27 Roadside Attractions in the U.S.

Monstrous monuments and silly, super-sized statues – who can resist? You pass by the world’s largest frying pan or a 20-foot tall loon as you make the trek to the cabin, and though you’ve stopped to gaze at these attractions dozens of times, you take a look again. Little Johnny and Suzy pose for a photo and everyone jumps back in the car.

These zany landmarks that dot the countryside en route to our cabins are the creations of small towns competing for tourism. Many, such as the large clams in Pismo Beach, Calif., or the 20-foot lobster in Hancock, Maine, testify to the area’s history. Others seem oddly out of place, but all the more reason to stop by and find out the scoop. Quite often, the stories, legends and lore are as unique as the structures themselves.

These 27 roadside attractions (some of which were shown in the March 2015 issue of Cabin Life) stick out of the landscape and welcome both young and old to be curious. When we see them, we know where we are and just how close we are to the cabin. We remember family photos in front of them, fights in the backseat with our siblings, traveling songs, and the smell of tackle boxes in a station wagon. They welcome us back to the cabin and all the nostalgia that goes with it.

YOU SAID IT
"On our way to our cabin, we pass by ..."

• "The world’s largest twine ball rolled by one man. It’s only 10 minutes from our Darwin, Minn., cabin." – Eric Berg
• "The giant Uncle Sam, Santa and other hokey statues at Magic Forest as we head into the Lake George, N.Y., area." – Fran S.
• "The orange moose near Black River Falls, Wis., and the huge lounge chair at a gas station north of Eau Claire, Wis." – Carol Aeschleman Halm
• "The Route 23 mystery poles near Oak Ridge, N.J. They’re a series of telephone poles with whimsical figures placed atop." – Bonnie Schwab
• "The Big Fish Supper Club on Highway 2 in Bena, Minn., and the big black duck in Blackduck, Minn." – Audrey Huggins