Automotive Pilgrimage... Vacation Spots for Gearheads?

There are a lot of locales that could be considered historically significant in an automotive sense. I live near Detroit, so we have a TON of them here.

A few years ago when I was single I flew out to LA for a long weekend just to drive up and down the coast. Took in the Petersen museum. That was good fun. So, I talked to my wife about the vacations we'll go on when we get older. I proposed they all include at least one automotive destination. She buys into it for the most part. For one thing, visiting automotive landmarks can take you to some pretty nice parts of the world. Some of them are even nicer than Detroit!

For instance, I would like to check out some of the European stuff. Take in the Goodwood Revival. Drive the Nurburgring. Stay at the Fiat Lingotto factory in Turin which has been turned into a fancy hotel. (It's the one with the test track on the roof - as seen in the Italian Job.)

I wondered if any of you would have advice on some cool automotive sites to check out. Is there anything worth seeing at Bonneville? Are any of those old Ed Roth "Crazy Painters" shops still in existence? Know any good museums? Any sites from the big car movies?

 

If you are ever around Ocala, Florida I believe the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing is there.

 

That's what I'm talking about! I would like to check Garlits' out if I can get to FL.

I found this website which has a lot of Detroit sites:

http://www.autoheritage.org/splash.htm

Maybe any of you coming to town for Autorama will want to take some of it in. Also,

http://detroityes.com/

Has a ton of photos of "The Ruins of Detroit." You'll see some old Ford, GM, Packard plant stuff there. It's worth driving around Detroit to see some of this stuff in person.

 

I was really impressed with the Auburn Cord Duesy Museum when we visited it last year.

 

I second the Garlitts museum. You can spend an hour just looking at his broken engine parts. Lots of nostalgia, lots of cars, and lots of info. Daytona is just due East of there. Some might consider it overrated, but even the atmosphere alone is cool...especially in mid Feb. and early July (Daytona 500, and Firecracker 400). I could spend a couple days at the track. Lots of attractions, like right beside the track is a go cart place with dragsters powered by ch, ch, chevy 350's that go 0-70 in 3 seconds. Its a blast.


Greg

 

Hemmings Motor News' website lists over 1000 auto museums. Just enter the location where you're interested and it'll spit out a list of all those in that area.
http://www.hemmingsmotornews.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/museums.main

 

NO! Bonneville ****S, stay away from Bonneville.