How to turn a road trip into a vacation

I love road trips. One of the best things about moving from Boston to Los Angeles was the opportunity to drive across America and experience the Crayola Crayon Factory, the Route 66 Museum, the Giant Coke Bottle AND the Giant Milk Bottle. Road trips offer untold opportunities to stop and visit unique tourist attractions. Not to mention the enlightening conversations with the owners of said establishments.

There is simply no better website for finding unusual destinations than Roadside America. Where else can you find a motel to watch a drive-in movie from your motel window? What about a museum in New York where you can learn everything you ever wanted to know about Jello? Or a ranch in Texas where they grow Cadillacs (pictured above)?

Roadside America (per the editors Doug Kirby, Ken Smith, and Mike Wilkins) is devoted to oddball or over-the-top places that make them laugh. They apparently make a lot of other people laugh as well because this site has been growing steadily since it first appeared in 1994. The content is created by the editors as well as attraction owners and visitors. They sell a phone app, Muffler Men memorabilia. However, it looks like they most likely support the site through booking hotel and motel rooms.

You can find attractions based on location or topic. You can also select several stops and have a custom map made from one location to the next.

Pack a cheap picnic lunch and set a course for a day or weekend road trip through your neck of the woods. Many of these locations are free so for the cost of gas you can have a fun adventure.

If you plan a trip with your kids or honey, it is a great opportunity to learn about the history and uniqueness of your home state. Or, if you are planning a vacation further from home, the site will help you avoid the pricey tourist attractions and check out the local flavor. You can also include yard sale stops using the yard sale treasure map.

What’s your favorite unique spot?

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