Germany, the Mercedes-Benz museum not only holds wonderful works of art inside but is also itself a work of art. The architectural design put into building the museum is more than enough to lure in car lovers and draftsman alike. Just don’t get too distracted by the building, though, lest you miss the treasures inside.

6 Stelvio Pass

Nowadays, roads seem to be boring and formulaic, especially in the states. They typically have a few things in common: Long straights, seemingly endless highways, and cops lurking around nearly every corner. Luckily, though, Europe isn’t always the same way.

To see just how good a road can really be, look no further than Italy’s Stelvio Pass: A road so high up in the mountains that it’s frequently shut down during winter months. If you get a chance to go, though, you will see one of the coolest passes in all of Europe with sharp hairpins and beautiful sights the entire way. It’s even better if you have a Ferrari to go with it.

5 Silverstone, U.K.

The United Kingdom; home of Fish and Chips, teatime, and (Most importantly) the motorsports. The U.K. has a rich history in all things automotive making and automotive racing and the Silverstone Circuit is where Formula One got its start.

RELATED: 10 Places Every F1 Fan Absolutely Needs To Visit

Back in 1950, Formula One was barely even a fledgling sport. During the late ‘40s, most competitors didn’t even race for a championship. That all changed, though, at Silverstone where the first Championship race was held. As such, Silverstone is a historically significant place. Not only for its track, but also for the culture of the people surrounding it. Mostly because you have to love racing to be able to stand living next to one of their favorite places to go.

4 Circuit De La Sarthe (Le Mans)

As far as motor sports history goes, only a few places eclipse the likes of Silverstone and Monaco. One example is the now 96-year-old Le Mans 24 Hour Circuit: The Circuit De La Sarthe.

RELATED: 10 Every Day Cars Of Formula 1's Top Drivers

After opening in 1923, the Circuit De La Sarthe hosted races for almost every series. Although, after the cars became faster, the track needed some changes to accommodate them. Now, the track doesn’t look the same as it did back then. Regardless of that, it’s still a wonderful venue to see. Chiefly during the running of the fabled ’24 Hours of Le Mans.’

3 Nurburgring Nordschleife

It’s rare that something receives the title of “Hell,” but it’s even rarer when it’s used as a badge of honor. Luckily, the Nurburgring Nordschleife isn’t actually hell on Earth, but rather a “Green Hell.”

The title of “Green Hell” is derived from the then F1 driver Jackie Stewart after winning the 1968 German GP. He described it as such for both its thick wilderness surrounding the track and the deep complexity of the track itself. Don’t be scared away from it, though, because anyone can drive on that same circuit for a small fee.

It may be difficult, however, it’s much less so when you're not screaming down the road at 160+ M.P.H. in a classic F1 car. Either way, it’s something that every motor sports lover should see at least once in his or her lifetime.

Name a place with luxury, opulence and a profound racing history which is called “home” by multiple Formula One drivers. If you didn’t immediately think of Monaco/Monte-Carlo, then you should think again.

RELATED: Formula 1: 5 Best Tracks & 5 That Fans (And Drivers) Hate

Monaco is a small city-state situated in the South of France. Don’t be mistaken by its size, though, because Monaco is one of the wealthiest cities in all of the Mediterranean. To add to this, it's also home to one of the most highly regarded F1 races of every season: The Monaco GP. So, whether you like racing or just cars in general, odds are you’ll find what you’re looking for and more on the streets of Monte-Carlo.

1 Ferrari Factory

If you consider yourself a ‘car guy’ or ‘car girl,’ you’d have to be insane to be in Italy and not see the renowned Ferrari factory in Maranello, Italy. It has everything an automotive enthusiast could ask for: Museums, merchandise, Ferrari’s, and a personal racetrack.

Ferrari is, arguably, the king of sports cars. They have worldwide brand recognition; multiple wins across several racing series, and a litany of artfully crafted road cars. So, naturally, the best place to see them all in one go is the Ferrari factory. You can see their production lines, tour their museum, and spy on some testing runs at the Fiorano circuit.

For Ferrari fans, heaven is indeed a place on Earth, and it’s called Maranello.

NEXT: 10 Best Caravans for Road Trips, Ranked

The Best Destinations for Car Lovers

The world's top race car drivers, and the gamblers who love them, convene in Monaco this week for the annual Grand Prix . From May 23–26, the winding roads of Europe's glamorous principality will be overtaken with automotive enthusiasts of every stripe.

While the Grand Prix is arguably the world's most famous Formula 1 race, Monaco isn't the only global destination car lovers should consider. From Germany's legendary Autobahn, to Model T mash-ups in Cuba, here are four other spots where fans can get their fix.

Havana, Cuba : For the majority of the 20th Century, Cubans only had access to cars purchased before the country's 1959 revolution. As a result, drivers got creative, trading and repurposing vintage car parts to make existing vehicles last for some 50 years. These elegant, one-of-a-kind Model T mixtures now chortle through modern-day Havana in a moving museum of automotive ingenuity. Thanks to licensed tour operators like Insight Cuba , Americans can now legally see it for themselves.

Stuttgart, Germany: The birthplace of the automobile, Germany has plenty of automotive attractions to boot. Cruise the high-speed Autobahn to Stuttgart, where the Mercedes-Benz museum has two-hour tours amongst the hillsides of Germany's picturesque Baden-Württenberg. In the north of the city, the Porsche Factory is a veritable altar to analog assembly, where vehicles are produced entirely by hand. Porsche also has a small, recently remodeled museum displaying 80 vintage cars.

Detroit, Michigan: Motor City is an imperative stop on any automotive itinerary. Check out the Henry Ford Museum and its accompanying Ford Rouge Factory to understand Detroit's significance in both automotive production and the industrial history of 20th Century America. The museum houses 200 vehicles, including the Goldenrod racecar and the 1961 Lincoln Continental in which JFK was assassinated. The Rouge plant, now a tourist attraction, was once a 15 million-square-foot assembly complex, with 93 buildings and 120 miles of conveyor belts producing a new car every 49 seconds.

Modena, Italy: Every year, almost 200,000 car lovers trek to northern Italy to see Ferrari's birthplace and bat cave corporate complex. While the official museum, Galleria Ferrari , has 40 contemporary and vintage vehicles, the real attraction is the exclusive Maranello company headquarters. Designed by Jean Nouvel and Renzo Piano, the company headquarters is open only to employees, the Ferrari family, and customers looking to create their own, entirely customized new car. Hey, all you need is $200,000 and a dream.

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Plan & book your dream trip, destination, previous posts, car lovers’ dream: planning a trip to italy.

By Routeperfect Team
on November 26, 2017

Car Lovers’ Dream: Planning a Trip to Italy

Planning a trip to Italy is an absolute dream for car lovers! From classic Ferraris to outrageous Paganis, some of the world’s coolest cars originate in Italy.

Start your trip in Rome , the Eternal City. Consider renting one of Italy’s iconic cars like a Lamborghini or a gorgeous Ferrari! You will turn heads as you zoom through narrow streets in your gorgeous luxury car. Admire the contrast of your modern vehicle, set alongside ancient monuments. From the Colosseum to the Pantheon, the Vatican to the Trevi Fountain , check out the must-see iconic attractions of the city, while sampling some of the world’s most delicious food!

Next, get into your luxury car and travel for about two and a half hours to beautiful Siena . Feel like you’ve traveled back to the 17C in this magnificent city, known for its colourful buildings, Gothic architecture, and wealth of art.

Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre is an absolute must for visitors to Italy! These five fishing villages are linked by a hiking trail. You may recognize them from postcards. These picturesque towns are quintessential coastal Italy. Enjoy the breathtaking views from the coastal road from the comfort of your luxury car, but make sure to stop and explore some of these beautiful villages.

Maranello , the Mecca of Ferrari lovers ! This is at the top of any car lover’s list while planning a trip to Italy . Tour the Ferrari factory and museum, learning firsthand about the cars that you adore. Imagine rolling into Maranello, the home of the Ferrari, in a rented Ferrari. What could be more perfect?

We know it will be hard to say goodbye to Maranello, but don’t fret – the next stop is like heaven on earth. Home to the stunning Lake Como, surrounded by the Alps, Bellagio is simply beautiful . If nature doesn’t scream “luxury” to you, bear with us – George and Amal Clooney live in a gorgeous villa on Lake Como!

Put your car’s abilities to the test with a trip up to Bormio . Drive up the winding roads of the Stelvio Pass into the mountains, taking in the beautiful Italian scenery and breathing in the fresh mountain air. A great place for skiing in the winter and hiking in the summer, enjoy luxury resorts in this beautiful mountaintop town.

The birthplace of Italian fashion, Florence is a must for those looking to go home with Italian apparel. Spend your time in this amazing city exploring world-class museums, admiring the beautifully preserved architecture, and sampling some of Italy’s finest food and wine.

Turin

Turin is a great place for car lovers when planning a trip to Italy! Home to both the Fiat factory and the more exotic Maserati, learn about the production of these iconic vehicles on their factory tours and museums.

Another “must” when planning a trip to Italy, Modena is home to the Pagani factory, the Lamborghini museum, and a Maserati factory where you can take tours! Learn about the history and production of these Italian cars, and make sure to also explore this beautiful historic city, taking in the sights and sampling delicious Italian food and wine.

planning a trip to Italy. Modena, Emilia Romagna, Piazza Grande illuminated at sunset, with Cathedral Duomo and Ghirlandina Leaning Tower

Finally, head back to Rome to return your car and catch your flight home. Goodbye Italy, you know we will be back using this great Italy trip planner we created.

