Five Unique Roadside Attractions Worth a Stop

Road trips can be a fun escape. You pack up the family in the RV and head out on that long stretch of American highway for an adventure. However, after too long, you can find yourself staring at endless asphalt and monotonous scenery. This is where America’s strange roadside attractions make for great pit stops and fun memories. America is home to countless unusual spectacles, but here are five to keep in mind when you need to break the monotony of the road.

The Oregon Vortex

Stretch your legs with a little bit of strangeness at the Oregon Vortex in Gold Hill, Oregon. Opened in 1930, this unsteady-looking attraction is one of America’s oldest examples of roadside entertainment. Along with being the oldest, it might also be the weirdest. Here you will find that balls roll uphill, broomsticks stand on their own, and people grow and shrink right before your eyes! Is it an optical illusion or something more? You will have to visit the vortex to find out.

Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland

Are you one of those people who wish it were Christmas every day? We found the place for you. Located just 10 minutes off of I-75 in Frankenmuth, Michigan sits Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, a 7.35 acre Christmas store filled with 50,000 items and gifts. Whether you are looking for stockings, ornaments, train sets, nativity scenes, or personalized ornaments, there is a good chance Bronner’s carries it. Stop in a get your Chrismas fix on the road!

Gatorland

If you are looking for a roadside adventure in The Sunshine State, make a stop at Gatorland in Orlando. This 110-acre theme park is the place in Florida to see gators of ALL sizes and is officially claimed as the “Alligator Capital of the World.” However, this attraction offers more than just alligators. Visitors can enjoy the park’s petting zoo, free-flight aviary, gator ziplining, daily shows, and more!

Salvation Mountain

Next time you are road tripping the lower desert of Southern California, stop and explore all the colors and crevices of Leonard Knight’s Salvation Mountain. The artist originally built and painted the mound as a way to express God’s love, but it is noted as a roadside treat anyone can enjoy. Among the vibrant biblical scripture, the artist included paintings of birds, suns, waterfalls, trees, and more. Inside the mountain, you will find a small display of objects left by previous visitors. Want to help keep Salvation Mountain preserved? Those in charge of the mountain appreciate donations of paint.

 Leaning Tower of Niles

Have you been wanting to visit Rome to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa? Illinois probably has a closer and more affordable option. Niles, Illinois is home to the Leaning Tower of Niles, a half-size replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The structure was created in 1934 by Bob Ilg as part of an employee recreation park project. The tower was designed to hold water for the pools surrounding the courtyard area. The area was recently renovated in the 90s and serves as a great location for a roadside lunch and taking photos for your friends back home.

These are only a few of the many roadside wonders that line the highways of the United States. If you don’t see an attraction that sits on your normal RV route, keep your eyes open on the road. What you stumble upon may surprise you!

Do you need to get your RV ready for the ultimate roadside adventure? Contact us today and we can tell you more about our OEM window regulators, door modules, and door assemblies. We can even help you with getting a quote or part. If opening those pesky RV windows are a problem, our SideWinder product might help you prepare for a comfortable trip this summer!