|  | | | What is it that makes a road trip memorable? The destination? The company? The scenery? Ahhh, yes! The scenery. Winding, tree-lined roads, picturesque towns, and the occasional diner shaped like a giant chicken. Sometimes it’s the unexpected sights, like these, that stand out in your road trip memories.
Roadside Oddities
The roadside oddity is something you find yourself compelled to look at. Occasionally, you stumble across something truly amazing – here are a few that might be worth your while.
Cadillac Ranch: Amarillo, TX (A collection of classic Caddies, planted in West Texas soil.)
Xanadu: Kissimmee, FL (A misguided view of the future.)
The Thing: Cochise, AZ (The mystery revealed!)
Barney Smith’s Toilet Seat Museum: San Antonio, TX
Carhenge: Alliance, NE (Think Stonehenge, only with cars.)
Really Big Stuff
They say everything’s bigger in Texas, but in no way has Texas cornered the market on “big.” East, West, North, South and everywhere in between – you’ll find that we humans have a special fondness for taking everyday things and recreating them on a monumental scale. Here are some of the hard-to-miss sights you might encounter during your life on the move.
World’s Largest Thermometer: Death Valley, CA
Hood Milk Bottle: Boston, MA (It’s a hot dog stand. It’s an ice cream stand. It’s a 40-foot milk bottle!)
World’s Tallest Indian: Skowhegan, ME
The Peachoid: Gaffney, SC (A giant peach-shaped water tower.)
World’s Largest Crow: Belgrade, MN
Dino-Mania
Sure, dinosaurs could easily fall into the Really Big Stuff category. However, considering the number of dinosaur attractions, and our never-ending fascination with these prehistoric giants, we felt they had earned their own category. So if you’re on the road and your mood turns Jurassic, you’re definitely in luck if you’re near these spots.
Cabazon Dinosaurs: Cabazon, CA
Dinosaur World: Plant City, FL
Dinosaur Land: White Post, VA
Dinosaur Gardens: Ossineke, MI
Prehistoric Gardens: Port Orford, OR
Cool Car Museums
Henry Ford’s vision has mobilized the human race and created a legacy that’s tough to match. Throughout the world today, you can find monuments and museums dedicated to every aspect of automobile history. From classic and historic cars to the thrill of motorsports, these are a few of the institutions dedicated to the celebration of life on the move.
Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village: Dearborn, MI
Petersen Automotive Museum: Los Angeles, CA
Museum of Automotive History: Syracuse, NY
Smithsonian Institution: Washington DC
International Motorsports Hall of Fame: Talladega, AL
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