This could qualify as "stupid" on some occasions 

i love how soooo many of these roadside attractions are here in nor cal ..ive been to confusion hill & trees of mystery (which is also where paul bunyon & babe is) & the drive thru tree... they are all up hwy 101 along the coast, a few hours north of san francisco..ive also been to the prehistoric gardens, which is also along 101.. and ive seen the chair too because i used to live in anniston.. i live for this stuff! so quirky & cool....

if you find yourself taking i-80 from idaho into cali, you should cut off at reno & then onto US 395 & go through Virginia City, it's a cool old west town...then from there you could take 395 to hwy 50 & go through Tahoe & from there into Sacramento where you could visit Old Sac & the state capitol if you wanted to or you could continue on to i-80 into the bay area & decide if you want to go north on 101 to all of the roadside attractions mentioned above or just continue on to San Francisco where you can pick up the PCH orrrrrrr you can skip sf altogether & go from 80 to 680 & head towards santa cruz where you can also pick up the pch

not exactly pullover attractions

but mingling with people at a localized festival is usually the most amusing (unless they are wearing bedsheets and are erecting a large wooden crucifix)

sadly, too late for the Gilroy Garlic Festival....

I recall there being several Banana Slug Festivals I think in Oregon and on the Russian River in Cali

not on your path but Helen Georgia is always a weird sort of experience....a failed logging camp that re-invented itself

as a Bavarian Alpine Village...in an odd hillbilly sorta way

just do a tour of Walmarts, they could be considered roadside attractions.
Go in with stereotypical tourist garb on, a camera and a clipboard.
Ask to have pictures of you taken next to the most interesting fauna.

i'm loving the sugestions. THanks guys!


we were actualy talking about doing random stops at walmarts just to judge them against each other and try to get a rating system going.

Cadillac ranch right on the I40

These are east of Flagstaff on I-40:



And shortly after that is the Meteor Crater:



And then you can stand on a corner in Winslow, AZ - but there's not much else to do there:

http://www.standinonthecorner.com/

and i've always wanted to go to oatman arizona... they have wild burros that just hang out in town

http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/89?offset=5

Quote from: RAT900 on August 27, 2012, 11:43:43 PM

I recall there being several Banana Slug Festivals I think in Oregon and on the Russian River in Cali

Yes

the slug races start next weekend

Quote from: Mother on August 29, 2012, 08:57:01 AM
Yes

the slug races start next weekend

And last until the first frost.

Well, I guess you gotta hit Graceland since you'll be in Memphis...

If you take I20 East out of ATL you'll pass by the "prettier" drive to DC via the Blue Ridge Pkwy and instead hit I95 North in Florence, SC.  A few miles after that you'll hit "South of the Border", world's *whatever* truckstop.  Don't worry, you can't miss it, there's billboards for 100 miles in either direction.

In my experience with xcountry road trips, if you're not in a hurry and you take the highways/backroads through small towns that were forgotten when the interstates were built you'll enjoy much better sight seeing/thrift store pickin'.  The cheesy "largest ball of string" attractions are SO underwhelming and will get old fast when you find yourself driving out of the way to get to them, especially if you're not on drugs.

In another, much older post, a member talked about trying to hit all the best roadside bbq joints.  I had a similar fantasy before I became a vegetarian, a decision I still question at times...bbq...mmmm....

Whatever you do, have safe be fun. 

Quote from: elyse on August 29, 2012, 08:50:43 AM
and i've always wanted to go to oatman arizona... they have wild burros that just hang out in town

http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/89?offset=5

I've been to that "ghost town".

And yes, there are burros there.

Randomis already posted the meteor crater and arrows outside of Flagstaff/Wynonna on I-40.

40 through Amarillo..I believe it's the 40 oz steak. Free if you eat under certain time.

If you head down 10..The Thing will be all over the highway.

Burt Reynolds museum in Jupiter, FL

Any attraction at Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri.

Quote from: IZ on August 29, 2012, 06:05:11 PM
40 through Amarillo..I believe it's the 40 oz steak. Free if you eat under certain time.

That's The Big Texan, and it's 72 oz. You have to eat the entire meal (steak, baked potato, salad, shrimp cocktail, and dinner roll) in under an hour.

Current record is just under 9 minutes.

Costs you $72 if you can't. Costs you $72 if you can, but then they refund your money and give you a t shirt and some other shwag.

I've always wanted to go to Lightning Field in New Mexico.  "Earth art" built in the '70s consisting of 400 steel poles meant to attract lightning.  If a storm is in the area, might be cool to stop by.