Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing Reviews

Awesome to see all of the cars besides the drag racing. My 10 year old grandson really enjoyed. Stayed three hours and definitely going back again.

We expected to see great exhibits, with lots of drag racing memorabilia and history, but were very pleased to get the chance to talk with some of the staff, who made us feel very welcome, and were happy to share information and enthusiasm for the Museum and drag racing in general.

Great visit, and highly recommend it.

Surprised to see so many buildings and so much memorabilia! Vehicles from all era's! more than you can see in a day. Don tends to be around as his personal shop is in a couple of the buildings and we were able to visist with him and get a personal tour while there. A definite must see for the gearhead!

It was good to see what Don Garlits has done over the years. I met him in Indianapolis in 1967. I don't know of another racer that has done for the sport. The museum brings back fond memories.

Enjoyed seeing the dragsters and how long they are, the size of the engine. However, in this time of technology and creative attractions there is little to get excited about. For the money there are nice old cars to see and dragsters. But they could do a lot to have some interactive exhibits. Set up a mock drag race for the customers over video. Be able to sit in two mock dragsters and look at a video screen and take off when the light goes green (something). Don't get me wrong, looking at the old cars is nice but there is a lot that could be done and better for the money.

Been a fan for decades and lived in FL almost all my life and finally was visiting near Ocala and decided to come see all Don's cars etc. Discount for seniors and AAA card so for two of us it was $33. Not cheap but large exhibit. Small gift shop too. It is fun to get fairly close to the cars, take pics, see all the trophies, articles, etc. Worth the drive.

Truly a incredible museum to visit. The history of drag racing can be brought to life for anyone who enjoys the sport. Don gives personal tours on occasion aswell. The quality of cars in building #2 is out of this world. I highly recommend stopping in if you have the time. Its $20 per person to walk through but worth every penny if your a car person.

Plenty to see for anyone who likes cars, bikes, antique and classic cars and any kind of engineering.

Don Garlits museum is a beautiful collection of well designed dragsters and other automobiles. All are in impecable condition.There wasnt even dust on anything. The place is immaculate as were the cars. Many of which the Swamp Rat had a hand in building. There are great stories at every car. Read them. I've been a fan of Big Daddy since high school in the 60's when I crewed on a top fuel car from Pittsburgh. We actually ran a time trial against him once! What a thrill that was! Today I got to learn a little about him and realized why he was the best. If you're a race fan, the Big Daddy Don Garlits Museum is a must see.

What an amazing museum.Here is the entire history of drag racing in one gigantic building, hundreds of cars, rails and funny cars, engines and even the trophies.. All the great drivers and their cars are showcased, from the very beginning with the primitive Bug and very first Swamp Rat. Shirley, the Snake, the Mongoose and Force are all here along with Don's garage and Smokey Yunick's replica shop. Every display has a detailed story and history. But don't miss the short movies, especially the one with the benches in a corner. Garlits is not just the greatest drag racing legend, he is also a great story teller. And now in his 90s, he is frequently around this wonderful monument. Even if you are nor a drag racing fan, you will be in jaw-dropping awe when you pass through the door. Easy parking and a great gift shop with autographed memorabilia, too. Reasonably priced. No race fan should miss this place, an easy 90-minute drive from Daytona International Speedway. Make sure you plan to stay for at least two hours. Lots of restaurants nearby.

My friend came in for Christmas and loves cars. this place is right around conner from me so we went what a great time and a awsome place to go.

If you love cars and Motors this is a must. Meticulous docs and detailed explanations and offcourse the machines themselves make this outstanding day trip. Make sure you budget at least 3 hours of time otherwise you'l regret having to rush out as we did.

Growing up in late 60’s loving drag racing this place is just to cool seeing the cars in person and the Evolution of drag racing is a lot to take in take a tour and enjoy😍

I've driven by this place many times. Finally, I brought my grandsons. We all enjoyed the museum and the garage tour by Don! Wow, that was awesome.

Wish I could have spent more time at the museum, but had other plans later that day. Truly fascinating for anyone interested in racing or even just a bit curious. Would gladly return the next time I am in the area.

Spouse is drag racing fan and drag raced himself in his younger days...he loved everything about this place...we stayed over two hours! Make sure you check out all the buildings as there is so much more to see and learn that just about this historic figure's life and dragcars - for example, lots of others racers and their cars who made drag racing what it is, historical engine shop with so many motors throughout the ages, a porta-tree to try out your reaction times, and so much more!

The drag racing museum was awesome. Rest and watch the video presentation. Its well worth the time. Don Garlits antique museum was great! Your admission allowed you to come and go .It is good for the day.

My nephew was cisiting form Maine and we enjoyed several hours just walking thru this museum and seeing the displays. Very informative and enjoyable even to me who does not like racing!

Not being much of a car buff I hesitantly accompanied my friend to the museum. We visited the vintage museum first. The car collection was extensive. Most had a small story or history posted in front. I found myself drawn in. The cars were awesome and some of the histories were unique. I was very pleased with what I experience and was much more open and receptive by the time we entered the drag car museum. Again the collection was large. While I did not find it as entertaining as the vintage cars, I did enjoy my time there. I even sat through the entire length of the video and found it interesting and informative.

So I may have entered without any expectations, I left having had a very enjoyable morning and so happy I had gone.

I am in no way a drag racing fan but if you are a motorsports fan or car fan in general there is a ton of cool stuff in this museum. I spent about 2.5 hours touring the two buildings, one for drag racing and the second full of his private car collection. If you are visiting the area it is worth a stop.

I could have spent a day or more just admiring all the racing and Antique collected cars! I plan to go back in the near future for a refresher course!

There are many excellent drag racing museums but this one really stands out. The museum is brilliantly set up about the history of drag racing.
There are many exhibits illustrating the career of Don Garlits as well as other drag racers of the past. There is so much memorabilia that you could spend hours there. The engine display room is very unique. The cars in the Antique museum are in immaculate condition. The entire museum is an absolute credit to the efforts of Don Garlits and others to make sure that the history of drag racing is preserved and never forgotten.
It was worth coming all the way from Australia to see this museum.

They have 2 buildings one with Antiques the other Doon's racing cars.
I found this to be a wonderful tourist spot and highly recommend a visit. They have such neat exhibits and educational too.
It was a nice day seeing all of the old cars with my father. He had some very fond memories of almost every old car in the antique section. Reminiscing about the old days. I learned a lot about my father that day, not just my dad, but the man he was. The fun he had riding in the rumble seats, and jumping on the side boards. So much fun enjoying the day with both my Dad and my husband.
IF YOU HAVE SMALL CHILDREN, PLEASE KEEP YOUR EYE'S ON THEM...iF THEY ARE WELL BEHAVED THEN OK TO BRING THE CHILDREN>> BUT I WOULD NOT BRING SMALL CHILDREN MYSELF. It could be costly
THESE CARS ARE PRICELESS.>>>>

Mostly a drag racing museum, however, the second building has cars from the 1900s on up plus lots of memorabilia.

If you love drag racing, this is the place for you to visit. One would have to see these cars. Not enough time to tell about all the cars and rails.
The history is amazing. I am a female and was so impressed. Also, for those who love restored old cars, you won't believe what you are going to see. My second visit and took friends with us.

Awesome so many memories, so many cars motors pictures film and to top it off we meet Big Daddy him self who had been married 61 years before his wife passed away.

We went to this place with no special interest in cars and got hooked by the drag racing universe. The museum is made of two parts, only one of them being focused on drag racing but both are equally interesting. For the history of motors, I am just puzzled by the need to show a nazi sign and a protrait of Hitler to refer to WW II.

Wonderful bit of nostalgia. If ur a racing fan it’s a must see. The antique car museum is special. U feel like u are in an episode of Downton Abby or the great Gatsby.

Don keeps things fresh at the museum by changing up the cars from time to time. It's a small price to pay to enjoy the timeless vintage machines on display.

If your a drag racing fan you must stop.
This museum is over the top with the history of drag racing.
I took over 50 pictures
The coolest cars all in one place.
I loved it.

I met Don Garlits many years ago and getting to see his collect was great. He has dozens of cars and other memorabilia from the past in the museum and the kids really enjoyed it.

I've been to the museum 3 times now and it's like watching a favorite old movie - you see something new each time. A wonderful collection of beautifully preserved vintage street and race cars plus the stories behind each one. You really don't need to be a car enthusiast to appreciate the beauty and history on display here.

This museum is a must-see for anyone who is a fan of drag racing or just likes old cars. There are 2 sections to this attraction - basically 2 separate buildings. One is chock full of vintage cars and memorabilia, and the other is filled with drag racing history - engines and railers. A gift shop is attached to the Drag Racing Museum.

This two museums brings you back to the “Good Old Days of Racing” and houses almost 300 cars between both buildings. From antique cars to muscle cars. The museums named after Don “Big Daddy” Garlits is synonymous with Drag Racing back to the 1950s.
“Big Daddy” is the first racer to surpass 170, 200 and 270 MPH mark among others. He has won the NHRA U.S. Nationals eight times.
If you’re an enthusiast of the sport, I highly recommend you visit these museums, it’s worth the time spent and the price is very reasonable. Don’t miss it.

Awesome Museum with many historic cars and displays taking one back into the history of the sport. We actually stayed about 2 hours and had a great time and our puppy was welcome!

Fantastic drag racing museum, by none better the Big Daddy. You could spend hours looking at all the history in these two buildings

There are so many beautiful cars!! Great family day if you enjoy cars...and if you are not a car connoisseur, then you may just enjoy watched your family ooh and ah! Once and awhile Big Daddy is even there! My husband and boys were able to meet him :)

Talked husband into grandkids Disney trip so when making up our travel itinerary this was a must do. He loved it and I loved seeing all the racing cars. A fan of drag racing or vintage cars will leave smiling!

Attention Gear Heads and Car Nuts: This is a world class drag racing museum that provides you with an accurate account of the history of drag racing. This enormous facility houses world famous vehicles from "Big Daddy Don Garlits", Don "The Snake" Prudhomme, Craig Breedlove, Shirley Muldowny, and "Jungle" Jim Liberman just to mention a few.
The International Drag Racing Hall of Fame and the National Hot Rod Association South West Hall of Fame are both situated on the property. I could go on and on but the pics in his website tell the story much better than I can.

