Who didn’t beg Mom and Dad to detour past a roadside spectacle? Join us as we go to some of the country's quirkiest stops.
Got time for another stop on your American road trip? We’ve got three more wacky suggestions:
1. Cabazon Dinosaurs
Where: Cabazon, California
Backstory: Intended to lure drivers off the interstate and into the Wheel Inn cafe, the dinosaurs of Cabazon have become a destination in their own right, thanks in part to some memorable movie cameos. Dinny the Dinosaur—a more or less life-size replica of an apatosaurus—opened in 1964 and Mr. Rex joined in 1981. Today they’re centerpieces of a creationist museum.
2. Bob’s Big Boy
Where: Burbank, California
Backstory: Built in 1949, this Bob’s restaurant is the oldest one still serving customers. In recent years, owners added a patio and revived the car hop service on weekend nights. If you stop by for a double decker burger, visit the “Beatle Booth,” which displays a plaque that pays tribute to a visit by the Fab Four in 1965.
3. General Sherman Tree
Where: Sequoia National Park, California
Backstory: This tree dwarfs even its fellow sequoias in the famous Giant Forest. By volume, it’s the largest tree in the world, measuring 275 feet tall and 102.6 feet in circumference at its base. A park trail leads directly to the General, making it easy to stare up at this natural wonder.