Sunset Cliffs Auto Show 2026 — Presented by Hodad's

“Five blocks from the water, one of the best backdrops…”

Mid-morning, the marine layer burns off and the cars start rolling in one at a time, which is the best part of the day and almost nobody arrives early enough to watch it. Five blocks off the water, with a burger counter across the way that has been standing longer than most of the metal on display.

It is a neighborhood show and it stays one. Custom builds parked beside family classics beside the same regulars who bring the same car every year and would be missed if they skipped it. Local car clubs run the thing, the money goes back into Ocean Beach, and while there are awards on the line including Best in Show, most owners are really there to stand next to it and talk to whoever stops.

Sunset Cliffs Boulevard, late morning into the afternoon, free to walk through. Take somebody who says car shows are not for them and let the backdrop do the work.