Any good model car shops along I-75? All of it, from MI to FL

[Klutch9]

Tomorrow we leave for a trip to Disney. Leaving from the Detroit area. One of my lifelong hobbies is collecting model cars. Usually the prebuilt 1:18 scale. Mostly Maisto, but I have some higher end ones as well for F1, Indycar, etc. We’re splitting the drive up into two days to get down there, so we’ll take our time and see some stuff on the way down. Does anyone know of any good model car shops close to I-75? We’ll also possibly be detouring to the Tail of the Dragon.

 

[daves87rs]

Something I would like to know too….

 

[earlyre]

ummm...never been myself... but this is kinda known as the Best in the area (because it's the only one)... about 1.5mi west of 75 in downtown Wapakoneta, OH.
Dad's Toy Shop:
https://dadstoyshop.wilson1communications.com/

there's a few Good Eateries in the neighborhood as well. ( only one I've Been to is J.Marie's - only place in the area with Wood Fired Pizza)
Exit from I-75 right by the Armstrong Air and Space Museum ( Wapak is the hometown of Neil Armstrong, First man on the Moon)

 

[Hall]

Try ChatGPT. I asked this, "What shops that sell die-cast and collectible toy cars are near I-75 when traveling from Michigan to Orlando FL" and got some results. The key is the "die-cast and collectible toy cars" part - you may want to tweak it over and over to get better results.

 

[Vercingetorix]

Daytona Speedway must have something.

 

[Carmudgeon]

Hobby shops are a vanishing breed.

The followers who remain committed have retreated to online buying.

Or hope that the vendors will show up at events like car shows, or races

I've had decent luck finding some good ones, for the small amounts of stuff I collect nowadays (mostly 1/64). But they're thousands of miles away.

What I've done is to search for hobby, diecast, or similar terms on mapping sites in the areas where I'll be visiting.

I've sometimes daydreamed about opening such a shop, just as a hobby, were I ever to win a lottery or become independently wealthy and could afford to do such a thing.

Good luck.

Edit - Forgot to add, museum shops can also be good places to find such stuff, and often, they can be accessed separately without having to pay admission.

 

[pbm]

Daytona Speedway must have something.

Daytona is on the east coast of Florida off Interstate 95. I75 runs down the west coast of Florida.

 

[Vercingetorix]

Daytona is on the east coast of Florida off Interstate 95. I75 runs down the west coast of Florida.

And Daytona is only an hour from Orlando.

 

[pbm]

And Daytona is only an hour from Orlando.

I drive that route twice a year....Orlando is at least an hour from I75 (Daytona is another hour away) and is one of the busiest (traffic wise) roads in Florida and has the most 'deadly' accidents (according to a news article I read last year). If driven at off hours it's at least 4 hours back and forth from I75 to Daytona...during peak hours (6:30am to about 7:30pm) it can be much longer. I don't know about the OP but I wouldn't do it if I didn't absolutely have to.

PS: They've been doing construction on I4 (the road going from I75 to I95) for the last few years (widening it) which is one of the reasons it's slow going. IDK when they'll be finished but it was still going on when I drove across it in mid March.

https://www.thelawplace.com/blog/5-deadliest-highways-in-florida/

 

[Vercingetorix]

I drive that route twice a year....Orlando is at least an hour from I75 (Daytona is another hour away) and is one of the busiest (traffic wise) roads in Florida and has the most 'deadly' accidents (according to a news article I read last year). If driven at off hours it's at least 4 hours back and forth from I75 to Daytona...during peak hours (6:30am to about 7:30pm) it can be much longer. I don't know about the OP but I wouldn't do it if I didn't absolutely have to.

PS: They've been doing construction on I4 (the road going from I75 to I95) for the last few years (widening it) which is one of the reasons it's slow going. IDK when they'll be finished but it was still going on when I drove across it in mid March.

https://www.thelawplace.com/blog/5-deadliest-highways-in-florida/

What are you on about? The OP is going to DISNEYWORLD.

 

[pbm]

What are you on about? The OP is going to DISNEYWORLD.

You're right....my mistake...I was thinking about driving across from I75 to I95. Actually from Orlando across to Daytona you are past the worst of the journey....it's from I75 to outside Orlando that's bad.