Italy Travel
adventure , Bellagio , Bormio , cars , cinque terre , ferrari , florence , italian cars , italian travel , italy , journey , Lamborghini , Maranello , Modena , rome , Siena , solo travel , travel , trip planner , Turin , vacation , wander , wanderlust

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MAY 3-4 OBX Rod and Custom Festival: An Event for Car Lovers

By Submitted Story on April 28, 2024

OBX Rod and Custom Festival

An Event for Car Lovers May 3-4 The Soundside Event Site 6800 S Croatan Hwy.Nags Head, NC 27959 Cruise-ins – Static Displays – Special Events – Food & Family Fun – Historic Sites All Held against the beautiful backdrop of the Outer Banks of North Carolina

Our mission is to create, promote and produce an event for the automotive enthusiast in a family friendly enviroment. We will be using the outer banks beautiful landscapes as a backdrop for our shows. Reflecting our historical significance, and all the attributes that make our area unique. Money raised though our sponsor program will be used for promotion of the event, with residual proceeds donated to local charities.

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The 15 Best Movies For Car Lovers, Ranked

C ars have served a vital and often crucial role in many iconic and memorable films; their breathtaking visuals can be nostalgia-inducing for audiences. Some of the most epic and intense cinema masterpieces put automobiles front-and-center, and showcase nail-biting car chases, gritty action and never-ending adrenaline that’s a delight for moviegoers. Car culture has been a cinema staple for decades, with Steve McQueen’s 1968 classic Bullitt setting a precedent for future car chase sequences . Movie studios know that if a picture contains spectacular automobiles and explosive visuals, chances are it’s going to be a hit at the box office.

Car enthusiasts love big-screen extravaganzas that put the pedal to the metal and take them on a wild and thrilling ride. From edgy and hard-hitting films like Drive and Ford v. Ferrari, to wonderfully over-the-top actions such as the nearly 10 The Fast and the Furious films and Speed Racer, the silver screen has become home to some pretty fantastic car-centric films. 2023 saw two major car-centric films, Gran Turismo and Ferrari , take the spotlight, and with new entries in the Fast & Furious, Transformers, and Mad Max franchises coming, it doesn't look like it will slow down anytime soon. These are the 15 best movies for car lovers, ranked.

Update January 9, 2024: This article has been updated with even more great movies for people who love cars, including a few recent releases and the streaming info on each title.

Gran Turismo (2023)

Gran turismo.

Release Date 2023-08-11

Director Neill Blomkamp

Cast Darren Barnet, Djimon Hounsou, David Harbour, Orlando Bloom

Genres Drama, Action, Adventure

Read Our Review

The most recent entry to the list, Gran Turismo , hit theaters in August 2023. With this motorsport-themed film, director Neill Blomkamp ( District 9 ) brought a real-life story to the screen. Jann Mardenborough is an avid gamer, who spends his days struggling to find a balance between his working-class day-to-day and his passion. Playing a racing game called Gran Turismo as often as he can, he wants to fulfill his dream of becoming a successful and famous racing car driver. When the management of Gran Turismo sets up a unique competition, Jann’s dream suddenly doesn’t seem as impossible anymore.

Gran Turismo Made an Impression This Year

First and foremost, Gran Turismo stands out by telling a true story. It gives the entire movie even more excitement, creating an even bigger adrenaline rush, knowing that there is truth behind the scenes. What makes this film special is that it highlights the accomplishments of a previous underdog, taking the viewers along on his strenuous journey as a working-class citizen who goes on to achieve their dreams, even if the road to the goal is filled with more hurdles. Additionally, Gran Turismo combines outstanding camera movement with a pace that keeps the excitement going and overall stunning effects in truly impressive racing sequences. Stream on Netflix

Transformers (2007)

Transformers.

Release Date 2007-06-27

Director Michael Bay

Cast Rachael Taylor, Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Tyrese Gibson, Josh Duhamel, Anthony Anderson

Rating PG-13

Runtime 144

Transformers had to be on this list. While the film and the franchise are focused on robotic aliens from outer space fighting an intergalactic war, they also need to take the shape of vehicles, and that gives the filmmakers (and toymakers) plenty of chances to highlight a wide variety of cars that fans can enjoy. They are the ultimate toys as one gets a car and robots together for the price of one. Even though the movie centers around a good portion of human characters, the audience is drawn in by Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and Megatron.

Why Transformers Makes This List

Transformers might be one of the most important car movies for young audiences. It is likely for an entire generation, a yellow Camaro became a dream car because it was Bumblebee in Transformers , and to this day, when people see a yellow Camaro, they will think of Transformers . Combine that with Optimus Prime being a truck with red flames, or Ironhide being a GMC pickup truck or Ratchet being a Hummer, Transformers helped lay the groundwork for kids to want to know what vehicles their favorite characters turned into. As the franchise went, plenty of more vehicles would get the spotlight as Transformers , with the prequel films giving a focus on classic cars. The film also tapped into a powerful ethos many car drivers feel: "A driver doesn't pick the cars. Cars pick the driver. It's a mystical bond between man and machine." Stream on TNT, TBS, and DirectTV.

Rush (2013)

Release Date 2013-09-02

Director Ron Howard

Cast David Calder, Pierfrancesco Favino, Daniel Brhl, Alexandra Maria Lara, Olivia Wilde, Chris Hemsworth

Genres Biography, Drama, Action, Documentary, sport

Esteemed filmmaker Ron Howard directed 2013’s biographical sports drama Rush , which focuses on the rivalry between two Formula One drivers; the Austrian Niki Lauda (Daniel César Martín Brühl) and the British racer James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) during the 1967 Formula 1 motor racing season. The film is an adrenaline rush for audience members and features incredible race sequences, one that put an emphasis on dangers over thrills.

Rush is a Must-Watch

Howard manages to capture the essence of two of the most famous drivers, showing their clash of personalities and tying it all together when he focuses on the tragedy that occurred. The director stunningly captures the nerve-wracking danger of F1 racing at the height of its era, when safety protocols weren’t really implemented and the drivers were considered true daredevils, and simultaneously shows how it affected Lauda himself, but also the other drivers. The film gives space to the negative and also positive aspects of Formula 1, making it Rush is jam-packed with gripping races, fast cars, and edge-of-your-seat action, which truly makes it a thrilling and entertaining ride for moviegoers. Stream on Netflix

Gone in 60 Seconds (2000)

The 2000 action heist flick Gone in 60 Seconds is a loose remake of the 1974 H.B. Halicki film and follows a retired car thief who finds himself back in the game when he’s tasked with stealing fifty cars in order to save his brother’s life. Nicholas Cage and Angelina Jolie, two big names in Hollywood who are known to deliver outstanding performances, headline the picture, which is without a doubt a tribute to car lovers across the world as it shows off fifty lavish automobiles.

Why It Is One of the Best

On top of its exciting storyline, Gone in 60 Seconds stands out with an amazing soundtrack, creating a matching atmosphere by adding hip-hop music and alternative rock by famous artists such as Ice Cube or The Chemical Brothers. As for the high-speed excitement, the film features a stunning array of vehicles that’s every hot rod lover’s dream. From a classic 1953 Chevrolet Corvette to a 2000 Porsche Boxster, car lovers will certainly spot one, or many more, favorites. There is also enough time to admire spectacular stunts and chases, allowing for a depiction of the cars' performances. Fans of over-the-top Hollywood action and mindless good-natured fun will love the heist flick, if not simply for the aesthetic and thrilling car chase scenes. Rent on AppleTV

Ferrari (2023)

Release Date 2023-12-25

Director Michael Mann

Cast Patrick Dempsey, Shailene Woodley, Adam Driver, Sarah Gadon, Penelope Cruz, Jack O'Connell

Runtime 2hr 10min

Ferrari is the latest release on this list, which has just opened during the holiday season of 2023. The film stars Adam Driver as Enzo Ferrari and focuses on his struggles during the summer of 1957 regarding his car company and his own personal life, including his relationship with his estranged wife Laura (Penélope Cruz) following the death of their son, his affair with a woman named Lina (Shailene Woodley) while his company is on the verge of collapse.

Ferrari Examines the Man Behind the Car

While most movies on this list focus on cars, Ferrari decides to dig deep into one of the most creative and influential people in car culture. Enzo Ferrari was a complicated man, and director Michael Mann delves into the troubles of his life and what informed his company that makes cars that are still loved the world over. The film features impressive cars and a truly standout car crash sequence, and is both a great history lesson and character study for car fans. Ferrari is currently playing in theaters.

Cars (2006)

Release Date 2006-06-08

Director Joe Ranft, John Lasseter

Cast Tony Shalhoub, Larry the Cable Guy, Paul Newman, Owen Wilson, Cheech Marin, Bonnie Hunt

Genres Family, Animation, Comedy, Adventure, sport

The name Lightning McQueen probably rings a bell for many, considering that he became famous all around the world, even though he is not an actual person but much rather a hotshot racing car. While Cars clearly highlights themes such as friendship and work ethics, the animation does not forget about making it all about racing. It shows various cars and different companies and connects the majority of them to real-life car brands that have impressed fans for decades. The story is a simple one of a hotshot rookie racing a car living in the fast lane who, after being forced to do a detour and do time in a small town off Route 66, learns the value in slowing down and just going for a drive.

