Roadside Attractions
Greetings from Goodland, Kansas. The family stayed here last night, the midpoint way station for this summer’s cross-country car trip. Goodland is a pretty nondescript town in most respects. It’s a tiny little one-Walmart burgh, heavily rural with the obligatory interstate oasis of chain efficiency hotels and fast food stops. However, it is home to the World’s Largest Easel, which supports a giant replica of one of Van Gogh’s sunflower paintings.
Naturally, I had to go see it for myself and snap a few pictures.
What’s so striking about this thing is how utterly out of place it looks. Apparently, Goodland was receptive to the idea of this installation because a lot of sunflowers are grown in and around the town, so it kind of makes sense. Still, this sort of extravagance seems more at home in, say, a large urban center, than in front of a Pizza Hut and a Dollar General.
As road-side attractions go, however, I thought it was kind of cool.
Tomorrow, we drive to Denver, where we plan to have lunch at Casa Bonita, the greatest place in the whole world, according to Eric Cartman. (My kids love it too.) Casa Bonita is itself arguably a roadside attraction.
Have any favorite roadside attractions? Share them in the comments below.
When I was a kid, there was a little hot dog stand out in the sticks in New Jersy called Hot Dog Johnny’s. My dad would go an hour out of his way on a road trip to take us there. The funny thing is it was always packed with people, it seems other families had the same tradition. When I got married, I found out my wife’s family used to do the same thing. The funniest part about it is, the food was OK, but not great.
Comment by John Scherer — June 28, 2007 @ 8:52 am
Moqui Cave. Although sadly it has been gentrified and de-kitschified. The entrance to it used to be a huge triceratops and it was less a museum than a really funky curiousities shop with everything from Civil War era weapons to coins and a whole section that involved black lights. Totally awesome.
Comment by William Morris — June 28, 2007 @ 9:12 am
Moqui Cave was always a favorite sight on the trips from Arizona to Salt Lake. I too miss the dinosaur. I believe the son of the original owner made the changes.
There was also the Bedrock City in Williams Az. Yeah Colored Concrete!
Driving across texas and Oklahoma a few years ago I saw the craziest. World’s Largest Cross, Car Sculptures, LArgest Steakhouse.
My favorite roadside attractions are probably the ones that have gone by the wayside, and are no longer operating. Like the waterpark outside of Baker Calif (newberry springs), or the General store in Goffs Ca (off route 66 in the MOjave National Preserve).
Comment by Jay S — June 28, 2007 @ 10:20 am
I went to Casa Bonita with my sister and brother and brother’s girlfriend a week and a half ago! We used to love that place when we were kids.
[raising flag up and down really fast] “Sopaipillas! Can I get some sopaipillas please!”
Comment by Heather P. — June 28, 2007 @ 10:28 am
Awesome. The best I can offer is the World’s Largest Dinosaur.
Comment by Supergenius — June 28, 2007 @ 10:30 am
I like the big concrete tree out in the salt flats west of Salt Lake City. It absurdly big, decaying, and totally user-unfriendly.
Comment by Greg — June 28, 2007 @ 10:40 am
I am so crazy about Casa Bonita.
Cliff-divers. Black Bart’s Cave. The wishing well with the spooky green face at the bottom. The sopapillas–really the only good food there. The stalagtites hanging from the ceiling. The puppet/movie theater where the movie is projected out of a skull.
You’re lucky, BTD Greg.
Comment by Brian G — June 28, 2007 @ 10:48 am
#5 is awesome! I need an excuse to drive through Alberta and show that one to my kids. Alas, I live in Ohio and I’m sure I’ll never justify such a trip with my wife.
Comment by John Scherer — June 28, 2007 @ 10:49 am
When I was a kid, we drove to somewhere in Oregon, and there were these giant statues of Paul Bunyan and Babe the blue ox.
That, and I seem to remember The Corn Palace, somewhere in South Dakota (?) where the entire building was made from differnt colors and kinds of corn… As a kid, I though it was pretty cool.
Comment by tracy m — June 28, 2007 @ 11:22 am
Yup, Mitchell, SD.
http://www.travelsd.com/about/gallery/index.asp?action=image&id=378
Comment by tracy m — June 28, 2007 @ 11:27 am
I hope one day when my kids are older and finances allow, to rent an RV and tour the country for a couple weeks, visiting such oddities along the way.
Comment by John Scherer — June 28, 2007 @ 1:01 pm
How about a roadside attraction that does not yet exist?
I give you: Soap Lake Washington’s Giant Lava Lamp!
Comment by a random John — June 28, 2007 @ 1:58 pm
Update!
Even worse than the fact that it is delayed is the fact that it won’t even have real lava!
Comment by a random John — June 28, 2007 @ 2:02 pm
Goodland! Did you stop to see the world’s largest prairie dog village and the world’s largest ball of string? I think being the director of tourism for Kansas would be a really, really bad job.
Here’s a good one. Carhenge.
Comment by Mark IV — June 28, 2007 @ 6:10 pm
sorry for the link.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carhenge
Comment by Mark IV — June 28, 2007 @ 6:12 pm
“I hope one day when my kids are older and finances allow, to rent an RV and tour the country for a couple weeks, visiting such oddities along the way.”
That would be awesome. I’ve also thought it would be cool to make a coffee table book through a trip like that.
Another place my family has been that we loved was The Orange Show in Houston. That’s a don’t miss place on your trip, John, assuming you take a swing through Texas.
Comment by BTD Greg — June 28, 2007 @ 11:22 pm
Greg, that place looks awesome!! The cigar store indian and bride kind of scare me though. I think that place would have freaked me out when I was a kid.
Comment by John Scherer — June 29, 2007 @ 1:23 pm