Cruising the Coast

[Orange65]

We will be there again this year and I hope to take my 65 C10. My wife loves CTC- which is strange- she doesn't like car things usually. We are staying on the east end of the strip this year- good luck with hotel rooms at a decent rate. We booked 3 rooms about 2 months ago and they were pricey and hard to find then.

We will be there on Saturday and Sunday morning. I think that Saturday is the busy day. The strip definitely becomes a parking lot. It took us over an hour to go from Ocean Springs to the coliseum a few years ago on Saturday afternoon. Lots to see and lots to do!

[momsmustang]

I LOVE the being able to sleep a little later, the guys are up an walking thru motel/hotel/condo parking lots looking at cars. You can spend as much or as little $$ as you want on food, come and go without packing and unpacking daily. The swap meet and car auction were things Alton loved too. Last year they had a really good flame throwing contest. Some folks really like being so near the casinos! (not for us that work too hard for our $$). You wont be sorry if you go!

[Karberator]

You have to see this in person to really appreciate it!

[okie300c]

my mom saw the CTC web page and is dying to go to the coast again so its a coin toss as to if my parents want to go bad enough to split the costs with me lol.

[69SS 350 5 Speed]

We are planing for 2014 also. With the Western Scenic Tour this year, we won't be back home until September 29th. That's too short of a turn around time for another event.

[okie300c]

dunno if I can make it this yr but I will be shooting for next yr

[Karberator]

Cruising the Coast is an awesome event. It was absolute hell to put it nicely to get around the last two years we went. Didn't go in 2012. We're talking two or three hours or more to go just a few miles on Friday and Saturday. We usually park at a casino or something and watch the cars go by

My goodness whatever you do go to Ocean Springs. What an awesome little town! All the cars and people just make it better. It's pretty crazy on Saturday of CTC. Cars and people on both sides of the street with cars coming down the middle of the road too. Bay St. Louis is pretty cool also. The LSU bus with hydraulics and a huge stereo is always a highlight!

We usually come in on Friday and stay somewhere around the east end of the strip. We come in from the west and drive the whole 25 mile strip. It's very cool to see cars everywhere all along the route.

[eloutlet]

I love the Power Tour and Cruisin' the Coast.

Cruisin' the Coast is far more relaxing as you don't have to 'hit the road' for the next venue or feel like you'll miss something. With bands playing daily at each venue you can just hang out. And unlike a local or regional car show you don't have to walk and walk. Just find a good spot with your cooler where you can hear the music and let the cars come to you.

My wife would tell you that if we could only do one car event per year that Cruisin' the Coast would be it.

While there were over 6,000 cars registered last year I believe that there were at least that many more that were not registered.

We have stayed at hotels both on the beach and near I-10 but last year we rented a condo and that's the way to go if it's in your budget or you can split the costs of multi-bedroom units with friends.

The week can be as busy of as relaxing as you chose to make it.

[173rdherd]

35 years of going to Galveston has taught me from experience, rust belt or not, I highly recommend a daily rinse, and thorough washing when done.

[Damon23]

This is something we are planning on doing. It is the week of my 40th birthday and I can't think of a better way to spend it.

[55Chevy]

Good information. I hope to make it this year.

[Big Dave]

To address some of your questions,
Yes there are many prizes to be won and there are vendors as well as a car coral where car are up for sale, no magnets.
Your ride must be 25 years old to register, I went in the "Beast" last year which wasn't 25 years old and still had fun cruising around.
Your car can rust anywhere, ask the folks who live in the rust belt. Washed it after you get home, that's what I do.
As for as getting a "good spot" hwy 90 is a long coastal hwy in Mississippi there are plenty of places to sit and watch, but you can come to my condo and hang out there and watch from the balcony.
The traffic gets heavy at night and on the weekends no worst than Power Tour. Lots of great places to eat and make new friends.
I get over there on Wednesday and stay thru Sunday, that's what a lot of people do.
Let me know if you come, like I said your welcome to hang out at the condo and that goes for Mike as well.
I think the beaches are great, sometimes even a hot rod will end up there, lots of burn outs and alluding the police.

[173rdherd]

The one part of this question that I can answer is, always give your car a thorough washing after a beach run and try and give it a good rinsing every day during the event.

I have first 3 nights at HIE Ocean Springs @ $77 and next 4 at Moss Point HIE @ $77. Will be in the 58

[RSRXION]

Ok, more questions... What's the advantage to the card stamping other than the raffle ? Is there just a single prize kind of deal ? Are there vendors and magnets like HRPT?

The event is limited to pre 1973. Would a 73 Mustang be allowed ?

Do I need to worry about future rust issues from the humid salt air ?

I've got to admit that I'm not sure I can get the wife out of bed at 5 to get a good spot. In fact, I'm pretty sure I can't. Is the traffic as bad as it sounds ? With 6,196 registered last year, I can only imagine it's terrible. My 66 Corvette and 73 Mustang don't have heating issues but they are clutch cars. I'm not sure my left leg is up to the task

In the event we took our 91 Thunderbird SC, we would have to park and walk to see the events I gather. It's an air conditioned automatic that has a huge trunk. All of these are features our other cars don't offer.

It sounds like fun but it might be a pain in the arse. Maybe we'll just run down for 3 or 4 days in the SC and check it out before committing to a full blown week or 10 days.

[bishir]

I have varied opinions about it. Its fun hanging out with friends and watching the cars go by.. Though its not so much fun driving your ride during the peak times due to the heavy traffic and if you're not a car show type person you may not enjoy the cruise ins. Official participation is also limited to pre 1973 vehicles, but anyone can cruise up and down 90. The beach stinks IMO, but that's because the sand and water is better where I live. ;).