I will offer two not so well know stories about the "Big Daddy":
1) Don Garlits is a college educated accountant to chose the grease laden hands of a gear head over a very lucrative accounting career not long after he graduated. He was not happy where he was working and longed to be "wrenching" on his dragster which at the time was only his weekend and after hours hobby.

2) In 1972 Don Garlits was a World Champion and the "Headliner"/ main drawing attraction at the Bay Lands Raceway, Fremont, CA where he did "grudge" races with one Shirley Muldowny. I remember that weekend very fondly as it was one of the very first dates I took my future bride on that March 19-20 weekend.
Well, guess what, his since departed wife collected the advertising bills from the major events he attended and later had them made into metal signs to commemorate the events. We flew all the way from California to Florida to find the very sign from that weekend almost 45 years ago on the front wall in his gift shop. Who would have known? What a wonderful memory!!

Negatives: Only one and it was totally my fault for not doing a better job researching for my tour there. Big Daddy is 85 years old now; can you imagine having THE "Big Daddy" tour you around his personal garage work shop for over 3 hours. Please call ahead to see if you can have this opportunity of a life time. And Yes, I've seen many of the actual vehicles in that museum before when they were being raced!!

Easy to get off I-75 & your right at the front door. Plenty of free parking and you may get to see and talk to Don himself. Lots of history and great as family outing. Many many 🚗 🚗 to see . Plenty of restaurants to have a good meal with walking distance

After driving by hundreds of times. I finally took my dad for fathers day. Don Garlits defiantly has a large collection. It is really neat to see the lengths racers went to trying to go faster. It is also cool to see the things they are still using today. Although I understand it is a museum with OLD cars, it could use some updating. maybe have a few modern cars to show the differences/ advancements. Over-all it was a cool place to see after being curious for so many years.

It is common knowledge that Jay Leno has a large collection of classic cars. After touring this drag racing museum yesterday Jay Leno would have enjoyed himself here in viewing a similar collection. However besides drag racing cars in also has classic cars dating back to the early 1900's. It is a self guided tour that one does at your own leisurely pace. Each car has its own written details plus history. One room is on motor parts and two rooms on drag cars plus stock cars. One building also with a classic car theme. Don Garlits enjoyed a highly successful racing career and I understand his numerous winning were used to build up this collection on display here. Gift shop located to the entrance to this museum. Good signage on I-75 to direct you to this memorable experience here. Steady flow of visitors were here and even children on March break were touring here as well.

Located just one block off of I-75 on the east side on Rt 484 you will find his wonderful Museum along with opportunities to see his career unfold.

Depending upon your interest level you could spend up to 4 hours there and there are plenty of people there to help explain some of the displays. Check his website for frequent events that happened throughout the year. There are many more power, Chevy, Ford and rat rod events.

This exit also has hotel accommodations, various eateries and also service facilities for your car.

There is only one Don Garlits Museum in the world so take the opportunity and see drag racing history and a wonderful cars that led him to be a legend

Being a ‘child of the 50/60’s’ ot brought back the excitement of reading the Drag Racing Magazines of the time. We didn’t have colour TV at the time and anyway it didn’t show many sports from the USA at the time.
A fantastic museum with excellent narrative on the career of one of the best known Drag Racing Stars.
Pleasant surroundings and not a boring museum.
If your passing by and a few hours to spare it’s well worth it. We traveled from Clermont especially and were not disappointed.

Had seen this from the road many time. My wife and I checked it out. Very well done grab race car museum. We are not drag race enthusiasts but enjoyed looking at the cars. Very professionally done.

This is one of the greatest car museums I’ve been to. Ranks right up there with Greenfield Village in Michigan for the amount of different and old cars they have on display. It’s more than just drag racing. This was a wonderful day spent with my family. The kids loved the hot rods. Myself, I love the cars from the early beginning years. Definitely worth the trip.

Very comprehensive on drag racing overall, not just 'Big Daddy'. Second building with more antique type (older) non-dragster vehicles. Restrooms in both buildings. A nice film to watch about history and rivalries. You can come and go; we arrived a little before lunch and were able to leave for a quick fast food lunch, and then return.

Magnificent collection of drag racers. Our 5 year old enjoyed it—probably would have had more fun if he were a little older so he could read things himself. He’s probably about the youngest we’d take in for sheer sake of our own sanity and not having to teller a smaller child “no” to touching everything. In general was a great indoor attraction and there was plenty to see

The Museum is packed full of old dragsters and memorabilia in excellent condition. I was amazed that Don Garlits and his wife were able to keep these items in such great condition. The antique car/truck museum was also full of fully restored vehicles in mint condition. Most of the vehicles had a write up detailing the history of the car and when
it was purchased and restored by the Garlis'.

Overwhelming ! Too much to take it all in for one day even if you’re not into drag racing because the other building has an amazing number of restored automobiles from the 1900’s – 1930s up to the present. One ticket covers it all. We took about 2 hours to walk through slowly without watching all the videos. This place has all the trophies, newspaper articles, magazine covers, framed photographs, helmets…even entire room for engines! Really a great stop.

Talk about every top fuel/car/ford enthusiast dream come true. Don has an amazing collection of old original Fords. A lot of amazing drag cars/top fuel cars there, best part was the engine room. It is a pretty cool place, I'm not a giant car fan and after I left I was ready for a top fuel race.

Drag racing history presented by a true legend, Don Garlits. The main building has an amazing number of dragsters, funny cars, stock cars bikes, all exceptionally restored. There is even a room just for motors. Another huge building has classic and antique cars and trucks dating back to the early 1900’s. It is just an incredible collection of memorabilia, and a must see just off I-75 in Ocala.

Lynn and I have been driving past the Don Garlits Museum since the 80s, but recently we were able to tour the museum with 20 members of our Tampa Bay Mercedes Benz Club. In the main building there is a history in cars of Don Garlits' racing life. This main showroom has many dragsters, most with speed records and firsts for different facets of Drag racing. What really excited me was the other large building that is open to the public and is included in the admission price. Next door is Don's classic auto collection. Here you will be able to see many beautiful vehicles from the '30s through the '50s...Fords, Chevys, Mercurys, Cadillacs...even a LaSalle. All of these cars are pristine..a great tribute to vintage autos of this era. My favorite was a '54 MG TF which Don purchased for his wife, Pat. Don did a frame off restoration of this car. It was so beautiful that Pat was afraid to drive it. We did a self guided tour of the museum, but guided tours are available at an additional cost. This is Americana at its best. If you like racing and vintage autos the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing should be on your list to visit.

We called in en route to the March 2020 Gatornationals (that got postponed later that day!). We had a great time and having seen him and one of his cars race in the UK in the 70's, it was fascinating to see all the history and development of the sport here. There is so much to take in - a really good experience. Glad we went and would definitely go back as we only skimmed it in 3hrs. Highly Recommended.

My husband loved drag racing and spent quite a bit of time at our local drag strip in Carlsbad as a young man, so when we visited our daughter in Ocala for the Christmas holiday he couldn't wait to check out this museum. I was never a big fan, so I wasn't expecting much but I really enjoyed our afternoon there and he absolutely loved it! There was quite a bit to see so if you don't want to be rushed leave at least a couple of hours free to see both the drag racing museum and the antique and classic car exhibit they have next door. Take the time to sit and watch the film of the history of the sport as it was really interesting to both me and my kids. The gift shop is packed full of treasures to take home to remind you of your glory days so make sure you see it on your way out. All in all, it was a really nice way to spend an afternoon. They even offered discounts for seniors and students and we had both!

I have driven by here countless times over 30 years and we finally stopped by today and decided to check out Big Daddy's museum and I'm glad we did!! It was so awesome to see over 90 antique cars, race cars, jet cars, vintage muscle cars, vintage trucks, engines, and more car buff stuff than you would imagine. This place is full of nostalgia and is definitely worth a stop!!

A few of my friends told me I should go...And plan to spend hours, Ya right I thought WOW! What a place it is 100 X better than I ever expected. I spent 4 hours and could have been there for 6 hours!! GREAT Classic cars, Engines of all kinds & sizes, Race cars Old & New. This is one of the most amazing collections of mechanical stuff I have ever seen, you don't have to be a drag race fan to enjoy Don & Pats fantastic collection!

If your a car guy, this is the place. I've been here three times in the last 15 years. I was surprised that my wife asked if we could stop there. How could I refuse her ( hehe). She had never been there before. I think this is the best tribute to drag racing in country. its really two museums in one as there is another car museum next door of classic cars. It's included in the admission price. If your thinking about stopping in someday, don't think just stop in!

Was returning home from the Orlando area when I spotted a sign that this museum was at the next exit and made a quick decision to pull off and check it out. Turned out to be a great move the museum was basically empty and I was able to move about freely. So many different types of cars from drag racing history in the main building providing so much viewing pleasure and jogged so many memories from days gone bye. The entry fee is reasonable enough but I was given a first responder discount as a result of being a retired New York City police officer. You can get through this as rapidly or slowly as you prefer I took many photos of vehicles that either recalled or just struck me as amazing to view. If you are a car enthusiast this is a must stop if you are in the area.

Fantastic history, superb collection. Right off I-75 and next to a Sonny's. What's not to like? I've been 4-5 times over the years and every time is special.

nice cars lot to see, little on the expensive side, plenty of parking doesn't get too crowded during the weekdays

This museum is very tastefully displayed and is quite interesting. We spent nearly three hours here and could have stayed longer. It’s important to read the signs that accompany the vehicles and check out the tv documentary too. They enhance the experience and add to the enjoyment. Don’t forget to go into the antique building after viewing the dragsters and funny cars. We recommend this museum for anyone who remembers the “good ole days” of going to the drags or for someone wanting to take a trip back in time. Nice place!

Great exhibits. About a hundred cars, many of which are from a bygone age, decades ago. I'm not a drag racer myself, but I sure do like watching the pros drag race. Very exciting even as a spectator. Worth the price of admission, which is $20 for an adult.

This is actually two museums--the drag racing museum and a classic car museum about 100 yards away--for one admission price. Either is worth the price of admission, but both is a great deal. The drag racing museum has dozens of cars of all types and much other material. The classic car museum is similar and has a few old-style office machines on display as well. They are easily accessible from the freeway.

