Road trips have been America’s favorite summer vacation ever since the advent of the national highway system and the progression of automotive technology. And while the experience you have will be unique to the direction you drive, there is one thing you’re almost sure to see on all of them: roadside attractions along the way.
Roadside attractions are an experience exclusive to American road trips, with each stop offering something different – from historical landmarks to quirky, offbeat creations. Despite their variety, they all share a common goal: to capture the attention (and dollars) of tourists passing by on major highways.
Follow a U.S. map in any direction, and you will surely come across a roadside attraction at some point. An interesting spot to stretch your legs? A weird and wacky tourist trap? A disappointing waste of an hour? Yes, yes, and unfortunately sometimes yes.
Let’s learn more about some of America’s coolest roadside attractions and the history behind them.
The Early Days of Roadside Attractions
Believe it or not, this good old-fashioned tourist trap actually predates the modern road system entirely. There has always been this innate urge to find wild marketing tactics to entice customers to stop in and spend money.
Back in the day, many restaurants, hotels, and cafés would construct their exteriors to be outlandish or produce a gimmick in the hopes of getting customers to stop.
One of the most notable of these was Lucy the Elephant, located in Margate, New Jersey. Considered America’s first roadside attraction, the building was completed in 1881 and served as a platform for the owner, James C. Lafferty, to sell adjacent land that would later become Atlantic City.
Roads from this time period were nothing more than dirt, but with the introduction of the Federal Aid Road Act in 1916, everything changed as the construction of 150,000 miles of asphalt began to unite the country.
Route 66, the most famous road from this act, is the quintessential example of the “golden age of family vacation.” Going from Illinois to California, the highway hosted numerous features that would now be considered famous roadside attractions.
By the 1940s, the U.S. map was spotted with roadside attractions that have now become synonymous with road trips.
WWII’s Effect on Roadside Attractions
After World War II, many G.I.s came back home eager to live life to the fullest. Using their G.I. Bills, they began to start families and enjoy the same leisure activities as before, only with their kids.
Beginning in 1956 with the introduction of the Federal Highway Act, the circumstances for roadside attractions began to change. Instead of winding two-lane highways that curved the countryside, straight-shot six-to-eight-lane superhighways began to provide direct travel to and from major cities.
Thousands of cool roadside attractions began to feel the effects of the act as their customer base began to slowly diminish. Most notable are some of the towns in Florida that hosted spring-related attractions.
Roadside attractions like Cypress Gardens and Silver Springs which relied on passing traffic for their customer base began to see a downturn in business going into the ‘60s and beyond. It seemed like I-4 and I-75 funneled everything down into Orlando, skipping over Florida’s once world-renowned natural roadside attractions.
Though these and many other once famous roadside attractions had suffered because of the new highway system, many of them adapted to the times and updated their attractions to be more currently relevant.
Roadside Attractions Today
Unfortunately, things aren’t looking good for the weird roadside attractions of yesteryear. Maybe it is the overstimulation of our everyday life, or perhaps it’s the ability to plan every stop on a road trip thanks to the internet. Whatever it is, the roadside attraction scene has taken a hit in recent years.
Traveling across America, it’s easy to see that many of these attractions are in need of a new paint job at the very least. Gimmicks made redundant by the internet, weather-worn sculptures staring hollowly back, or just general out of placeness can all be seen or felt when stopping at many of these places.
Maybe it is just that you aren’t stopping during peak tourist seasons or the attraction is truly out of the way of the highway, but regardless, many of the once cool roadside attractions aren’t so cool anymore.
It comes down to one thing – money. Like in the 1950s when certain roadside attractions started to lose tourism money as a result of the direct highway system, many of these in-between stops aren’t able to generate revenue as tourists speed past enroute to their final destination.
This isn’t to say that roadside attractions are dead or dying, but it is a recognizable fact that America has changed and people have become focused on the big ticket trendy spot rather than the small mom-and-pop stop.
The good news is that if you are among those still interested in these unique pit stops, most of them are still around to see. And there’s a good chance you’ll have them all to yourself!
Best Roadside Attractions You Need To See
American Classic
The Wigwam Motel – Holbrook, Arizona
Located on Route 66, this roadside attraction is a classic and has been referenced in many pieces of pop culture, most notably in the movie Cars. One of the three remaining Wigwam motels, this attraction is on the National Register of Historic Places and takes its guests back to the heyday of American road-tripping. Make a stop, spend the night, and step back to the early days of American road trips.
History Meets Automotive
Carhenge – Alliance, Nebraska
This attraction is 39 cars, placed to look like the actual Stonehenge! Does it get any more American? Originally built by Tim Reinders in 1987, the art installation is built to replicate the actual Stonehenge’s proportions, and the site now offers a few other car-inspired art pieces and a “pit stop.”
Quench Your Thirst
South of the Border – Dillon, South Carolina
Touted as “America’s Favorite Highway Oasis,” South of the Border was started by Alan Schafer as a South of the Border Beer Depot to service the adjacent dry counties of North Carolina. When I-95 was announced to pass by in 1964, it was only up from there. Now the spot features a restaurant, a go-kart track, a reptile lagoon, and a beer store. What’s not to love?
Feeling Corny?
The World’s Only Corn Palace – Mitchell, South Dakota
Essentially a fall festival that hasn’t stopped since 1892, this “palace” is covered in corn. As “the agricultural show-place of the world,” this roadside attraction hosts many events throughout the year that not only help the local community but celebrate corn in all its glory.
Rocky Road Ahead
Hole ‘N’ The Rock – San Juan County, Utah
This is about as literal as you will ever get with going to a hole in the wall. Originally the carved-out home of Albert Christensen and his family in the 1940s and ‘50s, the roadside attraction is 5,000 square feet, hosts 14 rooms, and includes all the original furniture of Albert’s home. If passing by, stop at their historic diner, grab a bite to eat, and explore a pure example of American ingenuity.
Summary
America has a long history of road trips and visiting unique attractions. When these two pastimes came together, the roadside attraction was born. From the early 1920s and on through the ‘60s, roadside attractions were synonymous with summer vacation road trips.
Despite all that has changed since then, their influence on American culture cannot be diminished. Though many seem to be falling on hard times due to the changes in roadways and consumer practices, roadside attractions will continue to be a tradition in the United States. If you aren’t traveling by plane, you are traveling by road. And yes, there will be roadside attractions. And yes, you should stop to take a look!
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