I'll be in So Cal Thursday 7/27/2023 - 8/1. I have other non hot rod obligations but need some ideas to maximize my free time. Definitely going to hit Peterson Museum, I've been in 2004 & 2019. But would love to find a shop to tour and a cruise in or 2.... Most of my nights will be fee after dinner so local cruises would be great.
Don’t know what your “central” spot it stay is but every Friday night from 4-8 at Redondo Beach next to Captain Kidds on Harbor Dr you will find 150-200 hot rods. If Whittier is closer Rubys Diner on Whittier Blvd will have at least to same amount at the same time. If your an early morning riser from starting at 5am to 9 Saturday morning there Donut Derelicts at Adams avenue and Magnolia in Huntington Beach. SoCalCarCulture.com shows most everything… good luck. Their all free…not like the Peterson..
How did I not know this site existed. I have lived in Southern California my entire life (I am almost 45), I am usually pretty good for car oriented stuff but occasionally I miss something that I would have liked to have gone to and then I'm bummed out. Thanks for the link.
Hello, There is only one place that needs to be visited on any So Cal excursion, the ocean. So @jimmy six and his idea of Redondo Beach is located in Los Angeles's ocean front area, called the South Bay. The Petersen is in the middle of the western part of downtown L.A. So, take Wilshire Blvd. all the way to the ocean in Santa Monica. Now, you get to see the official end of Route 66 at the Santa Monica Pier when you drive out to the end. Then, upon exiting the pier, turn right and follow Highway 1 South to Redondo Beach. If you want to do touristy things along the ocean, then stop at Venice Beach where you will see a giant wall mural of old hot rods and cruisers shown on the HAMB Saturday Art Thread. It is an interesting place, but "watch your 6" as heard on many TV/movie shows... Go to one of the largest marinas on the Westcoast, Marina Del Rey, for a salt water experience. It is a good place for lunch or dinner. Now, the choice is yours to do. Our old day's "cruise along the ocean front" ended up on the other side of the Ballona Creek swampy area. The road all along the ocean goes under the flight path of LAX (which you will miss the traffic) and keeps you out of L.A. airport traffic jams at all hours. The road now goes directly South through several great beach towns/cities to come to Redondo Beach. Jnaki Plan on a good hour straight drive in normal L.A. traffic from the Petersen. But, since you are in Redondo Beach in the 4-8 P.M. hours, it is too late to drive East for 20+ minutes to get to the Lions Dragstrip Museum located on Del Amo near Bixby Knolls. Call ahead for hours and opening doors. It is a short drive to the Long Beach Airport with less traffic and less of a calamity at any airport in the area. You did not say which airport you will be flying into, but, the Long Beach Airport is only a short drive to Los Angeles and also West to Redondo Beach. If it is LAX, then get ready for some heavy traffic at all hours. Our choice is always Long Beach Airport for major connections to most USA cities. Less traffic and less airport hassles. Besides, as you land, you will see the only neighborhood all dark glass Pyramid sticking up surrounded by communities. When you take off to the ocean, you will fly over our old cruising/hot rod/drag racing areas and our old houses in the Westside of Long Beach under the flight path to the ocean turn around. Have a nice trip and stay calm during all rental car driving as it may get a little confusing. But, don't be the first car into any intersection, in any city after a stop sign or stop light. Some people are in a hurry and run those late stops and red lights... so be aware. YRMV
If you go to the Peterson, don't eat before getting there. Try to keep your stomach calm after you see what they did to a fine old building.
SoCal covers a lot of area, maybe be a bit more specific where you will be staying...avoid some traffic situations.
A few tips I enjoy when visiting SoCal Bobs Big Boy cruise in Burbank on Friday Night. Nethercutt Museum in Sylmar (Make reservations). Amazing cars and furnishings, tour is incredible. Peterson museum as you mentioned, close to Farmers market and a good place for lunch. Donut Derelicts Saturday morning in Huntington Beach SoCal speed shop NHRA museum in Pomona AutoBooks in Burbank, cool place to visit, every title you can imagine. May run into Leno or Ivo there too. Fri-Sunday Rock Store for breakfast. Usually some cool bikes and cars will show up, plus it’s a beautiful drive. Leno is there a lot, owner is a nice guy.. Drive the PCH from Santa Monica to near Oxnard, beautiful stretch of the PCH and some great cars will be out there. Dukes, Malibu Seafood Are great places to eat, Neptunes Net is a fun place to eat and often a nice car will show up there too. Drive as much of Mulholland as you can, beautiful area and nice cars are usually on it, some great lookout points too.