I fit both categories above, but the other 5 people I was with were in heaven. Lots to see especially if you are a fan, very well laid out, several buildings so you are sure to get your money’s worth (call or look online for prices). Urban legend has it that The Man himself, Mr. Garlits, is often on hand for photos and stories.

If you like the nostalgia of auto racing from back in the day to now, you have to stop into the Don Garlits museum. There are two buildings; one housing some crazy and beautiful race cars, and the other housing vintage automobiles from the turn of the 20th century forward. If your a car guy or gal, or just want to see some amazing rides, stop in!

While visiting Florida we were introduced to this auto museum by a local resident. At the time of my visit I didn't have a strong knowledge of the world of drag racing although I do appreciate vehicle collections and have paid many visits to the National Automobile Museum in Reno, the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles and similar.

Don Garlit's museum, though not nearly as extensive or polished when it comes to antique and rare automobiles. One of the two buildings has a large collections of Ford’s along with a collection are muscle cars and some vintage automobiles.

But the other building which is completely dedicated to the sport of Drag Racing is not to be missed. A huge collection of Drag Cars along with a vast amount of associated parts, engines, accessories and memorabilia. Even though there isn't enough room to display all items properly (much is simply laid on the floor) it was still tremendously educational and enjoyable. For me, it was impossible to come away from this visit without a greater appreciation of the vehicles, the drivers and other men and women who made this sport a passion.

What a wonderful place to visit even if you are not a "car guy", bonus if you are. Don Garlits is a true treasure the the racing scene and his collection of race in the best ever. Added attraction is the second museum with wonderful collector cars every one can relate to having owned or owned by prior generations. This is the best entertainment for the buck in Ocala if you have any interest in Automotive History. I rember seeing Don race in my hometown in PA. Thankfully he has created the Museum for all to enjoy

I happen to be a drag racer myself and am not easily impressed by old cars and speed stuff.

This place is worth your time. We arrived around 9:30 AM and had to leave by 2:30 PM. We feel the need to return because there was a LOT left to see.

If you time it right (we didn't) and are willing to spend a few bucks more than the normal admission, you might be able to get in on one of Don's personal tours of the place. He arrived just a little bit before we had to leave so we missed out. :(

I drove up to Ocala with some friends to visit the museum to celebrate our love of American muscle cars and we were not disappointed. The staff were friendly and knowledgeable and the exhibits were well maintained.

I'd recommend anyone with a passion for cars, racing, or history stop in and have a peek. The added antique museum is a real treat as well. Don't pass that up either.

I went to Florida with a friend back in 1982 before this museum was officially opened to the public. Met Don and got a photo of him in front of his museum with us. Super nice guy as always. Musuem was actively getting cars put into it at that time and it was already world class. Will need to see it again as its been 30 years now.

We love all kinds of museums and this one was no exception. In about a little more than an hour we enjoyed browsing through a lot of fascinating memorabilia: race cars, engines and a big room full of antique cars. Parking was available and free and the admission cost reasonable.

If you like cars this is a must see. Not only race cars but restored autos also. You can get a tour by Don if you call ahead

Racing history in the form of the legendary Don Garlits is what you will see. There is a large collection of motoring memorabilia including some of his iconic dragsters.well displayed, neatly organized, a real pleasure to visit even if you are only a causal fan.

cousin was visiting, he and i went to the museum. ron knows drag racing, and was naming racers, cars, and motorcycles. he was in awe.

Wow - what a treat - especially for car lovers! This is a massive museum and a lot of love and care has been put into it. Do not miss this unique stop in central Florida right off I-75

Great place to go and visit! Lots of stuff to see and great history of racing! Ocala, Florida is a nice safe town! Great place to stop and stretch your legs in the way to Orlando!

The experience was okay, but could have just watched on TV a documentary and been better off. Why? Because it’s $20 per ticket! At that price, a free souvenir or something else should come with it. Very expensive.

Cars looked great, just wish more were there!

Wow! This museum is packed with a huge variety of vehicles with more information about each than you can take in. This is a must see for racing fans of all ages! Essentially you are seeing the history of a lifetime of one passionate racer and many of the people that make his life so fascinating. If you are lucky, Don Garlits himself will wander through & you will get a chance to chat with him.

Taking me to this museum would be like taking my husband to a quilt museum. But that aside my husband and his best friend loved the museums. It's plural because with the low admittance you get not only the drag museum but the car one also. I went through it and those machines were interesting as the history I read. The guys give it 4 stars.

A day in time.. beautiful museum plan to spend many hours do bldg. 1 then lunch then finish bldg. 2. Take pictures enjoy the world of racing

I hadn't been here in about 20 yrs & boy has it changed! Two big buildings with all types of memorabilia from Don & other racers. One building is drag racing cars while the other is antique cars Don as acquired over the yrs. Lots of photos, small gift shop and plenty of parking. Easy to get to from interstate. Price is reasonable too. We spent about 3 hrs here. It was a nice day trip from Jacksonville.

Went with some friends to this museum. The guys were in hog heaven. We had been coming to Florida for a long time and my husband finally took the time to see this collection and he was a very happy guy. The guys could had spent a lot longer there, but the wives were hanging out with them, so guys if you do this leave the wives at a spa and take your time. I also enjoyed seeing all of the history in This place and enjoyed the videos reliving the good old days!

This is great for all ages. Even if your not interested in drag racing, the vehicles and history of the evolution of racing is spectacular.

This place has a really nice collection of classic, vintage, and racing automobiles and equipment. I still say that it's a little bit pricey to visit, but it's still worth a look at.

While I am not a huge car/racing enthusiast, but husband is. I found the museum interesting from the perspective of seeing the progression of car/racing throughout history. Pretty cool to get to see these cars up close & personal.

Can't say I have been here but DH has severel times. He goes to the museum and goes when they have car shows. I did meet Don Garlit and got my pic taken with him. Super nice gentleman.

You don't have to be a car "nut" to enjoy this place. There's something for everybody.
One can spend hours and hours admiring this collection of "drag racing and classics
car. And if you get lucky you may run into the legend Don Garlits himself, He lives
around the museum.

We went a couple of years ago during a car show. It was amazing even got to meet Don Garlits. He was very gracious and even gave me his autograph. I would recommend this place to everyone.

If your into drag racing then this is the place to go.it houses the drag racer legends cars and memorabilia and the way it is set out is brilliant. U can spend absolute hours in the place,it has 2 museums the first one being dons dragsters and other donated cars and the second is dons actual cars. Which are a joy to look around. Very informative and up there with one of the best car museums i have been too. Great shop as well and lovely people. We will be back in the future of that there is no doubt. Thank you to the people we met for a lovely museum.

Great museum. Guy at register could be little friendlier. Don is very nice guy to have someone rude working for you. Nothing like giving your money to a rude, smart butt

Really great selection of classic old cars, hot rods, race cars and of course dragsters. The other items in the museum are a trip back to the 40's through the 70's. It's a decent day out and very enjoyable.

We knew this would be a fun experience but we had NO idea it would be as fascinating and informative as it was. They tell you to plan 2+ hours, but I would say to plan more time to allow yourself to really take your time seeing all the history there is to see. The museum gives you good information and even though there is a LOT to see and absorb, they have tried to set it up so you can get a lot of information without feeling like you’ve been studying for a Masters’ Degree. We came later in the afternoon and were only there for about 2 hours, but I would have happily spent another hour or 2 reviewing ALL there is to see.

Was a great visit and relaxed atmosphere. The day was well spent in driving
all the way to Ocala from DeLand. Lovely day!!

I've been wanting to visit this museum for years and on this driving trip, we finally fit it in. Located right off of the freeway in Ocala, the museum is easy to find. On this particular day, we just followed a large group of motorcycles. If you love drag racing, and especially Big Daddy, you will love this place. It is a bit cramped because there are so many dragsters in there but I really appreciated seeing them along with other famous Top Fuel and Funny cars, all in very good condition. There are many examples of Don's Swamp Rat dragsters, including one that was destroyed in a huge accident. Even John Force magnanimously donated just the body of one of his cars! My wife did get bored after awhile but kept herself busy by watching the very good movie about Big Daddy's life while I saw everything in the racing side of the museum. There is also another building with hot rods in it but we didn't have the time. Maybe the next visit! Recommended!

Many of his personal cars plus a collection of antique cars. Saw many unique cars that I have never saw before. A great experience for any car person.

Impressive display of dragsters. Mr. Garlitt is quite a man. Between all the dragsters he created, raced and accumulated over the years.. is just impressive. It was interesting to see how the dragsters evolved from the early, big, bulky, boxy dragster years to current modern day sleek intimidating design. Even if you don't have an interest in drag racing, I would still recommend going to view the dragsters just to witness the engineering marvel displayed before you.

Most car people recognize the name Big Daddy Don Garlits as one of the most innovative and successful drag racers of all time. I have to say that I am an auto enthusiast and former racer, although I have never really gotten into drag racing. But, this museum is a superb collection of cars, engines, parts, and memorabilia that should appeal to anyone with an interest in cars. All of Don's race cars except two have found their way back to this museum and it shows the history of drag racing's top tier fuel dragsters. Don was instrumental in this and pioneered the rear engine cars after a major incident with a front-engine car removed a big chunk of his foot. Innovation is represented everywhere and includes cars with multiple engines, engines mounted sideways, turbines, jet engines, compressed-air driven superchargers, various transmission types, etc. The engine room is especially enticing. And, although Don is now in his 80's, he is still doing his thing - now developing an all-electric dragster. There are also many drag cars from other historic names along with a wealth of memorabilia and stories to document the history of drag racing. Plus, there is another entire building with antique through muscle cars that is also worth some time. I expect you will need at least a couple of hours to take it all in, and it would be easy to spend an afternoon or an entire day to really appreciate all that Don and his wife have assembled, Amazing!

If you are into drag racing from the 50s up, this is the place to visit. Many cars of his and other stars of drag racing. He was one of my heroes in the 60's and this place was well worth the admission price.

This place was amazing. I took my Grandson and myself and we were totally amazed at the collection of race cars along with a collection of old cars also. It was great to see some of the actual cars Don raced himself.

