where in America can I find these things?
September 16, 2024 8:58 PM Subscribe
1. A room in a hotel or inn with a large red or pink heart-shaped bathtub that works
2. A carnival or amusement park (seasonal or permanent) with a "Tunnel of Love" ride
3. Anywhere that currently has "live mermaid" entertainment (women dressed as mermaids swimming underwater that can be viewed from indoors)
Any city!
I've been searching for these for a while now! Most of what I find are places that used to have these features, but have closed, remodeled, or otherwise shut down.
These are my 3 main interests, but I'm also curious to learning about similar "retro," kitsch style attractions in the U.S. that fit this aesthetic, if they are still open. For example, I've been to the Madonna Inn in Southern CA, and the design is amazing (sadly it doesn't have a room with a heart shaped tub). Also, there used to be a "girl in the fishbowl" at the club Bimbos 365 in San Francisco but they don't have it anymore.
I've been searching for these for a while now! Most of what I find are places that used to have these features, but have closed, remodeled, or otherwise shut down.
These are my 3 main interests, but I'm also curious to learning about similar "retro," kitsch style attractions in the U.S. that fit this aesthetic, if they are still open. For example, I've been to the Madonna Inn in Southern CA, and the design is amazing (sadly it doesn't have a room with a heart shaped tub). Also, there used to be a "girl in the fishbowl" at the club Bimbos 365 in San Francisco but they don't have it anymore.
For the heart-shaped tub, try the Don Q Inn!
posted by music for skeletons at 9:05 PM on September 16 [2 favorites]
posted by music for skeletons at 9:05 PM on September 16 [2 favorites]
music for skeletons beat me to Don Q! looks like the room you'd want is called Maggie's Place!
posted by crime online at 9:08 PM on September 16 [1 favorite]
posted by crime online at 9:08 PM on September 16 [1 favorite]
I’m told Florida’s Weeki Wachee Springs State Park also has a mermaid show.
posted by loopsun at 9:29 PM on September 16 [14 favorites]
posted by loopsun at 9:29 PM on September 16 [14 favorites]
Well the Travelodge Niagara Falls seems to have red heart-shaped jacuzzis in some rooms. Click on "view all images" then "heart-shaped jacuzzi."
I'm also seeing some other listings by googling heart-shaped tub + Niagara Falls.
posted by BlahLaLa at 9:30 PM on September 16 [2 favorites]
I'm also seeing some other listings by googling heart-shaped tub + Niagara Falls.
posted by BlahLaLa at 9:30 PM on September 16 [2 favorites]
The Wreck Bar in Fort Lauderdale has mermaid shows — depending on when you go it could be a kid-friendly mermaid performance or it could be more of a burlesque show featuring mermaids and mermen.
posted by theory at 9:36 PM on September 16 [1 favorite]
posted by theory at 9:36 PM on September 16 [1 favorite]
Santa Cruz California Board walk Rides listing The "Cave Train" ride is a dark ride that looks like it might be spooked up for Halloween. The Logger's Revenge is really nice at night, it overlooks the ocean with a view of the sun setting or the full moon. The Giant Dipper, listed under the thrill rides, is an intense rollercoaster. Nice surroundings with live music and good food.
posted by effluvia at 9:36 PM on September 16 [2 favorites]
posted by effluvia at 9:36 PM on September 16 [2 favorites]
The Poconos has the tacky tubs, both heart and champagne glass.
posted by credulous at 9:39 PM on September 16 [2 favorites]
posted by credulous at 9:39 PM on September 16 [2 favorites]
A Pretty Cool Hotel Tour probably would be able to tell you all the places that still have working heart-shaped tubs. See their profile pic! At least one of the ones in the Poconos closed recently. If you scroll through their feed, you'll see a lot!
posted by limeonaire at 9:40 PM on September 16 [1 favorite]
posted by limeonaire at 9:40 PM on September 16 [1 favorite]
For mermaids (and occasionally mermen) the Sip 'n Dip in Great Falls, MT, which was named the #1 bar in the world worth flying to by GQ in the late 90s. It's always a fun time, and while Piano Pat is no longer with us, her replacement is pretty good.