Cars Is a Great Intro for Kids

Cars does a remarkable job of capturing the highlights of car culture in America, including the world-famous Route 66 or classic Corvettes, in order to create an enjoyable atmosphere for car lovers of any age. The movie features so many different vehicles that invite audiences to learn more about. It is a film that inspired an entire generation to get into vehicles and racing, so it earns a spot on this list. Stream on Disney+

Related: Pixar Reportedly Developing New Cars Projects

Bullitt (1968)

Release Date 1968-10-17

Director Peter Yates

Cast Don Gordon, Steve McQueen, Robert Vaughn, Simon Oakland, Jacqueline Bisset, Robert Duvall

Genres Mystery, Thriller, Action, Crime, Documentary

Acting legend Steve McQueen stars in the 1968 neo-noir action thriller Bullitt , which centers on tough-as-nails San Francisco cop Frank Bullitt who has quite the task at hand. When a witness, who was under his protection, is killed, Bullitt sets off to identify the underworld kingpin that is responsible for the murder. The car-lovers classic features McQueen in all his tough-guy glory and is famous for its car chase scene through the streets of San Francisco, which is widely regarded as one of the most influential in movie history.

Bullit Perfected The Car Chase

Bullitt is notable for its extensive use of actual locations and according to McQueen, “The thing we tried to achieve was not to do a theatrical film, but a film about reality.” The Highland Green Bullitt Mustang ‘559 Frank drove around and became synonymous with the film, which became a critical and commercial hit. A year after its release, Bullitt even added an Oscar to its name, since Frank P. Keller won in the category "Best Film Editing" for his outstanding work regarding the car chase sequences and overall editing. Film critic Emanuel Levy declared in 2003 that “ Bullitt contains one of the most exciting car chases in film history, a sequence that revolutionized Hollywood’s standards.” Rent on AppleTV

Drive (2011)

Release Date 2011-08-06

Director Nicolas Winding Refn

Cast Christina Hendricks, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Oscar Isaac, Ryan Gosling, Albert Brooks

Genres Drama, Thriller, Action, Crime, Documentary

The 2011 Nicolas Winding Refn action drama Drive stars Ryan Gosling as an unnamed Hollywood stunt driver who moonlights as a getaway driver and finds himself in danger after he attempts to help his cash-strapped neighbor. The dark thriller earned a standing ovation when it made its debut at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, with Refn winning the festival’s highly coveted Best Director Award. With its sleek direction, hyper-stylized violence and stunning imagery, Drive features dynamite performances by Gosling as well as its supporting cast including Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston and Albert Brooks.

Drive is a Different Car Movie

With nail-biting car chases and riveting action sequences, the film earned praise for its direction, cinematography and true grit; Rolling Stone called Drive “a brilliant piece of nasty business.” There is no doubt that the finished film stands out with its captivating aesthetic, which captures the gritty mood an action thriller requires, but even before the film went into production, a lot of work had already gone into the preparation. Gosling, especially, took his role incredibly seriously, even going as far as to choose the character's car himself and even doing all the restoration work before the car was ready to be featured on screen. Rent on AppleTV

Related: Best Ryan Gosling Movies, Ranked

The Italian Job (1969)

1969’s classic comedy caper The Italian Job tells the story of Charlie Croker, the leader of a Cockney criminal gang who devises a plan to steal a gold shipment from the streets of Turin by staging a traffic jam. The renowned Michael Caine portrays the suave Croker, and the film includes the additional talent of playwright Noël Coward, comedian Benny Hill, and Raf Vallone. The heist escape cars are red, white, and blue Minis, with gorgeous automobiles like an orange Lamborghini Miura, Jag E-Types, and Ashton Martin DB4 front and center in the flick.

The Italian Job counts as one of the most brilliant British classics, bringing viewers from their couches right into the chaos of a car chase and creating a thrilling atmosphere through the use of impeccable costumes, a great pace, and overall impressive scenery reaching from green parks to fascinating rooftops with absolute ease . The Italian Job ’s epic cliffhanger ending, in which the coachload of gold is suspended over the edge of a cliff, is one of the most discussed end scenes in cinema history. A remake of the caper was released in 2003, with Mark Wahlberg stepping in to Caine’s role, also featured some enviable vehicles on full display. However, the original has become a classic of its genre and has achieved cult status. Rent on AppleTV

Death Proof (2007)

Death proof.

Release Date 2007-05-22

Director Quentin Tarantino

Cast Kurt Russell, Sydney Tamiia Poitier, Vanessa Ferlito, Rosario Dawson, Zoe Bell, Tracie Thoms

Genres Thriller, Action

Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof is a slasher film, which was released in 2007 and tells the story of a stuntman who modifies a Dodge Charger and a Challenger and then uses them in a very unusual and deadly way. While this type of film is usually known for having murderers who kill with knifes or axes at the center, stuntman Mike's weapon of choice is his car, which is built in a way that he, but not his passenger driver, is protected during an accident. Mike, who specifically targets women, continues down a dark path, luring women in and killing them, but when some of his victims survive his attack and they are burning with the desire to seek revenge, his fate takes a turn.

Death Proof Knows How To Use a Car

Considering that Hollywood legend Quentin Tarantino is the director and writer of the film, it should come as no surprise that Death Proof has a unique touch to it. The bigger part of the film is arguably a slow burner, but, just like any other of Tarantino's masterpieces, there is an intention behind every scene, ultimately creating an unexpected turn of events. While, at first, it seems as though it follows the structure of a classic slasher film, there is indeed more to come, and the director used this slow start in order to lure the audience into believing there won't. Then, by the time the killing does happen, Tarantino shows how deadly a car can be as a weapon. This sets up the films final sequence, a massive car chase showdown as one of the most impressive put to screen that plays out more like a sword fight than a car chase. Rent on AppleTV

Car lovers listen up, because 1 is one of those movies which should be a part of a petrolhead's watchlist. Telling the true stories of numerous well-known F1 drivers, this documentary from 2013 brought big names such as Lewis Hamilton, Niki Lauda, Sebastian Vettel and many more in old and new interviews in front of the camera. Highlighting the 60s and 70s of Grand Prix racing, the film focuses on the many successes this era held but still doesn’t shy away from explaining why it was also one of the deadliest times.

1 tells a story of living life on the limit and taking, often life-threatening, risks, but the turning point is that it is all happening in one of the most famous sports in the world. Millions and millions of people either find their way to the tracks as spectators or gather in front of the TV in order to cheer on their favorite driver. While the energy and the adrenaline are always present, the reality of the sport's danger is sometimes forgotten. This documentary sheds light onto the reality behind this fascinating motorsport, unveiling the sides that aren't often spoken about and showing that behind every race, there is a driver who risks it all. 1 not only gives insights into the lives of many famous drivers, some who took over Formula 1 back in the day and others who are showing their skills on the track to this day, but it also offers a more technological view on racing, explaining the dangerous sides of the cars and making them safer is a long road. Stream on Prime Video

Related: The Most Famous Cars From Film & TV

The Fast and the Furious (2001)

The fast and the furious.

Release Date 2001-06-22

Director Rob Cohen

Cast Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Chad Lindberg, Rick Yune, Vin Diesel, Jordana Brewster

Genres Thriller, Action, Crime

Undeniably one of the most successful franchises of all time, Fast & Furious is a series of action films that feature drool-worthy cars, epic heists, gritty street racing and gravity-defying stunts. The movie that started it all was 2001’s The Fast and the Furious, which focuses on undercover cop Brian O’Conner as he is tasked with determining the identity of a group of automobile hijackers led by Dominic Toretto. The action blockbuster memorably stars Paul Walker, Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster and is the quintessential car lover’s film, as it famously shows off a slew of luxurious and ultra-expensive vehicles like a 1994 Toyota Supra, Mazda RX-7 and a 1970 Dodge Charger R/T.

Fast & Furious Launched a Car Franchise

Production attended illegal street races to accurately depict the racing culture, and it is also notable for its inclusion of street racers. Variety called the action flick “a gritty and gratifying cheap thrill, Rob Cohen’s high-octane hot-car meller is a true rarity these days, a really good exploitationer, the sort of thing that would rule at drive-ins if they still existed.” The first film would be a hit and launch what is to this day one of Universal Pictures' biggest movie franchises. While the series has evolved over time, the roots of the film series all start here with an appreciation for classic cars and the power of a vehicle being front and center. Stream on Prime Video

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

Mad max: fury road.

Release Date 2015-05-13

Director George Miller

Cast Josh Helman, Nicholas Hoult, Nathan Jones, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron

Genres Sci-Fi, Thriller, Action, Adventure

The highly-revered Australian dystopian thriller Mad Max: Fury Road is one of the most acclaimed films ever made. The action film takes place in a self-destructing world, right in the midst of an apocalypse, and focuses on two rebels who might actually be the key to restoring peace and order. Max Rockatansky, shattered after his wife and son were murdered, and Furiosa, who is trying to find a way back to her homeland, are at the center of this action-packed survival story.

