As a kid I have fond memories of hitting the road with my parents and exploring the USA by car.  There’s nothing like getting away from home and spending quality time with family and going on a new adventure.  The randomness of pitstops, exploring towns that nobody had ever heard of and seeing the most unusual of tourist sites will forever be etched in my memory.  No matter what season, armed with a CAA guide, Best Western hotels booked and our van, we could get to anywhere we wanted to.

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Five odd tourist attractions

In honor of that here is are some of the most unusual roadside attractions you can find across the USA that would give you as good a reason as any to pack your bags and hit the road.

1) Pike Place Market Gum Wall

Credit: FoodPunk.ca

Right by Pike Place in downtown Seattle, you can find a wall entirely covered with chewed and hardened over bubble gum.  This sticky and colorful wall is a place that you can fascinate over and contribute to.   If you’re a germaphobe though, I might stay away though.  Regardless, I wouldn’t recommend touching the wall.  There might  be new strains of bacteria here that the CDC doesn’t even know about!

Address:   Gum Wall Pike St Seattle, WA 98101

2) Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland

Credit: Michigan.org

I remember coming here as a kid and being confused why we were visiting a store filled with Christmas stuff in the middle of the summer.  In the middle of Michigan’s Little Bavaria in Frankenmuth, you can find a full assortment of Christmas trims and gifts that’s the size of 1.5 football fields.  Now you know where to go when you need dose of Christmas all year round.

Address:   25 Christmas Lane Frankenmuth, MI 48734 (989) 652-9931 Website

3) The Big Apple

Credit: FallingApple.blog.com

Close to home, this is something we always pass by being east of Toronto.  They claim to have the biggest apple in the world and hey who am I to argue otherwise as its certainly ginormous.  This is always a nice pit stop because they serve up a delicious pies, ciders and freshly picked apples.

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Address: 262 Orchard Dr. Colborne, ON, Canada 905-355-2574 Website

4) Penn’s Cave

Credit: OnwardState.com

In the middle of Pennsylvania you’ll find America’s only water cavern.  Hop on a little water craft and explore the limestone curtains, pillars and columns carved from the water a millennia ago.  You’d never expect something like this driving through the state of Pennsylvania but it was quite the nice surprise.

Address: 222 Penn’s Cave Road Centre Hall, PA 16828 814-364-1664 Website

5)  Cadillac Ranch

Credit: Brian L Romig

In Amarillo, Texas there’s a graveyard of 10 Cadillacs as part of an art installation that demonstrates the glory of that classic tail fin design dating from 1949 to 1963.  Nowadays, tourists are encouraged to continue to graffiti over the art to continue the conversation.  It’s a cool spot to stop over on the classic Route 66 that is certainly tweet and Instagram worthy.

Address: I-40, outside of Amarillo, TX 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.

CAA maps always handy to have

My Dad has always loved CAA (Canadian AAA) because it always gave us a nice safety net whether at home or on a road trip.  It’s comforting to know that we can always count on CAA if we get into an accident, get a flat tire, run out of gas or lock ourselves out.  Another added bonus having CAA was having access the maps.  Even with everyone switching to GPS, he insists on using those CAA maps.  Without these maps, I’m not sure how we would’ve been able to get around.

Best Western experience

Best Western Plus Finger Lakes Hotel

When on the road, we often picked Best Western as a place to stop over for the night.  They were already conveniently located by the highway, had a great price point and were clean, modern and offers  breakfast. When we were visiting Finger Lakes, we stayed at the Best Western Plus Finger Lakes Inn & Suites which had well-appointed decor, was modern and extremely comfortable.

Travel Resources For Your Next Trip

If you’re in the process of planning your trip and putting together your itinerary, these are genuinely the best resources that the Going Awesome Places team stands by 100%.

Credit cards: Don’t get burned by hidden fees on top of terrible exchange rates. When we travel now, we use the Wise Card. Simply load it with the currency you need before you go and use it as a regular VISA or their digital wallet card. Use their free app to track how much you have and top up when you need to.

Flights: Of all the booking search engines, Skyscanner is the most helpful and easy to use thanks to their Everywhere feature. Kayak is also another that’s we will often check as well.

Car Rental: If you’re looking to save money, these car rental coupon codes will be a true game-changer. Otherwise, DiscoverCars and RentalCars are great places to start.

Rideshare: For new Lyft users, use code WILLIAM4825 to get 50% off your first 2 rides (max $10 USD per ride). Offer valid for 14 days after you take your first ride. For new Uber users, use code psuqbjg4d7rn for the same offer except it’s valid for 30 days.

Airport Parking: You’ll need a spot to leave your car at the airport so why not book a spot at a discount. Use code AWESOME7 to get at least $5 off at Airport Parking Reservations or Park Sleep Fly packages.

eSIM: Lately, we’ve really loved using eSIMs. We’ve tested several over the years and we have access to a few special promotions.

  • AmigoSIM – Use GOINGAWESOMEPLACES to save 25% off. Code is re-useable.
  • Gigsky – Use TANG149 to get $3 USD when you sign up, then use code GOINGAWESOME to save 20% on all eSIM orders.
  • KnowRoaming – Use code GAP10 to save 10%.
  • AloSIM – Use code GOINGAWESOMEPLACES to save 15%.
  • Airalo – Use referral code WILLIA9500 to get $3 USD credit on your first purchase.
  • UbigiAWESOME10 to save 10% on your first order.

Wifi Hotspot: We’ve been a huge fan of wifi hotspot devices such as PokeFi (use code GAP24300) because their rates are are hard to beat and it works globally. Solis is another that we recommend. Pros are that you can share the wifi with your whole group but cons are that you have to invest in a device and you have to charge it every night.

Hotels: Our go-to is Booking.com because they have the best inventory of properties including hotels and B&Bs plus they have their Genius tier discounts. Expedia is also worth using especially with their One Key rewards program which is basically like cash. The exception is Asia where Agoda always has the best prices. Always do a quick check on TripAdvisor as well.

Vacation Rentals: Your first instinct will be to check Airbnb but we always recommend checking VRBO as well if you’re looking for a vacation rental (now eligible for One Key).

Tours and Activities: When planning our trips, we always check both Viator and GetYourGuide to at least see what’s out there in the destination that we’re going to. They often have different offerings and prices so check both.

Travel Insurance: Learn how to buy the best travel insurance for you. This isn’t something you want to travel without.

  • HeyMondo – Popular insurance provider for frequent travelers and comes with great coverage and special perks. By booking through our link to get a 5% discount!
  • RATESDOTCA – Search engine Canadians looking for the cheapest insurance including multi-trip annual policies.
  • SafetyWing – A perfect fit for long-term nomads.
  • Medjet – Global air medical transportation.
  • InsureMyTrip – Best for seniors, families, and those with pre-existing conditions.

If you need more help planning your trip, make sure to check out our Travel Toolbox where we highlight all of the gear, resources, and tools we use when traveling.

William Tang of Going Awesome Places
About The Author

Will Tang

Will Tang, founder of Going Awesome Places, has traveled to 51 countries. He shares his insanely detailed itineraries, travel guides, and packing lists. Will’s travels have been featured on Huffington Post, Men’s Journal, and Entrepreneur.

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The Discussion

    1. Haha if one day I decide to do one for unusual attractions around the world, I’ll definitely have to add those in!

  1. Oh, I hadn’t heard of any of those places! They are definitely awesome, and of course, if they need a road trip, it is even better!!
    With love,
    Vera