first woodward dream cruise

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The Woodward Dream Cruise, a day-long celebration of car culture, began in 1995 as an effort by Nelson House and a handful of volunteers to raise money for a children’s soccer field in Ferndale, Michigan. Intended as a one-time event that might draw as many as 30,000 spectators, the event was a huge success, attracting 250,000.

As a tribute to the car culture of the 1950s and 1960s, the Cruise now attracts more than 1.5 million visitors from around the world. More than 40,000 muscle cars and street machines, not to mention collector and special-interest vehicles of all kinds, crowd Woodward Avenue for the cruise, making it the world’s largest one-day vintage car event, although unofficial cruising and viewing starts weeks earlier.

Held on the third Saturday of August, the 12-hour cruise celebrates the era of classic American cars though plenty of late model vehicles also take part. Although Woodward Avenue starts at the intersection of Jefferson Avenue at the Detroit River, the cruise begins north, at Eight Mile Road , taking a 16-mile loop of the suburbs along Woodward between Ferndale and Pontiac. The host communities stage free car shows, “oldies” music concerts and family events while much of Woodward is jammed as curbside crowds spectate.

The event garners extensive coverage in the local media as well as nationally, highlighting Detroit and its major export, the automobile. In recent years, automakers that used to “unofficially” test their cars along Woodward in the 1960s have used cruise events like the Dream Cruise to showcase their latest vehicles, meanwhile providing significant financial support, signaling the importance of these events and the audiences that they attract.

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FERNDALE DREAM CRUISE ​

The Woodward Dream Cruise.

​ An automotive experience that must be seen to be understood.

The Woodward Dream Cruise is one of the largest automotive cruising events in the world where nine participating metro-Detroit communities (Berkley, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township, Ferndale, Huntington Woods, Pleasant Ridge, Pontiac, Royal Oak), work together to host one of the largest car cruising events in the world.

In August 1995, Mr. Nelson House and a group of volunteers looked to relive and recreate the nostalgic heydays of the '50s and '60s, by organizing the first 'Woodward Dream Cruise Car Show'. That year, 250,000 people participated— ten times the number expected.

What started as a car show to raise money to build a local soccer field in Ferndale, Michigan has grown into an automotive event featuring over 30,000 vehicles and nearly one-million spectators.

As one of the nine host communities, the City of Ferndale features the Ferndale Emergency Vehicle Show, Lights & Sirens Cruise and the Rock'n Live Entertainment stage.

• Hotel Information
• Downtown Ferndale

FERNDALE DREAM CRUISE

• Emergency Vehicle Show
• Mustang Alley
• Rock'n Live
• Quarter Midget Racing

Copyright. Ferndale Dream Cruise. All rights reserved.

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Woodward Dream Cruise

Experience the ultimate car lover's dream at the Woodward Dream Cruise! Join thousands of spectators as classic cars cruise down the famous avenue.

The Woodward Dream Cruise is a motor city tradition! Cars of all eras and makes cruise down Woodward Ave., revving engines and showing off. With nearly 40,000 cars and over 1 million visitors each year, it's a car lover's paradise! Experience the Motor City's passion for cars and enjoy all the music, food, and fun the cruise has to offer. Don't miss this opportunity to see some of the world's coolest cars in action and to be part of one of Detroit's most celebrated traditions!

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A documentary about how the dream began.

Cars represent freedom. Since the invention of the automobile, people have been able to expand their worlds by traveling independently at high speeds. This made owning a car an essential part of pursuing “The American Dream.”

The Woodward Dream Cruise started as a fundraiser for a new soccer field in Ferndale, Michigan. Since then, it has become the world’s largest one-day automotive event. More than 40,000 classic cars and 1.5 million people cruise up and down Woodward Avenue (M1), America’s first concrete paved road. This tradition of “cruising” has become a way for many to honor and celebrate the cars that define their generation.

In the Motor City, people have an undeniable passion for these symbols of craftsmanship while truly embracing the freedom that comes with driving one.  These classic car lovers also remind us of the potential for progress when pride meets innovation. There’s nothing quite like being in the driver’s seat.

This is Dream Cruisin’…  

DREAM CRUISIN' is FREE on AMAZON PRIME!

The full movie is available exclusively on, amazon prime.

*Available in US & UK markets. DVDs by request only.

**The webisodes contain revised segments from the full movie.

DREAM CRUISIN'

*The FULL TREATMENT for a “Dream Cruisin’ – Detroit” pilot is available by request.

Until funding is available for a full pilot or series, episodes of the docu-series will be released online at the convenience of the producer. If you are interested in getting involved in any way, please contact us!

A docu-series about the future of the Motor City. 

The most popular travel guide, Lonely Planet, recently listed Detroit as the #2 city in the world to visit for 2018. In this series, we will be “cruising” through the comeback city in style, featuring decades of classic cars while delivering a twist to the prototypical outlook on Detroit.  Each half hour episode will promote local organizations and people contributing to the Motor City’s current growth. From the hottest restaurants to the newest forms of transportation, we hope to show the world what Detroit has to offer! It will emphasize how the soul of the city, despite decades of urban struggles, is currently shifting its recovery into high gear.

This show will exclusively hire local crew, use local resources, and showcase local businesses.  Ideally, the host will be a native Detroiter with a passion for cars and the progress of our city. The ultimate goal is to produce an ongoing series here in the Motor City!

If you would like to request a full treatment or get involved in any way, please email us today:  [email protected]

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Woodward Dream Cruise 2023 in Detroit | Dates, Schedule of Events, Where to Park, Map, M1 Concourse | Where to Eat | Check Out the World's Biggest Cruise!

