Modesto highlight
Classic car / cruising heritage
Modesto's 10th and 11th streets are designated as the Historic Cruise Route, home to an annual festival that draws classic car enthusiasts and celebrates the city's central role in American car culture.
Modesto's connection to car culture runs deep, rooted in the early 1960s cruising scene immortalized in George Lucas's *American Graffiti*. The city's 10th and 11th streets—the heart of that scene—have been formally designated as the Historic Cruise Route and are now a tourist draw for people interested in automotive history and 1950s–1960s Americana. The streets retain period-appropriate landmarks and have become a gathering place during the annual *American Graffiti* festival, held each June.
The festival brings thousands of classic car enthusiasts and their vehicles to Modesto, transforming the downtown into a rolling exhibition of American automobiles from the 1950s and early 1960s. The event celebrates not only the cars themselves but the social culture surrounding them: the music, the fashion and the freedom that automobiles represented to a generation. It has become one of the largest classic car events in the country and a defining tradition for Modesto.
For people who share a passion for cars—whether collectors, enthusiasts or weekend drivers—the investment in a classic or well-maintained vehicle represents a significant asset. Like any significant financial commitment, it's part of a family's planning picture. A term insurance policy ensures that if something unexpected happens to an income earner, the family's ability to maintain their home, vehicles and lifestyle doesn't depend on selling off assets or forgoing plans.