From the silly to the sublime, from the historical to the hysterical, we scoured the United States for some of the best roadside attractions and national monuments worth a stop during your spring break adventures. Sure, we have some of the greats like the Statue of Liberty and Mount Rushmore, but we found some fun places too. Did you know that there really is a spot for the world’s largest ball of twine? How about a castle that features great works of art make entirely out of corn? A two-story outhouse? Yup. They’re all here.
Ball of Twine (The Largest)
Cawker City, Kansas 67430
(785) 781-4713
Created in the 1950’s by Frank Stoeber, Cawker City holds an annual festival which includes twine winding which means that the ball continues to grow every year.
Big Beagle
Cottonwood, Utah
(208) 962-6084
Who wouldn’t want to stay inside a beagle-shaped building? The 30-foot tall Dog Bark Inn bed and breakfast is completely dog-themed. Browse the adjacent Dog Bark Park visitor center, gift shop and artist studio where owners Dennis & Frances fashion canine carvings by chainsaw. A night’s stay (which includes an in-dog breakfast) is $132 a night.
Bishop’s Castle
12705 State Highway 165, Rye, Colorado 81069
(719) 564-4366
They say a man’s home is his castle and for almost 60 years Jim Bishop created his monumental statue in stone and iron. The castle features three full stories complete with a grand ballroom, soaring towers, bridges with incredible views and of course, a fire-breathing dragon. The castle is always open and admission is free.
Carhenge
305 Box Butte Ave., Alliance, NE 69301
(308) 762-3569
Borrowing from a more historic landmark, Jim Reinders created his “Carnhenge” during the summer 1987 as a tribute to his father. Apprently, it took a lot of “blood, sweat and beers” to compelte the job. Patterned after Stonehednge, thirty-nine automobiles were placed to assume the same proportions as Stonehenge with the circle measuring about 96 feet in diameter.
Cloud Gate (aka “The Bean”)
201 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 742-1168
Resembling a giant stainless steel jelly bean, Cloud Gate is artist Anish Kapoor’s first public works of art. Located at Millennium Park, the 110-ton sculpture is 33-feet high, 66-feet long and incredibly shiny. Chicago’s skyline is reflected in the “cloud gate” and makes for the ultimate photo opp. While you’re there, you’ll also want to check out the Clarence F. Buckingham Memorial Fountain that puts on a 20-minute water show every hour.
Dakota Thunder (World’s Largest Buffalo)
404 Louis L’Amour Lane, Jamestown, ND
(701) 251-9145
It is said that Dakota Thunder, a 26-foot-tall, 60-ton concrete buffalo created by Elmer Petersen has been standing watch over Jamestown since 1959. Families can’t wait to walk underneath him.
Desert View Watchtower
Grand Canyon, AZ 86023
(928) 638-7888
Yes, the 18-mile long Grand Canyon with its deep one mile deep crater is impressive in its own right, but you may not know about the Watchtower which is located on the eastern end of the South Rim. Built in 1932 by Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter, the tower gives access to even better views of the Colorado River, Chuar Butte and Cape Royal in the North Rim. Entrance fee into the Grand Canyon park is $8 per person.
Enchanted Highway
100 1/2 Ave. SW, Gladstone, ND 58630
The Enchanted Highway is a strip in western North Dakota that features seven giant metal sculptures leading from Gladstone to Regent. Here you’ll find the geese in flight, metal deer jumping over a fence, enormous grasshoppers, flying fish, giant pheasants, a stagecoach and the “tin family.”
Gorilla Statue (via Pioneer Auto Sales Facebook page)
2829 US RTE 7, Leicester, Vermont
(802) 247-4242
Located at Pioneer Auto Sales and created by sculpture artist T.J. Neil, this giant gorilla holds up a real Volkswagen Beetle with one hand allowing people to climb on the other for photo ops. Apparently, the hand isn’t easy to get into but is easy to fall out of, so be careful when posing.
Hollywood Sign
Mount Lee Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90068
(323) 258-4338
Chances are good that if a family is traveling near Los Angeles, the Hollywood Sign isn’t on the top of their list of sights to see, but it is still worth seeing. It’s a well-known symbol that even children are aware of it. Built on the hills in 1923, each letter stands 50-feet tall. The official website for the sign offers suggestions on where to see the sign best including how to hike up to the sign for the more adventurous.
Lucy the Elephant
9200 Atlantic Ave., Margate, NJ 08402-2449
(609) 823-6473
Believe or not, Lucy the Elephant has been hanging around Josephine Harron Park since 1881. She stands six stories high and is quite the sight to see. There is no charge to visit her, but if you’d like to wander around inside (and who wouldn’t?) the cost of the guided tour is $8 for adults age 13 and up and $4 for kids ages 3-12.