By Sherry Trautman

Last updated: August 17, 2023 | By Sherry Trautman | Travel-Mi.com

The Detroit Woodward Dream Cruise is the mothership of all car events. It's a celebration of Woodward Ave and car enthusiasm in the heart of the Motor City. I mean seriously, this incredible car cruise draws thousands of classic cars, muscle cars, trucks (and lots of crazy stuff ) to thunder down Woodward Avenue between Pontiac and Ferndale. 

Chris and I can't wait to go this August !

AND...more than 1.5 million car enthusiasts from all over the world are revved up to see some spectacular (and crazy) vehicles!

See the World's Biggest Cruise!

When is the 2023 Woodward Dream Cruise?

August 19, 2023!

BUT ... several communities have fun events and classic car shows on August 18, 2023. See the event schedule below!

The Woodward Dream Cruise is the World's Biggest Cruise?

Woodward Dream Cruise Frequently Asked Questions 

What day is the Woodward Dream Cruise 2023? August 19, 2023

Is the Woodward Dream Cruise free? Yes, the Dream Cruise is free to attend! 

How long does the Woodward Dream Cruise last? The cruise is just one day!

• Anyone not driving a classic/muscle car are asked to stay out of the two right lanes nearest to the curb.

What time is the Woodward Dream Cruise?  9 am to 9 pm.  BUT many people with show cars in the static car shows begin to leave parked shows (as they want to cruise) around 3:30 pm so I recommend hitting up the shows in the morning.

Are Their Bathrooms?   In the more populated areas, especially in Royal Oak, there are porta johns along Woodward Avenue. 

Is it Safe To Attend?   As with any large city, don't leave your items unattended. Make sure your bags/purses are zipped and closed. There is a very large police presence at the show and we felt comfortable.  We recommend going as it is a great family event!

Is This Your First Time at the Woodward Dream Cruise?

If it’s your first time to the show , we recommend finding a spot somewhere between Royal Oak and Birmingham as this stretch gets the most traffic and excitement. 

We recommend arriving early so you can find parking off Woodward Avenue before the side streets and lots are full.

We recommend bringing:

• Ear plugs if you are noise sensitive (especially for young children)
• Folding chairs with umbrellas 
• Water/non-alcoholic drinks
• TP (in case the porta johns are out)

The Dream Cruise Consists of 9 Communities within Oakland County, Michigan

• Bloomfield Hills
• Pleasant Ridge

Bloomfield Township

• Huntington Woods

History of the Woodward Dream Cruise

Woodward Dream Cruise was dreamed up as a small fundraiser to raise money for a soccer field in Ferndale, Michigan. Then, in August 1995, a group of people wished to relive the fun of the 50's and 60's, when music and Motor City steel roared down Woodward Avenue.  Blowing away expectations, the event drew 250,000 people!

​ Now, the Woodward Dream Cruise is the World’s Largest One-Day Automotive Event!

The Cruise brings about 1.5 million people and 40,000 classic cars to the area each summer.

People travel from all over the world to attend and be in the show.  It's an incredible experience!

Woodward Dream Cruise Map

*** Remember to use the  Woodward Dream Cruise Map link   for LIVE connection  to Google Maps!!

• Click on the plus and minus in the left corner to zoom in or out of the map.
• Click on the icons for more info, addresses and photos of the stops.
• Click on the map to drag and move it to view surrounding areas.
• In the Header, click on the rectangle in the upper left of the map to see a menu of all of our stops. Click on anything that looks interesting to see where it is on the map. To hide the menu, click the rectangle in the header.
• In the Header, click on the "square" icon in the upper right side to expand the map for better viewing.

Detroit Woodward Dream Cruise Schedule of Events (August 18-19, 2023) and Where to Park

The official parking App for Woodward Dream Cruise is ParkStash

M1 Concourse Events During the Woodward Dream Cruise

Friday, August 18, 2023: 

Hot rod, custom, cruiser, and muscle car show displayed around the M1 Circuit.  Featured classes include the 70th anniversary of Corvette, MOPAR, and Ramchargers 65th anniversary. Food trucks, refreshments, and live entertainment.

Saturday, August 19, 2023

The Woodward Dream Parade is an escorted parade of 200 invited cars that will be cruising on Woodward Avenue and in downtown Pontiac.

The M1 Cruise-In (Saturday August 19th) will be an oasis open to anyone looking to park on the M1 Concourse Circuit. We will be there!!

Experience Race Speed Track Experience (RSTEs) where you can can take a lap with a professional driver on the M1 Concourse Circuit. Food trucks, refreshments, and live entertainment.

Get your tickets for the MI Concourse events . 

City of Pontiac

It's definitely a burn out zone along Woodward Avenue in Pontiac!   

Friday, August 18, 2023:

• 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM: Pontiac Classic Car Show
• 12:30 PM – 6:30 PM: DJ Aaron @ Hidden River
• 7:00 PM – 10:30 PM: Hidden River Entertainment Stage, Saginaw & Water St.
• All Day: Food Trucks & Strolling Art Show

Saturday, August 19, 2023:

• 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM: Woodward Dream Parade
• 6:00 AM – 9:00 PM: Pontiac Classic Car Show
• 10:00 AM – 10:30 PM: Hidden River Entertainment Stage, Saginaw & Water St.

City of Pontiac Parking:  There are several parking lots and parking structures in downtown Pontiac.

No scheduled events

City of Birmingham

The Birmingham Cruise Event will feature classic cars of all makes and models, sponsor exhibits, food and more. The Birmingham Cruise Classic Car Show is within walking distance of Birmingham's five parking structures.  The first two hours are always free so stop by! 

• 9:00 am – 5:00 pm: Birmingham Cruise Classic Car Show in Downtown Birmingham
• Birmingham Cruise

Get your Official Woodward Dream Cruise Merchandise all day.