Tickets are $20 each. I'm not sure it's worth that, but it was interesting. There are lots of race cars, as well as some antique cars and truck.

A quiet little gem right off of I-75 that is totally worth going to. The amount of history and background you find in these two buildings is amazing. Garlits put together the largest collection of speed, engineering and history (a large part of which he was personally involved with) located in one location. We’ve been there numerous times over the years and still find something new to look at. Sometimes you might even see Don himself out mowing his yard 😊. Definitely worth the stop!

We were on a mini vacation and stopped by because Florida weather. Best stop ever! There 2 different museums are incredible! If you are near here stop in!

Nice tour through history of Don's drag racing.would recommend it to any and all that are interested in drag racing

If your in Ocala, Fl, and you are, or were, a drag racing fan, this is a must visit. All the big name dragsters machines are here in person. Quite a remarkable collection, and the price is right as well....

We were looking for rainy day fun the day we visited this museum. I am a NASCAR fan...but was not much on the drags. WOW! what a interesting history. There is short movie on Drivers and highlights of the drags...and more original dragsters then anywhere else in the world. So many antique cars beautifully restored. Fun for teens and older I would say.

This is must see museum for any fan of drag racing history. The museum has three buildings along seperate room in the first building with drag racing engines. Two buildings have drag racing cars/photos and the other has antique cars. The museum is jammed packed with not only old cars but old photos/poster/etc. Also all of his trophy's are displayed. It's drag racing history overload.

What a treasure you won't find too many places like this my good friend Billy used to say Don Garlits is the Babe Ruth of drag racing he put a lot into this field heart and soul Blood Sweat yes he truly is Big Daddy drag racing he developed the dragster out of the Dark Ages to what they are today running over 300 miles an hour from the old Dragsters with the motor up front garlic was a man who put the engine in the back and reengineered the steering to make everything go fast as hell yes sir it's well worth it the history of drag racing right here in Ocala Florida and change sometimes people will allowed on to put their cars in for a Time and there's also a great collection of old vintage trucks and cars it's well worth the money it is a quality Museum on equal here in Florida so race on over to Big Daddy's the swamp rat still alive

The museum is primarily, as you might imagine, about drag racing. However, Don has a wonderful collection of classic street autos as well! The world's only factory green Plymouth Super Bird, DeSotos, Packards, Hudsons...the whole gang is there! To top it all off, Don Garlits himself can often be found there. It's right at the I-75 exit, so there's no reason NOT to stop!

Big Daddy's is unbelievable!

even if you're not a car buff you will enjoy Don Garlits. so much rich history here.

you can tour it in under 90 mins.

Took the private tour led by Big Daddy himself. Behind the scenes look at an active drag racing legend. Worth the price as Don is getting on in years and the opportunity to meet him in person in the far future is iffy at best. Took time to walk the museum after the tour. Had my picture taken with Don. He is a real personable individual and is easy to talk to. A definite must see and very easy to access right off I-75.

Lots to see, I believe there is something for everyone. Right off I-75. Well kept grounds and free parking. Lots of Big Daddy items and drag racing items, plus lots of memorabilia. Plan on a 2-3 hour visit to see both buildings.

This museum has so much drag racing Nostalgia that you can be overwhelmed. However, overwhelmed is an excellent experience at this Museum. It's difficult to explain how comprehensive this museum is for drag racing in car lovers alike.

If you always loved drag racing, this is the place to visit. Cars from all the greats like Garlits, Prudohmme, Ivo and Shirley Muldowney are all there. You can see the evolution of the dragster and info on some of the memorable events.

There is a great video of interviews with Don Garlits, Don Prudhomme, Shirley Muldowney and others talking about their history and how they did what they did. Fascinating.

In a separate building there is a collection of antique cars. Admission voters both.

I truly enjoyed my visit! Lots of dragsters and you can get very close to many of them. There is a lot of memorabilia on display also. I would suggest at least 2 hours to visit. There is also a building that has antique cars in it. Easy access off the interstate.

This is a very interesting museum. It tracks not only Don Garits life but also the history of drag racing over the years. The museum also includes a collection of vintage cars. A personal tour of the shop is available led by Don himself.

Best, but perhaps also the only real dragrace museum in the World. Big Daddy has put together a fascinating display from the real old to the not so old. Great display!!!!

This is a great place to stop and spend a few hours. Not only does it have the history of drag racing it is a history from the inside out. Don Garlitz has been there since the beginning and continues on the cutting edge with his all electric dragster. In addition there is an antique car display with many important and historical vehicles.

This is one of the best drag racing museums we have visited. There is so much to see and enjoy in both the drag racing building and the antique car building. It is well worth the money and your time to experience this place.

I grew up with drag racing and to see Don Garlits and racing history in general, all in one place is pretty cool.

If you are a drag racing fan or classic car enthusiast don't pass this place up! After your first trip you will be planning your return visit to see what you missed. So many cool drag cars from the 50,60,70 and 80's

Our Miata Club, Sunriders Miata Club of Tampa Bay, visited here with 11 cars. We even managed to get a great picture of all of our cars, from a NA to a new ND 30TH Anniversary Edition. The museum houses a very large collection of cars, engines, memorabilia and other artifacts from the Drag Racing world. There are two buildings, both air conditioned, thankfully because it was in the 90's outside. The collection is static with no no interactive available. There is a small gift shop on site as well. Bathrooms are in both buildings. Not many benches to sit on though. Oldies will like this place but youngsters will probably get bored easily.

My husband loved the museum. We spent a lot of time going through. He loves racing and all the different cars to see. I am not a big fan of cars but it was fun to watch him geek out.

The cars and their presentations are fantastic! But there is a much bigger story here that should be shared. I was overwhelmed by what an individual (Don Garlits, in this case) can achieve and accomplish in a life time, and he is in his mid-80's and still working and innovating. Take your kids here and show them what is possible in life. I left trying to think of anyone in history who has accomplished so much and achieved so many successes as Don Garlits. I could not and still can't think of a single person. The museum does a great job of showing how and from where he started, going on to innovate and become a huge winner in life. Oh, yeah. I thought the cars were really cool, too!

After years of passing the Don Garlits museum on I75, we finally planned a trip. I was standing in front of Shirley Muldowney's exhibit. Next to me was a good looking guy in a well worn Daddy Don tee shirt, a pair of jeans and a baseball cap. I started chatting with him. "Shirley was my heroine. If I could have driven a stick shift, I would have loved to drive a dragster." The man quietly said "I have driven every car in this place." I looked at him. I said, "YOU are Daddy Don Garlits?" He said, "yep." I said..."Really, or are you just teasing me?" He took his wallet out of his back pocket and showed me his driver's license. It was Daddy!
I am not one to get "star struck, " yet for some reason he touched my heart and I got a little misty eyed.
I said, "I read that you are at least 85 years old...you are in such great shape, I couldn't believe it would really be YOU." He smiled.... "I'm almost 90."
He shared some cool stories with me about visiting the troops in Viet Nam, meeting the President at the White House, how racing has changed, and his 30 years as a Volunteer Navy recruiter. He graciously let me get a photo with him.
Then, his phone rang. It was Shirley Muldowney! He had been standing in front of her exhibit, waiting for her call, so he could show her how he had arranged some of her helmets.
If you like drag racing, engines and antique cars, you should take the time to visit this museum. Give yourself a couple hours, for sure. It is well worth it; even if you are not lucky like me to see the Big Daddy yourself!

Being a 50's hot rodder and a fan of drag racing. This is the place to see. Cars, cars, and more cars

There is a lot more on exhibit here than I realized. I took a friend from North Carolina. He was quite impressed.

I was overwhelmed with the details of each dragster. Each dragster had all kinds of interesting details about ETS and MPH at the quarter mile. The additional older cars that had been restored and the information on them was outstanding.

Great museum to see the History of Drag Racing, NHRA, and The Big Daddy!
Many historical drag cards restored so well.

The dragster museum was cool and very interesting. The antique car section was a huge surprise, we tour a fair amount of car museums and this has an extensive collection of super rare cars. Check it out.

A nice place to spend a day looking at the old dragsters, customs and old cars. If you are a car enthusiast at all, you will have a nice time here.

My husband went with his friends and they loved the timeline history of racing and cars. They really enjoyed the restored antiques. If you like racing this is a nice afternoon trip.

For drag racing aficionados, this is a wonderful stroll down memory lane. Many of the drag race vehicles from the 1950s-1980s are on display. There is also a separate building with old, mostly stock vehicles from the 1930s-1950s. Now that drag racing has gone on another 20 years since Big Daddy retired, it is starting to look a little dated. Also, it looks like there is virtually no more room in the facility to expand. This is sad, since there is so much more that could be displayed. Overall though, a very cool collection.

State of the Art museum dedicated to drag racing history besides giving the history of many manufacturers with their involvement in motor sports. If you are lucky you might even see Big Daddy Don Garlits roaming around.

There are two buildings;
The first has car's, trucks, motors, motorcycles and antique photos.

The second has drag racing cars, rails, motorcycles, jetcars an entire room filled with drag engines and so much more.

There are TWO mce museums here. One is for race cars, but the other is a fantastic antique museum that has much more than old cars. Definitely worth a visit.
10 miles south of Ocala on I-75 by rte 484.

I have zero interest in drag racing, but there were numerous posters and pictures advertising this museum in the hotel I stayed at. Having been there for several years, I made the suggestion of checking it out. From a historical point of the sport, it is very well documented in machinery, advertising, news articles, and artifacts. I think that is what I enjoyed more than the sport. There is also an engine room with all kinds of equiptment. Definitely for those who work on cars, engineers, etc. The second part of the visit was seeing the antique cards in the adjoining building. The upkeep alone must be in the thousands. As a history buff, I appreciate all the placards with each car's background. It's times like these that I wish my Dad was around to look at everything. One of the best kept museums and hideaways for automotive history.

I'm not a "car" person, but this tour is over 2 hours and the cars aren't just drag racers. There are loads of antique cars that will keep your interest. i highly recommend Don Garlitz Museum of Drag Racing at 484 and I-75 in Ocala.

If you love racing you will love this!! The amount of car is out of this world .. I loved watching the old racing and the old gas pumps were a plus!! Thanks for sharing the memories with us!!!

