Carlisle or Nats-which is better?

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Both! Never been to Carlisle. (on my bucket list) from what I've heard, Carlisle is very well organized, clean, and higher classed so to speak. The Nats, which I have been to 5 or 6 years now has it's own energy and craziness. We have a great time at the Nats show with all it has to offer but we seem to have lasting memories after the show with friends or at the motel.
 
If you're into drag racing, the Nats are better. If you're going to see show cars and parts shopping, Carlisle is better. Both have alot of vendors, but many of the vendors at the Nats, are the same ones that were at Carlisle the previous month selling what they have left. Carlisle is better organized and alot more relaxing atmosphere. Carlisle is probably alot more family friendly as they provide clean restrooms, clean port-a-potties, lots of choices for decent food vendors, and activities for wives and kids. Its been years since I've been to the Nats, but couldn't say it had any of those things.
 
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It just depends on why you are going. The Nats is definitely the place if you want to drag race. Having been to both, Carlisle is much bigger, particularly with the huge swap meet area. If you are looking for hard to find parts or even a car, Carlisle is the place to go. I like the Nats just fine, but I am partial to Carlisle myself.
 
The one thing I have to add is that over the last few years some of the big vendors have not shown up at Carlisle. There has been rumor that the tax collector has been the problem there. I know that killed Englishtown the 1st year. The tax man came in and nobody came back the next year. Englishtown meet has been on life support the last few years. The 1st Etown meet was mid 1980's.
 
It's Carlisle for me hands down, and I'm only a couple hours from the Nats.
I like Carlisle's organization compared to the Nats free for all.
Also, the last time we were at the Nats we cruised over to Heath, and was a traffic nightmare. We asked the ice cream guy what was going on and the response was they closed lanes of traffic to try and detur the car guys.
I do like the dragracing on site at the nats, and that's all.
 
I've wondered this as well seen as the Navy ruined my Carlisle plans thia year, but i may have a chance to hit the Nats. Which sucks cuz im 2 hrs from Carlisle.
 
YoungDart75 said:
I've wondered this as well seen as the Navy ruined my Carlisle plans thia year, but i may have a chance to hit the Nats. Which sucks cuz im 2 hrs from Carlisle.
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Check out the Nats this year. If you don't like it you can go back to Carlisle next year. I have a friend from Iowa bringing his kit car display to the Nats and I believe he's in the Mopar tent. That's cool for me and our group. I always stop over and visit @HemiDenny from here at FABO. He and the guys have a big tent with their cool cars on display. Always a great time.. I stop by the swap meet and visit with @cosgig and @65 Dartman. Great people. We have a very small vendor space next to Stephens Performance. If we are there, stop in for a water and some shade.
 
I am going to my first Carlisle. I have been to Nats in the early 90s and was amazed at the swap meat there. I am lucky I can drive up and back in one day.
 
@toolmanmike Cosgig is joining me at my spot N6 this year so you won't have far to go. Another member - FWDLK Frank will meet up with us enroute so we'll be caravaning together. He'll be selling some odds and ends as well. Another member from MI (forget what he goes by) will be hanging out with us. Old Dart 66 (from IA) won't make it this year due to health issues :-(. Any other members feel free to stop by and say hello.
 
coair73x said:
I am going to my first Carlisle. I have been to Nats in the early 90s and was amazed at the swap meat there. I am lucky I can drive up and back in one day.
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I grew up in Annandale. Its only a 2 hour trip each way for you to go to Carlisle. You will not be able to cover the whole thing in a single day. It can easily take a full day to see the show cars (and car corral), and depending on how fast you walk (and how closely you look for parts), it can take two or more days to cover all the vendors. Try to go both Friday and Saturday and plan to get there early. On Sunday its a ghost town by noon.
 
I have been to Carlisle multiple times.

Ohio once.

Carlisle is the biggest, best all Mopar show on earth & it also has the largest swap meet.

The Ohio show is over run with golf carts & people trying to run you down, cars are not parked in similar groups & the swap meet is OK, but small compared to Carlisle. The lack of organization was obvious, it is very poorly run in may ways.

If you are a racer, hit Ohio.

If you love Mopars of all kinds & are looking for parts at a very well organized show, hit Carlisle.
 
I agree with all the above, Ohio offers racing, motel activity.. Carlisle has always been a class act, Ohio is nasty porta-potties. ha
 
Jim 68cuda said:
I grew up in Annandale. Its only a 2 hour trip each way for you to go to Carlisle. You will not be able to cover the whole thing in a single day. It can easily take a full day to see the show cars (and car corral), and depending on how fast you walk (and how closely you look for parts), it can take two or more days to cover all the vendors. Try to go both Friday and Saturday and plan to get there early. On Sunday its a ghost town by noon.
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I will think about hitting both days possibly. I am really interested in seeing the Corral and some Dusters like mine. The swap meet will take most of my time. How long can you stay there in the evening?

I have lived in Annandale for 3 years and really like it here. I got super lucky and found a house with a 4 car shop in the backyard with lifts and AC. A goldmine find inside the beltway.
 
