Summertime in San Diego is a great time to take in a car show/cruise. The weather is great, the sun stays out longer and the people can't wait to see some awesome cars. This summer I managed to find time to cool off in San Diego and venture out to some neat local car shows.
El Cajon is just inland from San Diego and while hotter, without any ocean breezes, the cars park and cruise along Main Street. Each Wednesday night during the summertime the downtown street parking is reserved for classic cars and trucks to park. They have a theme night for each week, with some special cars parking in the main plaza and the public can stroll about and relive some great memories.
Escondido is home to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park but each Friday summer night the downtown welcomes classic cars to also cruise and park on Grand Avenue. A mix of a regular DJ plus some bands provide a nice selection of music to match with the cars. Plenty of restaurants stay open for the crowds and it is a family friendly event. I've written about this show in the past for Round-Up and hands down it is my favorite cruise in the San Diego region.
Encinitas is up the coast from San Diego and is a surfer town along the coast. But on the third Thursday of the month a stretch of the iconic Pacific Coast Highway - 101 is home to a classic car paradise. The merchants throw down the welcome mat to cruisers and everywhere you look there are classic cars and trucks to drool over. They too have some local bands and offer a few awards but the real thrill is seeing some of these cars in action cruising down the roads.
Whenever I head to San Diego I always make it a point to check out the local car cruises and hope you do too! Unfortunately now that winter is here, the shows shut down until next season and I just can't wait.