I love anything vintage...especially cars! I always have a wonderful time when I check out Cruisin' Grand in downtown Escondido. There are usually a good mix of cars to see. It's very popular judging by the crowds there and free for everyone to attend Friday nights but only for half the year. Beware of the traffic during that time!! The live music is nice to hear while the community cruise around snacking on some kettle corn from a local vendor. It's basically a great place to just hangout or try the nearby shops and restaurants/bars afterwards. Everyone is super friendly too. This is definitely a must-see for the Yelp Community to cruise on by!!! read more

See all

Cruisin grand is back and amazing!!! I love cruisin grand!!!! I hope it goes on forever because I come every single Friday, every year they have it. I've been coming for over 10 years. read more

See all

Definitely a good time . Lots of classic cars and interesting people. There's a gelato shop off of Kalmia. read more

See all

Summertime in SoCal is never complete without the return of Crusin Grand! Great spot to come out with friends, family or even for just a walk with your 4 legged friend. Love seeing so many vintage vehicles in the perfect spot of town to have a meal or people watch with a cocktail. read more

Hooray for Cruisin' Grand! Classics and Kustoms, can't go wrong! It's a great time to chill with friends old and new, go grab some drinks, and enjoy the warm California sunshine! read more

Cruisin' Grand - Festivals Near Me - Escondido, California

Living in Escondido for almost six years Cruisin' Grand has been such a wonderful thing to experience community and be proud to live in Escondido. Have two boys who love cars, this is a blessing every summer to get the kids out of the house. I love all the little shops and restaurants along Grand. And I am so happy that this festival brings them business. I've bought some good art pieces at one of the shops and I try to stop in every time we go to see what new items they have. There all walks of life and it's great to see everyone out and about. There are different bands playing at each of the intersections. There is a good police presence so I feel safe for the most part. The homeless don't seem to be a problem. If they are there, they stay away. All in all it's a great place to see the awesome cars and grab some food and have a good time with your friends. I hope more businesses will open up along Grand. I have no doubt the place will be thriving in a couple of years when the Escondido master plan is complete. read more

Cruisin' Grand - Love this bus - Festivals Near Me - Escondido, California

See all

This year I had been attending the Cruising Grand so many times just because I loved the great festive atmosphere, the beautiful well curated by the proud owners cars and just the fact that it is so close to where I live I had no excuse to get out. Cruising Grand offers not only the possibility to admire the vintage cars, ask questions to owners while listening to live music, but also discover or rediscover many small businesses and restaurants open until late. I have truly enjoyed this event and am looking forward to more. Excellent organization and sense of security at all times. read more

I really love outdoor festivals, even if I'm not interested in the actual theme. Vintage cars? Sure...but live music, people watching, walking around in great weather, and plenty of food options! I'm all in! Cruisin' Grand has been around for decades and it's a seasonal thing. Every Friday night from April-September, classic cars line up and down Grand Street. Every week, they showcase certain types of cars...so if you're into cars, don't miss out. My partner in crime and I had a wonderful evening of strolling up and down Grand Street. Take advantage of all the local eateries there. Stay local and support local businesses! I really loved this street festival and I know my kids will too! Don't miss out! read more

See all

This is one of the best things about Escondido. Every Friday evening from May to the end of September the whole of Grand Avenue is awash with several hundred classic cars from all over the area. If you are a classic car enthusiast, this is the place you want to be. They do have a theme each week, but the family and I never really check week to week. We just love to walk Grand and the adjacent streets looking at all the old classic cars. From Fords to Datsuns to old European models: There is something for everyone. I've even seen a DeLorean parked on Grand every now and then! Be warned though; if you want to grab a bite to eat while your there, all the wonderful restaurants are PACKED and the wait times can be long at the more popular places. As well the "potty" situation is a handful of meager Porta potties, so plan ahead! But if you in the north county and are looking for something free to do on a Friday evening; Cruising Grand is worth your time. read more

See all

This car event is way better than one could expect from a weekly event in a city with just 150 thousand residents. You would see literally hundreds of fun cars parked on the streets. The show is omnivorous, you would encounter everything from the rebuilt Ford T1 to replicas to fancy dune buggies and other custom builds to well-preserved classic cars to the cars that retain just the old body yet have everything else built from scratch. All of this is in one place weekly on Fridays from May to September! There is also food, and bands, and DJs, of course. Don't expect many true carefully restored classic cars (you would see some): the cutoff for the event is "pre-1974", many cars are modified to be drivable (modern engines, seats, controls) or are not classic (replicas, custom). Logistics: the event is free, parking is surprisingly easy (you should be able to find a spot 2-3 blocks away from the Grand St. If you want to see all the cars, expect to walk slowly for about a mile (budget 2 hours). Overall: if you like cars, the Cruisin' Grand definitely deserves a visit (I would say that it has an equivalent of two Michelin stars for a restaurant: "worth a half-hour detour"). On the Yelp scale, this one is a solid five stars. read more