This has been on my bucket list for a visit for a while. Every aspect of the museum was great. You could spend a half a day here or more immersing yourself in drag racing, engine development and just cars in general. The museum is well laid out and even my wife who likes cars but not really into frag racing liked it. It brought back a lot of memories of my youth and young adulthood in the 60s-80s. A must see if you like drag racing or even just a car enthusiast.

Wonderful racing museum so many different cars and knowledgeable people who work there. There are two buildings worth seeing them both as autos are so different.

This museum had a lot of looky-loos for anyone. It isn't my interest but I did learn some things and my husband totally loved the visit.

I thought it was a great time with my grandson showing him what racing was all about and what I grew up with

If you were a driver in the 60's you probably knew of Big Daddy. I took my '57 Chevy to the strip at Martin, MI and was lucky enough to watch Don Garlits run his dragster. Come here and relive those years - see the cars that you always wanted - and lie to your friends about how fast you were. Visible from I-75 south of Ocala, you will regret not stopping. Let the kids go see the mouse in Orlando - we have the "Swamp Rat" right here, and you'll have plenty of $$ left for dinner at Sonny's BBQ nearby.

If your into drag racing it's a must see, you can spend all day there. We liked the front engine dragsters the best. Brings back lots of memories.

Really enjoyed our time here. Great displays. Lots to see and read. Big Daddy is truly a living legend.

On a recent Florida road trip, we, once again, drove by the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing. We were staying overnight not too far away and had time in our schedule to spend the next morning at the museum.

The Museum of Drag racing displays an extensive collection of drag racing cars and associated racing memorabilia. The site also includes an antique car museum showing hot rods as well as vintage touring cars.

So glad we finally made it in this place. Excellent stop, near I-75, enjoyable morning.

If you want to know about drag racing this is the place to go. Everything is presented in a clean, organizated way. It has something for anyone who comes.

I came along with my husband who likes this kind of stuff and he absolutely loved it, especially classic cars. People working there were very nice. Money well spent. Definitely worth it.

Spent almost 4 hours looking at all the memorabilia and old cars and history about big daddy garlits. And the other greats of drag racing. Some beautiful cars along with a while barn full of antiques either owned or donated to the museum. Worth the ticket price.

The highlight of the visit was the fact that Don Garlits was there to give autographs and pose for pictures with us. He was just great. There are so many cars in the main building that we didn't even have time to go to the other building. This is just a must-stop destination if you are anywhere near Ocala. This may not be a complete history of drag racing, but it sure has a large part of it.

The museum is easy to find, right off of I-75. There is so much to see here it is overwhelming. It is well worth the admission price. Lots of cool souvenirs available. I could have spent all day here and not have seen everything. The accomplishments by Don Garlits are unbelievable. If you are traveling by don't miss it!

We visited the big daddy Don Garlits museum. What a great way to spend an afternoon. I am not a big drag race fan but I love nascar and stock races. I also love the old and antique. This museum fit the bill for me. I also enjoyed greatly the black and white movie that continues to run. I found it very informative. And it brought back so many memories.
The cars are beautiful and well maintained. There’s also other items like bicycles and an engine room. Also cases with small items like oil cans and items from the era. They have two big warehouses filled. We also enjoyed a nice conversation with the gentleman at the second building. We’ll be back.
We are planning to move to this area. And we’ll bring all our family and friends.

This was my first visit, my husbands 4th. It is a must stop if 1. you love drag racing 2. If you love old cars 3. If you love the history of engines.
So fun to kind of walk back through the history of drag racing and really see how Don Garlits helped shape the sport. He and many other racers are highlighted in there.
There is a gift shop where you purchase the tickets to get in. Lots of cool things to buy.
The lady that was in the gift shop was so very nice. I imagine she listens to so many stories that people want to share about their experiences and love of drag racing. I went late Saturday on the way to the Gatornationals and she insisted we take our time. I could tell she wanted every guest to enjoy the experience even if she stayed a little late. I really appreciated that as I had really looked forward to the visit and traffic was heavy getting there.

Thank you Don for letting us share in your love of the sport. It was an honor to be there.

Not a big fan of drag racing but was told it was worth a visit, drove 65 miles from Orlando it is amazing if you like motor sport go there you will not be disappointed.

I have lived in Ocala for nearly 30 years and had never visited Don Garlits Museum until I had a visitor from Australia that loves cars. It was enormous and extremely interesting. Not only was the museum about drag cars it also has lots of classic cars as well. We loved all the memorabilia from the 60's and the 70"s. You could easily spend a half of a day here or a couple of hours. Great value for the entry fee.

Attended the Mopars with Big Daddy weekend and toured the museums while there. Three buildings packed full of drag racing cars, antique cars, Don's personal garage, and tons of auto related memorabilia. Well organized and maintained collection of automotive and racing history. Museum is right off the interstate for easy access with hotels and restaurants nearby. Making my stop the best was meeting 'Big Daddy' and relating some stories of mutual acquaintances - this man is genuinely personable and a great champion for the sport of drag racing. They even gave me a discount because I'm a veteran so make sure you mention it if you are also. Easy, level walking area and allow a few hours to soak it all in. No car person will be disappointed here.

If this place is on your bucket list, then move it on up to the top. This is a family run business that enjoys their guest. There is 2 buildings full of cars and other collectables. Big Daddy was there working. We had a blast.

Perhaps a dozen race cars. Also antique cars in second building. No food, drink or picnic area offered. No self tour or guides avail. We were by ourselves in the museum almost the entire time. The museum can be seen from interstate 75 , and near an exit.

A must for history buffs and drag racers . From AHRA back to NHRA he is history . Most days he is even hanging around the shop !!

This place is amazing not only do they have a museum of race cars but old cars also. They also have a lot of excellent car shows that Don attends. You also can get private tours with small groups. Well worth going to and you can spend hours here

If you are into cars or raceing on any level you need to see this Museum of racing. I was totally blown away with the place, and if you get lucky you may get to meet Mr. Garlits in person.

Great place to spend at least two hours. Just off I-75. If your lucky they will have car show in the parking lot.

Calling all Hot Rodders,
This place is a must see. There are multiple buildings loaded with drag racing nostalgia.
Most of the time Don is around, he is just like the average joe and will talk to anyone.

Always enjoy stopping here. My Dad loved it before he passed. Stepping back to the days of hot rods and fun. Lot of history and great cars

We have passed the museum several time and finally stopped in for a visit. If you are a drag race fan you will not be disappointed. There are an amazing number of dragsters and many other older collect able cars. My husband did a tour by Don Garlits himself on another occasion.

Overwhelmingly amazing visit! My fiance and I were "revving" about this place our entire trip. We were saddened we couldn't see Big Daddy at the Southern Nationals in Atlanta, but we had a wonderful time just the same. We enjoyed learning not only about Big Daddy's history with career/ family/ friends, but other history timelines as well from other racers, organizations, and donation families. This facility and it's history has tremulously shaped the world of racing for my generation and future ones to come. I think I took more pictures from the different "garages"/ rooms than I did any where else on our entire trip. As a Navy veteran's daughter, I also had a very honored smile when I drove in to see the memorial right outside. The facilities itself were very clean and well organized. The staff were super helpful and friendly. I know at one point in the motor room, my fiance and I looked at each other and stated we had to come back, because there was so much to see, we knew we missed half of the displays. I think our favorite section was the reaction timing display... where I beat him in both Pro and Full tree ;) We can't wait to come back!

I was here 15 years ago with my son....this visit was with my brother who is a museum hound like myself. In short, this is the best racing/car museum I've seen. I've been to all the best...the NASCAR Hall of fame, the NHRA Museum, the Peterson Museum, the National Automobile Museum, Luray....this is my favorite. The focus is on Don Garlits but the museum covers most aspects of drag racing thru the 1970s. Outstanding race cars and artifacts, well presented. I'm a Ford and Mercury guy so very few of my favorites were there but I cannot deny the excellence of this museum.

A must see for anyone who loves drag racing, big horsepower engines and fast cars. The second building houses a huge selection of not only antique cars, but memorabilia from days past, including some of the the first autos ever built. Plan on at least a 3 hour stay.

The best part in visiting the Garlits Museum is to bring someone who has never been there. There is just so much to see. We confined ourselves to photographing the cars and only spent a scant amount of time viewing all of the documentation with the cars. By the time the first building is completed, then there is the antique car museum, featuring another 92 cars. The only complaint, and it is a minor one, is there are places where there are lot of cars in a small place. The best course is to allow plenty of time, at least 4 hours. I have been here 3 times and will not be the last.

The drag racers are OK. I’m not a big fan. I’m sure that drag racing fans would be outa their minds!

For me, the Classic cars are wonderful. I could spend all day looking at them.

2 buildings 1 full of drag racers and another full of collectible cars. Well worth a stop, and extremely easy to get to as it is right next to the interstate exit.

Well worth the admission. Many more cars and displays than I expected. Don Garlits is an amazing man. He was at the top of his sport for about 30 years, and lived thru several accidents that would have ended most racers career. It is all on display here, plus a collection of Classics, Antiques, and Muscle cars.
There are days that Don does a guided tour of the entire facility. Check ahead for that. He did make an appearance for autographs. Allow 2-4 hours.

We enjoy going. We have been involved with drag racing for years and street ridding too. Don has both at his museums and it brings back old memories

Kudos to Don for preserving the history of drag racing in such an awesome way! The number of cars and personal photos, etc is amazing. Drag Racers are not the only attraction! There are cars from the early 1900's through the 70's! Lovingly restored, these fine vehicles are a history of travel in the US! Worth the drive if you are in the Orlando area!
Thank you Don for sharing your world with others!

Love all the neat things that are there lots to see.
You need at least a half a day so you can see it all.
Very friendly.

I loved the history. I grew up watching Big Daddy race so this was an awesome experience. It was like a trip back in time. Don Garlits will always be one of the greatest drag racers and innovators.

Well organized and maintained this place is a time capsule that spans Don's 7 decade career and includes many, many other men and women that made major contributions to the sport. Big Daddy himself was present the day we visited and I was honored to shake his hand. If you are in the area (many will be soon for the Gator Nationals), you gotta go. You'll be very glad you did!

