Activities for Kids

Buckle Up! 10 Hot Spots for Car-Crazed Kiddos

Push the pedal to the metal at these hot spots perfect for pint-sized car enthusiasts.

By Melissa Heckscher February 24, 2016

Does your kid go “Vroom, vroom” with anything even remotely resembling a car? Do you find yourself tripping over mountains of Matchbox cars or trying to make room in your home for yet another Hot Wheels track? Well, it’s time you hit the road and take your budding racecar driver someplace where the cars are bigger than boxes and where he can learn the history behind his favorite set of wheels. Inspire your little auto aficionados at one of these car-themed destinations.

Cars Land at Disneyland’s California Adventure – Anaheim, Ca

Fans of the Pixar CARS films will be in McQueen-heaven here. The 12-acre Cars Land is a life-sized replica of Radiator Springs, the fictional town featured in the film. Ambling down a bustling Route 66, visitors can get up close and personal with Lightning himself, hobnob with Mater and Red, or grab a bite inside the roadside eatery, Flo’s V8 Cafe. If your little racer loves speed, head straight for the Radiator Springs Racers, which lets riders hop inside a race car and zip across the sprawling faux-desert landscape at speeds up to 40 mph (note: racers must be 40 inches to ride).

Pssst: The lines here can be tedious, even on slow days. Be sure to get to the park early to get a Fast Pass (the Fast Pass kiosk is located at the entrance to Cars Land) that will give you a timed reservation to ride.

Online: Disneyland.com/Californiaadventure/radiatorsprings

photo: courtesy Disneyland

Where do you take kids who like to go “Vroom!?” Share with us in a Comment below.

— Melissa Heckscher