Mitchell’s Corn Palace
604 North Main St., Mitchell, SD 57301
605-995-8430
Built in 1892, the Corn Palace today is used for many events for the town of Mitchell but is decorated each year with naturally colored corn and other grains and native grasses to make it “the agricultural show-place of the world” with a different theme chosen each year.
Mr. Rex
50770 Seminole Dr., Cabazon, CA 92230
(951) 922-8700
If you saw “Pee Wee Herman’s Big Adventure,” you’ve seen Mr. Rex. He is located at the Cabazon Dinosaurs park which has been around since 1975. The park include Mr. Rex’s Dinosaur Adventures which includes 50 lifelike dinosaurs, a dinosaur dig, fossil panning, and access to climb inside Mr. Rex all the way up to his mouth! Admission is $12 for adults age 13 and up, $10 for kids 3-12, $8 for seniors and military and free for anyone ages three and under.
Mount Rushmore
13000 Sd-24457751, Keystone, SD 57751
(605) 574-2523
Literally rising on the Black Hills of South Dakota, Mount Rushmore features the carved mountain images of four presidents (George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt) which were chosen by the sculptor Gutzon Borglum who began his creating in 1927. It wasn’t completed until 1941. In addition to just seeing the huge work of art, families can experience a 30-minute guided tour along the Presidential Trail, a 15-minute Sculptor’s Studio Talk and a 45-minute evening program at the park’s amphitheater. There is no charge to enter the park, but there is a fee to park there (about $10).
Robber’s Cave
Hwy 2 N., Wilburton, Oklahoma 74578
(918) 465-2565
Located within the hills of the San Bois Mountains, this state park is a favorite for outdoor sports lovers, but its claim to fame is the nortorious backstory as the caves here were often used as hideouts for outlaws during the wide west days. The park is excellent for rappellers, cave explorers, hikers, fishermen, etc.
Space Needle
400 Broad St, Seattle, WA 98109
(206) 905-2100
Built for the 1962 World’s Fair, the 605-foot tall Space Needle is still Seattle’s #1 draw for tourists. It only takes the elevator 43 seconds to arrive to the observation deck where families can check out the 360-degree cloud’s eye view of the city and beyond. Although the view is always spectacular, guests coming to the city currently are facing some construction barriers as the Needle is getting a huge face lift. In a multi-phase event, a new floor to ceiling glass wall is expected to be completed on the observation deck by this summer and the rotating restaurant on top will be getting an all new glass floor! Currently tickets for the Space Needle are $22 for those between the ages of 13 and 64, $19 for seniors age 65 and up and $14 for kids ages 5-12. Anyone younger gets in for free.
Statue of Liberty
Island, New York, NY 10004 New York
(212) 363-3200
With its message that we all belong here, the Statue of Liberty is one of our nation’s most important landmarks. But besides all of its historical significance, it’s still really cool. Given as a gift of friendship from France, the lady has been standing in place since 1886. She’s a tall woman standing 151 feet tall and one inch. Inside, 354 steps lead you up to her crown. A ferry boat ride ticket is all you need to visit her but reservations are recommended. Tickets are $18.50 for adults age 13 and up, $14 for seniors age 62 and up, $9 for kids ages 4-12 and free for anyone younger.
The Alamo
300 Alamo Plaza, San Antonio, TX 78205
(210) 225-1391
Originally opened in 1718 as the San Antonio de Valero, a Spanish mission that protected indigenous people from hostiles, the Alamo Church has a reputation as a “hallowed ground and the Shrine of Texas Liberty.” Families can explore the grounds for free, but a 45-minute audio tour is also available for $7 and an Official Alamo Battlefield Tour is available as well for $15.
Two-Story Outhouse
1022 Front St., Gays, IL
Just when you thought you seen it all – you haven’t. A double-decker outhouse was built by Samuel Gammill at the back of his general store in 1872 and still stands today. It’s not as gross and you’d think – the holes were place on opposite sides. While the store was torn down in 1984, the outhouse still remains in little park in its honor.
Winchester Mystery House
525 S Winchester Blvd. San Jose, CA 95128
(408) 247-2101
The Winchester Mystery House was once the home of Sarah Winchester, the widow of William Wirt Winchester the creator of the Winchester rifles. Construction of the home began in 1884 but continued until Sarah’s death in 1922. Sarah felt that the house was haunted by the ghosts of those killed by the Winchester rifles and so she attempted to hide from the ghosts by continually adding on. The mansion is beautiful, but odd and if you’ve seen the tour before, you’ll be glad to know that they have added a new “Explore More Tour.” The basic two-and-half-hour mansion tour will lead you through 110 of the 160 rooms. Tickets range from $20-$39.
The United States is full of more unique places to visit and explore. Find more at https://roadtrippers.com/guides/roadside-attractions-usa or https://roadtrippers.com/collections/roadside-attractions-usa-50
Have Fun Exploring America!
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