I love going down and having dinner and enjoying all the cars. So many beautiful cars....every Friday! So many fantastic restaurants to try. It's always a great time. The shopping is great....there is so much to look at....grab a burger....grab a beer...shop for antiques or look for something for your house. Grand Avenue is a blast and your whole family will enjoy it. You can look at reptiles, get a coffee.....eat at a French Bakery....or some sushi....pizza anyone! Family friendly and plenty of parking. If you haven't come down yet....don't wait....April through September!! read more

Awesome event to check out some cool cars, get some good food and talk to some cool people. The food situation is ok and getting better. There is a decent selection of restaurants but not a huge selection. It is better than it was a few years ago but some food trucks would make this event perfect. It is a great event to get out on a Friday night and admire some beautiful machines. 64 Nova SS was my favorite! Check it out one Friday! read more

See all

Spend your Friday nights cruisin' the strip alongside hotrods and lowriders. Honestly I only walk the streets maybe once or twice a year, but I do "cruise" in the car pretty much every Friday night. - Your best bet would be just to make an evening of Cruisin' Grand by stopping by one of the many restaurants in the area. - Good luck finding happy hour prices during this event. - Mono Loudspeakers are way too loud. - Parking, not as bad as you might think. - Must Try EscoGelto - Check out the mineral specimens at the Gemstone Gallery read more

Visited 9/9/2016 Wow What a great way to spend a Friday Night. Hundreds of Vintage, Hot Rods, and Custom Bikes and Vehicles to check out. Open 5:00pm till 9:00pm on Friday Nights with dozens of restaurants along Grand Avenue and live Music on several street corners it makes for a nice evening. The crowds get pretty heavy in the evening so come early for easier parking. Each week has a different theme in this night was fire truck night. We road down from Ranchita in or friends 1968 Charger. Very Appropriate For Cruse Night. There are also plenty of bars and pubs on both sides of Grand to take of your thirst. I will be checking it out again soon. read more

See all

I really wish I could call people out for their negative reviews @Dave W. If for nothing else, just to point out their contrite, entitled bitchiness. Seriously dude, 'too many Chevrolet cars'? Cruisin' Grand is a glorious community event loaded with locals walking, dog walking, skateboarding, cycling and cruising. There are actually businesses on Grand as well so you may very well see a minivan in between two show cars. I recommend you get dinner reservations for patio seating at the various restaurants along Grand. read more

Nice to walk around to see old cars. My granddaughter likes to dance to the music. We grabbed a some food from one of the restaurants and had a picnic while listening to music. Fun family evening. . read more

