Roadside Attractions
Summer is almost here and I could not be more excited! This summer, my mom and I are going on a trip that’s a bit out of the ordinary. We are going on a cross country roadtrip to California and back. In total, It’s about a 70-hour drive. I know, that sounds like a lot of driving, but it’s over the span of three weeks with lots of stops in cities in between.
During summer break last year, I took a road trip from Los Angeles back home to Atlanta and it was amazing! I got to see so many cities I’d never been to and had a great time. This year, I thought why not extend the trip and go to California and back. With a long road trip in my near future, I’ve started thinking about what to do in the car for 70-hours. I’ll probably spend most of my time in the car, listening to music, watching tv, or driving. Instead of listening to music and staring out the window for hours and hours, I decided it would be a good idea to stop a lot along the way to see roadside attractions to break up the boredom.
On my road trip last year, my mom and I stopped to see a few roadside attractions. We saw the world's largest thermometer in California, a ghost town in Nevada, a dinosaur national monument in Utah, and the world's largest easel in Kansas. This year, I’m going all out. I’m going to plan which roadside attractions to stop and see on the way.
If you are embarking on a road trip this summer, here are some cool things to see along your drive:
Alaska: In Cantwell, Alaska sits a huge, never opened, abandoned hotel shaped like an igloo. It’s called Igloo City and seems eerie, but cool.
Arizona: In Phoenix, Arizona, there is a 20 foot tall Paul Bunyan statue that sits in Don Parks’ front yard. Along with Paul Bunyan are lots of other statues and objects that this man collects.
California: The Zzyzx road sign and abandoned mineral springs and health spa sit in Zzyzx California, near Baker. I actually saw this sign last year driving through California, and thought it was strange. The history behind the name and the “health spa” is really odd. Read more about it here.
The Cabazon Dinosaurs/Museum, which were apparently featured in a few movies, stand in the desert of California, near Palm Springs. There are a few gigantic dinosaurs, a museum, fossil panning, and a gift shop.
Colorado: This isn’t exactly a roadside attraction, but I’m putting it on the list anyways. South Park fans should be familiar with this restaurant, as it is featured in one of the episodes (the one with Kyle’s birthday). Casa Bonita is a Mexican restaurant in Denver, Colorado. However, it is more than just a restaurant. Casa Bonita also features a gift shop, dive, gorilla, pirate, and puppet shows.
Georgia: Rock City. Rock City is at the top of Lookout Mountain near a town called Fairyland. Rock City is technically in Georgia, but it requires driving through Tennessee. Rock City is a fun hike/walk through rocks with breathtaking views of seven states at the top.
The School Bus Graveyard is in Raoul, Georgia and is a field with at least a hundred old school buses and cars with graffiti/art on them. It’s a great place for photos. Make sure to check in at the garage with the people who own the property when you arrive.
Minnesota: You know the green giant on the Green Giant vegetable cans? Well, there’s a very large version of him in Minnesota!
New York: It turns out, Santa’s Workshop is in the North Pole. North Pole, New York! In North Pole (Wilmington), New York, there is a small, Santa themed amusement park.
Ohio: In Cincinnati, Ohio there is the American Sign Museum. It holds hundreds of signs.
Tennessee: In Pigeon Forge, there is a gigantic replica of the Titanic and a museum inside of it.
Texas: This one is very strange. There is a “Cathedral of Junk” in someone’s backyard in Austin, Texas. There is definitely something for everyone along the road.
Utah: Dine-A-Ville Pink Dinosaur. I saw Dinah the Dinosaur in Vernal, Utah last year on my road trip. She’s great for taking pictures!
All of these roadside attractions would be so interesting to see. There are so many more roadside attractions in America. Check more out here.
By Mckenna Ching