I go to the Nats every year. I'm not gonna lie, sometimes it's an acquired taste.
If you go there looking to critique the toilets, you'll hate it! The swap is big, but not as big as Carlisle. Don't worry, it won't just be picked over crap from Carlisle, but you will be able to check it out in one day.
The racing is great! Heath is cool, but they're trying to figure out a happy medium. The first couple years they had some accidents (none were Mopars BTW. Locals showing their ***.) and the Chief of Police who was a big Mopar fan retired. The official cruise in Heath is Saturday, but Friday will be better.
I go to Carlisle every other year. Mostly because of the distance for me.
I really like that they have everything nice and organized. The swap meet is twice the size and it will take some time to go thru. The bathrooms are spotless.
But, the bathrooms being so clean comes at a cost. Bathroom attendants! I go to the toilet, I don't want to have a conversation with anybody! I do my thing then leave. The attendants are as bad as squeegee guys! The tip jars are a put off to me. There is no racing, and if there is a cruise official or otherwise, I've never seen it. The closest I've come was a bunch of Neon owners doing neutral drops in the hotel parking lot.
If your there for just the show, you'll love Carlisle. Nats for the whole "vibe".
I strongly suggest you do both if you can.
 
65 Dartman said:
@toolmanmike Cosgig is joining me at my spot N6 this year so you won't have far to go. Another member - FWDLK Frank will meet up with us enroute so we'll be caravaning together. He'll be selling some odds and ends as well. Another member from MI (forget what he goes by) will be hanging out with us. Old Dart 66 (from IA) won't make it this year due to health issues :-(. Any other members feel free to stop by and say hello.
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I hope @Old Dart 66 is doing ok. Had a great time chatting with you all last year.
 
The tip jars are a put off to me.
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I always tip them. Some of those people volunteer & the tips are all they get.

How much is it worth to hang out in a men's room all day for next to nothing, keeping it clean for thousands?

They earn every tip they get.

And the older dude that sings old jazz, rhythm & blues is amazing. I joined him on his rendition of Louis Armstrong's
'I wanna walk you home' a couple years ago, the smile on his face was priceless.
 
Alaskan_TA said:
I always tip them. Some of those people volunteer & the tips are all they get.

How much is it worth to hang out in a men's room all day for next to nothing, keeping it clean for thousands?

They earn every tip they get.
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I admit I am darn slow to tip unless it is d eserved, but I would say those guys earn every tip! I havn't been to Nats or Carlisle in years, it is so far, but I admit I refuse to pee anywhere at the Nats except the way nature intended, out in the fresh air behind someone's car!
 
While I'm giving my opinions today, I will say I love Carlisle. Been 14 years since I moved to Florida. I will say, for the money they rake in, I don't feel like I should have to pay to use the rest room. They do that here at some of the big shows. I deserve a clean bathroom. And it almost always is some overly obese guy that never gets up off his chair. I rarely carry change, and I don't think it should cost a dollar to pee. Other than that, I would love to go back to Carlisle.
 
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YoungDart75 said:
I've wondered this as well seen as the Navy ruined my Carlisle plans thia year, but i may have a chance to hit the Nats. Which sucks cuz im 2 hrs from Carlisle.
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Have you ever thought of going to the Woodward Dream Cruise???

It's huge, one of the largest cruises in the country... It's the week after the nat's in Detroit and is very interactive... The cruise runs from Detroit to Pontiac, MI... 40,000 - 60,000 cars and over one million people show up for the Saturday cruise... However, they start cruising Woodward all week long....

It's worth going to at least once...

The Woodward Dream Cruise
 
Alaskan_TA said:
I always tip them. Some of those people volunteer & the tips are all they get.

How much is it worth to hang out in a men's room all day for next to nothing, keeping it clean for thousands?

They earn every tip they get.

And the older dude that sings old jazz, rhythm & blues is amazing. I joined him on his rendition of Louis Armstrong's
'I wanna walk you home' a couple years ago, the smile on his face was priceless.
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That was Antoine Fats Domino, not Armstrong.
 
krazykuda said:
Have you ever thought of going to the Woodward Dream Cruise???

The Woodward Dream Cruise
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I went to the Woodward Dream Cruise once, about 10 years ago. I wasn't overly impressed. I had hoped to be able to sit in a lawn chair and watch the cruising. But there were too many regular cars and trucks outnumbering the classics and it really just turned a never ending rush hour gridlock into a spectator sport. Since most of the classics that were cruising stayed in the inside lanes, there were two lanes of regular traffic separating the spectators from most of the classic cars. We checked out different areas and found no better locations for watching. We did check out the Chrysler display where most of the Mopars were. But that was just one strip mall parking lot. Not much compared to Carlisle or the Nats. I have no plans for returning to Woodward and wouldn't recommend it to someone looking to see alot of Mopars (and of course there are no parts vendors).
 
I go to to the nats every year and I enjoy it.....I have been staying in Heath for a couple of years now and it is the best.the local Chrysler dealer has a show and FREE bbq on sat night.also the official cruise.......I talked to Hemi Denny last year and I hope to meet more fabo members this year.............................Jeff
 
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