Illustration by Paperface
The roads of America are filled with whacky and wonderful attractions that are calling your name, so why not take a pit stop on the way to your final destination to ride a gravy-themed rollercoaster?
Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum
(Farmington Hills, Michigan)
This arcade/museum is a funhouse of kinetic art, animatronics, and mechanical games. Have your fortune told by Zelda the Mysterious, watch a tiny man eat spaghetti in a bathtub, and be serenaded by an alien. If that’s too creepy, there are more traditional arcade games like pinball and Guitar Hero.
Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum, 31005 Orchard Lake Rd., Farmington Hills, MI, (248) 626-5020
Cornhenge
(Dublin, Ohio)
Officially known as “Field of Corn (with Osage Orange Trees),” Cornhenge consists of 109 six-foot concrete statues of corn in an old cornfield. It was built in 1994 to honor Ohio’s agricultural history and achievements. Most people just see it as a bizarrely starchy shrine.
Cornhenge, 4995 Rings Rd., Dublin, OH, (614) 410-4550
The Small Town With Very Big Things
(Casey, Illinois)
Welcome to Casey, where 12 of the world’s largest items are located within a 2.6-mile radius. On your drive through you can check out such installations as the World’s Largest Rocking Chair, World’s Largest Mailbox, and World’s Largest Teeter Totter. If you show up on Saturdays during tourism season, you can even ride it.
Casey Illinois City Hall, 101 W. Alabama Ave., Casey, IL, (217) 932-2700
KSB Miniatures Collection
(Maysville, Kentucky)
The Miniatures Collection at Kentucky Gateway Museum is home to hundreds of 1/12-scale miniatures collected all around the world over four decades by curator Kaye Browning. Pull out your magnifying glass and marvel at the perfect tiny replicas of a 1760 Louis XV microscope, Rembrandt’s, and even a 1797 Naderman harp.
KSB Miniatures Collection, 215 Sutton Ave., Maysville, KY, (606) 564-5865
Dinosaur World
(Cave City, Kentucky)
Stroll among life-sized dinosaur statues just outside of Mammoth Cave at this outdoor attraction. There’s also a playground where kids can dig for fossils. Don’t worry about potentially missing the entrance—a T-Rex will let you know “You just missed us!”
Dinosaur World, 711 Mammoth Cave Rd., Cave City, KY, (270) 773-4345
Holiday World
(Santa Claus, Indiana)
This amusement park near Indianapolis is themed after major U.S. holidays. You can be spun around by the Scarecrow Scrambler for Halloween, eat at Kringle’s Banquet Hall for Christmas, play Boston Tea Party for the Fourth of July, and ride the new Good Gravy rollercoaster for Thanksgiving—all in one day.
Holiday World, 452 E. Christmas Blvd., Santa Claus, IN, (812) 937-4401
The Wilds
(Cumberland, Ohio)
An old coal field in southeastern Ohio is now one of the world’s largest animal and ecological conservation centers. You can take a safari on-road, off-road, on horseback, on zipline, or by boat to see the many free-roaming African animals on property. Keep an eye on your stuff, or it may get snatched by an ostrich (from first-hand experience).
The Wilds, 14000 International Rd., Cumberland, OH, (740) 638-5030
Otherworld
(Columbus, Ohio)
Get transported to different dimensions at this immersive art museum, with a fully interactive experience that takes you through hidden twists, turns, and tunnels. Overwhelmed? Stop and relax on the tongue of Ms. Schmuffly in the Land of Schnoop.
Otherworld, 5819 Chantry Rd., Columbus, OH, (614) 808-6433
Mothman Museum
(Point Pleasant, West Virginia)
It’s the only museum in the world dedicated to Mothman, with a collection of memorabilia, relics, documents, and first-hand accounts about the cryptid in the city where he was first spotted. Be sure to come back September 21 & 22 for the 2024 Mothman Festival.
Mothman Museum, 400 Main St., Point Pleasant, WV, (304) 812-5211
Billy Bob’s Wonderland
(Barboursville, West Virginia)
If you long to be a child in the 1980s, head to this arcade, where the owners managed to save the ShowBiz Pizza band, The Rock-Afire Explosion, and have programmed them to play everything from classic rock to modern pop hits. There’s also an arcade, mini golf course, go-cart track, and laser tag.
Billy Bob’s Wonderland, 5 Cracker Barrel Dr., Barboursville, WV, (304) 733-4550
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