I agree with Dave that cruise to the show and back again is fun. If you stay real close you don't get that. Staying 20-30 minutes away = less money, more fun.
We have stayed at a place out in Shippensburg for the past 4 years now.... 20 or so minutes away. We get breakfast out there before heading out in the morning then enjoy a nice ride and roll in to the show. Properly warms up the car.
It is not fancy but its clean...no pool (we wouldnt have time for a pool anyways)....the A/C is COOOOOLD! And the place is quiet. Now, this year the brand new flat screenTV actually fell off the wall due to poor installation....LOL The proprietor took immediate care of it and was very apologetic. Like I said, not fancy. But.....at like $60 a night we save money for important stuff -- as has been said, we are just sleeping there, not living there.
I do want to say that I kind of feel like I owe a bit of an apology-- I know a lot of effort goes in to the lunch and dinner and what not and we were invited but did not attend either. I did say hi to a few members at the tent but then moved on.
Last few years the tent just seemed over-full.....this year it was PACKED. After walking all morning etc and being hot and sweaty, I need a little room to spread out in. And, to be honest, I have an allergy to cigarette smoke. This year, I watched the activities at the tent from a spot just about 30 feet away and got claustrophobic just seeing how dense packed the tent was. It was me , the boys and the Mrs this year so we were concentrating on the family thing.
The invite to lunch and Dodge City was very much appreciated. We tend to lunch light due to the heat etc....fruit, a little cheese, maybe a small sammich, snack type things and lots of water....and we only carve out maybe a half hour to do that. Then back to activities.
This year we packed in the Dodge thrill ride and the Hotchkiss ridealong and those took a few hours to accomplish what with lines etc. And we actually saw more cars this year as I got up there early on thursday and did a round of parts hunting before the wife and kids got there. Even then we still did more parts hunting. So hours of walking...LOL
And for dinners we ate as a family one evening near our hotel and the other two we met up with my cousin who we never get to see except at the event......we did do the dinner at Dodge City last year and frankly it is too long a drive at 9:30/10 at night all the way back to our hotel in a 45 year old car by ourselves. LOL Instead we went to a local cruise out at the Petrol place near the turnpike entrance and then ate there. My cousin gave me a ride in his 66 GTX Hemi --- oh.....my....GOOOOOOOOD. LOL
So we meant no offense to anyone....and likely no one even noticed....LOL......we were just doing our own thing.
But glad to know all my friends here were having a good time and that everyone made it to and from the show OK!