City of Birmingham Parking:  All Dream Cruise activities are close  walking distance from Birmingham's downtown parking decks.

WXYZ-TV Live Broadcast

WOMC 104.3 FM Live Broadcast

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View this post on Instagram A post shared by Michigan Travel+Food Adventure (@travelingmichigan)

City of Berkley

• 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM: CruiseFest Classic Car Parade, On West 12 Mile Rd., between Coolidge & Greenfield Rd.
• 4:00 PM – 9:00PM: Official Woodward Dream Cruise Merchandise, West 12 Mile at Woodward Avenue

Saturday, August 19, 2023 :

• All Day: Official Woodward Dream Cruise Merchandise, West 12 Mile Rd at Woodward Avenue

City of Royal Oak

Friday, August 18, 2023 :

• 12:00 PM – 7:00 PM: Performance Park - Classic Car Show
• ALL DAY: Official Woodward Dream Cruise Merchandise, Vendors & Food Court
• 8:00 AM – 9:30 AM: Cruise In Shoes 5k Run
• 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM: Performance Park Classic Car Show
• All Day: Official Woodward Dream Cruise Merchandise, Vendors & Food Court

City of Pleasant Ridge

• All Day: Official Woodward Dream Cruise Merchandise, Woodward & Oakland Park Blvd.
• 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM: Ford Bronco Show , Woodward & Oakland Park Blvd.

City of Ferndale

Friday, August 18, 2023 – Nine Mile Rd & Woodward

• 1:00 PM – 7:00 PM: Ferndale Emergency Vehicle Show
• 5:00 PM: Official Woodward Dream Cruise Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
• 5:30 PM: Lights & Sirens Cruise (begins at the corner of E. Nine Mile Rd & Woodward Ave. north to 11 Mile Rd and back).
• 12:00 PM – 7:00 PM: Kids Car Club Zone
• 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM: MMRA'S Quarter Midget Racing Cars
• 1:00 PM – 9:30 PM: Rock’n Live Entertainment Stage
• All Day: Official Woodward Dream Cruise Merchandise, food and merchant vendors

Saturday, August 19, 2023 - Nine Mile Rd & Woodward

• 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM: Mustang Alley
• 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM: Kids Car Club Zone
• 11:00 AM – 9:30 PM: Rock’n Live Entertainment Stage

City of Ferndale Parking : Parking lots surround downtown Ferndale, near Woodward Avenue & Nine Mile Rd.

Things to do Nearby the Woodward Dream Cruise

Cranbrook Art Museum , 39221 Woodward Avenue. Cranbrook has a marvelous music or science center. Their gardens are also excellent and you can tour:

• The Saarinen House
• Behind the scenes collections wing tour
• Frank Lloyd Wright home
• Self-guided outdoors sculpture tours
• Cranbrook Observatory

Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical - Listed as one of the World Almanac’s 100 Most Unusual Museums, this is a place you need to see to believe. Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum,  31005 Orchard Lake Road, Farmington Hills

My friend Marcy highly recommends eating at Sylvan Table which we will try this year. It is a farm-to-table restaurant. The restaurant is in a few hundred year old barn they moved from the east coast and built a farm around it. Cool, huh!

• Other restaurant ideas that come highly recommended from locals include the Latin restaurant Freya and The Apparatus Room.

Are There Bathrooms at the Woodward Dream Cruise?

There are lots of porta johns along Woodward Ave in the more populated areas. Memorial Park in Royal Oak has a large bank of porta johns for the classic car show. 

Are There Food Trucks or Places to Eat at Woodward Dream Cruise?

Absolutely! There are food trucks and vendors lining Woodward avenue in the more populated areas, especially Royal Oak and Ferndale. There are also lots of great restaurants along Woodward Avenue.

We enjoy eating at Brown Iron Brewhouse in Royal Oak .

• Chris was eyeing the Brown Iron Burger with Wagyu Beef, applewood smoked bacon, cheddar cheese and a yummy caramelized onion spread but got the Slow Smoke BBQ Pork sandwich with yummy pickles!
• I got the Cali salmon BLT with avocado crema...be sure to order extra crema, it's yummy!

Um, can you say BACON CANDY?  Drool. 

Grab Lunch or Dinner at Detroit's Diners Drive Ins and Dives While Enjoying the Woodward Dream Cruise!

Here's another idea ....

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Your guide to Woodward Dream Cruise 2021: What's new, parking, weather, more

The world’s largest one-day car event is returning to the nation’s signature cruising highway this weekend. Here’s your guide to the 26th annual Woodward Dream Cruise.

The free, family-friendly event is from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday. The route, which has a 16-mile radius according to the website, runs on Woodward Avenue, from Ferndale to Pontiac. 

This year’s sponsor is Ford, with the original 1966 Bronco as the featured heritage vehicle.

Ford: F-150 generator saves Farmington Hills wedding reception during power outage

More: Detroit auto show schedule change likely avoided earlier coronavirus outbreak, experts say

Parking tips and driving restrictions

Visitors can use ParkStash , the cruise’s official parking app, to find parking along the route.

SMART is also running free shuttles 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday on Woodward Avenue, from 8 Mile Road to downtown Pontiac. Click here for more information. 

Also, the Michigan Department of Transportation posted on its website that the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office has a temporary traffic control order 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday. Officers can restrict vehicles over 10,000 pounds and those with trailers on M-1, from 8 Mile Road to Pontiac Loop. This will affect nine communities in Oakland County.

Dress for the weather

Saturday’s forecast is sunny with a high near 87 degrees, according to the National Weather Service’s White Lake office. Dress cool, bring water bottles, and remember to reapply sunscreen. Face masks are encouraged.