If you like race cars this is a wonderful tour of Don Garlits' career and race cars. We totally enjoyed this visit.

Had an opportunity to get together with a couple of buddies for a weekend and we were looking for something to do. Big Daddy's museum happened to be near by. We went more out of curiosity because we're really weren't into drag racing. It was every interesting and informative. One building did a great job of showing the history and evolution of the drag racing sport. The other building showed the history of the automobile industry with cars, trucks and more.
If you like cars, trucks, racing and history be sure to visit. We had a great time. Learned a lot. And thankful we took the time to visit. We plan to do it again.

This place will make you wish your brain could run on HIGH OCTANE and that you had 10w-30 coursing through your veins. It's a gearhead's haven. And, it gets better all the time!

I've been here three times in the 18 years I have lived in Florida. There are two buildings. The first one contains quite a few of Don Garlits dragsters over the course of his career. The second building contains quite a collection of antique cars, as well as memorabilia from what you would have seen at a mechanics shop over the years.

My husband & I visited this museum last Sunday. It was very interesting, even if cars aren't your thing. It was fun to see all the old cars & trucks and learn about Don Garlits who was an icon in the racing business. There are several sections to the museum. It was all sparkling clean and had a little something for everyone.

So much important Racing History under one roof. To see and experience the Drag Racing contribution of Garlits and all His Buddies is a walk of Historic Fame. Do not forget that just next door is Don's Personal collection of Autos and important Vehicles.

The staff was friendly. Great history on drag racing, not just Don Garlits. There was a good video playing on continuous loop for those not familiar with the sport, and those who have followed for years. Drag racers from the early years through recent history on display. You can gain a new appreciation of the spirit of cooperation among racers and the dangers they face. Well worth the visit. The second building contains many antique vehicles in excellent condition. Well worth the visit. Plan on spending a couple of hours on a visit.

So glad that we went to this drag racing museum. It's a car lover and racing enthusiast's dream come true. We loved it. My husband and I were in heaven! Plan to spend several hours and see all it has to offer!

If you love drag racing, you need to be seen here. The cars, the engines, the details bring back the 1960 and 1970's of drag racing. Highly recommended for motor heads.

In the other building is about every Ford made for 1928 to 1955

Motorheads allow 5 hours

Been by a 100 times and made a special trip with my brothers this week and a friend It was a memorable experience.

My guy enjoyed the time more than I, but even I enjoyed looking at the first 20 of what felt like 50+ cars. Can't me all about me!

So, I feel you really have to be a drag racing buff to really get into this experience. There is a LOT of stuff--very extensive collection for sure. Since I am not hugely knowledgeable about drag racing, it took a lot of reading and is a lot of information. I did my rating according to if I was very into drag racing though, because despite my lack of passion it was still a great place as a museum of drag racing.

The entrance price is pretty high at $20 each, but if you're really into it, this is probably your best place to see drag racing paraphernalia and historic pieces. The price gets you into the drag racing specific part, as well as the older cars building. They have a lot of cars, car accessories and photos. All in all, if you're REALLY into drag racing this is the place for you. If you're just sort of interested, this is going to be a huge sensory and information overload.

Was not crowded when we went, which was nice. Could move about wherever without bumping into anyone, but it was a weekday.

This is a great museum for race car enthusiasts to visit. I loved seeing the cars and the history behind the sport. Very convenient to travelers on I-75.

All of Don Garlits cars are on display along with vintage drag racing and antique cars. Don is usually here and he will tell you stories of the old days if he has time.

If you love drag racing this place, in my opinion is a must see. All kinds of drag cars plus some of Don's personal collection. Last time I was there it was about $20 per person so it is a little pricey. I have been a few times and every time Don has always been there and has always been willing to chat, a very nice guy.

This tribute to drag racing museum is, by far, the best we have ever seen (and trust us, we've seen plenty of car museums​!!) It is well designed, extremely easy to get around, the exhibits flow well and logically from one to another. Can't say enough good things about it. Well worth the admission, and we hated to leave. Would highly recommend a visit.

The museum is rather large with many exhibits, of course mostly of worthy cars from the not too distant past. Don Garlits was a key figure in drag racing's heyday, and beside the machinery, it's also a good trip down memory lane. Even the wife enjoyed the day!

We enjoyed our visit to Don Garlits’ museums on our recent visit to Ocala! This is the place for any die hard race fan... even if top fuel racing isn’t the kind of racing you typically follow. There is such history there... so many cars, race suits, photos, articles, videos. I over heard an employee say that every time they walk through they find something new! The antiques museum is packed full of everything from a one-off car to candy dispensers. There is a great little gift shop and if you’re lucky you may get to meet Don himself as he visits almost daily. Add this one to your to-do list, you won’t be sorry!

If you are into cars and or drag racing this is a must stop. I was impressed with all the stuff that was there. Every car display had pictures, records, a little history and more. We were there close to 3 hours and I no we missed a lot. We will definitely go back.

A step back in time ,also a great education in drag racing to see where it started.need to be a fan of the sport and the men who pioneered the early days through the eighty's.so much to take in.

If you love automobiles especially drag racing you will love this place. If you can have a small group tour with Big Daddy Don Garlits it will be a Terriffic experience.

The life story of Don Garlits is amazing and the amount of dragsters as well as other autos is well worth seeing! The stories and memorabilia are so neat. I will recommend this museum to friends and family! Don even does private tours but they sell out quickly.

We were visiting relatives in Ocala and happened to drive by the Garlits Museum sign. We aren't Drag Racing Fans per se, but we've been to the drags and enjoy them, so we thought we'd stop in and check it out. Here's my review in one word: WOW! So many actual cars on display and so much to learn about them. Love the perspective of learning about the history of the sport and seeing the evolution of the cars. Wonderful display - greatly enjoyed just browsing among them and gaining a deeper appreciate of Drag Racing. Well done!

We were pleasantly surprised by the size of the collection! 90 antique cars were in one building along with countless other antique automotive items - gas pumps, license plates, tools, signs, steering wheels, dash boards and more! Everywhere you look, you see something. Super cool.

The drag racing collection is outstanding! You can see the evolution of dragracing within two buildings. Again, lots of other memorabilia along with 7,000 HP engines on display, intakes, carbs and more! If you are a car fan - this is a must-see!!!

My husband is a big drag racing enthusiast. All of the drag racing cars and Don Garlits history was very interesting to him. The antique car museum was interesting to see all of the old cars some I had never seen before.

What a treasure chest. So many cars to look at, memories to read, and videos from the past. Plan to spend a few hours to be able to really enjoy, take pictures and see it all. Don't miss the museum with the old historic cars through classic cars---amazing. Great parking, just off the highway and easy to get to. Wheelchair accessible. Highly recommended for racing fans or car enthusiasts.

A very convenient rest stop or destination. Once you get inside you will get to see some iconic examples of the history in drag racing. Allow for at least 2 hours. There is much to see and read about here. The various cars in here are super cool!

A wonderful history and up close experience of the world of drag racing. Voluminous cars and models. A great place to stop if you are taking a long trip. So close to 75 and lunch at Cracker Barrel.

So much to see here, with both the drag racing museum and antique cars next door fans and motoring enthusiasts could easily immerse themselves for the whole day.

Unfortunately we were tight on time and could not dedicate as much of our schedule as we would have liked to, hopefully we will get the opportunity to return in the future.

I am not the petrol head in our family but enjoyed the artefacts and would encourage anyone to visit if they get the opportunity.

VISIT and ENJOY!!! Easy access from I-75. TAKE YOUR TIME and do NOT RUSH your tour. VERY helpful Volunteers and Staff!!!

An amazing place to visit if you like cars and drag racing. See the history of Drag from the King Rat to Pudomme. And don't be surprised if you get to sit down and chat with Don Garlitts himself. Put you car in gear and race on over. Vroooooooom

There is a tremendous amount of automotive history in this place! Even if you're not a fan of drag racing, just the collection of street cars will make it worth a stop. I've been driving by this place for years, finally stopped to check it out and I can say it will not be my last visit!

Great drag racing museum. Much better than i thought it would be. I grew up in that time frame. Followed drag racing, all the big names back then. A lot of great cars, and associated equipment to see. Just a lot of motor-head history to see. We spent a little over 2 hours there. If you are, or were a MOTORHEAD, a must see. Highly Recommend

Visited Don's museum for the first time and was absolutely blown away. It brought back so many wonderful memories of the cars, equipment, tracks and people who built the sport. But don't miss the his antique car collection in the last building. Wonderful collection of vintage Fords and others with great stories that tell you about where the car came from. If you like cars, you will like this museum probably the only one of its kind. So take your time and smell the nitro!

For me it was like taking a walk down memory lane. Some of the cars on display I remember watching a TV as a kid. The cars belonging to the names I knew then, Snake, Mongoose, Big Daddy and Cha Cha, to name a few. Today, their car sat before me. In the antique section I thought the cars were packed a bit tight not allowing for a person to get a good view of the interior. Give yourself plenty of time if you want to stop and read everything. 90 minutes just wasn’t enough time. Going to have to make another trip up when I get a chance.

They offer up several discounts from the price of admission so check when you get there.

On a side note; as I was riding out of the lot, two pickups were parked in part of the driveway and I could see two guys talking. As I drove back, I turned and looked and one of the two guys was Big Daddy Garlits himself. I thought about stopping and asking for a photo with him

Super clean, well organized, information is well written, friendly staff. Must see if you appreciate motor sports and antique autos. There is an auto once owned by President Eisenhower.

We are Germans and live 3-5 months per year in Cape Coral. Being interested in all kinds of Motorsport Bid Daddy Garlits was always a part of my sports life as a inactive visitor. Whenever we're in the area we go to see the cars, for the fourth time in October 2016. Both exhibitions Drag Racing and Classic Cars, conveniently located at the I 75, are worth the trip and stop. The unattractive buildings might not draw your attention too much, but you'll be amazed what they show inside. It's unbelievable how many cars Don Garlits has collected. He shows the history of Drag Racing Cars from the beginning and you'll see classic cars you've never heared about. If you have the chance, take the time ... don't miss it!

We spent 2 hours at the 2 museums and could have spent more time. The signs were extremely well done. We enjoyed the little stories relating to each car. In addition to the drag racing, there was a huge collection of pristine antique cars.

