Roadtrip in the square states. Weird attractions?

July 7, 2008 10:02 AM

At the end of July, my sister and I will be taking a roadtrip from Denver to southern Kansas, though we hope to explore some of the square states nearby. We have 7 days. We like really weird and/or traditional and/or "outsider" attractions, and we will be scouring Roadside America for suggestions. Do you have any personal recommendations?

Some examples of the stuff we like include the World's Tallest File Cabinet in Burlington, VT, the Orange Show in Houston, TX, the Wigwam Motel in San Bernadino, and the Camera Obscura in Santa Monica, CA. Piggyback question (sorry!) is what sort of odd or delicious foods available only in these states...

posted by unknowncommand to travel & transportation (12 comments total)

World's largest hand dug well in Greensburg, KS.

This assumes the well has re-opened since the tornado. I think it has, but am not sure.
posted by Sheppagus at 10:39 AM on July 7

LB Brewing in Hays, KS has really, really good food and beer, and also free wireless.
posted by paleography at 10:58 AM on July 7

You have to go to Lucas, Kansas, the grassroots art center of Kansas. You can head downtown to the center and a few blocks away is the Garden of Eden. Along the way, though, stop at Florence Deeble's house to see her backyard. It's also the headquarters of the World's Largest Collection of World's Smallest Versions of World's Largest Things Traveling Roadside Attraction and Musuem so if you're lucky, they might be around. Lucas is just a little ways off I70 and you will also pass Wilson Lake, so it's a nice drive. When I say you have to, you HAVE to.

What part of southern Kansas are you going to be in? I grew up in the southeast portion, so you can send me an e-mail and I can point you to a few things I always loved. E-mail is in my profile.

Have fun and don't miss Lucas.
posted by sleepy pete at 11:35 AM on July 7

A warning: if you're traveling along I-70 in western Kansas, there may be a "zoo" of "freak animals" (if it hasn't been shut down yet). I went in 2000 and, along with the advertised 5 legged cow, they had a dead badger in a cage. It wasn't terribly pleasant, but who knows, maybe you're into that sort of thing. It kind of ruined the rest of the day for me and my traveling companion.
posted by one_bean at 12:25 PM on July 7

Not far from Denver.
posted by netbros at 12:25 PM on July 7

Definitely Lucas, Kansas.
posted by Dee Xtrovert at 2:19 PM on July 7

Lucas is one of my favorite places and will be the best thing you'll see and do in the area -- trust sleepy pete.

In Western Kansas, where I lived, Keystone Gallery is very small, very idiosyncratic art and science museum run by the Bonner family.
Make sure to call before your trip to see if they'll be open. If you have the scratch and a full or half day, they'll take you on a fossil hunt. If not, you can just spend some time at the museum, looking at the fossils they've found and the murals Chuck's painted, hanging out with the buffalo, whatever. There's also a small state park on the same road that's got a beautiful lake that might make for a welcome break from all scorched landscape you see at that time of year.

It's just always made me happy that the Bonners are out there doing their thing and they are just really interesting artsy/science-y people who truly love an area most people see as featureless and fatally boring, and that's mainly because they have a gift for seeing it as it was when it was still under the sea. It's just a good feeling.

I also asked my dad who still lives in Scott City and he recommended the Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure near Salina, KS -- I've never been but looking at the site I'm pretty amazed that something so elaborate is located there. He also said you can stay over at his place but then again, he thinks people I talk to on the internet are my close personal friends. However, if you get in a jam while you're out there or just feel like meeting a weird and/or traditional insurance agent you can always send me an email.
posted by melissa may at 3:43 PM on July 7

Seconding Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure. It's right off I-70, just west of Salina, Kansas (right after the Brookville exit, I think). It's very impressive.
posted by amyms at 8:08 PM on July 7

Totally awesome. Any suggestions for Nebraska or the Dakotas?
posted by unknowncommand at 9:57 PM on July 7

I don't know as much about Nebraska or the Dakotas, but there's always Carhenge in western Nebraska. The Badlands are always nice. Or the Black Hills in general.

I've always had a nice time in Lincoln and Omaha, but if you're that close to Lawrence, KS, just go there and hang out. It's a fairly amazing place and, if you're bored, you can go see Comanche, Custer's horse (this, by the way, should be really low down on your things to do list in Lawrence).
posted by sleepy pete at 11:47 PM on July 7

Teddy Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota is absolutely incredible.
posted by paleography at 7:59 AM on July 9

Best road trip ever, really. Lucas was amazing. Also I would recommend the Badlands, Fritz's Railroad Restaurant (Kansas City, KS), and the Tower Museum (Genoa, CO). The latter two changed my life.
posted by unknowncommand at 10:22 PM on August 7