I-90 Oddities
If you are ever taking a trip along I-90, you will notice how long the drive seems and how many interesting billboards there are. Below are a few oddities you can stop and see along the way.
If you are ever taking a trip along I-90, you will notice how long the drive seems and how many interesting billboards there are. Below are a few oddities you can stop and see along the way.
I-90 Oddities
Jolly Green Giant, Blue Earth, Minnesota
One of the best things about a road trip is the chance to make unscheduled stops at interesting spots along the way. Along I-90 is Blue Earth, Minnesota where the Jolly Green Giant is located. It is a huge statue, which is great for pictures, plus there is a little gift shop nearby.
Address: 1130 Giant Drive, Blue Earth, MN
Directions: I-90 exit 119. Turn south onto US 169. Drive a half-mile, turn right onto CR-104/Fairgrounds Rd, then left onto Giant Drive. Behind the Dairy Queen.
Corn Palace, Mitchell, South Dakota
Another fun stop along I-90 is the Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota. The Corn Palace has murals that are made with ears of corn, the theme of the murals change each year. During the summer, there are shops and booths inside and out of the "palace" where you can buy things. Events are held there throughout the year as well.
Website: www.cornpalace.org
Address: 604 N. Main St., Mitchell, SD
Directions: I-90 to Mitchell. North on Hwy 37 (Sanborn Blvd) into town. Right on 6th Ave. The Palace is three blocks east of Hwy 37, at the corner of 6th and Main.
Wall Drug, Wall, South Dakota
Wall Drug is not a place you can miss along I-90 because there are literally hundreds of signs for it along I-90. Wall Drug has entertaining things for all ages. There are things to eat, shop, and plenty of photo opportunities. You can stay for a few minutes or hours. It is a nice break from the long drive of I-90. Plus, after all the signs, you feel compelled to see what all the fuss is about.
Website: www.walldrug.com
Address: 510 Main St., Wall, SD
Directions: I-90 exit 110, turn north onto Glenn St., then turn left. Drive two blocks then turn right onto Main St. Two blocks north, on the right.
Walnut Grove, Minnesota
Okay, Walnut Grove is not right off I-90, but anyone who was a fan of Little House on the Prairie has to make the short detour (50 miles) to Walnut Grove. There is a Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum and you can eat at Nellie's Restaurant.
Pipestone National Monument (http://www.nps.gov/pipe/index.htm)
Pipestone is not a real oddity, but if you decide to go to Walnut Grove, this is a great stop to add to your trip. There is a waterfall (that we were not able to hike to because of flooding in 2011), plus an interesting visitor's center.
Jolly Green Giant, Blue Earth, Minnesota
One of the best things about a road trip is the chance to make unscheduled stops at interesting spots along the way. Along I-90 is Blue Earth, Minnesota where the Jolly Green Giant is located. It is a huge statue, which is great for pictures, plus there is a little gift shop nearby.
Address: 1130 Giant Drive, Blue Earth, MN
Directions: I-90 exit 119. Turn south onto US 169. Drive a half-mile, turn right onto CR-104/Fairgrounds Rd, then left onto Giant Drive. Behind the Dairy Queen.
Corn Palace, Mitchell, South Dakota
Another fun stop along I-90 is the Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota. The Corn Palace has murals that are made with ears of corn, the theme of the murals change each year. During the summer, there are shops and booths inside and out of the "palace" where you can buy things. Events are held there throughout the year as well.
Website: www.cornpalace.org
Address: 604 N. Main St., Mitchell, SD
Directions: I-90 to Mitchell. North on Hwy 37 (Sanborn Blvd) into town. Right on 6th Ave. The Palace is three blocks east of Hwy 37, at the corner of 6th and Main.
Wall Drug, Wall, South Dakota
Wall Drug is not a place you can miss along I-90 because there are literally hundreds of signs for it along I-90. Wall Drug has entertaining things for all ages. There are things to eat, shop, and plenty of photo opportunities. You can stay for a few minutes or hours. It is a nice break from the long drive of I-90. Plus, after all the signs, you feel compelled to see what all the fuss is about.
Website: www.walldrug.com
Address: 510 Main St., Wall, SD
Directions: I-90 exit 110, turn north onto Glenn St., then turn left. Drive two blocks then turn right onto Main St. Two blocks north, on the right.
Walnut Grove, Minnesota
Okay, Walnut Grove is not right off I-90, but anyone who was a fan of Little House on the Prairie has to make the short detour (50 miles) to Walnut Grove. There is a Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum and you can eat at Nellie's Restaurant.
Pipestone National Monument (http://www.nps.gov/pipe/index.htm)
Pipestone is not a real oddity, but if you decide to go to Walnut Grove, this is a great stop to add to your trip. There is a waterfall (that we were not able to hike to because of flooding in 2011), plus an interesting visitor's center.
Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo, Texas
Another fun oddity to see is the Cadillac Ranch off I-40 near Amarillo, Texas. Who knew you could grow cars? There are even paint cans near each car that you can use to paint on the cadillacs. The cars are "planted" in a field and you just walk across the field to them.