First ever Woodward Dream Show 

M-1 Concourse is starting its own paid, premium event running Friday through Saturday.

In the first ever Woodward Dream Show, ticketholders can enjoy first-class seats to classics and newer models cruising along a Woodward track, gourmet food and drinks, and a chance to speak with celebrity drivers and collectible car owners.

One-day tickets for guests 21 and older are $100, plus processing fees. Two-day passes cost $180. For car lovers ages 13-20, tickets are $50, and kids under 12 can enter for free. 

Tickets to the Dream Show’s after-party Friday night, Rev Up the Grill With Cars & Cigars, are running for $200 a piece, which includes a gourmet dinner, full bar and cigars. 

Go to www.woodwarddreamshow.com  to book tickets for this event.

For more information on the Woodward Dream Cruise, go to  Facebook, Twitter and its website.

Contact Minnah Arshad: [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @minnaharshad. 

Support local journalism here . 

Beginner’s Guide To Woodward Dream Cruise

Courtney Barber Writer Courtesty of Honda Pro Images Photographer Sep 13, 2017

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Don Emas's Classic Recreations-built GT350CR

Woodward Avenue, the location of the first mile of concrete roadway in the country, the first ticket for street racing and home to the largest one day car event in the world, the world famous Woodward Dream Cruise.

At the last minute I decided this was the year I finally made the cruise. I honestly didn't know much about it other than it was a one-day version of the Hot Rod Power Tour. Considering that is one of my favorite weeks of the year, I figured it had to be a good time and worth the 900-mile drive; and it was.

Looking back on the day I basically blinked and it was gone. Somehow it was already 7pm and I still had a whole list of stuff I wanted to do, but it was too late. Don't be like me, make a plan and see it all!

See All 64 Photos

Newbies Guide to the Woodward Dream Cruise

1. Wear comfortable shoes. Say you have some awesome American flag boots that you just never had the perfect opportunity to wear, while the state that birthed American Muscle cars may seem like the perfect place for them, let me tell you, Woodward is not the place to break them in. Bring your favorite pair of sneakers and prepare to be on the move because this is not another parking lot car show. The show is constantly in motion and your going to want to keep up.

2. Don't stay still in one spot. I know how hard it is to give up a good parking spot, but this is one time you just have to get over it. I was shocked all day as I watched prime parking spaces open up again and again, but I quickly realized that was the point. There is so much to see and do. Yes you can set up camp and just watch the show roll by but the feeling of cruising the strip is just magical. I hate traffic and thought people were nuts to just keep cruising from light to light, until I was in my car, in the midst of the rumbling motors and the smell of gasoline. Every driver had a grin from ear to ear and it made you feel like you just met 50,000 new friends.

3. While you’re on the move, be sure to stop to eat and enjoy the show. If you like dinner and a movie, the Dream Cruise is for you. All along Woodward Avenue there are restaurants with a view of the street and cars cruising by. Several times on the HRPT it was like we had a surprise party for the town. No one was prepared for the mass amounts of people invading their space. Well you don't need to worry about that on Woodward Avenue; they know you are coming and they are prepared with game faces on. I was very impressed at how quickly and efficiently we were taken care of at Vinsetta Garage. And I got to try my first ever, fried hot dog wrapped in bacon. Don't judge me, it was amazing.

4. Bring a blanket or pants that you don't mind possibly getting grass stains on because medians are your friend. The first time I crossed the divided avenue I was like everyone else and was trying to catch the light on both sides of the street to get across quickly. The second time I was doing Facebook live and wasn't as fast or graceful if you saw the video. But that was when I found the real geniuses at the show. You know that saying the grass is always greener on the other side? Well it's true at Woodward, too. You could have a gorgeous line up of 50 cars and all it takes is the roar of one motor and you find yourself trying to make yourself taller to see what's rolling down the other side of the street. Well if you sit right in the middle, you can see it all without straining your neck.

5. Be prepared for rain. Channel your inner boy scout and bring an umbrella. Rain was only a threat this year, but I quickly found out the cruise would be happening regardless of the weather. Be prepared; so instead of being cold and frustrated, you can thank Mother Nature for the free car wash.

6. Pack light, because you may find yourself at Milan Dragway on your way home next to the editor of Mustang Monthly in a new Mustang. Yes, I beat him. Okay, that may not be as important as the shoes and the fried hot dog, but I had to find a way to get that in here. Above all, enjoy your surroundings and be sure to soak in all the fun.

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What is the Woodward Dream Cruise?

When is the woodward dream cruise, where is the woodward dream cruise held, is there a cost to attend the event, where should i park, where can i stay, public safety information.

The Woodward Dream Cruise is an alcohol-free, family-oriented event. As public safety is paramount, cruisers are asked to obey all rules of the road.

Police departments from each community patrol on foot, horseback and vehicles during the Cruise to ensure a safe and family-friendly environment for everyone. A team of amateur radio operators also serve as additional “eyes and ears” of law enforcement officials along the Cruise route.

Charitable Contribution

How do i become a sponsor of the woodward dream cruise, how/where can i purchase official woodward dream cruise merchandise.

There are three ways to purchase official merchandise:

• Online by clicking https://eagraphics.com/wdc/shop/home
• At official WDC merchandise locations (locations will be listed closer to the event)
• At official merchandise booths the day of the event (locations will be listed closer to the event)

How/where can I sell Official Woodward Dream Cruise merchandise?