Speaking of SoCal, has anyone been to the San Clemente cars and Coffee on Saturday morning? I’ll be in the area this fall, is it as good as Donut Derelicts?
As for hot rod shops to see I always visit the Early Ford Store in San Dimas, go at lunch time, great little Italian restaurant next door. After that I would head to So-Cal's new store which is close by. Never been turned away at Stokers, talk to Dave. Another favorite shop is Kennedy Brothers if the front gate is unlocked, great stuff for sale plus there's always some cool projects happening. Nice guys. Could get lucky and Bobby Walden might be at his shop, late afternoons or early evening, always interesting to talk to. A trip over to Hollywood Hot Rods might net you a few moments with Troy, he likes to show off his projects, it's a bit of a hassle to get there, heavy traffic. Ray at Roadster Supply is an interesting place, lots of parts. A few hours out of town are the Boling Brothers in I think Lindsay. That will thoroughly shoot a day in the butt. The shops I visit are not in the city, I've never felt threatened in Pomona, San Dimas or Upland. My CA experience has been going to the LARS for about 30 years and I will never go into the city if I can help it. Flew into Ontario and stayed at the host hotel. Last 10 years I've driven so I could be in the swap meet and have my scooter. Stay at Cal Poly. Did drive my roadster in 86 but business obligations stopped that for many years.
Used to live in So. Cal. The best advise I can offer overall is to understand that the place has everything and everybody, all trying to get somewhere else on streets laid out many decades back. For a car mecca, it's tough to get around. Try to avoid turning left, it's a battle. Go down a block and make 3 rights, if possible. The LA area in particular is strange because you can be cruising widows down and relaxed to 3 blocks over where you are afraid to stop at red lights. This flies in the face of the last suggestion, so it's up to you to be safe. Renting a big vehicle you aren't familiar with is asking for a whole lot less chill, especially parking.
Hello, It is advertised as the largest one in the Westcoast, which it is. It probably is, knowing the history of the event. The original group started the whole Westcoast Cars and Coffee events back many years ago in Irvine, CA. It was in the giant buildings in the industrial complex, just off of the I-5 freeway. It ran well and some big names in the industry, sporty cars and hot rod/drag race industry were regulars. But, as all good things go, there were some idiots that wanted to show off to everyone. The term "Idiot in a Mustang" was coined a long time ago as the drivers had no idea that being out of control is not what most drivers do at these events. The center dividers were the recipients of damages when the Mustangs, Camaros did their idiot things. There were even some films floating around during that time. But, that was some of the last events there as the companies did not want to be associated with oddball drivers. So, it closed down and So Cal lost the large gatherings of some really cool cars, 50-50 split as to HAMB approved or not. It remained dormant for a while and some of the regulars decided to start another in San Clemente Target store lot and also others in Aliso Viejo Town Center took over for a while in a huge parking lot. The vendors were all for it thinking it would bring in shoppers and money. So, it ran for a while and again the idiots in a Mustang, Camaros, Chryslers would show up and get out of control, again. This time the local sheriff's cars and the neighborhood CHP would hand out tickets. Finally, the shopping centers decided that bad publicity was not the best and shut down the whole event. Some of the participants moved to an impromptu event not publicized, BUT, just three miles toward the ocean at another outdoor parking lot. It was successful for a while, but wouldn't you know it? Different idiots showed up again and it, too, died a slow death for an event. There are still some diehards that stop over on some weekends. Jnaki But, when the new outlet mall covered the largest ocean view site in North San Clemente, the city fathers knew it was a money maker and did all to please the city coffers. The outdoor mall had some big name stores and welcomed all who visited. Now some of the old cars and coffee people had an inkling that it would be a great place. It is/was a great place, with the ocean breeze blowing in daily, extra huge parking lots that have ocean views and a gaggle of shops for dining during those early morning arrivals. The event is/was not completely without its detractors and of course those idiots that seem to grow in trees every where began to show up and do burnouts for what reason, who knows. The CHP has put a slow down on those complaints given by the million dollar homes across the street and the local sheriff has posted more patrols on Saturday mornings. If anyone arrives