Nobody can come to Gator Nationals,Without visiting the Museum of the Godfather of drag racing Don Garlits,The amount of racing here will amaze all race fans.This is a great experience for the entire family or just the group of racing enthusiast.It's economically priced and a place you will be sure to return to see what you missed on your last visit....

My family visited the museum and had a wonderful experience. Tha young lady at the front desk was extremely knowledgeable and friendly. Being older I found many interesting and memory retrieving items and vehicle on propertry.

On Friday, September 13, 2024, we visited the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing in Ocala, Florida.
Highly recommend you stop by this easy to find, easy parking, reasonable admission fee museum. Tons of cars, several trucks, a few motorcycles, numerous interesting oddities that round out the visit. Plan on three or more hours in the two very clean building. The first building is primarily dragsters with plenty of the Swamp Rat’s own cars and plenty more from racing history.
The second building contains a wide variety of cars from the opening era of automobiles into the more recent cars such as an anniversary Chevrolet Corvette.
This is one of the top museums we have visited and very top museum for drag racing and drag racing history.
Well worth the stop. Entry, reentry, and movement between the museums is easy so maybe bring a picnic and take a break during your visit.
If your youngsters ooh and aah at mechanical things and cars they will love the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing.
Thanks,
Rex

I took my dad and went thru the meet and great and tour. It was a great experience. We got to talk with Big Daddy and see him cakkel a dragster. There is a lot of history in that place. If you like drag racing or antique cars, I highly recommend this place. Have been before and it always gets better. I will be going back again.

Lovely dragracing museum. There is another building with old classic cars. Some of them real antiques and rare. Don't miss that. It's really worth a walk through. The museum manager is very knowledgeable and nice

Awsome place to visit , and owner ,has a quite a collection of cars and memory's from past . etc and a nice gift shop ,to purchase things to . buy ..

Do not miss the chance to visit this wonderful landmark. The history here is wonderful. Even if you are not a racing fan the vintage vehicals are great.

Spend hours in here reading and looking at thousands and thousands of displays of cars, race cars, and other sorts of ephemera! Well worth the visit if you are in the area.

Excellent place to visit.well worth the money.a lot to see.so if you are A drag racing fan you must see it.

My husband really wanted to see this museum, whereas, I wasn't so excited about it, but we went anyway. I'm so glad that we did! WOW!! I was not expecting to see so much! Not only do they have a lot of dragsters, but they also have a separate building that is totally dedicated to antique cars, which I love! Admission to the museum covers both the dragsters and the antique cars. If you are in the area and have the time, go to see this museum. Allow yourself a good 4-5 hours as there is a LOT of stuff to see.

Awesome place to look at Racing history and Antique automobiles.. Great way to spend an afternoon. Staff was very nice and helpful. Lots to see. Good for Families, Couples, Groups or anyone interested in cars.. Stop in you won't be disappointed. Car, RV and Semi parking available.

Awesome! It was so easy to get to the museum from the I-75 Exit. The antique car building is as incredible as the drag racing building. Everyone in our Family enjoyed stopping here on our drive to Tampa. Highly recommended!

Nice museum for car enthusiasts. Brought with us an exchange student from Russia who requested this visit and he really enjoyed it. No crowds, we were the only guests at the time. Had entire place to ourselves. No parking problems and lots of Pokémon stops for the kids. Spent about 1 hour looking around.

A great museum to visit to see the dragsters used during the exciting early days of drag racing. You won't be disappointed!

A tribute to Don and the many innovations that he pioneered in drag racing. Plenty of artifacts, including many cut-away models of racing motors to show the innovations. Almost "too much" clutter (posters, memorabilia, and such) for my taste, but if you focus you can still find the significant bits of history. Enjoyed the visit.

Don Garlits Museum is fantastic! From the Interstate it looks like just 1 building but it is 3. It has everything you can imagine fo old school people like me. Don was even next door, in a separate building,working on his first electric dragster! Can't wait to see it at the Gatornationals. Highly recommend this place to all race fans!!

I closely followed Don Garlits' career since the 60's and was always my favorite. While visiting Ocala I got the chance to see the museum. It far surpassed my already high expectations. I especially enjoyed seeing all of the different Swamp Rats. I found myself reading all of the exhibit information.

The race car museum for me (a gearhead) was great lots of history. The antique museum is also full of beautifully refinished cars and memorabilia

I worked at a Dragway when I was in high school, so this museum brought back many great memories. The main building has all kinds of beautifully restored dragsters, funny cars, bikes, and so on. Each cars has it’s own story board which makes for an interesting visit. There is even an engine room in the main building. second building has over 90 antique cars, trucks. The highlight for me was the 1946 midget dirt car in the second building. Special for me since my father and uncle had a midget in the 50’s through the late 70’s. Go and enjoy this very nice and unique museum.

I have never seen so many different types of cars from different eras all in one place. They were cars from 1906 and the 1920s and sports cars, drag race cars etc My kids loved the museum.

This place will put you back to your teens if that's where you want to go me I just want to go to my twenty's.thank you don

Amazing collection of mechanical collectibles ! Can not imagine the time spent to polish all those immaculate motors.
Great for a rainy day as you can wander around all day.

My family and I are life long race fans and grew up with Don Garlits in our home. The museum itself is very cool but what ruined our experience was the extremely rude man working the register where we bought our tickets and merch. It was very clear he was miserable and should not be dealing with customers. A wonderful experience can be easily ruined by one bad person. Needless to say we would love to return but will avoid this place if we have to deal with him again.

So much racing memorabilia to be seen. This isn't a small building and so there is LOTS to see! Very interesting to see some of the race vehicles that I had the pleasure to see while they were on the track back in "the day". We enjoyed our visit and will return again.

Recently visited here while on our way to Disney and it's a fantastic place!!! If you're any kind of 'gearhead' (or just appreciate the history of hotrodding in America) this is a mecca for you!

The museum was stuffed full of the history of drag racing in general - not just Big Daddy's history. So many famous cars, so many famous memorabilia, so much history of racing in one place is difficult to imagine. You simply cannot appreciate how much there is to see in the place from the unassuming exterior.

The auto museum next door is just as stunning! So many rare and valuable cars in one place was amazing! Well worth your time to visit!!!

April 30. Arrived, and a car show was in progress -- a bonus. The down side of that event was that the museum restrooms were closed -- even to paying patrons. Outrageous! After spending $75 for admission, we had to use the porta-potties ( which were disgusting). The museum was nicely done although the driving "ride" was listed as "out of order" as was one of the penny squishing machines. For the amount charged this place should be in top condition. Also, for those who are unfamiliar with Don Garlits, he is unapologetic about his religious beliefs. Be prepared for Christian crosses on his vehicles and a video that includes advice to children about God. The antique auto building is packed with great cars. Depending on your level of interest allow several hours to fully view both the drag racing building and the antiques. I have been to dozens of auto museums and this is a good one.

We have visited here on many occasions. I really couldn't pinpoint just one. We have gone for numerous car shows, namely Mopar. We have had family from out of state call us and tell us that they were headed there and for us to come and meet them. We have actually had the great pleasure of meeting and getting to know Don. He is a wonderful man. The museum is completely fascinating, that is if you are the least bit interested in drag racing. A great trip down memory lane. Very nostalgic.

This review is written from the perspective of someone who has never attended a drag race though has seen examples on TV. Having visited other car museums I thought this one would be of interest and it was. Visually there is so much to see including the various cars and their evolution, the helmets, the tires both front and rear, the trophies, the posters and the mannequins of drivers.
There is adequate parking and a gift shop. Since it is visible from I 75 it is easy to locate. We did not have time to visit the second building perhaps another time.

I hadn't been to the museum in about 15 years; it is much larger now and even more impressive. You can barely see the museum in a full day. Even if you don't like drag racing the antique car building will rock you; it alone has 92 vehicles. The drag racing stuff includes both the cars of the legends, and many odd and interesting cars as well. Only John Force isn't represented with a car; he certainly could spare one for this great tribute of a museum.

When I saw the Don Garlits Drag Racing Museum listed as things to do in Ocala my wife and I raced down there from our campsite. Wow, I got to see everything I saw in all the hot rod magazines, drag races live and on TV, and model cars I built as a kid. It truly was a blast from the past. We spent several hours going through all the buildings and rooms of cars, engines, displays, and memorabilia. Definitely enjoyed it all.

It has been about 10 years since I last visited Don Garlits Museum of drag racing , we had family in town and decided to bring the guys here.

Although none of us a big drag racing fans we are all car enthusiasts, we seen many of the Dragsters that Mr. Gartlts raced and also many other dragsters of famous NHRA Stars. There were many Dragsters from different eras, sort of an evolution of the drag racing world.

There was also in a separate building a very large collection of many antique cars. Many of the cars shared the stories of the people who drove the car and how they were acquired by the museum.

If you or a visitor are a drag racing fan or just love old cars, it is well worth the visit to Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing .

If you have any interest in the History of the automobile and especially drag racing this is a must visit museum. Don Garlits has put together a museum that will fire up anyone who loves speed and and drag racing. It was like walking through a NHRA time warp of history from the beginning to the present amazing cars and so fun being able to see the transformation of drag racing technology. .if you like cars this is a must see. One of the best museums I have ever visited.

How very cool this place is. Don Garlits lives onsite with his family, you see him around, he'll talk with you any time. His daughter, Donna runs the store and will do the same. She arranged for Big Daddy to come pick me up in a coupe when I told her it didn't look like I was going to make it and told her it was on my bucket list. The man redesigned the engine of a ccupe to make it so more efficient, safer and faster after he lost half a foot in a race. Hist museum contains every make, model and engine you can possibility imagine. I spend hours in there and I'm a girl! It's old Florida as it should be. South of Ocala, you can't miss the signs. Sort of out in the boondocks, worth the drive.

This is our go-to place when we have out of town visitors, especially if they are gear heads like us. There is so much so much racing history and cool stuff to see here.

Decided to stop and see Don Garlits place after years of driving by. I wish I had stopped sooner. We took our time and walked through the two large buildings. The first was antique cars up to the sixties. They had a lot to see,it took about an hour. The second was alot of Don's drag cars and some other ones that I have not heard about in forty years. Like the snake prudome. This took about an hour also. This is not two minutes off I-75 and CR -484 ,right behind Sonny's BBQ.