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The Woodward Dream Cruise: Top tips for first-timers

On Aug. 15, the Woodward Dream Cruise is motoring into its 21st annual year, bringing approximately 1.5 million people and 40,000 classic cars from around the globe straight to the heart of Michigan. Not only is it a grand event for the masses that shouldn’t be missed, but it is also for a good cause — more than 50 local charities benefit from the sales of official Dream Cruise merchandise and refreshments each year. Word of the event has spread far and wide, and we have gathered some tips and tricks from Dream Cruise pros for first-time attendees.

[ Video: Check out scenes from the Woodward Dream Cruise ]

August in Detroit is hot, hot, hot!

If it is like the last few years, it is going to be sunny and hot. Plan accordingly. Don’t forget your sunscreen, drink lots of fluids and seek out shade when possible.

The early bird gets the worm.

Show up early — to everything — and be prepared to walk. It’s best to pay for and reserve your parking spot months in advance. Once you find a parking space, keep it —they are gold. Cruise early and then park by early afternoon. By midday, traffic is thick and cars commonly overheat, especially large-engine vehicles. Thursday and Friday are good cruise nights, and some folks recommend getting there extra early to do a few laps before 9 a.m., then parking before getting stuck in the full bumper-to-bumper action.

So much to see, so little time!

If you want to park and walk in to enjoy the show, there are a lot of parks, churches and business complexes that will have paid, monitored lots going east and west of M1. If you haven’t reserved a spot or made arrangements, gas stations just around or south of 696 usually don’t mind you parking awhile, but you are likely to get kicked out of anything north of 12 Mile Road.

Vinsetta Garage  is the spot to go for good eats on Woodward, but it’ll be packed, all day, every day. Try showing up at 11 a.m. when they first open, especially on Thursday, and you should get seats in a decent amount of time.  Duggan’s is also popular for its food and view of the Avenue; you can show up early and watch the cars cruise from the 2nd floor. And right next door to Duggan’s is Pasquales , a great Italian restaurant. Also try Athen’s Coney , Redcoat Tavern and  Hunter House for other unique-to-Woodward dining.

[ Video: Learn the history behind Woodward’s iconic Vinsetta Garage ]

Ferndale is a significant place to visit during the cruise. It has an entire street festival based around the cruise that is fun for the whole family, along with some excellent restaurant options.

First timers may want to find a spot at the epicenter of the action, mainly between 13 and 14 Mile roads. Pontiac is also becoming a more popular spot to hang out and watch; it is the northern turnaround area and will be less crowded than other places along the route. Downtown Royal Oak, about a mile east of Woodward, is a good location to eat and relax if you want to stay close but be away from the crowds.

If you’re in the Bowtie Brigade, 15 Mile and Maple Road is your mecca. Birmingham will have displays of supercars and your higher-end fare, and in previous years they could be found near Pasteiner’s auto book store between 14 and 15 Mile. The Blue Oval legions converge at 9 Mile, and MOPAR was late to the Woodward party, but they had a small setup near Vinsetta Garage last year.

The big day :

Find a place for your lawn chair on Saturday and watch the cars cruise by — let the cars come to you. Pack a lunch if possible. Some Woodward veterans recommend not cruising at all on Saturday, but instead get up extra early and find a place to park on the main drag. This allows you to relax, watch the cars go by and talk about your car with all of the people passing by.

Woodward leads straight into the heart of the Motor City. Downtown Detroit is awesome, and Highland Park is home to the old Model T plant. The cruise ends promptly at 9 p.m. just south of 9 Mile Road, and large sections of the strip get cut off, so plan on leaving early if you need to be somewhere. Getting off of Woodward before 9 p.m. is ideal if you want to avoid a massive traffic jam on the side streets.

There’s an app for that :

The Woodward Dream Cruise now has an app for Apple and Android products so you can have the event schedule, area maps with hotel and restaurant locations, and photo uploads right at your fingertips. Find it at http://www.woodwarddreamcruise.com

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Throttle-Back Thursday: On the ground at the very first Woodward Dream Cruise

From the cruise’s official website : “In August 1995, Nelson House and a group of volunteers looked to relive and re-create the nostalgic heydays of the '50s and '60s, when youth, music and Motor City steel roamed Woodward Avenue, America’s first highway. That year, 250,000 people participated -- nearly 10 times the number expected. The rest, as they say, is history.”

Why did it take off so quickly? It could be that the event came along at just the right time; the people who remembered cruising Woodward in the 1960s and early 1970s were, by the mid-1990s, at the point in their lives where they could afford to indulge in some automotive nostalgia -- and to buy the cars they really wanted when they were hooptie-driving kids. But the event’s widespread appeal has always been tied to its accessibility. There’s no approval process for cars; now as then, you run what you brung. (And if that means the newer cars outnumber the classic muscle machines, well, so what?)

As J.P. Vettraino found during his visit to the cruise, its instant popularity meant that Woodward was basically a parking lot -- not the place to do stoplight racing even if the cops weren’t ready and waiting to issue citations. In the two-plus decades since, the traffic situation hasn’t improved. We wouldn't want it any other way.

Read our coverage of the inaugural Dream Cruise below.

Autoweek September 18, 1995 coverage of the first Woodward Dream Cruise

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Watch CBS News

102-year-old woman celebrates birthday while attending her first Woodward Dream Cruise

By Luke Laster

August 21, 2023 / 9:27 AM EDT / CBS Detroit

(CBS DETROIT) - Cars cruised up and down Woodward Avenue this weekend as the annual Woodward Dream Cruise returned to Metro Detroit.

Since 1995, the tradition has brought out car enthusiasts from across the country to show off vehicles they've poured their hearts and souls into. Muscle cars, trucks, and cars your great-great-grandparents drove could be found cruising around.

Outside of James Senior Living in Ferndale, you saw some seniors enjoying the cruise, and if you looked closely, you'd see a sign reading, "Honk for Marcella. She is 102 today!"