Mad Max: Fury Road Drove All The Way to the Oscars

Mad Max: Fury Road is basically chaos and danger made into a film, offering already incredible scenery which is elevated even more by impeccable editing, daunting sounds, and thrilling vehicles with their very own touch, reaching from upgraded trucks to a Ford Falcon. While these aspects already make Max and Furiosa's story stand out, pushing it even further and making it one of the best movies for all car lovers out there is the fact that the majority of the stunts are real . There certainly has been a great change in film stunts, considering the danger for anyone involved and the logistics behind them, but Mad Max: Fury Road went all in and delivered jaw-dropping scenes in which the adrenaline and the drama are more than palpable. The film went on to be nominated for ten Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Audiences are highly anticipating the prequel Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga , which is set for release on May 24, 2024, and likely will end up on this list in the future. Rent on AppleTV

Ford v Ferrari (2019)

Ford v ferrari.

Release Date 2019-11-13

Director James Mangold

Cast Roberta Sparta, Jon Bernthal, Noah Jupe, Matt Damon, Christian Bale, Caitriona Balfe

Genres Drama, Action

Just as the title already reveals, Ford v Ferrari highlights the long-lasting competition between two of the most famous automotive manufacturers. Director James Mangold's film, which was released in 2019, tells the story of Caroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and Ken Miles (Christian Bale), who are Ford's vehicle designers and a driver, respectively, and dives into the hard work they put into creating the best race car yet. The year 1966 might ring some bells among car lovers because the reason behind coming up with a revolutionary car, the Ford GT40, for Ford was to beat Ferrari, who was dominating the motorsport world at that time at the famous Le Mans.

Ford v Ferrari is a Modern Classic.

Ford v Ferrari takes fans into the world of motorsport without holding back, delivering outstanding racing sequences of spectacular quality, which take up a large part of the film and ensure a high-speed and energy-filled watching experience. Mangold's masterpiece was nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. The movie is a powerful commentary on the conflict between art and commerce through the lens of racing. It shows people pushing the boundaries of what a car can do, mixing ingenuity with imagination. It truly is a sight to behold that not only will have audiences on the edge of their seats, but likely has the ability to make even the biggest tough guy cry. The cast and crew managed to elevate the film, taking it beyond its already thrilling storyline and turning it into one of the best films of 2019 and a must-watch for car lovers. Rent on AppleTV

Speed Racer (2008)

Speed racer.

Release Date 2008-05-07

Director Lilly Wachowski, Lana Wachowski

Cast Melissa Holroyd, Nicholas Elia, Scott Porter, Ariel Winter, Susan Sarandon, Emile Hirsch

Runtime 135

Following their successful Matrix trilogies, The Wachowksis decided to cash their blank check in on Speed Racer . The film was an adaptation of the popular anime of the same name, focusing on the titular character and his journey to become the best race car driver in the world. Along the way, Speed takes part in many high-profile races that include bringing down an evil business conspiracy that threatens the integrity of racing as a sport.

Speed Racer is a Movie Made For Car Lovers

While Speed Racer might not be a realistic movie about cars, in fact, it is the exact opposite of that as it takes place in a brightly colored candy-coded world that is a cartoon come to life. Yet what makes Speed Racer the ultimate car movie is the emotion around driving and cars. It is a film that so earnestly believes in racing as an art form, where the character of Racer X beautifully delivers the line:

"It doesn't matter if racing never changes. What matters is if we let racing change us. Every one of us has to find a reason to do this. You don't climb into a T-180 to be a driver. You do it because you're driven."

Anyone who loves cars, or racing, or anything about automobiles will find something to relate to in Speed Racer . It captures the childlike joy of how a vehicle can be powerful and beautiful. With a wide array of gorgeous-looking cars and races that are unlike anything put to screen, Speed Racer puts the pedal to the metal in a rip-roaring good time. Plus, it is hard to argue that among the iconic cars in film and television, a car lover would not jump at the chance to give the Mach-5 a spin. Stream on Max.

The 15 Best Movies For Car Lovers, Ranked

These are the furthest places you can travel to from Toronto by car

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Road trip season is just around the corner, and while there are countless destinations in Toronto's backyard worth exploring this summer , they might not satisfy those looking to really put some mileage on their odometers.

blogTO has covered travel curiosities like the longest flight out of Toronto , and even the shortest flight you can take from the city. But those who prefer to travel closer to the ground will be surprised to learn just how far from the 416 you can venture on a set of wheels without ever lifting off on a plane.

Tropical and even Arctic destinations can be reached by car from Toronto if you're willing to put in the hours and brave treacherous road conditions.

So, how far can you actually drive from Toronto? It turns out you can travel quite a surprising distance, with the maximum direct voyage spanning 7,250 kilometres across eight countries, ending in one of the most remote regions on the planet amid the rainforests of Panama.

The absolute longest direct trip from Toronto you can take without resorting to an airplane or car ferry entails 90 hours — almost four days — of nonstop driving through southern Ontario, the American heartland and several Central American countries via the Pan-American Highway that covers most (but not all) of the west coast of the Americas.

The Pan-American Highway's northern end reaches its southern terminus at the small Panamanian village of Yaviza, at the edge of a region known as the Darién Gap.

This remote, mountainous, and densely rainforested area forms a dividing line between Central and South America. No roads, not even primitive dirt paths, cross this gap — meaning it is the furthest south one can drive from anywhere on the North and Central American landmass.

Google Maps

Don't expect much in the way of tourist accommodations if you visit, though. If adventure tourism isn't your thing, this might not be the trip for you.

But what if you do love adventure and you're just not a warm-weather type?

Fear not, as there is another very long road trip you can take, if inclined, that will cross through some equally rugged — but much colder — landscapes, leading you all the way to the Arctic Ocean.

The drive from Toronto to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, spans an unbelievable 7,200 kilometres, including a final stretch along the Dalton Highway, one of the northernmost paved roads on the planet.

At 75-76 hours drive time, you'd be on the road for more than three full days to get to this destination above the Arctic Circle. Accommodations in Prudhoe Bay are spartan, but visitors still often make the trek from larger Alaskan cities to see the tundra landscapes and midnight sun during warmer summer months.

I wouldn't suggest either of these trips for the casual driver, as they will take you through long stretches of remote areas that, without adequate preparation and supplies, could turn into a really bad time.

With that in mind, happy trekking!

Francesco Veronesi /Wikimedia Commons| FloridaStock /Shutterstock

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New Gilmore Car Museum exhibit is a station wagon lover’s dream

Updated: Apr. 25, 2024, 4:03 p.m. |
Published: Apr. 25, 2024, 2:06 p.m.

Devin Anderson-Torrez | [email protected]

HICKORY CORNERS, MI –– While a trip to the Gilmore Car Museum might feel like a drive through history, the campus has stepped into the future with a new exhibit and renovations to its historic Carriage House, which was unveiled on Wednesday, April 24.

With more 400 unique vehicles and 130,000 visitors per year, it’s one of the largest car museums in North America. Sitting on 90 acres in Hickory Corners, the Gilmore Car Museum has become a destination in Southwest Michigan.

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International

Pro-Palestinian protests continue at colleges across the US

By Dalia Faheid, Nouran Salahieh, Maureen Chowdhury and Antoinette Radford, CNN

Screaming and scuffles between opposing protest groups at UCLA after demonstrators cross barrier

From CNN’s Sarah Moon and Camila Bernal at UCLA

Pro-Israel counter-protesters gather during a demonstration in support of Palestinians at UCLA in Los Angeles on April 28.

Demonstrators on Sunday breached a security barrier meant to keep opposing protest groups apart on the UCLA campus, and the two sides have come face-to-face, at times screaming at one another and shoving back and forth.

A CNN team is on the ground watching the crowd, where pro-Palestinian demonstrators have gathered to support an encampment protesting Israel's military campaign in Gaza, and a group of counter-protesters draped in Israeli flags has erected a video screen and speaker set-up.

“Very high passions on both sides, and when these two come together we have seen confrontations,” CNN’s Camila Bernal reported from the campus. “People who are screaming at each other, sometimes shoving and pushing, and it does get violent at times.”

Organizers from each group have told Bernal that they are trying to keep the peace.

The CNN team has seen police officers in riot gear standing at a distance from the crowd, but university officials have said police will not intervene unless they feel students are in harm’s way.

The school’s vice chancellor for strategic communications, Mary Osako, confirmed in a statement that demonstrators had “breached” a barrier between the groups, and that there were “physical altercations” between protesters.

“UCLA has a long history of being a place of peaceful protest, and we are heartbroken about the violence that broke out,” the statement reads.

Information about any potential injuries has not been made available.

Watch Camila Bernal's report from the UCLA campus

This post has been updated with additional reporting from the UCLA campus.

Students remain in encampment blocking a street at George Washington University for 4th day of protests

From CNN’s Avery Lotz

People set up more tents along H street as they protest at George Washington University in Washington, DC, on April 28.

Pro-Palestinian protests continued Sunday on George Washington University’s campus in Washington, DC, where students have erected an encampment of dozens of tents in a park and on the neighboring street.

A crowd of demonstrators has chanted “Free Palestine” to the beat of a drum on H Street NW, some of them wearing traditional keffiyeh and waving Palestinian flags. The street remains blocked by law enforcement, and a number of DC Metropolitan Police officers remain in the area.

Flags, signs and sidewalk chalk decorate the encampment, where protestors say they will stay until the university fulfills their demands, which include disclosing its financial endowments and divesting from Israeli associations — similar to the message of many other college protests nationwide.

