Dream Machines: How Classic Motor Shows Are Held in California

Are you interested in classic cars? Maybe World War II aircraft? Or are you fascinated by vintage sports cars? What if you see everything in one day, with the addition of an extreme motorcycle show, racing a monster truck, tasting local craft beer and the opportunity to watch 2,000 rare motor vehicles? Here is a brief summary of what the California show “Dream Machines” offers. Travellizy today's material is about an impressive event, not very known to tourists, but very popular in California.


The show has been held annually since 1990, and it was canceled only once in 30 years: due to the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. In the distant nineties, a group of local activists, united in an organizing committee, decided to gather like-minded volunteers in the picturesque town of Half Moon Bay. Since then, locals have been organizing this holiday of mechanics and drive, and all the profits are transferred to the local care center for the elderly.

Half Moon Bay, a small town located about forty kilometers from San Francisco, is a popular holiday destination for residents of Bay Area. Beaches, hiking trails, fish restaurants, all kinds of outdoor activities - this is what attracts vacationers here. But if you plan to attend the Dream Cars show, be prepared for the tricks on the road and arrive in advance. 20-25 thousand people usually arrive on the day of the event, so most likely you will have to wait a bit at the entrance to the parking lot.

Your patience will be rewarded in full! Even people who are far from automotive topics delightedly examine the cars assembled on a vast territory in a few minutes. To accommodate 2,000 vehicles, the organizers are given a local airfield, and the distances are so large that a free shuttle bus runs through the territory.

The chrome parts of hundreds of cars sparkle in the sun, mesmerizing the audience.


But the views are moving on to the next luxury cars, of which there are hundreds. Chic classic cars invariably attract the attention of visitors. Leather interiors, polished body and interior parts give a complete impression of the comfort and aesthetic enjoyment of a driver and passenger ride.

retro car

There are signs on the hoods asking not to touch the cars, but you can take pictures and admire as much as you like. Car owners at this time communicate with other motorists or answer visitors' questions. In the USA, there are a lot of clubs and associations of fans of motor vehicles: this is an automobile nation. The presence of vehicles is the norm and necessity, and buying a classic or vintage car is a call of the soul and an expensive hobby. To maintain the mechanism, which is 60-70 years old, is not easy.

red car

Three times a day, all cars driven by the owners emit a dull roar. This is fun and unexpectedly loud, especially if you have chosen a place near a unique car powered by a jet:

military car

Those who decide to listen to the roar of the engine are advised to use ear plugs or to move away. The owner of the car hands out several pairs of ear plugs and starts the engine. Well, this is exactly what the public expects: the sound is exactly the same as from a jet plane. Who cares about the engineering component, after demonstrating the sound of the engine, it can examine the entire car in detail, and ask its creator specific questions.


Some cars are more like exhibits in the museum: thoughtful individual design, custom-made additional details, a repainted body and a unique interior. This includes an outlandish vampire style car in the photo below. If you imagine that for some reason Dracula needed a truck, then this option undoubtedly corresponded to his expectations as accurately as possible, including a hunchbacked servant awaiting orders:

dracula car

Inside the cabin, you can see an awesome steering wheel depicting a fanged demon and rugs with a Gothic pattern:

steering wheel

But not only fiction surprises the guests of the holiday: here you can ask the price of the most unusual and rare vehicles. In the photo below, you can see a custom racing boat. This is a well-deserved veteran: the maximum speed record achieved on this powerful car is 334 km/h. It reached this bar in 400 meters! The boat is not used for its intended purpose now, but it always takes pride of place in parades, exhibitions, demonstrations. To set a world speed record on water is an extremely difficult engineering task, costly and very dangerous for the rider.

So if you are interested in buying a rarity, you can bargain with the owner of the boat, knocking down the initial price from 59 thousand dollars to 40-45 thousand.

western mag

The performance of freestyle motorcyclists is constantly popular with the audience. The level of skill they demonstrate during the 20-minute show provides spectators with a breathtaking surge of adrenaline.

What the Fitz Army motocross team does during their performance delights the most sophisticated audience.


In 2015, freestylers took part in the TV show “America's Got Talent” and aroused admiration from the public. The jury, including supermodel Heidi Klum and comedian Howie Mandel, applauded the athletes while standing. If you are interested in watching this audition, this video is available on website

At the end of the performance, motorcyclists ride along the audience so that everyone can clap the palm of a courageous thrill-seeker.


Motorcyclists soaring into the sky from springboards are replaced by an air parade. During the days of the festival, the airdrome is hosted by the Liberty military historical community. Volunteers have been buying, repairing, and returning military aircraft (in this case to the sky) for years. During the show, those who wish to personally feel like a military pilot can buy a ticket and ride with the breeze over the surrounding hills. This is not to say that the price of such rare entertainment will suit an ordinary family: a ten-minute flight on the most recognizable American plane of the fortieth R-51 Mustang is estimated at $ 1,195, and only the pilot and tourist will be in the cockpit. But this is not the only flight option, there are other planes with less biting prices. If you are not yet ready to pay impressive amounts for joining military history, you can admire the winged iron dream machines from the ground.


Fans of detective investigations will love to see a small parade of old police cars. They slowly drive to their sector before the opening of the exhibition, and take their places. The owners of such cars are often police veterans or members of their families, and there is more than one police story behind each car!


The auto show is perfect as a one-day trip for a family with children: without leaving the airport, you can dine at the food court and have fun. Local restaurants and cafes prepare popular dishes, desserts, and experienced brewers offer local craft beer. So that the kids do not get bored, they can actively spend time in the playgrounds. Musicians perform on stage, so you can even dance to popular American music. Gaining strength, the guests again walk along the rows of cars.


As we wrote in another article, interest in robotics is growing in the United States. So it is not surprising that you can see how students demonstrate their projects during the exhibition of all kinds of cars. Perhaps, having observed the team of peers controlling robots, your children will want to join this fascinating direction at the intersection of mathematics, engineering, science and technology. Normal-looking guys won more than one robotics competition, and are always happy to tell everyone about their project.


Thus, thanks to the organizers of the show, enthusiasts of the most modern mechanisms, lovers of custom cars and admirers of antiquities can meet and chat:


All cars that arrived at the event are on the go (with rare exceptions). Therefore, when guests leave the show in the evening, the way home becomes like a children's riddle: “A Buick of 1925 is in front you, a Jaguar of 1974 is behind you, a 1942 bomber is above you. Where are you? The correct answer is: “At the exhibition "Dream Machines"!

big wheels

The organizers rescheduled the event from 2020 to April 2021. We hope you can visit this unique holiday of mechanics and chrome, and our experienced Travellizy Team will help you organize your trip!