"Well, it doesn't feel much different, other than all my parts are wearing out," said Marcella Krause with a smile, talking about what it's like to be 102.

Krause not only celebrated a milestone birthday but did so while attending her first Woodward Dream Cruise. The Detroit native lived in Florida when the cruise began in 1995.

"It's really a thrill to see them going down. They must've been well-preserved," Krause said. 

While her friends and family sang happy birthday, engines revving could be heard in the distance.

Krause says she wouldn't have made it to 102 without her relationship with God, and even though she told us her parts may be wearing out, there's one that hasn't slowed a bit.

"Except my mouth. My mouth is good," Krause laughed.

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Luke Laster joined the CBS News Detroit team in August of 2022, and for this Marine City native, it's a return home.

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Men's Health

10 Places in America Every Car Lover Needs to Visit

Posted: May 31, 2023 | Last updated: August 4, 2023

There’s more to American car culture than cruising up and down Main Street, USA. Museums, race tracks, historical sites, and automotive artistry litter the American landscape. Here are ten must-see places every car lover should visit before they die.

National Corvette Museum

This place is about more than just a few classic Corvettes on carpet. The museum is a vast complex that includes the NCM Motorsports Park—a sprawling track that hosts several motoring events for amateurs and professionals alike.

The National Corvette Museum works closely with General Motors’ Bowling Green, Kentucky, factory that builds the Corvette. Owners can get a tour of the GM factory before taking possession of their own Corvette at the museum. But even non-Corvette owners can enjoy the museum’s collection of classic and important Vettes.

Bonneville Speedway

Bonneville is a speedway in name only. The site for numerous land speed records is a lonely place way out in the Bonneville Salt Flats of Utah. The salty track is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, too. It’s one of the few places in the U.S. to see cars reach insane speeds.

Every August is Speed Week, the largest meet of the year, where hundreds of drivers compete to set speed records in various categories. (You may want to expedite a trip here, though. The salt flats are deteriorating, which has led to event cancellations.)

Cadillac Ranch

Located in Amarillo, Texas, Cadillac Ranch is a public art installation of ten classic Cadillac cars half-buried nose first in the Texas ground. The Cadillacs range from the 1949 to 1963 model year—the heyday of massive tail fins and chrome galore. The display, visible from the road but located on private land, is open to the public, who are encouraged to interact with the cars, which includes bringing a can of spray paint to add to the automotive graffiti that now adorns the vehicles. (Honorable mention: Nebraska's Carhenge , which is exactly what you think.)

Indianapolis 500

Indy is called “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” for a reason. It’s unlike any other racing event in the world, with attendance often reaching nearly 300,000 on Memorial Day. And you don’t have to be a racing fan to enjoy the festivities (diminishing interest in the IndyCar series hasn't sunk the race itself as a cultural event for this very reason).

The race is all about the tradition of the event—race day is meticulously planned with pre- and post-race ceremonies, and the famous bottle of milk ready in victory lane at the conclusion of the 500 miles. Also, who doesn’t like seeing ridiculous race cars reach speeds north of 200 miles per hour?

Petersen Automotive Museum

The Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles is a museum filled with rare vehicles from automakers all over the world. The museum has more than 100 vehicles on display at any one time, with the other half of the collection stored in “The Vault,” a basement storage facility that requires a premium admission ticket. The museum offers several galleries and often runs exclusive exhibits such as one for Porsche, which displayed a rare 1939 Porsche 64—one of two in existence.

Henry Ford Museum

The Henry Ford Museum, located at the home of the Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan, is one of the largest indoor-outdoor museums in the U.S. It’s also home to iconic and historical vehicles you can’t see anywhere else. It contains John F. Kennedy’s presidential limousine, the bus where Rosa Parks was arrested (pictured), a 1950s-era Oscar Mayer Wienermobile, and the first production-built Ford Mustang.

Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

Pebble Beach is the go-to event for automotive high society. The event, held at the conclusion of Monterey Car Week, hosts gorgeous pre- and post-war cars rarely seen outside of museums or private collections. Owners compete in several categories in hopes of earning the coveted Best of Show award that goes to just one car in attendance. Cars you could see there include the 1938 Phantom Corsair, 1929 Duesenberg J Murphy Convertible Coupe, 1930 Bentley Speed Six, and many more forgotten classics.

Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Auction

You don’t need a trust fund and an offshore bank account in the Cayman Islands to enjoy a Barrett-Jackson classic car auction. Just being there is a joy. You can watch as hundreds of thousands of dollars (if not millions) roll across the auction block. You can then peruse the various cars that have new homes and owners.

A Barrett-Jackson auction often plays host to automakers auctioning off the first production vehicle of a new model with the proceeds donated to a charity—which could see otherwise affordable cars sell for millions of dollars. You might see a boat or airplane auctioned off, too.

Woodward Dream Cruise

Every August, the suburbs north of Detroit fill with more than a million car enthusiasts who want to zip up and down Woodward Avenue—or at least watch a fleet of gorgeous vehicles do so. The petro-passion here has turned the one-day rolling car show into a weeklong automotive extravaganza.

The event harkens back to the 1950s and 1960s when carloads of kids and young adults would spend nights and weekends cruising up and down the road. Today, the Woodward Dream Cruise is a major automotive event, with automakers, suppliers, and other automotive companies participating. It’s a must-see for any car enthusiast.

Daytona 500

Daytona is the NASCAR equivalent of the Indy 500. It’s called “The Great American Race” and is often one of the first racing events of the new year—being held in February since the inaugural race in 1959. The Daytona 500 is a direct successor to the Daytona Beach and road course that was instrumental in the formation of NASCAR. And yes, they raced on the sandy beach. Today, the Daytona 500 is a massive event for race and non-race fans alike. It’s a worthy entry on any automotive bucket list.