One counter-protester walked through the crowd with an Israeli flag draped around her shoulders. Demonstrators chanted, “Free, free, free Palestine,” at the protester, while one held a sign that read, “Genocide is bad.”

Sanders says it's not antisemitic to hold Israeli government accountable for its actions in Gaza

Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks in Triangle, Virginia, on April 22.

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders pushed back on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s claim that protests on US college campuses are driven by antisemitism, telling CNN’s Dan Bash that it’s critical to hold the Israeli government accountable for its actions in Gaza.

In the interview on Sunday morning , Sanders said the “vast majority of the American people are disgusted with Netanyahu’s war machine in Gaza” and do not want more aid sent to Israel.

While Sanders said he acknowledges “antisemitism exists and is growing in the United States,” he said it is not antisemitic for protesters to hold Netanyahu accountable for his actions in Gaza, which he says are “unprecedented in the modern history of warfare.”

Sanders said Israel's widespread destruction of homes and infrastructure in Gaza, and the death toll of more than 30,000 people , according to the enclave's health ministry, is the reason people want the Israeli government held accountable.

Sanders said he condemns Hamas, antisemitism, Islamophobia and other forms of bigotry, but emphasized again, “We do have to pay attention to the disastrous and unprecedented humanitarian disaster taking place in Gaza right now.”

Watch a clip from the interview below:

Portland State University says it will pause gifts and grants from Boeing amid campus protests

From CNN’s Chris Boyette

Boeing’s headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, is pictured on January 31.

Portland State University will pause receiving gifts and grants from the Boeing Company until the college holds a forum to debate the ethics of doing so, according to the school's president.

The move comes amid nationwide protests, including at PSU, against Israel's war in Gaza. Student organizations are calling for schools to cut ties with Israel and to divest from companies that sell weapons, tech and other items to the country, among other demands.

Boeing says on its website that the Israel Defense Forces currently operates nine different Boeing products, and the company contributes a $3.5 billion benefit to the Israeli economy.

"I have heard many students and faculty express that they would like to see PSU cut ties with the company. I initially found these demands confusing and arbitrary: PSU has no investments in Boeing but accepts philanthropic gifts from the company and, given that Boeing is a major employer in the region, many of our alumni work there,” PSU President Ann Cudd said in a letter to the campus community Friday.

“However, the passion with which these demands are being repeatedly expressed by some in our community motivates me, as a scholar of academic ethics and a university leader responsible for the well being of our campus constituents, to listen and ask additional questions,” Cudd said.

Cudd said PSU will host a two-hour moderated debate in May with faculty and students.

On its website, Boeing says its relationship with Israel dates back "more than 75 years — to the founding of the State of Israel."

Boeing declined to comment on Cudd’s announcement.

LA Mayor Bass stands by USC's decision to cancel its main commencement ceremony

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass speaks during a press conference in 2023.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass says the decision by University of Southern California leaders to cancel the school's main commencement ceremony for 2024 graduating students in May was necessary due to safety concerns.

“I believe that that was a decision that they had to make," Bass told CNN’s Dana Bash on Sunday.

"They were expecting about 65,000 people on campus and they just did not feel that it was going to be safe, and the job of the (university) president, just like my job as mayor — my number one job is to make sure that Angelenos are safe."

The mayor, herself a USC alumna , pointed out that while the main ceremony had been canceled, individual schools and departments will go forward with their own ceremonies.

Some context : A USC professor who has criticized the school's response to pro-Palestinian protests told CNN on Saturday that the university's initial decision to cancel its valedictorian's commencement speech served as a catalyst for demonstrations at the Los Angeles campus.

Asna Tabassum, a first-generation South Asian-American Muslim, said in a statement published by the Council on American-Islamic Relations that she has "serious doubts about whether USC’s decision to revoke my invitation to speak is made solely on the basis of safety."

CAIR has accused the school of canceling Tabassum's speech in response to "attacks and harassment launched by anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian extremists."

The school announced it was canceling the main commencement ceremony altogether on Friday, days after the decision to cancel the valedictorian speech.

CNN’s Amanda Musa, Alisha Ebrahimji and Melissa Alonso contributed reporting to this post.

Here are some of the latest comments from elected officials on the protests happening across the US

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell speaks at the Capitol in Washington, DC, on April 23.

Several US lawmakers and other elected officials have spoken in media appearances Sunday about the protests seen across the country in response to Israel's ongoing military campaign in Gaza.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell criticized what he said was antisemitic rhetoric seen in the protests, saying on CBS that "university presidents need to get control of the situation, allow free speech and push back against antisemitism."

“We’ve all got to get serious about the challenges ahead of us, engaging in antisemitic behavior in the United States needs to be stood up to by the administrators of these colleges,” he said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

Virginia Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin also condemned instances of antisemitic rhetoric, and said Virginia wouldn't allow protest encampments to be put up at its academic institutions.

“We will protect the ability to peacefully express yourself, but we’re not going to have the kinds of hate speech and intimidation that we’re seeing across the country in Virginia,” the governor told CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union.”

Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, meanwhile, pushed back against House Speaker Mike Johnson’s suggestion that the National Guard could be sent to college campuses amid the protests, calling it a “very, very bad idea.”

“I think calling in the National Guard to college campuses for so many people would recall what happened when that was done during the Vietnam War — and it didn’t end well,” Kaine said on “Meet the Press.”

“There are other ways, using campus security, but also offering students more opportunities to have dialogue that is civil and constructive where people hear one another — that’s by far preferable,” he added.

Students in Gaza stage demonstration to express gratitude for pro-Palestinian protests at US colleges

From Tareq Alhelou in Rafah and CNN’s Kareem Khadder, Abeer Salman and Zeena Saifi in Jerusalem

Palestinian students hold signs in Rafah, Gaza, on April 28.

Dozens of Palestinian students staged a display of solidarity at a demonstration in southern Gaza on Sunday to express gratitude for the support seen on US college campuses in recent weeks.

Video from the Shaboura refugee camp in Rafah shows children holding banners with messages that read: "Students of Columbia University, continue to stand by us,” and “Violating our right to education and life is a war crime.”

The students gathered around makeshift tents near a school that now serves as a shelter for Palestinians displaced from northern Gaza. Footage shows people spray-painting messages of gratitude on the fabric of the tents, saying “Thank you, students in solidarity with Gaza. Your message has reached.”

A man writes a message of thanks to students in the US protesting in solidarity with the people of Gaza, on a tent at a camp for displaced Palestinians in Rafah, Gaza, on April 27.

Takfeer Abu-Yousuf, a displaced student from the northern city of Beit Hanoun, told CNN he felt it was necessary to thank the students in the US who “supported us with their humanity.”

“We can’t write these thank you messages on the walls of our homes because we have no homes. They have been destroyed on top of our children, elders and women,” he said.

Eighteen-year-old Rana Al-Taher pointed to the school in the camp, telling CNN that what should have been a place for learning and education has become a place for sheltering.

“That means that we have lost our education. We have lost our only hope in Gaza and we want it back. We’re here to ask for it back. It’s our right to have it back … that’s why we’re here,” she said.

Read the full story here.

Universities are cracking down after months of student protests over Israel’s bombardment of Gaza

From CNN's Dakin Andone

With tension mounting over an encampment in support of Palestinians at New York’s Columbia University , police strode onto campus this month and arrested more than 100 demonstrators.

Soon, dozens more students protesting the monthslong assault on Gaza were arrested at New York and Yale universities. At the University of Texas at Austin , police in riot gear and on horseback moved to disperse a like-minded demonstration, while nearly 100 at the University of Southern California also got arrested. Then at Emory University in Atlanta , law enforcement deployed pepper balls to break up a pro-Palestinian action, arresting 28, including several professors . And at Boston’s Emerson College , another 108 protesters were arrested, with four officers hurt.

While the latest run of arrests has commanded outsized attention, US colleges have been using law enforcement — along with academic suspensions and, for at least one school, expulsion — to try to rein in student demonstrations since Hamas’ October attack on Israel left more than 1,200 dead and dozens taken hostage. Israel’s devastating counterpunch in Gaza – with more than 34,000 Palestinians killed, according to its health ministry – has further fueled deeply held views of students and faculty on all sides.

Amid US students’ broad insistence their tactics are peaceful, administrators often have decried campus protests as disruptive, with some — including at Indiana University, George Washington University and California State Polytechnic University’s Humboldt campus — employing school rules governing use of public spaces to threaten or enact discipline, or call for police backup.

Administrators lately have seemed quicker to levy consequences against campus demonstrators than they were six months ago, according to Zach Greenberg of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. Read more about the crackdown here.

Vandalism reported at USC is "absolutely unacceptable and will not be tolerated," university says

From CNN’s Paradise Afshar

People stand near a vandalized statue at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, on April 27.

The University of Southern California says campus property was vandalized Saturday "by individuals who are part of the group that has continued to illegally camp on our campus."

The Tommy Trojan statue and a fountain in Alumni Park were vandalized, the university said, without elaborating on the type of damage they sustained. University officials also did not state what led them to believe the perpetrators were among those taking part in encampment demonstrations.

Video footage from CNN affiliate KABC showed the words “Say No to Genocide” spray-painted on the base of the Tommy Trojan statue.

“Despite repeated warnings, this group has also continued to disrupt our campus operations and harass students and others, in violation of numerous university policies,” Joel Curran, senior vice president of communications, said in a statement.