The Iowa State Fair has something called Ye Old Mill, which is also known as the "Tunnel of Love." It's the fair's oldest continuously-operating ride, I believe. The Minnesota State Fair also has one, and it's also the oldest attraction at that fair. I haven't been on either and I'm not sure that they say "Tunnel of Love" anywhere, but definitely in Iowa that's one name they call the ride.
posted by msbrauer at 10:01 PM on September 16 [5 favorites]
The Iowa State Fair has something called Ye Old Mill, which is also known as the "Tunnel of Love." It's the fair's oldest continuously-operating ride, I believe. The Minnesota State Fair also has one, and it's also the oldest attraction at that fair. I haven't been on either and I'm not sure that they say "Tunnel of Love" anywhere, but definitely in Iowa that's one name they call the ride.
posted by msbrauer at 10:01 PM on September 16 [5 favorites]
No direct recommendation - but I do think you would enjoy "The Encyclopedia of Bad Taste" - which includes "Weeki Watchee Mermaid" shows next to "Waterbeds" and "Wax Museums".
posted by rongorongo at 10:16 PM on September 16 [4 favorites]
posted by rongorongo at 10:16 PM on September 16 [4 favorites]
Mermaid Echo is a Wisconsin-based lake scientist, fresh water educator, and performer. She performs underwater, blows cool underwater shapes, has a great swimming style. Mermaid Echo is often at Discovery World in Milwaukee and other public events across the Midwest.
posted by dog-eared paperback at 12:26 AM on September 17 [2 favorites]
posted by dog-eared paperback at 12:26 AM on September 17 [2 favorites]
I think you would love Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, Tennessee. We have heart-shaped bathtubs! We have mermaids! I couldn't find a tunnel of love, but we do have Dollywood which amongst other things, involves taking a train ride of the Smoky Mountains while Dolly tells you about how her Daddy proposed to her Momma. It's all very good fun.
posted by ukdanae at 12:34 AM on September 17 [7 favorites]
posted by ukdanae at 12:34 AM on September 17 [7 favorites]
If you want to see a whole mermaid parade, head to Coney Island.
posted by acridrabbit at 1:02 AM on September 17
posted by acridrabbit at 1:02 AM on September 17
1) The Pocono Mountains, in PA (Cove Poconos Resorts; Kalahari (honeymoon suite))- original Cove co-founder Morris Wilkins is responsible for heart-shaped tubs.
posted by Iris Gambol at 1:23 AM on September 17 [1 favorite]
posted by Iris Gambol at 1:23 AM on September 17 [1 favorite]
Carolina Renn Fest has “Sea Fairies”, which are awesome mermaids. It’s the Circus Sirenpod, and they have a list of their events here - https://circussirenpod.com/
posted by needlegrrl at 2:22 AM on September 17 [1 favorite]
posted by needlegrrl at 2:22 AM on September 17 [1 favorite]
I have been to the Weeki Wachee mermaid show - it's pretty fun, definitely very retro, and the park itself is quite nice too (they have a swimming area, gardens, and rangers that do animal education about Florida wildlife, plus peacocks).
posted by snaw at 3:37 AM on September 17 [1 favorite]
posted by snaw at 3:37 AM on September 17 [1 favorite]
Maybe you want to watch the Merpeople documentary on Netflix? There is also a documentary on prime video about Weeki Wachi.
posted by aetg at 4:13 AM on September 17 [2 favorites]
posted by aetg at 4:13 AM on September 17 [2 favorites]
I'm hesitant to recommend tiki stuff but the Tonga Room in San Francisco fit your aesthetic when I was there decades ago; maybe someone has been there more recently and can say if they've updated.
posted by The corpse in the library at 4:59 AM on September 17 [2 favorites]
posted by The corpse in the library at 4:59 AM on September 17 [2 favorites]
These are my 3 main interests, but I'm also curious to learning about similar "retro," kitsch style attractions in the U.S. that fit this aesthetic, if they are still open.
HAIL COMRADE. I did a whole road trip about this exact theme back in 2000, starting in New York and ending in Las Vegas. Some highlights:
* Meramec Caverns. The web site leans into the natural-wonder element - and that is there - but the tour also brings in the kitsch history of that site, which has been a roadside attraction since before Route 66 even WAS "Route 66". They point out things like "this was where they filmed a scene from the old Lassie TV show" just as much as they point out "this is a naturally-occurring cave phenomenon". They finish in a cave room that's sort of naturally a "stage" with a "curtain", and the light show they mention there is a way to sort of pay homage to the fact that Ethel Merman once did a command performance of "God Bless America" in there for the Missouri governor.
* The Precious Moments Chapel. They have actually scaled it back within the past 20 years since I saw it, but it's still pretty eye-poppingly kitsch. They still give tours of the chapel and a detailed overview of the "Hallelujiah Square" mural behind the altar.
* The Hole N'' The Rock, which I saw on a different trip. This is near Moab, Utah - a retired miner who still had his hands on explosives used them to carve a 5,000 square foot home for himself and his wife out of a cliff just outside Moab. Their plan always was to turn it into a roadside attraction as well, and that's exactly what happened - you can tour the house, and then hit up the petting zoo, kitsch gift shop, and such.
* The Boot Hill Museum in Dodge City, Kansas may appeal. It's a fakey "old west" city block that just screams "tourist trap", but I was still a little annoyed I had to get going before they did the fake shootout or the cancan lessons.