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Things to do in Moscow for First-Timers

Updated December 14, 2017

// By Margherita

Last August, a dream came true for both myself and Nick – we visited Russia for the first time. We joined the 13-day Waterways of the Tsars cruise with Viking River Cruises, travelling from Moscow to St Petersburg (with some cool stops in between). Here’s our first post, with lots of interesting things to do in Moscow for first timers!

My Moscow Dreams

I’ve always liked to think that Moscow was my first trip ever. My father visited the (then) Soviet capital in 1986, and returned with a mini-bearskin hat and stories about that mysterious country – ‘a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma’ , as Churchill famously defined it.

My dad told me stories, and I dreamt. I dreamt the multicoloured domes of St Basil’s, the crenellated walls of the Kremlin, the metro stations – my dad described them as ‘real underground palaces, with marble and chandeliers’ – I even dreamt of visiting GUM, the legendary department store on Red Square, with luxurious stuccos and dusty, empty shelves.

Moscow fascinated me so much that I imagined I could see it from my bedroom window. Looking east, beyond the station of Milano Lambrate, I could see a dozen red, blocky apartment buildings, and imagined it was Moscow. Deep within myself I knew they weren’t Socialist high-rises, it was Milano Due, the utopic ‘city of the future’ built by Berlusconi at the dawn of the 1980s.

That is probably why when we first visited Moscow last August, the city looked familiar. Many people describe their first visit to New York as a kind of deja-vu, after having seen the city in so many movies. Moscow gave me exactly the same feeling. Because, in a way, I had already been there.

Not just through my dad’s tales and my own childhood daydreaming – but also through books. I walked alongside Dr Zhivago in the streets of post-revolutionary Moscow. I sat next to Anna Karenina as she travelled to the city. Most of all, I walked down the Arbat and flew over the roofs of the city with my namesake heroine, Margarita .

Yet, Moscow eluded us for years , until we finally landed at Sheremetyevo airport one hazy morning, after two aborted landings because of thick fog. From the very first minute, it felt familiar – yet surprised us in ways I couldn’t imagine. No book or photograph prepared us for the magnificence of the Kremlin cathedrals, for the dazzling beauty of the city at night, for the extravagance of the Metro stations.

If you follow our blog regularly, you’ll know that we rarely write about ‘must-sees’ – instead, we try to delve deeper and find unusual things to see and do in the towns we visited. However, as this was our first time in Moscow, we decided to focus on the essentials, and compiled this guide of things to do in Moscow with first timers in mind. (I’m sure we’ll be back to explore the city further)

6 Things to do in Moscow for first timers

1)red square.

Red Square is Moscow’s main landmark , and the place where – I guess – 99% of people begin their exploration of the city. Imagine my joy when we were about to cross the gates into the huge square that I had so often pictured in my mind.

I could glimpse the multicoloured domes of St Basil’s on the far side , but it wasn’t the sprawling expanse I knew – something was blocking my sight. Two huge grandstands for a forthcoming festival of military bands had been erected right in the middle of Red Square, taking up most of available space.

The rest of the square was packed with tourists, it was a very hot day, and I’m sure you can imagine my disappointment.

So, just a little piece of advice for you. If you want to see Red Square in all its sprawling magnificence , make sure there’s no event going on in the square – apparently, events happen very often. We got a couple of messages on social media from people that also found Red Square all blocked up because of concerts or other festivals.

Facing St Basil’s (or the grandstands, in our case), the right hand side of the square borders the Kremlin walls, and near there you’ll find Lenin’s Mausoleum . After having seen the embalmed corpse of Mao in Beijing and Uncle Ho in Hanoi, we were looking forward to visiting Vladimir Ilich – but sadly, we missed the opening times.

On the left hand side of the square there’s  GUM , the same department store that my dad had visited 30 years previously, finding it dusty and empty. During our visit, the afternoon light shone through the glass domed ceilings, over white marble floors and whitewashed walls.

Diners clinked glasses in cafés and the store windows were packed with luxury clothes and accessories. And of course, on the far side of the square, St Basil’s was as dazzling as ever, the five domes five different jewels over the sapphire sky.

A little curiosity for you – the ‘Red’ in Red Square has nothing to do with Communism. The word Krasnaya used to mean ‘beautiful’ in Old Russian, and got the meaning ‘red’ only in more recent times. So, Red Square is also Beautiful Square.

Red Square was a bit of a disappointment, but the Kremlin exceeded all our expectations. The word Kremlin means ‘citadel’ – myself and many others were convinced that the Kremlin would be a simple city palace, but it’s in fact a walled city within a city , with palaces, churches, gardens and two helipads so Mr Putin can get to work without needing to brave the horrid Moscow traffic.

The Kremlin feels like a place that belongs to a parallel world. Everything looks tidy and perfect. Guards in huge hats and manicured uniforms patrol the streets, whistling if you dare cross away from the zebra crossing – yet, strangely, it’s absolutely fine to climb over the Tsar Bell, the largest bell ever cast at a weight of 480 tons.

The Tsar Bell never tolled, and the Tsar Cannon standing right next to it, the largest cannon ever made, never fired a single shot. Go figure.

The most beautiful location in the Kremlin is stunning Cathedral Square , surrounded by several churches with glistening golden domes. We only had time to visit two – Cathedral of the Assumption , where the Tsars were crowned, and Cathedral of the Archangel , final place of rest of several tsars and their families.