Cruisin' Grand - Festivals Near Me - Escondido, California

My West Coast Yelp Friend (YF) "Salute U" checked in at Bob's Big Boy last Friday, and mentioned it was "car night" there (every Friday is at Bob's). Well, I sorta knew this, but since we don't have Bob's Big Boy in Austin (tho' there ARE "car events"), it sorta got forgotten, or at least on the "back burner" of my usually only lukewarm (to begin with) mind. Anyway, that's what jogged my memory about Cruisin' Grand. I've been, more than once, and enjoyed the HELL out of it! So, figuring there must be a Yelp page for such a great event, I went there. I was SHOCKED at how few photos were posted of this wonderful event; a mere 13 pic's were there when it occurred to me to check out the Yelp site. And since I had "a few" photos of my own... Well, I sure fixed THAT, didn't I? (hehe) And I DON'T want it to stop there; Yelpers, I need some help here. I only captured a FRACTION of what is at Cruisin' Grand on any given Friday. I only quit snappin' pictures cuz it got too DARK! I had not nearly run out of "subjects", just outta LIGHT. And this was just ONE DAY. I know some of you have MORE pictures, and of different cars than I posted. Please, put 'em UP! For those of you who don't know (and I don't understand fully, but will try to relate as best I do), Cruisin' Grand has an "official" side, and an "unofficial" side to it. Neither is truly "OFFICIAL", in that it's all at the car owners' own individual discretion. Let me try to explain. As I understand, there is, by Committee, an actual "theme" announced for each Friday's showing of vehicles, but you're NOT REQUIRED to fall into that category to come and display your wheels, just a little more encouraged to participate if your particular car / truck / hot rod / spaceship falls within the parameters of that Friday's "theme". If I've got this wrong, then someone help me out and clarify. Bottom line is: Please DON'T decide to not come and show your car cuz you don't think you'll "fit in" with everything else, due to that week's theme; it doesn't matter. COME ONE, COME ALL! It "officially" starts at 4:00 PM each Friday, but the "regulars" start showing up before that. I don't think there's an actual Ordinance that prohibits folks from parking dem pesky "new" cars in the spots along Grand Ave, but it's more "understood" that on Friday, ya just don't park there. Doesn't matter anyway; as those spots get vacated, the Vintage / Classic car folk get there and snatch 'em up, right quick! Seems to encourage the displayers to get there EARLY, if they want their car to be in the thick of things, as there are NO reservations for the parking spots. First come, first parked. For the pure spectator, it's different every week; some of the same folks are "regulars", but there's always something new to see, usually a LOT new to see, each week. Grand Ave has lots of cool eateries and retail shops, some right on Grand, some just a block or two off the "beaten path" those are just as cool as the places on Grand itself. There's been live music every time I've been down there, and it's a KID-FRIENDLY. You don't have to be a serious "gear head" to have a good time, but if you are, these guys have each spent hundreds of hours, and THOUSANDS of dollars restoring their respective vehicles and if you got time to listen, a lot of 'em will be proud to share every step of the process with you. And it's called "Cruisin' Grand" for a REASON, cuz you can actually CRUISE on the street! It's not blocked off, so besides the static cars parked at the curb, there's a constant stream of cars passing right in front of you. Pretty darn cool, all the way 'round! Bottom line: Lots of perfectly restored vehicles of all types, varied activities from car-ogling to stuffin' yer face, to other this and that's in the various shops, and all while surrounded by FRIENDLY people. And whoever on here was complaining about parking is exaggerating a little bit. It's not really that bad; under no circumstances will you have to walk very far. But between the "wak" convergence of streets there, and the streets closed for the event, it can be a little confusing. Hell, I have a home there, and I'll tell ya, it's one of the wackiest intersections I've ever seen! EVERY FRIDAY, from Spring to Fall; check their website for more details. And folks, PLEASE POST MORE PICTURES. larrythediner . read more

See all

Always look forward to when cruisen grand starts. Always a great bunch of cars and people.

I think this is a really neat event to have in the Escondido area. There have been a couple occasions where we've popped over because I grew up going to car shows with my dad and it makes me feel like a kid again. There is not much variance, but its cool to see nonetheless. Here are the Con's to be aware of the next time you decide to venture over to check it out. 1. Park away from the main stretch of Grand Avenue. You won't find parking close at all. 2. Be OK with meandering crowds because this place definitely has them. Lots of people and narrow sidewalks make for quite the traffic jam. 3. Understand that is literally smells of exhaust the entire stretch of the street. It's almost nauseating if you stay for longer than 20-30 minutes. 4. It's loud. There are tons of really neat cars parked all over the side streets and down Grand. There are also a ton of cars that just like to rev their engines and drive down Grand, over and over again. If you can't stand the sound of motorcycles without mufflers, pass on this. Pro's: 1. Cool cars. 2. People watching. 3. Kettle corn when you make it to the end stretch of the street. 4. Awesome deals & happy hours at all the restaurants down the stretch of Grand. It's worth seeing in your lifetime. read more

See all

A great activity for the whole family for your next Friday night. So much fun to walk up and down Grand and look at the vintage cars (but expect it to be crowded, it's hard to find a place to sit and eat). Even when you are not into cars, it's a lot of fun to see all those classic, flashy, exotic vintage beauties! read more

See all

This was my second day weekend at Cruisin Grand, in a row. It was such a great time. There were so many different types of cars, in great condition, and it was so fun to walk around the neighborhood taking a look. I've never been much of a car fan, but these older muscle cars are definitely something amazing. I would recommend taking the time to visit this Friday evening event at least once. read more

Cruisin' Grand - Stunning - Festivals Near Me - Escondido, California

Went last night 7/21/17 with our club Poway Cruisers lot of fun and cool cars. Lot of people fun and good food. read more

Cruisin' Grand - Festivals Near Me - Escondido, California

Excellent event! I was visiting from out of town and am glad I took the time to go see all the beautiful cars. Great music and lots of beautiful cars to see! Also nice that there's lots of restaurants you can eat in after the show. read more

