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All 353 San Diego Attractions »

San Diego Automotive Museum

2080 Pan American Plaza, San Diego, CA 92101
619 231 2886
Ranked #80 of 193 attractions in San Diego
3.5 of 5 stars 17 Reviews
Type: Speciality Museums
Description: Magnificent display of vintage automobiles and motorcycles including a 1927 Bentley, 1931 Rolls Royce Phaeton and Steve McQueen's 1953 Allard.
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17 reviews from our community

Visitor rating
    4
    4
    7
    1
    1
Date Rating
Tucson, AZ
Contributor
11 reviews 11 reviews
Reviews in 8 cities Reviews in 8 cities
7 helpful votes 7 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 25 May 2012 NEW

Hurry! The "Woodies" exhibit ends in a few days! I visit Car Museums and Air Museums and Train Museums because I love my husband. This exhibit is fun enough to attend for any reason, but especially if appreciating the beauty and style of these vintage "Woodies" appeals to you. Vrooom!

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san Diego
Reviewer
5 reviews 5 reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 12 May 2012

The always changing and well put together displays are excellent

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North Shields, United Kingdom
Top Contributor
64 reviews 64 reviews
Reviews in 11 cities Reviews in 11 cities
33 helpful votes 33 helpful votes
2 of 5 stars Reviewed 2 May 2012

The bored guy at the entrance should have warned us to stay away however we went in regardless. Oh how we wish we hadn't bothered. Very few exhibits which were displayed unimaginatively. We were in and out in ten minutes. Maybe we were spoilt by the Petersen Museum in LA!

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See 14 more reviews by puddletink for San Diego
San Diego
Senior Reviewer
6 reviews 6 reviews
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 29 April 2012

Christmas on the Prado is fun and very crowded. The auto museum is always a big draw because kids love cars. They have an awesome collection and the history to go with it.

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See 5 more reviews by Yack for San Diego
NY
Top Contributor
51 reviews 51 reviews
Reviews in 15 cities Reviews in 15 cities
35 helpful votes 35 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 7 April 2012

In addition to your standard fare of pristinely restored cars from the 1950's - 60s, there are also some unique items, cars from tv/movies, and a section on motorcycles. If you're a gearhead or auto fan, it's a must. Small enough to combine with a trip to the zoo or other destinations in Balboa Park all on the same day,... More

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See 6 more reviews by mooshai for San Diego
San Diego, California
Contributor
12 reviews 12 reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 5 April 2012

Cool stuff to see and play with. Would be even better if I were still a kid!

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See 8 more reviews by heidrichj for San Diego
San Diego, California
Top Contributor
56 reviews 56 reviews
Reviews in 11 cities Reviews in 11 cities
11 helpful votes 11 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 13 March 2012

As a car nut, this is a treat. I love going through and seeing the perfect restorations as well as the unrestored history of the automobile. Dont miss this if you are car crazy. It is FUN

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See 34 more reviews by Mal H for San Diego
Mission Viejo, California
Contributor
12 reviews 12 reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
4 helpful votes 4 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 22 February 2012

This is not a large museum at all, but they had some very rare cars on loan as well as several very rare motorcycles. The Louis Matter Cadillac was amazing and they have a beautifully restored '53 Jag. The docent on duty the day we were there was great. As at all the Balboa museums, don't forget to get your... More

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Calgary
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 1 February 2012

Very small museum; too small to justify the admission price. Cars they have are of good quality, but even being a car enthusiast I had looked at all the cars, and read all the info signs within 20 minutes.

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Los Angeles, California
Contributor
17 reviews 17 reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
6 helpful votes 6 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 15 January 2012

You might find your favorite classic car here - I did. The museum is not very big, but very enjoyable and worth the effort if you're in Balboa Park.

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See 11 more reviews by MonicaChicago for San Diego

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