3) Moscow Metro

The Kremlin has been the home of Russia’s rulers for centuries. During Communist times, the power was in the hands of the people (or at least, that’s what they were told). In the late 1920s, Stalin ordered the construction of a monumental underground system – a ‘Palace for the People’ , that would fulfil the need for propaganda and intra-city transportation at the same time, as Moscow grew non stop.

Nowadays, the Moscow metro is developed over 12 lines – one circular and 11 radial . An apocryphal tale states that when Stalin was shown the Metro plan, no circular line was contemplated. Stalin placed his teacup on the paper, leaving a round brown mark – naturally, the leader was praised for his brilliance, and that’s how the circular line was born. All lines are colour coded, and the circular line is brown.

The Moscow Metro is not only stunning to look at – it also works amazingly well, and it’s super cheap. It runs from 5 to 2 am, every 20 seconds in peak hour, and a single ride only costs 50 roubles and has no time limit. That means you can spend the whole day touring this stunning system of underground palaces, spending less than a euro.

Each station is decorated differently – no station signs are visible from inside the trains, so Muscovites can tell where to get off by looking at the station’s decoration. Some of the most stunning include Mayakovskaya on the Green Line, Ploshchad Revolyutsii on the Blue Line and  Komsomolskaya, Novoslobodskaya and Kiyevskaya along the Circular (Koltsevaya) line.

I had read about the Arbat so many times in books , that I couldn’t wait to visit it for myself. It is one of the oldest surviving streets of Moscow , connecting the city centre with the boulevard ring. It was once one of the main thoroughfares into town from the West, before becoming home to the nobility first, then to artists and Soviet officials.

These days, the Arbat is not Moscow’s ‘Boulevard St Germain’ anymore – most of the mansions lining it were destroyed to stop Napoleon’s advance in 1812. There are actually two Arbats in Moscow now – the Old Arbat is pedestrian , so it’s still a wonderful place for a walk and some people-watching. There are several souvenir shops but being the heart of the tourist city centre, I’d give shopping around here a miss.

Towards the end of the street there’s an Alice in Wonderland themed cafe (a slice of Tokyo in the center of Moscow?) which could be an interesting spot for a coffee. Or you could check out New Arbat , just parallel, the home of administration and bureaucracy during Soviet times.

5) Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

Even if you’re not one for churches, you’ll agree with me that the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour is a spellbinding sight , with its golden domes and white marble frame set against the sky, and the Moskva river flowing right on its side.

To make matters even better, the Cathedral has a really interesting history. It was erected in the 19th century, after the victory against the Napoleonic Army. A convent was evacuated to make room for the church, and one of the sisters – enraged after having been evicted – claimed that no building erected on that site will ever stand for more than 50 years.

The Cathedral was eventually consecrated in 1883 – and in 1931, 48 years later, it was demolished by Stalin to make room for the ‘Palace of the Soviets’, a monumental building that was going to be topped by a huge statue of Lenin. WW2 halted construction, and after Stalin’s death the construction site stood unfinished for decades – the gaping hole for the foundations was turned into the world’s largest open-air swimming pool.

The ‘current’ Cathedral of Christ the Saviour was built between 1995 and 2000. 50 kilos of gold were used for the domes. Will it last for more than 50 years? Only time will tell.

6) Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics

If like me you’re a fan of Communist architecture and iconography , you’ll be spoilt in Moscow. In the past, we visited Communist sights in Warsaw , Vilnius and Bratislava – but really, they’re nothing compared to Moscow.

From kommunalka apartment blocks to Stalin’s Seven Sisters (huge 1930s skyscrapers housing hotels, apartments, offices and universities), from the Metro to statues and plaques everywhere, Moscow has plenty of relics from the Communist period – after all, it was the capital of the Communist world.

I could spend weeks touring all sights of Communist Moscow – to be honest, we are already planning a trip back for this very reason. If you only had time to visit one Communist sight, make sure it’s the Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics . The entrance to the museum is in the base of the Monument to the Conquerors of Space , which is by far THE MOST AMAZING monument we’ve ever seen. I mean, check it out.

The museum itself makes for a very interesting visit for everyone interested in the space race. It houses the first satellite ever to be launched, the embalmed bodies of two space dogs, a full-scale reproduction of space station Mir, space suits and lots more interesting exhibits. We visited on a guided tour with Viking Cruises, which was a great idea as it was really hard to understand the function of some objects otherwise.

The Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics celebrates a time when people dared to look at the stars and dream that one day, we might actually uncover this great mystery. Sure, political implications (on either side of the wall) were behind it all, not some romantic dream – but 55 years from Gagarin’s first flight, space news are often relegated to the bottom of newspaper pages.

Perhaps we have way too many problems on this planet to worry about exploring others. Exploring the Museum, I wished that one day we’ll be able to set out and uncover the biggest mystery of all once again.

Moscow with Viking Cruises

We visited several of the sights mentioned in this list on tours run by Viking River Cruises as part of our Waterways of the Tsars cruise. The Kremlin tour, Moscow city tour (by public transport or bus – naturally we opted for the latter) and a traditional music concert were included in the tour price, but we also took additional tours to the Museum of Cosmonautics and around Moscow by night , both of which we enjoyed a lot.

Our accommodation was on the Viking Truvor , moored in Moscow’s North River terminal near   Rechnoy Vozkal station on the green line, making it possible to reach the centre in half an hour to explore the city independently. All meals are served on the boat, and transport to/from the boat is always provided during tours. Trust me, on a Viking cruise you won’t go hungry!

A great benefit of exploring Moscow with Viking were the excellent local guides , who shared their knowledge with us and gave us ideas on how to make the most of our free time in such a big, sprawling city. We spent three days in Moscow, but we are sure we will be back!

We would like to thank Viking Cruises for having welcomed us aboard the Waterways of the Tsars cruise.

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