I had been wanting to go to this vintage car show for ever, and I finally got there last Friday! Cruisin' Grand is a weekly free event that runs every Friday night from April through September. Vintage cars park all up and down Grand Avenue in downtown Escondido, giving spectators the chance to check out a lot of fabulous automobiles. We were treated to an even cooler experience than normal, as that evening's Cruisin' Grand was a salute to firefighters and heroes. Therefore, there were a bunch of fire trucks, in addition to the usual vintage cars, on display. They had fire engines from a variety of eras, including a horse-drawn one! They were giving rides on the fire engines, and needless to say, my friend's 1 year old nephew was thrilled with the fire truck theme. In addition to the vintage cars and fire engines, there was live music that contributed to the event's time warp-esque atmosphere! I highly recommend Cruisin' Grand for anyone who enjoys a pleasant evening stroll, especially those who also love cars! read more

Cruisin' Grand is a great place to take the family and take a relaxing stroll down historic downtown Escondido. If you like vintage cars, sports, cars, and cars in general, this is an event that you'd want to visit at least once during the summer season. There are plenty of shops you can visit, and if you get hungry and want to chill, there are plenty of restaurants, wine tasting rooms, cafes, and breweries in the area. There is plenty of parking, and it is a great place to people watch. Make sure to wear comfy shoes as you are going to be doing a lot of walking around. For the Pokemon go fans, there is a Pokemon go stop at the Escondido Civic Center which only the next street over from Grand Avenue. read more

Cruisin' Grand - Festivals Near Me - Escondido, California

Fun time for the whole family. Food, music, kettle corn and drinks. And your helping small business owners what could be better. If you have an old car bring it if not there are plenty to look at. read more

WOW, how cool is Cruisin' Grand! On Friday nights between the warm months of April and September, downtown Esco on Grand Ave travels back in time to the 50s to 70s. You will the sights and sounds of old timey songs, stores with pin-up era clothing and vintage trinkets, and really impressive American cars. Love that people of all ages and all walks of life gather together for Cruisin' Grand. This is such a trippy and unparalleled experience. It's relaxing to unwind after a long work week and interesting to just people watch. Will definitely be venturing out here on Friday evenings once I relocate to Esco in a few weeks. read more

Cruisin' Grand - Festivals Near Me - Escondido, California

See all

Great way to spend an early Friday night! Lot's of different cars. Lot's of classics as well as a few super cars and tricked out cars. Number of bars and restaurants on the street to get quick food or side down and watch. If you've never been and you enjoy cars in any way (even minimal), you'll have a good time. read more

Before you go drinking or want to avoid parking horrors, download the Lyft app. Under Payment Lyft credits enter promo code BRIDGET203 for up to $25 off your first ride! read more

Cruisin' Grand is pretty fun. There are tons of great looking cars, and you can check them out as you walk up and down Grand Ave in Escondido. A bunch of the restaurants down there even set up little stands, so if you don't want to spend the time and money on a sit-down dinner you can grab a hotdog from the deli or a piece of pizza from the Italian place. Some of the car owners even write up a history of their car, so you can learn more about it, and some make their car part of a theme by putting a surfboard on top or a tray on the window (like drive-ins). When I went, there were over a hundred cars to look at! It's a great excuse to go get appetizers and a beer, too. The people we ran into were nothing but nice. I don't know if I would make the trek if I lived somewhere far, but I guess if you're a can fan it's worth it. read more

This weekly, community car show is top-notch. It amazes me that something this well-organized happens every week. They obviously have the planning and logistics down to a science. My favorite part about it was the sense of community you could feel at this event. Singletons, families, car buffs, people who don't know a '97 Dodge Intrepid from a '69 T-Bird-- everyone who showed up was having a good time. Cool Summer-timey thing to do. Downtown Escondido has a neat vibe- lots of restaurants and antique/knick-knack stores. read more

Events like this are WAY to few and far between now adays! Grab the kids....Take a walk around the classic shops and eateries that line Grand,see some great classic cars and enjoy the time. They actually do not close Grand (although it will take you 30min to drive the mile stretch most Friday evenings, which is fine unless you are trying to get somewhere like the Hospital on the East end of Grand). They DO close many of the side streets that connect with Grand as that gives an area for some of the MANY classic and exotic cars to park and show off. Every time I have been down here the event is clean, orderly and a great place to get the family out for a stroll...They do have a few booths that pop up,,,,but you will find that most every business that lines Grand is open and packed..If you are a car guy like me you will find something here for every taste from great old school classics, to Muscle cars, Lowriders and even imports and Exotics. However, they majority of the show is Classic and muscle cars (which are the only cars allowed to park directly on Grand during the cruise hours. Come on out...See some cool cars, take a walk thru one fo the many nice little shops...and grab a pizza for the drive home!...And unlike many other events around the county...All you will pay for is the Pizza! read more

