Type “best car rallies” into a search bar and you get a wall of events with gorgeous photos. They look alike at first glance, but they really aren’t.
Some are short social drives. Some are long tours across several states. Some center on charity, some on parties, and a few cross lines that put drivers at real risk. We run rallies ourselves, so we’ve got opinions. Here’s how we’d sort through them if we were in your seat.
Request InvitationThe route shapes the whole trip, so before you read anything else, look at where the event goes.
Ask yourself whether you want mountain roads, coastal highways or long desert stretches, and whether you’d rather see city stops, small towns, or a mix of both.
Our own events show how much this changes things. Crown Rally East runs from Boston to Farmington in July, which means New England roads in summer. Crown Rally West goes from Scottsdale to San Diego. Crown Rally South runs in October and includes F1 tickets for Saturday and Sunday. Crown Rally North has its own scenery. Each one keeps the same group style, but they feel like four very different trips.
Here’s the blunt part: the best car rallies for you are the ones you can actually get to.
A five-day rally means time off work plus time to reach the start. A shorter event slides into a busy calendar much more easily.
Season matters too, since summer in the mountains feels nothing like summer in the desert. Fall color in the Northeast is hard to beat. Think about the weather your car likes, and then think about the weather you like, because you’re the one getting out at every stop.
Some rallies are huge, while others keep the field small on purpose.
Bigger isn’t always better. A smaller group is usually easier to manage on the road, and you actually get to know people. Ask who tends to come, whether they’re mostly first-timers or regulars, and whether the group leans toward families, couples or solo drivers.
We’d put it this way: pick a rally where you’ll enjoy the people at dinner as much as the drive. Dinner lasts a while, after all.
Request InvitationOf everything on this list, this one matters most.
A road rally runs on public roads, and the best car rallies say so plainly and plan around it. Look for an organizer that talks about safe driving, gives clear rules, and plans routes and stops with care.
Be wary of anything that seems to sell speed or stunts, because those events put drivers, passengers and the public at risk, and they can end in tickets, crashes or worse. Our post on whether it’s risky to join an exotic car rally covers what to watch for. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s page on speeding is a good reminder of why it matters.
Overnight parking and security count as well, so ask how cars are kept safe at night. Our article on how exotic cars are secured at a rally shows what good planning looks like.
Lots of rallies support a charity. At some events it’s only a footnote, while at others it’s the heart of the whole thing.
Crown has supported charity through #rally4acause since the first Central Crown in 2014, working with partners like the Epilepsy Foundation and Shriners Hospitals for Children. If giving back matters to you, ask each organizer how their rally supports its cause. The answer tells you a lot.
Some rallies take anyone who pays, while others, like ours, are invite-only.
An invite step can feel like a hurdle. Usually it means the organizer cares about who’s in the group, and that tends to make the road a nicer place to be.
Fees vary a lot, and we don’t quote them here.
What drives cost at any rally is how many days it runs, the route, the hotels, the events and extras included, and whether you bring a passenger. Fuel, travel to the start and car prep are on you. So compare what’s included in each event, beyond the headline number.
Honestly, this is the best research you can do before you sign up.
Find people who’ve done the rally and ask how the days felt, whether the schedule was realistic, how the organizers handled problems on the road, and whether they would go again.
Social media helps a little, though photos only tell part of the story. Pay attention to how the organizer talks about safety, charity and the group. That tone usually carries over to the road.
The best car rallies fit into the rest of your life.
How will you get to the start, and home from the finish? Do you want extra days before or after? Who’s riding in the passenger seat? A rally that starts near home is easier to plan. One across the country can turn into a bigger adventure, which might be exactly the point.
Not every car loves every kind of route.
A low supercar may struggle on rough roads. An older classic might not enjoy long desert stretches in summer heat. Think about comfort, luggage space and reliability. Our guide on the right vehicle for an exotic car rally can help you decide.
If you’re new to this, pick one rally that fits your schedule and your car, and go. You’ll learn more from that first event than from any amount of reading. Our post on your first exotic car rally will help you get ready.
When you’re set to take the next step, request an invite and tell us which Crown event interests you. We think ours are some of the best car rallies around, and we’d love to show you why.
Request InvitationA: Great routes, a good group, strong safety planning and a real cause.
A: Not road rallies like Crown. They run on public roads, and traffic laws apply.
A: Not always. Tell us about your car in your invite request.
