Petersen Automotive Museum

Have you visited this treasure in Los Angeles?

We love it!

Let’s take a look at what it’s all about.

Basic Scoop

The Petersen Automotive Museum is a little over an hour from Disneyland and so much fun.

This museum is ideal for car enthusiasts, but it really has something for everyone including:

• Lightning McQueen
• KITT from Night Rider
• The Batmobile
• Herbie
• The Delorean from Back to the Future
• The Mystery Machine

There are two ticket options – regular or The Vault. We saw the regular version ($21/adult and $12/kid) and loved it so much that we returned for The Vault ($49/adult and $24/kid). Parking is $18 for the first 2 hours with $3 each additional hour with a max of $24.

There are 300+ cars in total at the museum. The regular museum encompasses 3 floors and includes a rotating exhibit. Our first visit showcased Lowriders. We loved it! And this most recent visit included a feature on 80s and 90s cars.

It took us about 2 hours to go through the three floors of the museum on our first visit. The Vault will extend your time, as it allows you to visit the basement where the even cooler autos are.

Look for many, many cars from around the world including some from your favorite movies. There’s an activity room for kids, too, with lots of fun things to do.

And there’s a restaurant on site if you want to grab a bite to eat.

What to do After

Walk a few blocks to Fairfax and 3rd to wander The Original Farmer’s Market and The Grove. There’s plenty of shopping and dining in this area.

On our recent visit, we parked at The Petersen, enjoyed the museum, and then walked to the market. We were too tired to walk back, so took a Waymo!

The Cars!

Ok, walk with me through the museum. There are so many cool things to see.

These photos include autos from both a regular admission visit and one to The Vault.

You can tell the difference in most photos. The Vault has white basement walls.

Additional Resources

Looking for more to do in Los Angeles? Check out this post that shares info on the entire city.

Or, peruse this one that details day trips to the L.A. and Orange County areas.

Planning a trip to Disneyland? Start with this post. It shares all sorts of basic planning info that will help you get organized. 

Need discounted tickets and hotels? Check out my travel partner, Get Away Today. In business since 1990, they’re the absolute best with both pricing and service. This link takes you to them. Or you can call 855.GET.AWAY toll free. 

***Use code DDaily for an additional $10 off when you book hotel and tickets 

Let me know how I can help you plan!

Note: I paid for our first visit and was hosted for the second. All opinions are my own.