Directions: Just west of the Amarillo city line. I-40 exit 60. Drive south to the frontage road (old Route 66), then turn left. Drive east one mile. Cadillac Ranch will be on the right (south) side; just park your car along the shoulder and enter the pasture through an unlocked gate. Visitors are encouraged; dog friendly.
Another fun oddity to see is the Cadillac Ranch off I-40 near Amarillo, Texas. Who knew you could grow cars? There are even paint cans near each car that you can use to paint on the cadillacs. The cars are "planted" in a field and you just walk across the field to them.
Directions: Just west of the Amarillo city line. I-40 exit 60. Drive south to the frontage road (old Route 66), then turn left. Drive east one mile. Cadillac Ranch will be on the right (south) side; just park your car along the shoulder and enter the pasture through an unlocked gate. Visitors are encouraged; dog friendly.
Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox
As we travel, we love to look for fun things for pictures, so we could not pass up the chance to take pictures with Babe and Paul! About 15 miles south of Crescent City is a place called Trees of Mystery. You can pay to ride a tram and other things, which we did not do. Babe and Paul were enough for us and definitely a fun sight to see. |
Santa's Village, Jefferson, NH
You thought that Santa's place was in the North Pole, but you were wrong, it is located in Jefferson, NH (or maybe it is just his summer home). It is an amusement park with roller coasters and other rides. We didn't have time to spend a lot of time in Santa's Village (http://www.santasvillage.com/), but there are some fun things to see on the outside of the park. |
Tour Thru Tree
That's right! You can drive your car through a tree. This tree is located in Klamath, California. There are actually two other places that you can drive through a tree. This just shows you how big the Redwoods are. We didn't think our car would fit, but it did. Each place requires a fee to drive through the tree. (Unless you go very early in the morning like we did, then it's free.)
The other places to drive through a tree are:
Chandelier Tree in Leggett, California
Shrine Drive-Thru Tree in Myers Flat, California
That's right! You can drive your car through a tree. This tree is located in Klamath, California. There are actually two other places that you can drive through a tree. This just shows you how big the Redwoods are. We didn't think our car would fit, but it did. Each place requires a fee to drive through the tree. (Unless you go very early in the morning like we did, then it's free.)
The other places to drive through a tree are:
Chandelier Tree in Leggett, California
Shrine Drive-Thru Tree in Myers Flat, California
World's Biggest Bottle of Catsup, Collinsville, Illinois
Yes, there really is a big bottle of catsup. It is the water tower in the town. It is not too far from St. Louis (about 10 miles) and worth a detour. There was a lot of construction going on when we went so we could not park as close as we wanted to. This is definitely an oddity, but in a great way!! (Is there also a big bottle of ketchup? Who knows?)
Yes, there really is a big bottle of catsup. It is the water tower in the town. It is not too far from St. Louis (about 10 miles) and worth a detour. There was a lot of construction going on when we went so we could not park as close as we wanted to. This is definitely an oddity, but in a great way!! (Is there also a big bottle of ketchup? Who knows?)
Paul Bunyan, Rumford, Maine
Another statue we stumbled upon during our travels in the northeast was another Paul Bunyan. California isn't the only place for Paul. We get a kick out of these roadside oddities. They really are the best part of a road trip. And a great reason to get out of the car. After we returned home, we discovered that Babe is just a few blocks away in Rumford.
Another statue we stumbled upon during our travels in the northeast was another Paul Bunyan. California isn't the only place for Paul. We get a kick out of these roadside oddities. They really are the best part of a road trip. And a great reason to get out of the car. After we returned home, we discovered that Babe is just a few blocks away in Rumford.
Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump
Fort Macleod, Alberta, Canada In 2013, we took a trip to Canada to Banff, as you drive north on Hwy 2 you will see a sign for Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump. The name itself makes you want to see what it is all about. It is a visitor center located in an area where the Aboriginal People of the Northern Plains would herd the buffalo over a cliff to kill them. It is a very interesting place and you can learn a lot of new things. One of the workers, Edwin, was full of information and he even gave us and a couple of others a special tour. It was awesome. |
Anne of Green Gables Museum
Many females read Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery when they were young. All the girls in our family did and we had to see Prince Edward Island where the books take place. The museum is a fun place that has a gift shop with fun stuff like the "official" Anne braids. You can also see the "Lake of Shining Waters" across the way from the museum. It is definitely the place to go for all Anne of Green Gables fans! |
Field of Dreams
Dyersville, Iowa
Most people are familiar with the movie "Field of Dreams" which stars Kevin Costner. Did you know that you can go and see the field used in the film? The field is located in Dyersville, Iowa. The field is surrounded by corn fields and you can play a game on the field. It is free to go there and get on the field or watch a game. The house is a private residence so you cannot go in there, but there are souvenirs you can buy if you would like. It is definitely a fun place to stop if you are ever in Iowa.
Dyersville, Iowa
Most people are familiar with the movie "Field of Dreams" which stars Kevin Costner. Did you know that you can go and see the field used in the film? The field is located in Dyersville, Iowa. The field is surrounded by corn fields and you can play a game on the field. It is free to go there and get on the field or watch a game. The house is a private residence so you cannot go in there, but there are souvenirs you can buy if you would like. It is definitely a fun place to stop if you are ever in Iowa.