Friday, January 8, 2016

Strictly for Fun: Five Odd Touristy Places I'd Like to Visit

As you may have noticed, I've been struggling to come up with things to post this week. I do have ideas (like, for example, my brewing post on the environment); trouble is, said ideas need a little more development before they see the light of day.

Then, this afternoon, Facebook came to the rescue, alerting me to the existence of a rather amusing Utah attraction -- and consequently reminding me that I love odd-ball touristy places and always have. Indeed, when my brother went on a storm-chasing trip through the plains a few years ago, the gift he brought back for me was a snow globe from:



Matt knew I'd appreciate that little trinket -- and he was right.

And while we're at it, here are four similar attractions I'd also like to visit:



Here, you can celebrate the holidays in July. Or October. Or March. Or basically any time you choose. At Bronner's, it's Christmas 24/7/365. And when you've had enough of Santa, a reliable expert informs me that the vicinity also boasts a Bavarian-style castle and competing chicken joints. The upshot? The whole town sounds absolutely amazing.


Because seriously -- what science fiction fan doesn't want to go here? I honestly doubt that we've actually been visited by aliens, but the exhibits are probably very interesting. And the gift shop? I'm guessing it's a hoot.



I feel bad. My family has been settled in Virginia for over twenty years -- and yet I still haven't been here. As a brief search of Roadside America reveals, Americans have built dinosaurs like this all over the US for some beautiful and mysterious reason, but I figure I should give it up for my home state first.



In addition to erecting dinosaur sculptures, Americans also have a penchant for putting other random objects on public display. Apparently, the Pasadena Fork pictured above was targeted for removal by -- you guessed it -- an overly fussy government agency, but local residents loved it so much that it managed to survive for six months without that agency's blessing. Guerrilla folk art for the win!

So what say you, readers? Do you have strange roadside attractions to recommend? If so, leave a note in the comments!

12 comments:

  1. Oooh... I'm a "reliable expert" now. I'm honored.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Well if the Pasadena Fork isn't a tribute to Yogi Berra, then it ought to be.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm guessing the 'Fork in the road' is a reference to a continuing comedy skit Johnny Carson used to do on 'The Tonight Show'.
    My vote for an 'off the beaten road' tourist attraction is the 'Big Muskie' bucket near McConnelsville, OH. For perhaps 30 years it was the largest earth moving machine in the world. The bucket is gi-normous.

    ReplyDelete
  4. 1) The Pez museum Orange, CT 2) Corning Museum of Glass Works, Corning, NY

    ReplyDelete
  5. That's it? You got the entire planet Earth and a couple of weeks and that's where you would go?

    :-|

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No, that isn't it. Those were several I could think of off the top of my head, but I'm definitely open to seeing more. That's why I asked that final question at the bottom of the post. ;)

      Delete
  6. My favorite free weird tourist attraction is the Tokyo Parasitological Museum in Meguro (southwest), Tokyo, Japan. It's amazing to me that such a place exists, and is pretty popular. I've been there four times.

    http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/meguro-parasitological-museum

    ReplyDelete
  7. I suggest the Spam Museum in Austin, MN. and the Corn Palace in Mitchell, Iowa.

    ReplyDelete
  8. AstroJanuary 11, 2016 at 5:18 AM wrote, I'm guessing the 'Fork in the road' is a reference to a continuing comedy skit Johnny Carson used to do on 'The Tonight Show'."

    That might be the immediate inspiration. But the joke predates Carson to the point of being hackneyed, which is exactly why he used it. My guess is that it goes back to vaudeville or even earlier.

    ReplyDelete
  9. There is a Fork in the Road, along with an extra large Prozac pill in Red Hook, NY about 2 hours north NYC http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/6285

    ReplyDelete