Paul, seems there's a few up here in the PNW that are planning to attend this. Since we're all "rookies" for this show can you give me/us some pointers on this gig ? Where and when to register, motel or motels to reserve a room and for how many nights ?
Scott
Hi Scott!
What I recommend depends on what you all want to do. I can tell you what we do:
We usually drive down in a small group on the Friday before the show (which is Sunday only). We pick up members at a few locations along the way. Normally, we stop in Bakersfield for lunch at the Willow Ranch BBQ Restaurant, at the Hwy 5/Hwy 58 exit. We then drive over the Grapevine, and check into our hotel, then either sit and drink or go wash the trucks. Some, who can't get off work or whatever, elect to drive down on Saturday. Unfortunately, they miss out on whatever we decide to do all day!
Saturday morning, some of us go to the Donut Derelicts cruise about 15 minutes away in Huntington Beach. Great donuts, lots of really cool rods and customs and classic cars!
Then we try to find something else fun to do. We have gone to local car shows, toured car-related businesses, even driven out to Chino to take pics of our Lightnings with a P-38 Lightning at Planes of Fame Air Museum. One year a couple of us entered the 'Ford/Shelby/Cobra Reunion' at the NHRA Museum in Pomona. It was open to all Ford performance vehicles, and they welcomed a couple of Lightnings with open arms. We got to park among real Cobras and Shelby Mustangs, and replica Daytona Coupes, among the Thunderbolts, etc. Plus free entry to the museum. We have toured Hillbanks Motorsports, Galpin Ford's customizing shop/car collection, Surf City Garage's private car collection, gone to Bob's Big Boy diner where we saw George Barris, and gone to the Petersen Auto Museum. So Saturday can be full and fun.
Saturday night most of us usually meet for dinner at either Medieval Times or the Pirate Dinner Experience. This year is Medieval Times.
Sunday we get up before dawn to get in line for the show. The wives stay in bed, then walk over after they get up & shower. Registration is inside. You will get a mirror-hangar in the mail which 1) gets you in and 2) tells them where to park you. If you want to see all the vehicles, you will be walking all day! I have never seen all of them in one year! Sometimes the wife and kids will go to Knott's Berry Farm while the guys are at the show. Depends on what they want.
We (Margaret and I, and some others) usually stay until Monday morning, because we're too old to make it home after the show ends on Sunday night. The younger guys have no problem driving home after the show. If your group makes a multi-day trip getting home, it makes no difference if you leave Sunday night or stay. You will need to stay somewhere; lots of places, depending on which route you want to take. Most of the routes in SoCal are quite crowded. Some of us try to beat the traffic going different ways. Others just get on Hwy 5 North and deal with it. 101North is another route. Not as straight or fast, but much more scenic and relaxing. It goes up to San Jose, then to SF, across the Golden Gate. But just getting to it will take time, from Buena Park.
We have usually stayed at the Knott's Hotel, but the last two or three years the service has been getting worse. They used to block off part of their parking lot and have guards; not any more. The prices have gone up. They have changed their buffet. And their shuttle won't take us to the local shows or restaurants, and they're kinda far to walk to. So this year Margaret and I (and hopefully some others) will probably stay at the Marriott Courtyard on Beach Blvd., depending on the price. It is walking distance to the dinner shows and lots of restaurants. The parking lot is not as big. We will still probably meet with friends at the Knott's Hotel bar on Friday night.
For someone who has never been in the area before, I might recommend taking a few extra days and hitting the major theme parks. Knott's is really nice--a western theme with a good chicken dinner restaurant. There's Disneyland, of course, and California Adventure--two parks, about 20 minutes away. There's Santa Monica Pier, and Huntington Beach Pier. On the way into or out of the area, in Valencia, in Magic Mountain. Maybe called Six Flags now, or something similar. Great roller coasters.
Regarding picking a hotel/motel, I would say just google lodging near Knott's Berry Farm. Knott's is only around the corner from the show entrance, which is in a Knott's parking lot. Do a google maps satellite view, then move the screen around to see exactly which hotels are nearby. Some of the people we've met at the show stay farther away because they found cheaper prices there. There are a ton of hotels/motels and restaurants in the area. But I would recommend making reservations by next month, as they fill up fast. That goes for BALA too!
Hope this helps some.