Okay, technically this doesn't qualify as a business, but you yelpers always review Elite events, so I figure that this should be reviewed as a local event. Furthermore, I can't believe no one has yet to review Cruisin' Grand. As a native San Diegan, I sadly admit that I haven't experienced much of the local flavor around these parts. But that changed a bit tonight, when I came to Cruisin' Grand. This is awesome. It's like the classic car Thursdays in downtown La Mesa, only way, way bigger. Grand Ave. is filled with classics, most of them gorgeous, but some clunkers mixed in for kicks. Tonight was a bit of a celebration in thanks for the Firemen and Police Officers. Classic cop cars and fire trucks paraded down the street. It was awesome. There are so many people who come to this every week, apparently, but even more tonight. I was told that it runs every Friday night until 9:00 in Escondido from April until September, so it's unfortunate I came so late, but at least there's always next year. If you're into classic cars, this place is great. The people who showcase their cars are pretty cool and love to see people gawk at their cars. As my friend's dad says, Cruisin' Grand isn't just a car show. It's a car show, a dog show, and a freak show rolled into one. People come out with their dogs like they're ready to parade them down Main St...err...in this case, Grand. And the people watching is the best around....try it out! read more

The last time we were there I saw a couple of guys in sky blue shirts that said "Cruisin' Grand" on them so I asked them where they fit in the hierarchy. They both held their hands way down low and one said, "We're at the bottom." Turns out that guy was Steve Waldron. I started raving about the event; how much we enjoy it, how incredibly well organized it is, and the quality of the cars week after week. Steve's buddy pointed to him and said, "He's the founder." Cruisin' Grand is an enormous undertaking. Steve has been able to surpass his vision by a huge margin by generating enthusiasm, gathering volunteers, and doing a staggering amount of work year around. If you get a chance to meet him, shake his hand and tell him, "Thanks!" He deserves it! read more

Love coming down to Cruisin' Grand, its a blast to walk around, the cars are beautiful! Its nice to see downtown Escondido having such a huge turnout for this week after week. Its great that the local venues are representing and most have a special hours or menus for this event. The entertainment is always fun to watch and just overall a great vibe! read more

Fire truck night can make even the toughest dude giddy like a school child. Horse drawn rigs from the turn of the century parked beside modern behemoths displays the history of the mobile fire brigade, the evolution of the truck and provides a story of those who rode them. If that is not enough for you, they also do fire truck rides for both big and little kids. Although I am partial to the Ford section, several auto enthusiasts came out to display their amazing classic rides, rat rods and historical vehicles. Some owners are even present to answer questions, or gloat, about their vehicles. Situated on multiple blocks, there are several opportunities to wet your whistle or recharge with some edibles at one of the businesses along and around Grand. read more

A City that closes its streets down every week for a car show? Unheard of to me until I came to Escondido. This isn't the normal rice rocket car meets that you see at the local tea place. This is a classic car show. Almost always domestics and very few imports. This isnt terrible. I actually know nothing about old school domestics, but I do know about body work and restorations and I can see appreciate all the work into these cars. Poeple are friendly as well, so you can ask them questions. Lots of families come out just to hang out. Vendoes come out as well and tent up. I remember getting a cupcake form some cupcake lady that didn't have a storefront but was a vendor there. Otheres come from San Diego to setup to get their name out. Its alot of fun to see poeple respect each other and just come together and show off what they love, their cars. I've only been here once, but if you havent gone, you should definately go atleast once to check it out. Come hungry so you can try some of the bussiness around there. Parking isnt terrible, just park 2 blocks away and you can walk down grand and see all the cars lined up. read more

If you're an old timer like me you enjoy going to any functions like this.. Good music and great cars.. Restaurants all over to choose from read more

See all

Great place to spend time with family and friends. Beautiful cars and trucks. Plenty of choices for dinner. Our place for date night on Friday. Check there website for upcoming events. read more

Went for the first time this year tonight. Seen a lot of changes from the years past. First off, too many kids on skateboards and bicycles on the sidewalks. Too many dogs, heard at least three yelps from dogs getting stepped on, which is just going to end up being a fight at some point between the dog owner and a person just there to enjoy the CARS and talking to fellow CAR guys not expecting it to be a petting zoo. Noticed a lot of late model cars parked along Grand something you didn't see in the past. nice to see a Dodge Caravan parked in between a beautiful GTO and a Classic Vette. The band they had playing was terrible, consisted of old guys looking like they were about to stroke out at any moment. They had a sound that could only be compared to as an alley cat getting laid. Most of the cars there were Cherry, some were still works in progress, but the late model Mini vans have to go once the event kicks off. Please save your Mini van for cutting me off on Valley Pwy like normal. read more