Owning a classic car sets you apart in the auto enthusiast crowd. All will admire your ride, but to keep the compliments rolling, you’ll need to keep your car in top shape. Of course, where you live has a lot to do with the ease of car ownership. The best cities will allow you to maintain and enjoy your classic car.

What makes a city great for owning a classic car?

The ability to enjoy your car is a top priority concerning where you choose to live. You’ll want well-maintained roads, knowledgeable mechanics, and a secure place to store it. Ideally, other classic car enthusiasts will live in your city, so you can join a car club and participate in classic car shows.  

Pebble Beach, California

If money is no object, the hands-down best place to own a classic car is Pebble Beach, California. It begins with how lovely and scenic the area is. Winding roads take you through forests and down to the ocean. The speed limit in Pebble Beach is 25 miles per hour so taking a leisurely drive won’t be met with honking horns.

All homes in Pebble Beach have garages. To enter Pebble Beach, one must pass through a guard gate. The city has its own private police force who patrol the area, which makes vandalism nonexistence.

Pebble Beach hosts the annual Concours d’Elegance during Monterey Car Week on the Monterey Peninsula. The best of the best classic cars come to town to participate in car shows, parades, and rallies. Every type of classic car is represented during Monterey Car Week. There’s even the Concours d’LeMons for those ugly oil-stained cars that still have a soft spot in the hearts of their owners.

To live in Pebble Beach is pricey, but there are affordable areas just outside the gates. These home may not all have garages, but some residents buy garage-condos to store classic cars. The weather in this region is mild; it never snows, so there’s no road salt and little humidity. You won’t have to worry about rust.

Scottsdale, Arizona

Home to Barrett-Jackson and Russo and Steele auction houses, Scottsdale, Arizona is ground zero for finding a classic car. In January, the city hosts six collector car auctions.

Located in the desert, Scottsdale’s climate is dry. The year-round driving weather is heavenly during the winter months. However, it gets scorchingly hot in the summer, so air conditioning is mandatory. Arizona has wide, smooth highways leading to the mountains north of Scottsdale into Sedona, some of the prettiest desert scenery you can enjoy from your classic car.

Portland, Oregon

Some think Portland, Oregon is the best place to own a classic car. The weather is mild year-round, however, it snows occasionally, so salt can be an issue. Portland has excellent roads that branch west to the Pacific Coast and east to the wine country of the Willamette Valley. These routes offer ideal day drives.

There are many opportunities to purchase a reasonably-priced classic car in Portland. The city supports a cottage industry of classic car mechanics and other amenities. Additionally, many hipsters support the classic car scene and often drive them to their cool jobs in the Pearl District.