A good web site that captures these kinds of sites is Roadside America, a sort of crowd-sourced guide to kitschy roadside stuff that does a pretty good job of capturing whether a given place is open or has since closed.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:48 AM on September 17 [3 favorites]
HAIL COMRADE. I did a whole road trip about this exact theme back in 2000, starting in New York and ending in Las Vegas. Some highlights:
* Meramec Caverns. The web site leans into the natural-wonder element - and that is there - but the tour also brings in the kitsch history of that site, which has been a roadside attraction since before Route 66 even WAS "Route 66". They point out things like "this was where they filmed a scene from the old Lassie TV show" just as much as they point out "this is a naturally-occurring cave phenomenon". They finish in a cave room that's sort of naturally a "stage" with a "curtain", and the light show they mention there is a way to sort of pay homage to the fact that Ethel Merman once did a command performance of "God Bless America" in there for the Missouri governor.
* The Precious Moments Chapel. They have actually scaled it back within the past 20 years since I saw it, but it's still pretty eye-poppingly kitsch. They still give tours of the chapel and a detailed overview of the "Hallelujiah Square" mural behind the altar.
* The Hole N'' The Rock, which I saw on a different trip. This is near Moab, Utah - a retired miner who still had his hands on explosives used them to carve a 5,000 square foot home for himself and his wife out of a cliff just outside Moab. Their plan always was to turn it into a roadside attraction as well, and that's exactly what happened - you can tour the house, and then hit up the petting zoo, kitsch gift shop, and such.
* The Boot Hill Museum in Dodge City, Kansas may appeal. It's a fakey "old west" city block that just screams "tourist trap", but I was still a little annoyed I had to get going before they did the fake shootout or the cancan lessons.
A good web site that captures these kinds of sites is Roadside America, a sort of crowd-sourced guide to kitschy roadside stuff that does a pretty good job of capturing whether a given place is open or has since closed.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:48 AM on September 17 [3 favorites]
Oh - here's something I have not visited, but someone did an FPP about it in 2008 and I HAVE WANTED TO SEE IT EVER SINCE:
Professor Cline's Dinosaur Kingdom (II). The guy who made it imagined an alternate history in which the Union Army somehow invented Time Travel during the Civil War, and brought some dinosaurs back and set them loose on the Confederate Troops. So it's a dinosaur park with a bunch of tableaux of Stonewall Jackson or Robert E. Lee doing battle with a triceratops.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:03 AM on September 17 [2 favorites]
Professor Cline's Dinosaur Kingdom (II). The guy who made it imagined an alternate history in which the Union Army somehow invented Time Travel during the Civil War, and brought some dinosaurs back and set them loose on the Confederate Troops. So it's a dinosaur park with a bunch of tableaux of Stonewall Jackson or Robert E. Lee doing battle with a triceratops.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:03 AM on September 17 [2 favorites]
something called Ye Old Mill, which is also known as the "Tunnel of Love"
Came in here to mention this, dark rides known informally as a 'tunnel of love' are (or were) frequently named the Old Mill. Wikipedia has a listing of them.
posted by Rash at 7:24 AM on September 17 [5 favorites]
Came in here to mention this, dark rides known informally as a 'tunnel of love' are (or were) frequently named the Old Mill. Wikipedia has a listing of them.
posted by Rash at 7:24 AM on September 17 [5 favorites]
Went to the Mermaid Restaurant & Lounge in the outskirts of Las Vegas one year during the holiday season. Santa and Ms Claus were down there with the mermaids and a microphone taking gift requests from kids standing on the other side of the glass. Memorable.
posted by lolibrarian at 7:33 AM on September 17 [2 favorites]
posted by lolibrarian at 7:33 AM on September 17 [2 favorites]
You probably want to call and check on some of these places, but here is an extensive listing of places with heart shaped tubs.
posted by oneirodynia at 2:25 PM on September 17 [1 favorite]
posted by oneirodynia at 2:25 PM on September 17 [1 favorite]
The Newport (KY) Aquarium has live mermaid shows in the summer.
posted by jabes at 6:20 PM on September 17 [1 favorite]
posted by jabes at 6:20 PM on September 17 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: thanks everyone - so much on my list now!
posted by CancerSucks at 8:46 PM on September 19
posted by CancerSucks at 8:46 PM on September 19
Mod note: [By the way, this delightful question has been added to the sidebar and Best Of blog!]
posted by taz (staff) at 2:18 AM on September 22
posted by taz (staff) at 2:18 AM on September 22
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
https://www.divebarsacramento.com
For reasons I got a behind the scenes tour there once, it’s pretty damn cool.
posted by lepus at 9:02 PM on September 16 [5 favorites]