"While the university fully supports freedom of expression, these acts of vandalism and harassment are absolutely unacceptable and will not be tolerated," Curran said.

University President Carol Folt has made attempts to meet with students, “but they have declined these offers,” Curran said.

“We are hoping for a more reasonable response Sunday before we are forced to take further action,” he said. “This area is needed for commencement set up early this week.”

Remember: Demonstrators at universities across the country have organized in protest of Israel's ongoing military campaign in Gaza , in many cases calling on the schools to disinvest from Israeli institutions and other entities they say benefit from the war.

A USC professor who has criticized the school's response to protests told CNN on Saturday that the university's decision to cancel its Muslim valedictorian's commencement speech , citing safety concerns, served as a catalyst for demonstrations at the Los Angeles campus.

This post has been updated with additional information about the protests at USC.

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They bought Nvidia stock before the hype. It's paid for cars, vacations, and a deposit on a dream home.

Nvidia has been a cash cow for investors lucky enough to have bought in before the AI-fueled rally.
Shares of the company have gained 1,500% since 2019 as its GPUs power the AI revolution.
Early retail investors told Business Insider their gains had paid for cars, vacations, and dream homes.

The dizzying rise of Nvidia stock in recent years has produced extraordinary gains for many retail investors, especially those who got in before the chipmaker became an artificial-intelligence superpower.

The stock's steep climb — up over 1,500% since 2019 — has transformed the lives of some of Nvidia's long-term retail investors, resulting in comfier retirements, new cars, and gains worth millions for some.

Business Insider reviewed brokerage and account statements to verify the gains and account balances of the investors it spoke with, some of whom asked to be identified by their first names only to protect their privacy.

Tom, a 48-year-old retail investor in New Jersey, first bought Nvidia in 2011, when the stock was valued at just about $5 a share. He put in $12,000 at the time and then another $50,000 in 2022. His total stake is now worth $3 million.

His fortune, which remains mostly invested and untouched, was a matter of research and good timing, he said.

"They were the original creators of the GPUs," he said. "I'm not even much of a techie. I'm not a computer person at all, but I knew that the GPUs would be worth something one day."

Nvidia went from a gaming icon to an AI superpower seemingly overnight. In the early days of the pandemic, its stock climbed as gamers, with time on their hands under COVID-19 lockdowns, scrambled to upgrade their computer rigs with the latest Nvidia GPUs.

Then, in November 2022, the debut of OpenAI's ChatGPT fueled a run of stunning growth for Nvidia as its GPUs were the only game in town when it came to powering such AI programs. The stock has essentially gone parabolic since.

According to Vanda Research, Nvidia has become the top stock among retail investors, surpassing retail portfolio concentrations of Apple, Tesla, and SPY, the most popular S&P 500 exchange-traded fund.

Tom said his Nvidia stake was worth about three times what he had in his 401(k) and that he felt more comfortable that he'd be able to live well in retirement, a concern that loomed over him before he went in on Nvidia.

Generational wealth

Kiana Danial is the 40-year-old founder of Invest Diva, a company that helps women take control of their financial future and create generational wealth.

Danial hadn't heard of Nvidia before 2015, when she married her husband, who was a gamer in his free time. Danial said she liked to invest in products she uses, but when she heard her husband talk about how much he loved Nvidia, she decided to buy the stock.

She first bought Nvidia in June 2016. She purchased 10 shares and shortly after continued setting new buy orders every month.

"The investments started growing pretty rapidly," Danial said.

Nvidia shares tumbled by more than 30% in 2018. During that time, Danial continued adding to her positions and started adding Nvidia to her Roth IRA and a Roth IRA she set up for her daughter.

Danial sold the bulk of her shares in February and March 2023 to help partially cover a large down payment on a second home.

Danial sold 800 shares over a six-week period for about $188,795, bringing her total number of shares down to 323.

"I'm obviously kicking myself," Danial said about selling the stock. "But we bought our dream house and it's beautiful."

The stock she still owns has left her with $202,940 in gains. She doesn't plan on selling her shares anytime soon and intends to buy more.

Danial's daughter recently turned 6, and the account Danial set up for her has grown 568% and is worth around $11,000.

The investors Business Insider spoke with piled into Nvidia early on because of its renown among PC gamers, but today, the company's chips are the lynchpin of the AI revolution — and there is virtually zero competition.

The company's dominance has made it hard to find anyone willing to give the bear case, though some analysts have recently sounded more hesitant about further gains after the stock's meteoric rally.

New financial security

Rick, a 36-year-old retail investor in Texas, started buying Nvidia in 2009. The stock caught his eye because, at the time, the company seemed like the future of gaming. He invested $600, which he described as a wild-card bet.

"And so $600 turned into $140K," Rick said.

With Nvidia, Rick said he felt he had a safety net to fall back on. He's spent only a small portion of his gains so far: $15,000 to flip a car he worked on, a hobby he said he wouldn't have gotten into without the Nvidia money. For his 10th anniversary, he and his wife packed their bags for a $14,000 getaway in Costa Rica.

"I had zero stress about it. It was like, 'We can spend as much as we want on this trip,'" he said.

That sense of security that such a windfall provides was the top theme among the Nvidia investors BI connected with.

It's a similar story for Chris Downs, a 66-year-old who lives in rural Missouri and retired from his job as a math teacher three years ago.

He's been investing for a while, but his interest in Nvidia began when he bought a new computer for video editing at the start of the COVID-19 quarantines. Downs said he splurged on an Nvidia graphics card for his setup and was impressed.

He bought 112 shares in March 2020 for $79 each.

In July 2023, he sold 28 shares of Nvidia at $436 apiece to offset losses from other investments. Now he has 84 shares left, worth over $65,000 based on Monday's prices, in addition to other stocks.

He said he would probably sell some of his Nvidia shares closer to the election, but he's planning to invest the proceeds for his four children, as his parents and grandparents had done for their kids.

Downs said his lifestyle wasn't lavish but that he tried to travel every month. Places he's been to include Bolivia, Paris, and Mexico City, and he plans to go to Spain at the end of April.

He said security was the biggest perk of his investment, as well as knowing that he could cover unpredictable financial mishaps.

"It's nice in retirement not to have to worry," Downs said.

Main content

Watch CBS News

California Governor Newsom launches abortion travel ban ad campaign in Alabama

By Dave Pehling

Updated on: April 22, 2024 / 1:41 PM PDT / CBS San Francisco

California Governor Gavin Newsom is taking aim at states considering abortion travel bans with the launch of a new ad campaign.

Newsom's Campaign for Democracy ad is set to air in Alabama starting Monday. The governor tweeted out the ad in a social media post Sunday morning.

Alabama’s abortion ban has no exceptions for rape or incest. Now, Republicans are trying to criminalize young women’s travel to receive abortion care. We cannot let them get away with this. pic.twitter.com/gHbYJYlEXk — Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) April 21, 2024

The text with the video post reads, "Alabama's abortion ban has no exceptions for rape or incest. Now, Republicans are trying to criminalize young women's travel to receive abortion care. We cannot let them get away with this."

The 30-second commercial shows two nervous young women driving in a car passing a sign that reads "State Line 1 Mile."

"We're almost there. You're gonna make it," the passenger tells the woman behind the wheel just before they hear a siren and are pulled over by a state trooper.

"Trump Republicans want to criminalize young Alabama women who travel for reproductive care," a voiceover says as the state trooper walks up to the car.

"Miss, I'm going to need you to step out of the vehicle and take a pregnancy test," the trooper says, waving a test stick in one hand. The next shot shows the driver leaning on the hood of her car as the trooper puts her in handcuffs.

"Stop them by taking action at RightToTravel.org ," the voiceover intones as the ad ends.

Alabama is currently weighing a bill that would make it a crime to help women travel outside the state in order to receive an abortion. The ad is part of a larger effort to combat travel bans across the United States. Newsom was behind a similar ad that ran in Tennessee.

The RightToTravel.org website says that those two states and Oklahoma are considering bills that ban minors from traveling out of state to get an abortion without parental consent, even if it's a case of incest or if there is abuse in the family.

It isn't the first action the governor has taken in the political battle over abortion since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June of 2022. Two days after the ruling, Newsom partnered with the governors of Oregon and Washington to issue a multi-state commitment promising to defend access to reproductive health care, including abortion and contraceptives.

In September of that year, he launched a billboard campaign in seven of the most restrictive anti-abortion states urging women seeking the procedure to come to California for treatment. He also signed more than a dozen new abortion laws protecting women's reproductive rights and ordered the state to end its contract with Walgreens after the pharmacy giant indicated it would not sell an abortion pill by mail in some conservative-led states .

Gavin Newsom
Roe v. Wade

Dave Pehling started his journalism career doing freelance writing about music in the late 1990s, eventually working as a web writer, editor and producer for KTVU.com in 2003. He moved to CBS to work as the station website's managing editor in 2015.

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Calling all hotel lovers

Meet Mr & Mrs Smith—a collection of luxury and boutique hotels and villas, many of which are situated in destinations brand new to World of Hyatt. We’re talking secluded Japanese woodland wonders, modernized English countryside manors, and even a family-friendly hotel atop seaside cliffs.

From Croatia to the British Virgin Islands, there are more than 700 new additions to our ever-expanding world, each one vetted by a network of trusted tastemakers.

