Next Stop! Roadside Attractions

What is a Roadside Attraction?

A roadside attraction is a “feature along the side of a road, that is frequently advertised with billboards to attract tourists. In general, these are places one might stop on the way to somewhere else, rather than being a final or primary destination in and of themselves” (wikipedia). Mainly they consist of giant versions of objects (a giant cross), strange collections (biggest ball of string, barb wire museum), or creatively shaped buildings and food trailers that are meant to encourage you to stop (a big ice cream cone, snow cone, or an elephant).

(Wigwam Hotel Images: copyright T. Bennett.)

It seems like the roadside attraction is a peculiarly North American pursuit. There are more roadside attractions, particularly giant objects, in the US and Canada than anywhere else. The WLRA (World’s Largest Roadside Attractions) site lists attractions in a few other countries, including: Japan (giant Abacus), Spain (giant matchbook), and New Zealand (a giant sandfly, among others). Of course one could argue that Paris’ Eiffel tower and London’s Big Ben are roadside attractions, right?

This giant Easter egg is in Vegreville, Canada. It is a monument to the innocent lives lost during the dark times when a gigantic Easter Bunny terrorized the town… (Image: interestingplanet.com).

Roadside Attraction Resources

There are a few sites out there dedicated to the American roadside attraction. Here are the best:

US Roadside Attractions

My favorite site is RoadsideAmerica.com – I love to read about all of the strange, funny, and historical tourist stops. It is also interactive – visitors can leave tips and information about the sites, so there is always current information (for example, if a roadside attraction has been shut down). They even have an iPhone app and a ‘my sights’ function that allows you to plan your road trip. They also have the attractions categorized into themes and publish features like ‘Twistee Tales – Ice Cream Cone Buildings.’

Or, if you’d like your very own Twistee ice cream shop, you can buy this one from FLA USA Businesses For Sale (FLBD.com).

Canadian Roadside Attractions

There is an extensive list, broken down by province at roadsideattractions.ca. It also has a lot of pictures.

What’s  Your Favorite Roadside Attraction?

Share your stories in the comments below. Do you have a roadside attraction in your home town? Or a local festival? Let us know and and it may be featured in an upcoming post!

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