9 Places Car Lovers Should Visit
From museums to speedways to auto shows, the U.S. offers a wealth of attractions that cater to car enthusiasts young and old. If you love cars, you should definitely add these nine vacation destinations to your bucket list!
1. Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Indiana)
Dubbed the "racing capital of the world," the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is home to three of the most famous races in the world: the Indy 500, Brickyard 400 and IndyCar Grand Prix. The Speedway was constructed in 1909 just outside Indianapolis and features a museum with a race car collection including IndyCars, NASCAR, Formula One, Sprint, midget cars and more.
2. Peterson Automotive Museum (California)
The Peterson Automotive Museum occupies an entire block of LA's Miracle Mile, making it one of the biggest car museums in the world. It features 25 galleries that showcase more than 100 vehicles, while the rest of its collection remains locked in the site's "vault." The museum includes exhibits related to automotive artistry, industrial engineering, racing, motorcycles and the history of the automobile.
3. Bonneville Salt Flats Speedway (Utah)
Spanning 30,000 acres, the Bonneville Salt Flats are famous for one thing: speed. Countless land speed records have been broken here, earning the site the nickname "automotive heaven." The official land speed record was set in 1914 at 141.73 mph. Since then, the 300, 400, 500 and 600 mph records, as well as the sound barrier, were all broken here.
4. North American International Auto Show (Michigan)
Detroit's annual North American International Auto Show is one of the biggest auto events in the world. The event includes six unique shows: The Gallery (an ultra-luxury automotive event), AutoMobili-D (an inside look at the future of mobility platforms), Press Preview, Industry Preview, Charity Preview, and a 9-day Public Show.
5. Daytona International Speedway (Florida)
The Daytona International Speedway is home to what's often regarded as "the Super Bowl of Stock Car Racing," NASCAR's Daytona 500. Between races, the Speedway offers tours that let visitors experience the site's famed 31-degree banks. True car lovers can also arrange for all-access tours and VIP options.
6. National Automobile Museum (Nevada)
Located in Reno, Nevada, the National Automobile Museum displays historic vehicles from the late 19th century and throughout the 20th century. The museum's more than 200 cars are spread across four galleries and include celebrity-owned vehicles like Elvis Presley's 1973 Cadillac Eldorado, Frank Sinatra's 1961 Ghia L6.4, John Wayne's 1953 Chevrolet Corvette and John F. Kennedy's 1962 Lincoln Continental.
7. Cadillac Ranch (Texas)
Cadillac Ranch is a public art installation and tribute to the beloved Caddy along Interstate 40 in Amarillo, Texas. It features 10 Cadillac sedans from 1949—1963 buried nose-down in the earth. Visitors are encourages to bring spray paint to contribute to the ever-evolving work of art.
8. Henry Ford Museum (Michigan)
Michigan's Henry Ford Museum is the largest outdoor/indoor museum complex in the United States, as well as a National Historic Landmark. The museum features a collection of Henry Ford's historic paraphernalia, as well as a variety of pieces related to antique machinery, industrialization and popular culture. Some of the more notable exhibits include the presidential limo of John F. Kennedy, Abraham Lincoln's chair from Ford's Theatre, the Rosa Parks bus and Thomas Edison's laboratory.
9. NASCAR Hall of Fame (North Carolina)
The NASCAR Hall of Fame opened in 2010 in Charlotte, North Carolina to pay tribute to NASCAR's greatest legends, including drivers, crew chiefs, owners and other major contributors. The site features events and exhibits, as well as a racecar driving simulator.