One of the first recorded road trips happened in May of 1903…
When two American gentlemen threw some sleeping bags and cooking gear into the back seat of a cherry-red Winton touring car, they didn’t realize they were making history. They jumped in the front seat and hit the road for an unprecedented cross-country trip. Whereas that trip went down in history as a first, it must have been incredibly boring without some of the unique roadside attractions that exist today. Here are some locations they might have enjoyed to break up the monotony.
The World’s Largest Collection of Smallest Versions of Largest Things: Kansas
Artist Erika Nelson is a genius. When the artist hears news of a “World’s Largest” roadside attraction, she visits the location, takes a photo and then creates tiny replica of the items. She has amassed quite a tiny collection over the years. For an idea of what she has managed to create, check out her official website at worldslargestthings.com
Garden of One Thousand Buddhas: Montana
This spiritual site near Arlee, Montana is intended to be a pilgrimage destination for the Western hemisphere and place of worship for people of any faith. It is free to the public and features over one thousand statues. The garden was founded by Gochen Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche, a Tibetan master. He selected the spot to build the garden after seeing it and recalling it from a dream he had in his youth that prophesized specific aspects of the location.
Chatty Belle, World’s Largest Talking Cow: Wisconsin
Built for the World’ Fair in Neillsville, Wisconsin, the World’s Largest Talking Cow used to talk to visitors about fun Wisconsin dairy facts. Nowadays she is just the “World’s Largest Cow”, as her voice box stopped working. She stands at approximately 16 feet high and 20 feet long, and hovers over another cow statue, Bullet, her son that stands quietly by her side.
Igloo City: Cantwell, Alaska
It might not be fair to call Igloo City a tourist attraction because technically the building never opened. Somewhere around 1970 this four-story, concrete hotel was designed to look like a traditional igloo. The building was never finished, however, because it continually failed to meet building codes set forth by the city. Over the years the location has gone into disrepair. That being said, tourist still like to stop by and have their photo taken outside of the abandoned and boarded building.
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