Get ready to swoon.

Member Benefits

5 Base Points per every eligible $1 USD spent on room rates

Standard tier Bonus Points on eligible room rates for elite tier members

Credit toward earning tier status and Milestone Rewards

Use your earned points for free nights at Hyatt hotels and participating Mr & Mrs Smith hotels

Room upgrades for Globalists upon check-in (based on availability)

Credit toward a Brand Explorer Award—earn a free night for every five unique Hyatt brands experienced, including Mr & Mrs Smith

To learn more about how Mr & Mrs Smith hotels participate in World of Hyatt, please see the program terms .

Explore the world of Mr & Mrs Smith

The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa

Villa Mahabhirom

The Christopher

Masseria Torre Coccaro

Life House, Berkshires

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the relationship between Hyatt and Mr & Mrs Smith? In 2023, Hyatt acquired Mr & Mrs Smith, a travel club platform that provides direct booking access to a curated collection of luxury and boutique hotels. Through this relationship, World of Hyatt members can take advantage of certain program benefits at participating Mr & Mrs Smith properties. Not all Mr & Mrs Smith properties will participate in World of Hyatt.

Which Mr & Mrs Smith hotels are participating in World of Hyatt? Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties are any hotel or resort that is part of the Mr & Mrs Smith collection and can be booked directly through a Hyatt Booking Channel either on hyatt.com, through the World of Hyatt app, or through a Hyatt Global Care Center . Mr & Mrs Smith Properties that are not bookable through Hyatt Booking Channels do not participate in the World of Hyatt program. See full list of properties by visiting hyatt.com/explore-hotels/map .

Though some World of Hyatt Point Properties (i.e., a property operating under a Hyatt brand, such as Alila) may be listed on a Mr & Mrs Smith booking channel (e.g., mrandmrssmith.com), no such property will be considered a Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Property for World of Hyatt purposes. Any such property’s participation in the World of Hyatt Program (if any) remains subject to the main World of Hyatt Program Terms, not the Mr & Mrs Smith Terms or these FAQs.

How do World of Hyatt members get benefits at Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties? To enjoy the benefits, World of Hyatt members must (i) book a stay at a Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Property through a Hyatt Booking Channel, (ii) associate their valid World of Hyatt membership number with the reservation at the time of reservation, (iii) complete that stay, and (iv) either pay an Eligible Rate or redeem a Free Night Award (i.e., points redemption) (each such night is an “Eligible Mr & Mrs Smith Night”). (Please note that a member cannot associate their World of Hyatt Program membership number with a reservation during their stay at a Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Property or by contacting Mr & Mrs Smith or the property directly.)

What are the benefits for World of Hyatt members? World of Hyatt members who book an Eligible Mr & Mrs Smith Night through Hyatt Booking Channels can expect the following:

Five (5) Base Points for each U.S. dollar (or US dollar equivalent) paid for an Eligible Rate on Eligible Mr & Mrs Smith Nights (such spend is “Eligible Mr & Mrs Smith Spend”). Incidentals and food and beverage spend are not considered Eligible Mr & Mrs Smith Spend.
Eligible Mr & Mrs Smith Nights count toward World of Hyatt tier status and Milestone Rewards.
The ability to redeem World of Hyatt points for Free Night Awards at Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties. The exact point value required for redemption is available when selecting specific dates of a stay and room type.

Will Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties provide World of Hyatt in-hotel benefits, such as preferred rooms, complimentary premium internet access, dedicated check-in and checkout, guaranteed room availability, late checkout, club access? No, World of Hyatt in-hotel benefits are not offered at Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties. However, through the World of Hyatt relationship with Mr & Mrs Smith, Globalist members may receive a room upgrade where available at check-in.

What are the Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties? The complete list of Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties can be found by visiting hyatt.com/explore-hotels/map and filtering by the Mr & Mrs Smith brand.

Do I get a reciprocal tier status in the Mr & Mrs Smith membership program? No, there is no tier reciprocity with Mr & Mrs Smith membership program.

Who can I call if I have questions about an upcoming stay at a Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Property? If you have concierge questions regarding your upcoming stay at a Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Property, please contact the property concierge team of the specific Mr & Mrs Smith property for further assistance.

If you have reservation-related questions about your upcoming stay a Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Property, please contact a Hyatt Global Care Center .

EARNING WORLD OF HYATT POINTS AT PARTICIPATING MR & MRS SMITH PROPERTIES

At which Mr & Mrs Smith properties can I earn World of Hyatt points? You may earn World of Hyatt points at any of the Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties. The complete list of Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties can be found by visiting hyatt.com/explore-hotels/map and filtering by the Mr & Mrs Smith brand.

How do I earn World of Hyatt points at Participating Mr & Mrs Smith properties? To earn World of Hyatt points at a Participating Mr & Mrs Smith property, you must:

Be a member of World of Hyatt;
Book through Hyatt Booking Channels (either on Hyatt.com, through the World of Hyatt app, or through a Hyatt Global Care Center ) and pay an Eligible Rate;
Associate your World of Hyatt membership number with the reservation at the time of booking (membership number may not be applied to reservation during the stay itself); and
Complete your stay.

What is considered Eligible Mr & Mrs Smith Spend for earning World of Hyatt points at the Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties? Eligible Mr & Mrs Smith Spend is any room-rate spend on an Eligible Rate for a stay at a Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Property that is booked through Hyatt Booking Channels, either on Hyatt.com, through the World of Hyatt app, or through a Hyatt Global Care Center . Incidentals and food and beverage spend at Mr & Mrs Smith properties are not eligible spend.

Reservations made directly with Mr & Mrs Smith or a Mr & Mrs Smith hotel, on mrandmrssmith.com, or through third party on-line sites and services are not eligible. Similarly, master account group booking rates, traditional wholesale rates, media rates, airline interrupted-trip vouchers, or contracted rooms are not Eligible Mr & Mrs Smith Spend.

How many World of Hyatt points will I earn at Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties? Members earn five (5) World of Hyatt Base Points for every US dollar (or US dollar equivalent) of Eligible Mr & Mrs Smith Spend at Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties. Incidentals and food and beverage spend at Mr & Mrs Smith properties are not eligible spend.

Will Discoverists, Explorists and Globalists receive their World of Hyatt point bonus at participating Mr & Mrs Smith properties? Yes. All World of Hyatt members will earn five (5) Base Points for every US dollar (or US dollar equivalent) of Eligible Mr & Mrs Smith Spend at the Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties. Discoverists, Explorists, and Globalists will also receive their respective 10% point bonus, 20% point bonus and 30% point bonus as Bonus Points. Incidentals and food and beverage spend are not eligible spend.

Can I earn World of Hyatt points for Eligible Mr & Mrs Smith Spend when booking multiple rooms for a stay at a Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Property? Yes. Members can earn World of Hyatt points on Eligible Mr & Mrs Smith Spend for up to three (3) rooms (i.e., member's room and two additional rooms) when staying at a Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Property. The World of Hyatt member must be a registered guest, occupy at least one of the rooms and pay for all three. To earn World of Hyatt points, each room must otherwise satisfy the requirements of an Eligible Mr & Mrs Smith Night as described above.

Will I earn points for on-property spend added to my folio, like spend on dining, spa, or other incidentals during my stay? No. Only spend on eligible room rates booked through a Hyatt Booking Channel is considered Eligible Mr & Mrs Smith Spend. Incidental spend and any other charges at any Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Property, or any venue or outlet associated with such property is ineligible and World of Hyatt members cannot earn points for such spend.

Will I earn World of Hyatt points on my meeting or event hosted at a Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Property? No. Meetings or events hosted at a Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Property will not count as a Qualifying Event for purposes of the World of Hyatt program.

When using my World of Hyatt Credit Card, do I earn World of Hyatt Bonus Points at Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties like I would at Hyatt hotels and resorts? No. Currently, Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties are not considered a “Hyatt hotel or resort” for purposes of earning bonus points on World of Hyatt credit card spend.

Do points earned on Eligible Mr & Mrs Smith Spend at Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties count towards World of Hyatt tier status? Base Points earned from Eligible Mr & Mrs Smith Spend count towards a member’s World of Hyatt tier status.

Do Eligible Mr & Mrs Smith Nights count towards World of Hyatt tier status? Yes, members will receive one Tier-Qualifying Night credit towards World of Hyatt tier status for each Eligible Mr & Mrs Smith Night at a Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Property.

What is considered an Eligible Mr & Mrs Smith Night for earning World of Hyatt Tier-Qualifying Night credit at a Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Property? An Eligible Mr & Mrs Smith Night is any room night spent at a Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Property that is booked by a World of Hyatt Member through a Hyatt Booking Channel where the Member either pays an Eligible Rate or redeems points for a Free Night Award and where the Member associates their World of Hyatt membership number with the reservation at the time of booking. Reservations made directly with Mr & Mrs Smith or a Mr & Mrs Smith hotel, on mrandmrssmith.com, or through third party on-line sites and services (such as Expedia, Priceline or hotels.com) are not eligible. Similarly, master account group booking rates, traditional wholesale rates, media rates, airline interrupted-trip vouchers, or contracted rooms are ineligible.

If I am a member of the Mr & Mrs Smith membership program, will I be able to earn in both the Mr & Mrs Smith membership program and World of Hyatt loyalty program for my stay at Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties? No. Reservations made through Hyatt Booking Channels do not count toward earning in the Mr & Mrs Smith membership program.

