The Best Car Shows in Las Vegas
Jan 15, 2018
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Las Vegas is known for its shows. You can find music, dancing, magic and more all along the famous Las Vegas Strip. The city is also home to some of the best car shows in the world. If you love cars or are just looking to see some of the best cars — both new and old — in the world, you should definitely plan your Vegas vacation around these car shows. We’ve gathered some information on the best shows in Sin City to help make your trip planning a little easier.
SEMA Show
We’re going to give SEMA an honorable mention here, simply because while it is one of the best car shows in Las Vegas, it’s not open to the general public. You can try to register to attend if you’re an exhibitor, a journalist or a qualified employee, but there’s no guarantee that you’ll be approved. If not, you can still watch all the feeds online.
SEMA is the place to be for all of the newest advancements in automotive technology. Industry leaders get together to show off their new innovations, whether that is in the form of auto-driving cars, color-changing paint or anything else new and amazing that they’ve come up with during the past year.
SEMA is held on the first weekend of November ever year at the Sands Expo. If you want to be in the know for the latest innovations in car tech, follow the SEMA feeds every year, and you’ll be ahead of the curve.
Viva Las Vegas Car Show
Billed as the best car show anywhere, the Viva Las Vegas car show is the first show on our list that is open to the public. You can pick up a variety of different tickets — single-day tickets, weekend tickets or high roller wristbands that give you access to the entire show. You want to get your tickets early, though — the prices go up as you start getting closer to the show date, which is almost always the 2nd weekend in April.
The VLV Car Show features classic cars and motorcycles from the Pre-1963 era and is held in The Orleans hotel. The show also features live music and usually draws over 20,000 people every single year. All told, more than 800 vehicles are registered every year, making for a fantastic show.
This car show is also part of the Rockabilly Weekend, so if you want to make a weekend of it, consider springing for the high roller tickets that give you access to the entire show. If you’ve got a show car, you can even register your car to show it off to the thousands of people who are going to be there.
Motor Trend International Auto Show Las Vegas
If classics aren’t your thing or you don’t have the cash handy to spend upwards of $140 on a ticket, the Motor Trend International Auto Show in Las Vegas might be a good option or you. This show features new and upcoming models for nearly every manufacturer, so in November, you can get a good look at the new models that will be rolling off the assembly lines in the coming year.
Ticket prices are low for this show — kids get in free, while adults pay only $10 to be able to get behind the wheel of domestic cars, spot some fantastic exotic vehicles and even check out some tricked-out custom rides.
This show is held at the Las Vegas Convention Center, but make sure you call ahead — while it’s always in November, the weekend may change from year to year, and you don’t want to end up in Sin City on the wrong weekend!
Las Vegas Cruisin’ Association Shows
If April or November don’t work for you, you’re not missing out — there are dozens of car shows throughout the Strip every year. Those hosted by the Las Vegas Crusin Association often happen multiple times every month, from January to December. In 2018, they’ll be starting off with their Mesquite Motor Mania 2018, which falls on January 12 through the 14.
There are shows here to fit nearly every budget, style and travel schedule.
Celebrity Car Shows on Eastern
Celebrity Cars is a Vegas-based car showroom located on Dean Martin Drive. They showcase domestic, international and exotic cars. Why are they on this list?
They also host a car show every single weekend. Every Saturday, from 7 to 10 am, Celebrity Cars takes over the Sansone Park Place on Eastern and Richmar to showcase some of the most beautiful modern and classic cars in the city. It’s for a good cause, too — any funds raised by the weekly shows are donated to the Rotary Club of Las Vegas.
Lowrider Super Show
If you’ve got a thing for lowriders, head to Las Vegas in October for the Lowrider Super Show. This moving show travels the country showcasing some of the best lowriders in the country — both ones that have been restored to their original glory and those that have been tricked out to look amazing.
The show is in Las Vegas in October most years, but make sure you check with the site to confirm the dates. The website hasn’t been updated yet for the 2018 tour schedule, so make sure you keep checking back. This show is open to the public to the tune of $40 for adult tickets, though kids 10 and under get in for free.
Most people might not travel to Las Vegas for car shows, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of them available for the avid car enthusiast. Plan your trip around one of these amazing shows or just catch one like the Celebrity Car shows while you’re in the city. Either way, you’re in for a treat. For those of us who don’t feel like traveling to Vegas, the SEMA show is a great alternative — chances are you wouldn’t be able to get in anyway, so you can stay in the comfort of your home and watch all the live feeds!