early, the lot is closed and one is diverted to an accessory drive +lot to wait for the official parking lot opening. Due to increased patrols towards the end, there have been complaints, but less of them. Hopefully, the idiots in Mustangs, Chryslers, Camaros get the message. Note: Do not think that this weekly event is for old hot rods and cruisers. It is 80-90% sporty cars and non 66 and later cars. If one does not mind the sporty cars, then there are some of So Cal's nicest looking old hot rods, interspersed between the sporty cars. YRMV Note 2: for HAMB related hot rods and cruisers, the Huntington Beach Donut Derelicts is a better event for the cars only. So, if you want, start there at the light of dawn, now around 4:45 am and by the time everyone starts leaving, drive down Coast Highway to the South Orange County Cars and Coffee event that starts at 9:00am. If anything, the ocean font Coast Highway drive itself is a mind settling cruise and will calm all traffic conditions so early in the morning. Also, if you can see the ocean, watch out for off the side of the road CHP radar cars hidden away in the surroundings. Blind curves are notorious for hiding. YRMV
If you're driving down PCH from Santa Monica to the Redondo area, you might want to catch Hermosa Beach and Pier Avenue. It is a great place - day or night - to really catch the beach scene, have lunch/dinner. Also, if you like cool music, checkout the 'Lighthouse Cafe' on Pier Ave in Hermosa - has been one of the great original beach joints for as long as I've been alive and I've spent many a Sunday afternoon, evening and night (sometimes all 3) at the lighthouse. I grew up in SoCal and still consider the Hermosa Beach scene to be one of the best in all of SoCal. Huntington Beach would also be up on the list. Another place to consider is a visit to Iskenderian Racing Cams (Gardena). I'm not sure how often Ed still hangs around there, but he, his sons and the crew there have always been hospitable to Hotrodders of all sorts. Enjoy your trip! B&S
Thank you for the response and tip. I've been to DD many times and love it, I like your idea of attending it in the morning then driving to San Clemente for the 9:00 arrival along the coast highway. Wife likes the idea too, sounds like a fun Saturday morning.
I haven't been that far down in Cali for a while but he nailed my exact thought. The time involved in getting from point A to point B in the greater LA area can be a real issue. It my be only 30 miles but can take two hours or more at certain times. The reason that there are several airports that you can choose when you fly into the area, it takes too long to get from LAX to a lot of the popular spots.
San Clemente is fine for McLaren’s etc. . . . Kinda like a big exotic super car show room. Yes there are older and muscle cars but in that area ….not the show. Depending on your stay, there is a lot to see in So Cal and the nice thing is usually 52 weekends a year for the near future….
Thanks so much, this is exactly the type of tips I hoped for! As I mentioned I've been to the Peterson as recently as 2019. The vault tour is definitely on the to do again list.And Donut Derelicts seems promising I'm sort of an early riser and my brain will probably still be on east coast time so that should help.
Also, Supercar Sunday in Woodland Hills is a nice show. It’s a mix of exotics and classics, attended many times and always fun. Well organized and run show. http://www.supercarsunday.com/
Only tourists call California, "Cali". Don't do it. Plan your time accordingly for your trips on our roadways. Things might look near by on a map and GPS, but the reality is that the traffic on our freeways are horrible even after peak times. It might take an hour to go five miles. And the side streets aren't too much better during certain times of the day. Watch out for the interchange areas, they will bog up with cars slowing or stopping for NO certain reason and drivers cutting each other off all the way from the #4 lane to make the off ramp. Try not to make eye contact or flip someone off when they destroy your ego while driving. It's not worth the hassle. PCH is a nice drive with great scenery. Lots of hot rods and muscle cars. Just be wary as you drive thru certain towns while on PCH. It's not all open highway and ocean view. Don't gawk at celebrities. You're more than likely see one or two. If someone approaches you at a beach site or tourist area and wants to take a picture with you or tries to give you a CD, turn it down. They will try to charge you and will threaten you until you give them money. And DO NOT give money to panhandlers. Most are fakers. You can't tell. Hit Redondo Beach, San Clemente, San Dimas, Pomona, New Port, Huntington. Eat at In-N-Out, Bob's Big Boy, Norm's, Der Wienerschitzel, Ruby's or a good steak house. The Alpine is fun. Things are way over priced here. Especially the gas! But, hey, Have some fun...
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