Most Americans know about the Disney, Universal, and SeaWorld parks across the country. What about smaller, lesser known attractions, though? If you’re ready for a new adventure, check out these seven underrated roadside attractions this year!
1. Bonneville Salt Flats
Located in Utah’s Great Salt Lake Basin, the Bonneville Salt Flats are completely made of salt. The area stretches 12 miles long and 5 miles wide and is commonly known for its annual salt flat races In fact, these events are so popular that there is even a Utah Salt Flats Racing Association.
2. The Singing Highway
The “Singing Highway” was built in 2014 on a quarter mile stretch of old Route 66. The highway “sings” America the Beautiful as long as you maintain a speed of 45 MPH. Developers hoped this would entice people to follow speed limits through this stretch of open road. Definitely worth checking out!
3. Salvation Mountain
Salvation Mountain is a mountain in Imperial County, California. Artist Leonard Knight painted famous Bible verses and other art all over the mountain. Featured words include John 3:16 and The Lord’s Prayer. The mountain is also home to beautiful flowers, waterfalls, and birds.
4. Four Corners Monument
The Four Corners Monument is the only place in the United States of America where you can touch four states at one time. These states are Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah. You can also stand on plaques on the ground that label each state individually. If you’ve ever wanted to visit the West Coast and check off as many states as possible in one trip, the Four Corners Monument is the place to do it!
5. SPAM®️ Museum
Spam®️ was (and, in some cases, still is) a household brand. For those of you who want to relive the nostalgia t of eating Spam®️ “from a can,” the Spam®️ Museum in Austin, Minnesota is worth checking out! In fact, you can take a free guided tour on weekends or walk through on your own during the week. If you work up an appetite after your tour, The Spam®️ Museum provides a long list of local restaurants that serve Spam®️ products!
6. Carhenge
If you’ve taken a world history class in your lifetime, you are probably familiar with Stonehenge, the rock circle located in Wiltshire, England. But did you know that we have an automobile counterpart right here in the United States? Alliance, Nebraska’s Carhenge is completely man-made from old cars. Carhenge is open any time the sun is up, and admission is free.
7. Jell-O Museum
The invention of Jell-O products in 1897 led Americans to crave this sweet, wiggly snack. In fact, it was so well received that there is now a Jell-o museum located in LeRoy, New York! The museum contains Jell-O molds, early advertisements for Jell-O, and recipes. Visitors can also take a guided tour through the history of Jell-O. The Jell-O museum is open year-round and costs just $5 for entry.
While we all love theme parks and music festivals, we rarely stop to think about all of the other rich, historical roadside attractions throughout our beautiful country. With this list in your hands, though, you can travel from state to state and embrace the more underrated adventures throughout the United States.
Have you ever been or do you plan on going to any of these roadside attractions across the US? Comment below with your thoughts!
Photo by William Christen on Unsplash
