Everybody knows that the best part of any vacation is the stuff that you do on the way there. With gas prices thankfully lower now than in recent months, more people will likely venture onto the open road again this summer. Lucky for them, America is peppered with strange, unusual, historical, and fantastical roadside attractions that are a welcome diversion from mindless miles of highway.
Wall Drug: Wall, South Dakota
Photo courtesy of crunchygods (cc)
Hundreds of miles’ worth of billboards advertises the undisputed king of American roadside tourist spots. In 1931, the original owners promised free ice water to motorists who stopped to make a purchase at their drug store, and the complex now sees up to 20,000 people per day. Wall Drug has grown into 76,000 square feet of attractions such as mining and panning demonstrations and a giant roaring T-Rex. The gift store sells western souvenirs such as stuffed “jackelopes” and gold jewelry, and there are riding spurs to suit every member of the family. If you desperately need mustache wax but can’t make it to the Badlands, you can even order online.
Carhenge: Western Nebraska
Photo courtesy of catchpenny (cc)
Carhenge is a re-creation of the famous Druid rock formation made entirely out of old beater cars. The attraction, created in 1987, claims to draw over 80,000 visitors per year to western Nebraska. Not to be confused with Truckhenge, Carhenge is made out of thirty-eight cars—American ones at that. The original arrangement included two from Japan, but those were eventually replaced by good ol’ domestic models because nobody does giant junked cars like the U.S.A.
Cockroach Hall of Fame: Plano, Texas
Photo courtesy of flow14 (cc)
If you like your vermin with a little flash and panache, then stop in at the Cockroach Hall Of Fame. It’s located within the pest control shop of Michael Boudan, who lovingly displays real dead cockroaches as “roach art.” They’re dressed up as entertainers (Liberoachi) and politicians (Ross Peroach), as well as enjoying beach scenes and historical re-enactments. If you prefer live roaches, Boudan also has Madagascar hissing roaches for guests to hold. Admission is free, and the hall of fame has a gift shop with roach-themed merchandise alongside pest control devices. Because even if they’re wearing a cape and sitting at a piano, cockroaches are still gross.
South of the Border: Dillon, South Carolina
Photo courtesy of Leonard J. DeFrancisi (cc)
Straddling the border of North and South Carolina sits this massive tourist trap, known for selling faux-Mexican knick-knacks to folks en route to Myrtle Beach. The gift shop, which started as a beer stand in 1950, sells everything from beach towels to backscratchers, and the entire staff answers to the name “Pedro.” Need fireworks? There’s a store selling them. Getting married? The South of the Border wedding package includes free breakfast for only $99, plus you get to stay in a room with a waterbed. They also have a special Mexican-themed selection of marital aids in the “Dirty Old Man” store.
The Thing: Dragoon, Arizona
Photo courtesy of Colin Gregory Palmer (cc)
What is The Thing? It’s in Dragoon, Arizona, and it’s marked by hundreds of roadside signs which claim that The Thing is “The Mystery of the Desert.” For only a dollar, tourists can check out the complex, which also includes Hitler’s Rolls Royce, a torture exhibition, and an assortment of strange and creepy folk art. What is The Thing? We’ll leave it as a mystery, since we wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise. Also, we’re not entirely sure.