This was a great museum with lots of vintage cars and history also. We enjoyed the drag racing cars and gift shop but we really liked the older cars. There was other old antique things there too, like signs, gas pumps, type writer, etc...

It's fantastic. My husband went to Don's races. He went to these speedways as a young guy and watched the dragster and funny cars. He raced Sprint cars when we first met which was over 30 years ago so he really loved this museum. He saw both Jungle Jim and Jungle Pam at the track and when he saw his car he just smiled and said "she was amazing". It really took him back. Don't pass by this museum - it's full of racing pioneer cars and some other antiques of the early racing era. There is plenty of parking for cars and RVS. There was more going on in the 60's and 70's than war and music. There was a need for speed. We loved this place.

Impressive collection of cars and memorabilia, but unless you are really into drag racing or know a lot about it, it may not be compelling. My teens were bored and I didn't love it either. Husband enjoyed it though. We found the antique cars in the second building to be more interesting. Tickets were not cheap so it was a sort of expensive outing, I think it was $88 for our family of four.

Very nice museum, lots to see. Husband enjoyed, would have liked more time to have had there!
Would recommend and go again!

Had an awesome time viewing the museums. Lots of history here for car collectors. Takes about 2 to 3 hours to see. Lot of famous cars here. Did miss seeing the main one that I would have liked to see, "The Little Red Wagon" drag truck. They are easy to find and worth the trip to see.

We drove up from Orlando, it's an easy drive and were very impressed by the collection, it is amazing. So many cars lovingly restored and presented to perfection. This place is amazing for the drag racing fan and anyone who appreciates beautiful cars from the past. Staff were friendly and helpful. Loved it.

We were looking for a Cracker Barrel and there just happened to be one at this exit. Now my guy is a car guy; however I have to admit, I liked this museum. It was $15.00 a person to get in and we spent 3 hours there. We could have stayed longer but were on our way back to Ohio. Each car included a board which described the uniqueness of the car. Learned the first race was in 1895 at a whooping speed of 5 miles an hour with s purse of $2000. They also have videos playing you can watch. Very clean and the front desk person was a joy to talk with.

This is one of the few privately owned museums that warrant five stars. What I was impressed with was the organization and the signage or labeling of the exhibits. There were few things left to wonder about as most major and minor objects were correctly identified. The staff were most friendly. I was particularly moved to see one of Mr Garlits early dragsters that I had seen run at Holly Ridge N C in 1956. There were not only Garlits race cars displayed, but some of most of his competitors of that era. The place is full of priceless artifacts that can't be replaced, and whatever age you may be, it is worth a leisurely visit.

A lovely few hours walking around seeing the history of drag racing, seeing the huge amounts of drag cars, bikes and other motorsports vehicles some of which were driven by Don Garlits himself who is known to be seen at the museum from time to time as well as doing personal tours (which need to be booked in advance). There's a gift shop in the front with some things you can buy and a second part of the museum in a building next door holding many cars & trucks from days gone by...as well as a very impressive model collection!
Well worth a visit if you have an interest in one of the fastest motorsports on the planet!

I am sure my husband would rate this higher as he is a racing fan. I was nice to see the transition of racing and the cars. I liked being able to see the classic cars and the story/history behind them.

This is a must, if you like drag racing. I visited here the first time I was in Ocala. Really enjoyed the museum.

First time visit enjoyed the antique museum loved the nostalgic feel. My favorite was the studebaker trucks.

Literally everything I know about drag racing comes from the movie "Heart Like A Wheel" about Shirley Muldowney, Connie Colletta & Don Garlits. It was so exciting to see all the racing history and the cars themselves.

One could spend HOURS here reading all the history and watching videos. Unfortunately, we arrived quite late in the day and had to rush through, but I would highly recommend this to anyone who has any interest at all in drag racing or cars in general.

My husband & I loved this museum! My husband is an old drag-racer (local track) and I fell in love with drag-racing in the 70s so this place was a delight. There's so much to see! Could spend an entire day there.

I wandered through the 2 builds open to the public. The first was drag racing everything. Cars, bikes, and all those parts that you think of in a race car. The second building was vintage. Model T and the like to those famous muscle cars. Interesting facts: Every engine, transmission, and vehicle is able to run; just add fluids. There are vehicles on site that only come out for special occasions.
If you love cars, a must see.

Awesome if u love drag cars and engines little bit of history stored away in there great trip! And it located right off i75 just south of ocala..

My father, my 9 yr old daughter and I took a day trip on a whim. We all really enjoyed seeing everything this museum had to offer. At first, I was like "How are they going to display cars?" I was really surprised at how well everything was displayed. My daughter really enjoyed it. So much so that she wants to now become a racecar driver!

What a collection of drag racing cars and memorabilia. There are 2 buildings, one for drag racing and the other with classic cars and collectibles. We spent definitely more than an hour walking around the exhibits.
There is a lot of information and history here. Definitely a great stop.

The museum is a fabulous place to enjoy vintage automobiles, drag racing memorabilia, and an awesome collection of dragsters! There are three buildings, so be sure to allow adequate time since reading the information about the vehicles really adds to the experience. There is a great drag racing video to watch during your visit; but if time is short, you can purchase a copy of the video to take home with you to see later.

Boy, this is one of the most amazing museums/historic collection of racing memorabilia I have ever seen. 2 hours was definitely not enough so I will be returning. So well laid out and historically put together. A gem in the Ocala area. If you love cars/racing/history this is a must see. I would love to ask "Big Daddy" how he came upon all the items or if he had tremendous foresight back in the day to hang on to things. Thanks for preserving history for all interested!

Don Garlits was an amazing experience! So many collector cars and famous race cars from my era! So many different things

We enjoyed the Drag racing museum, so much racing history and seeing the drag cars up close was very cool! The antique car museum was an added bonus a amazing car collection! very well displayed with lots of information. The staff was very friendly! You could spend an hour or days there is so much to see!

If you like drag racing this is the place to visit. OUTSTANDING. Also has an antique car museum which is included in the admission price and worth the visit.

When ever you are in Ocala, Florida area, if you have not been to Museum, do stop in, you will be glad you did.

Very interesting and a lot of great cars on site. Amazing how many show cars and different collectables that Don has amassed over the years of collecting. Staff very friendly.

This place even smells old! Lot's of bizarre items, some related to racing and some seemingly random, but it all comes together in a veritable cornucopia of everything automotive and historical. (Who knew that Smokey Yunick made a machine to mix his own blend of racing fuel?)
Some pretty noteworthy cars, engines and other racing history.

We are both NASCAR and Drag race enthusiasts. We were headed home and drove fun and stopped. There a lot of history here. Big Daddy has done a wonderful job preserving his history along with others. There is also a very large building full of antique cars that’s included in the tour. Every car is in mint, running condition. Worth the stop.

If you're into cars, this is a must! Two buildings, the first is a comprehensive display of American drag racing. Take time to sit and watch the Don Garlits video. Great collection of dragsters, engines and other styles of race cars.
The second building contains restored and original antique cars and memorabilia. Don was involved in a great number of quality restorations.
Plan a day trip to this museum...you won't regret it!

This is actually a double museum, one side devoted to drag racing and the other to Garlits' extensive and eclectic automobile collection. He also displays a large number of classic auto engines (on stands, inside plexiglass) that hot-rodders have used through the years. Not a lot of architectual ingenuity went into building the basic buildings, but once you go inside you're blown away by the years of serious "collecting, car-building, and preservation" on display. We also found the attendant in the museum had an interesting car-building & racing background.

If you're into professional drag racing, this museum is a must see. Plenty to see, from cars to pictures on the walls.

Even if drag racing isn't your thing, this is an interesting museum, as there is also a classic car museum on site too.
Main building houses many drag cars, not all built or driven by Garlits himself but the majority are.
Engines, damaged parts, trophies, race outfits etc are all exhibited alongside the cars themselves.
Reasonable prices, clean toilets on site, well stocked gift shop.
Hope I get the chance to visit again!

We walked through the whole place in about 2 hours. There are so many cars, trophies, and so much to see. There are two areas to see and it's like walking into the past. If your a drag racing fan you will love this stop! Veterans and military also receive a discount.

Nice display of old cars and also racing cars. A lot to see.
Could use some updating. An old place just collecting money without improvements.

This was a bucket list stop for me. The gift shop is a perfect place to find memorabilia of all sorts. The Classic Car collection was awesome but my favorite was the Drag Racing cars and the history of Garlits and Racing. The engine room was a nice little surprise and I love how the museum pays tribute to other greats like The Snake and Shirley Muldowney.
If you have AAA (Triple A) you get an admission discount

Brought my 2 grandsons (13 & 15).They didn't grow up around cars like I did and found it interesting but after seeing a half dozen cars they started losing interest. I enjoyed it more but would have liked more variety.

We haven't been here since the 1970's, and boy, were we surprised! It has grown and changed so much...for the better! Not only is this about Don Garlits, but it is the home to the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame, and the history of the sport of drag racing. It also houses a separate building that is filled with one of a kind automobiles! COST: Since we are seniors, the fee was $15 each with free parking. Also it is right off of I-75. AVERAGE TOUR TIME: 2-3 hours. (We spent over 3) Plan time to read, watch videos, and take a lot of pictures. You will also want to save time for the gift shop. To me, the museum was easy to get into for folks with any physical disablilty. HOURS: 9-5 daily.

Incredible collection of racing memorabilia! So many drag cars to look at it's hard to believe Garlits had that many different race cars. There's a ton of visual interest, audio and reading material at this museum so you'll want to plan 2 to 3 hours for your visit to capture it all.

most if not all of his cars are in place. the history from beginning to end is really cool if you are into that. The smells of the "equipment" are astounding. yummmm

Have been here several times. Saw Don Garlits race his first dragster in Gainesville, Fl. He has alot of nice things in his museum! Worth going to see.

Came in on a Sunday around 12. It was a little expensive. But if you're into drag & antique cars you've come to the right place. Wall 2 wall memorabilia. They did have clean restrooms and a small gift shop. Not a place for small children. We toured about 2 hrs.