Before the week goes exclusive, it goes free. Concours on the Avenue closes Ocean Avenue in Carmel-by-the-Sea on Tuesday, August 9, and turns the whole downtown into an open-air show you can walk without a ticket.
Hundreds of cars line the street and the side blocks, sorted loosely by era and marque, from pre-war classics to muscle to modern exotics. Owners stand by their cars and will talk your ear off if you let them, which is the best part. There is no rope line and no admission, just coffee from the shops that open early and a town built for walking.
Come early for parking, which disappears fast, and plan to make a morning of it, since the surrounding galleries and cafes are part of the experience. It is one of the most relaxed mornings of the week and the easiest to bring people who are not car obsessed. They will still find something to love.
Judging runs through late morning and awards follow, so the cars hold the street for hours. The show wraps by early afternoon, which leaves the rest of the day open for the coast or a drive down to Point Lobos.
For the rest of the ten days, see the Car Week hub, and check the events calendar for the full Carmel schedule.