The southern California coast in October is just about perfect. Temperatures are pleasant throughout the day, and the crowds of vacationers are relatively light. The Expedition Portal team visited Costa Mesa to attend the 2025 Off-Road Expo at the Orange County Fairgrounds and explore the area from the beach up into the mountains. The event was held on the Friday and Saturday of the first weekend in October and attracted auto enthusiasts and their families for a couple of days in the sun.
Presented by Hankook Dynapro Tire
After spending most of the year attending overland-specific events or brand-related events like Bronco Stampede and the Jeep Invasion, it was a fun change to be at a general off-road event that included a little bit of everything. There were overland adventure and expedition trucks, and plenty of rooftop tents like we’re used to, but the 2025 Off-Road Expo was a chance to see the other side of exploring on dirt.
Vendors like KC Lights, Rugged Radios, Hankook Dynapro Tire, King Shocks, and Superwinch, along with many others, were displaying side-by-sides, Baja 1000 trophy trucks, King of the Hammers buggies, and more. Very few of them were stock. Almost all of the trucks on display had been modified and customized. Lift kits, roll bars, wheels, tires, lights, everything carefully assembled to enhance off-road speed and capability.
As a family event, the Off-Road Expo hit every mark. Turkey legs, corn dogs, cotton candy, lemonade, ice cream… food around every corner and the smell of char-grill, and burning rubber, in the air. One of the highlights was a truck jumping and car drifting display that happened two or three times per day. Desert race trucks with suspension travel measured in feet instead of inches would slide around corners and launch off of jumps into the air. When they were done, the street racers would slide onto the scene and thrill the crowd with screeching tires, clouds of smoke, and a few stalled engines.
Add the Off-Road Expo to your list for next year. Vendors were offering some great show specials, and the two-day event has something for everyone who’s interested in off-road adventure.