How long after my stay at a Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Property should I expect World of Hyatt points and Tier-Qualifying Nights to be credited to my World of Hyatt account? Please allow up to fifteen (15) business days after your qualifying activity for points and Tier-Qualifying Nights to be credited to your World of Hyatt account. (Please note that, should a World of Hyatt member extend a stay at a Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Property during their stay, the member may not receive World of Hyatt points or Tier-Qualifying Night credit for any night beyond the original reservation. In some instances (such as shortened stays, no-shows, and late cancellations), points and Tier-Qualifying Night credits may not be awarded or may be removed the member’s account.)

How long after my stay at a Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Property can I request retroactive credit to earn World of Hyatt points for that night? Members who were not properly credited for any points or Tier-Qualifying Night credit(s) earned in connection with a qualifying stay at a Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Property may request an adjustment within one (1) year of the checkout date of the applicable stay by contacting a .

Can I earn American Airlines miles for my stay at Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties ? Yes, eligible linked members can also earn American Airlines miles for qualifying stays at a Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Property.

Can I elect to earn partner loyalty points (such as miles) in lieu of World of Hyatt points for my stay at Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties, like I can at Hyatt hotels and resorts? No, World of Hyatt members cannot earn partner loyalty points at Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties.

Will Mr & Mrs Smith properties participate in the Brand Explorer Award? Mr & Mrs Smith is considered a brand for purposes of earning the Brand Explorer Award, and a qualifying stay at any Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Property will count towards for the Mr & Mrs Smith brand for earning this award. Different Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties within the Mr & Mrs Smith brand will constitute a single Hyatt brand for purposes of earning a Brand Explorer Award. Please note that earned Brand Explorer Awards can’t be used at any Mr & Mrs Smith property.

Do Mr & Mrs Smith properties participate in World of Hyatt earning opportunities for travel advisors

No. No Mr & Mrs Smith collection property participates in World of Hyatt Program earning opportunities for travel advisors (whether under the Travel Advisor Terms or the Hyatt Privé or Hyatt Leverage programs), and no travel advisor will earn any Tier-Qualifying Night credit or other Program benefit based on Eligible Mr & Mrs Smith Spend.

REDEEMING WORLD OF HYATT POINTS AT PARTICIPATING MR & MRS SMITH PROPERTIES

At which Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties can I redeem World of Hyatt points? You may redeem World of Hyatt points for Free Night Awards at any of the Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties (subject to availability). The complete list of Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties can be found by visiting hyatt.com/explore-hotels/map and filtering by the Mr & Mrs Smith brand.

Do I need to be a BlackSmith member to redeem World of Hyatt points for free night awards at participating Mr & Mrs Smith properties? No, you don't need to be a member of Mr & Mrs Smith’s BlackSmith program to redeem World of Hyatt points for Free Night Awards at Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties.

How do I redeem World of Hyatt points for Free Night Awards at Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties? You may redeem World of Hyatt points to book a stay at a Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Property through Hyatt Booking Channels, either on Hyatt.com, through the World of Hyatt app, or by calling a Hyatt Global Care Center . World of Hyatt Free Night Awards may not be booked through Mr & Mrs Smith booking channels, either mrandmrssmith.com or through Mr & Mrs Smith voice channels.

How many World of Hyatt points are required to redeem a Free Night Award at a Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Property? Mr & Mrs Smith properties do not participate in World of Hyatt’s standard award redemption categories, but you can view how many points are required for a particular stay at a Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Property by selecting the “Use Points” option on Hyatt.com or the World of Hyatt app, or by calling a Hyatt Global Care Center .

Can I redeem my promotional World of Hyatt awards, such as my Brand Explorer Award, Category 1-4 Free Night Award, Category 1-7 Free Night Award, or Ultimate Free Night Award for a stay at a participating Mr & Mrs Smith property? No. Promotional Free Night Award are not redeemable at Mr & Mrs Smith properties. Free Night Awards at a Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Property may be secured only by redeeming World of Hyatt points.

Can I use my points to book a Free Night Award for another person at a Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Property? No. A reservation for a Free Night Award can only be made for the member who has the points in their account.

Do World of Hyatt members pay resort fees on Free Night Awards redeemed at Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties? Resort fees are not waived at Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties. However, for Free Night Awards, the resort fee is included in the number of points required to redeem the award; they are not charged separately to the member.

Are there blackout dates for Free Night Award redemption at Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties? No. There are no blackout dates for Free Night Award redemption at Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties, but reservations are subject to availability.

Can I redeem a Points + Cash Award at Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties? No. At this time, Points + Cash Awards are not available at Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties.

Can I redeem my World of Hyatt points for room upgrades at Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties? No. At this time, you may not redeem World of Hyatt points for room upgrades at participating Mr & Mrs Smith properties.

Can I use my World of Hyatt complimentary suite upgrades at Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties? No. At this time, you may not use your World of Hyatt suite upgrades at Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties. However, Globalists may receive an upgraded room upon arrival at Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties depending on availability.

Can I redeem my World of Hyatt points for spa, dining, and other incidentals at Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties? No. At this time, you cannot redeem your World of Hyatt points for spa, dining, and other incidentals at Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties.

Are resort fees waived at Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties? Resort fees are not waived at Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties. (Please note that this is true for all members. The Globalist benefit of a waived resort when paying an Eligible Rate is not valid at Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties.)

Are deposits required at Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties for guests redeeming a Free Night Award? No, guests will not pay deposits for nights on which they have redeemed a Free Night Award at Participating Mr & Mrs Smith Properties.

Can I use my Mr & Mrs Smith gift card towards a future stay at Mr & Mrs Smith properties? The gift card can be used towards accommodation costs when booking on the Mr & Mrs Smith website https://www.mrandmrssmith.com/. (However, please note that any stay booked through the Mr & Mrs Smith website is NOT eligible for the World of Hyatt program and a member booking through this channel will not receive World of Hyatt points, Tier-Qualifying Night credit, or any other World of Hyatt benefit for that stay.)

IMAGES

Best Romantic Road Trips Cars for Couple
10 of the World's Best Experiences for Car Lovers
10 of the World's Best Experiences for Car Lovers
13 of the Best Scenic Road Trips in the USA
10 best attractions for car lovers in the US, according to readers
Best Attraction for Car Lovers Winners (2020)

COMMENTS

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Bucket List Builder: 10 Vacation Destinations for Car Enthusiasts
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Marshall Steam Museum - Yorklyn, Delaware. Auto enthusiasts can travel back in time at the Marshall Steam Museum, where they can peruse the world's largest operating collection of Stanley steam cars, as well as a 1916 electric car and two 1930s Packards. Train fans can even check out the Auburn Valley Railroad with its 1/8th-size coal-fired ...
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Here are some noteworthy experiences that are sure to impress any car enthusiast. Why you are seeing these recommendations. 1. Drive go-karts on the streets of Tokyo, Japan. Live out your video game fantasies in real life and experience Tokyo from a whole new perspective—from the inside of a go-kart.
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International Road Trips for Car Lovers. Experience the thrill of a Patagonia Jeep Tour, explore the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, or indulge in the luxury of Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi. Get up close and personal with luxury cars on a Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix VIP Tour, or embark on a self-drive safari tour of Namibia for an ...
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Elizabeth Heath. The Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy is home to the Motor Valley, where some of the world's most renowned sports cars are built. Dubbed "the land where speed was born," the Motor Valley centers around Modena and includes Parma, Bologna, and parts of the Romagna, the eastern portion of the larger region.
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23 Best Road Trips in the U.S. to Take in 2024
Photo by photo.ua / Shutterstock. 10. Seneca Falls, New York, to Nashville, Tennessee: Follow the Path of the Women's Suffrage Movement. Starting in New York's Finger Lakes region and ending at the State Capitol Building in Nashville, this road trip traces the route of the national women's suffrage movement.
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Calling all hotel lovers. Meet Mr & Mrs Smith—a collection of luxury and boutique hotels and villas, many of which are situated in destinations brand new to World of Hyatt. ... In 2023, Hyatt acquired Mr & Mrs Smith, a travel club platform that provides direct booking access to a curated collection of luxury and boutique hotels. Through this ...

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Car-nival: 10 best attractions for car lovers across the US

No. 10: Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum - Birmingham, Alabama

No. 9: Mullin Automotive Museum - Oxnard, California

No. 8: Marshall Steam Museum - Yorklyn, Delaware

No. 7: Revs Institute - Naples, Florida

No. 6: America's Transportation Experience / AACA Museum - Hershey, Pennsylvania

No. 5: America's Car Museum - Tacoma, Washington

No. 4: National Corvette Museum - Bowling Green, Kentucky

No. 3: Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

No. 2: Savoy Automobile Museum - Cartersville, Georgia

No. 1: Speedway Motors Museum of American Speed - Lincoln, Nebraska

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Best Attraction for Car Lovers

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These are the 10 best attractions for car lovers across the U.S., as voted by readers

15 Affordable Destinations All Car Lovers Should Visit

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Petersen Automotive Museum

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Bonneville Salt Flats Speedway

The Autobahn

Indianapolis Motor Speedway

North American International Auto Show

Daytona International Speedway

Shelby Factory Tour

National Automobile Museum

Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Auction

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National Corvette Museum

Cadillac Ranch

Havana, Cuba

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