Las Vegas: Count's Kustoms Car Tour & Shelby Museum

4.67

(696 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

The first thing I remember is the shine—chrome catching that weird desert sun as we pulled up to the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign. It’s busier than you’d think at 9am, people lining up for their moment. Our guide, Mike (born and raised here), joked about how he’d never actually taken a photo there until he started leading these tours. He offered to snap ours and somehow got my dad to smile, which is a miracle in itself. There was this faint smell of sunscreen and asphalt warming up, kind of mixed with that dry Nevada air.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from the Shelby Heritage Center—thought it’d be just another museum, but nope. The place hums with stories. You can almost feel the history in those old Cobras and GT500s, like they’re waiting for someone to turn the key again. Mike knew every detail—he pointed out which cars had been on Counting Cars or Ford vs Ferrari, and even threw in some local gossip about Carroll Shelby himself (apparently he once lost a bet at a casino down the street). I tried to pronounce “Super Snake” in my best announcer voice; Li laughed so hard she nearly dropped her phone.

Count’s Kustoms was next—and honestly, it’s wild seeing Danny Koker’s collection up close after watching him on TV. The 1955 Chevy Bel Air looked way meaner in person, all muscle and attitude. We wandered around snapping photos (I took too many of that old Corvette), then hit the gift shop where my brother spent his $20 voucher on a hat he’ll probably never wear. There was this guy polishing one of the bikes who nodded at us—just a small thing, but it felt like you were getting let in on something local.

The whole day felt like peeling back a layer of Vegas I didn’t know existed—not just casinos and neon, but real stories under all that noise. I still think about the sound of those engines echoing in those big halls. If you’re into cars or just want a break from slot machines, this day trip from Las Vegas is honestly worth it—even if you don’t know your Camaros from your Corvettes.