Roadside Attractions

January 23, 2005 9:34 PM

Roadside Attractions: A friend of mine is moving and I've been asked to help. We will take two days driving from Ohio to Florida along I-75. We're already planning to see Rock City as the barn roofs suggest. I'd like to hit a few more spots, if possible. Can you lovely MeFi readers give me some ideas? Strange is good, and fun to photograph is better.
posted by cmyk to Travel & Transportation (25 answers total)

You know about RoadsideAmerica.com? Start at the Electric Map.
posted by LarryC at 10:02 PM on January 23, 2005

I don't recall how far off I-75, but if you've never been, go to Mammoth Cave. (If you've been to Carlsbad, you might not mind missing Mammoth Cave)
posted by Goofyy at 11:30 PM on January 23, 2005

Well... I do know a pretty neat dungeon and a very impressive leather/bondage/bdsm store, both in Atlanta. But maybe that's not the sort of thing you had in mind.
posted by Clay201 at 12:36 AM on January 24, 2005

WRT interesting, the best suggestion I can make for nearly every driving journey in the US is to get off the interstate & go 2-lane. It's slower but you will see a hell of a lot more...
posted by i_cola at 1:47 AM on January 24, 2005

Without hesitation (and don't laugh) I'd recommend the Georgia Agrirama (link hates standards, use IE) right off 75 in Tifton. It's a historical museum of Southern agriculture, and I managed to enjoy it the first time I stopped there, despite being 14 years old and with my parents. Been back, too...
posted by piro at 5:35 AM on January 24, 2005

The Big Chicken.
posted by fletchmuy at 5:36 AM on January 24, 2005

Mammoth Cave is off I-65 in Kentucky, which is quite a haul 'off I-75'.

Also, what i-cola said. Should you decide to go the non-interstate route, US 27 pretty much follows I-75 all the way down. It does turn into 2-lane from 4-lane after by-passing Atlanta [trust me you WANT to by-pass Atlanta traffic regardless of the day of the week], but the weather in that part of the country at this time of the year is mild enough that it shouldn't be hazardous [iow no snow].

When you hit US 84 in Georgia, make a side-trip to Climax, GA. Not much there, but taking a picture by the roadsign would have to be the climax of your trip!
posted by kamylyon at 5:58 AM on January 24, 2005

And Rock City? It rocks!
posted by kamylyon at 5:59 AM on January 24, 2005

Ruby Falls.
New Echota.
Etowah Indian Mounds.
posted by grabbingsand at 6:03 AM on January 24, 2005

WRT interesting, the best suggestion I can make for nearly every driving journey in the US is to get off the interstate & go 2-lane. It's slower but you will see a hell of a lot more...

agreed.

You can spend a lot of time in Tennessee. The honky-tonk town of Gatlinburg, the tourist trap of Chattanooga, and side tours to the musically and civil-righstly historic cities of Memphis and Nashville.

While you're at Rock City, you might as well buy the companion ticket and see Ruby Falls as well. Might as well have a little cheese with your cheese.

And take pics of the Rock City barn roofs you see on the old US highways. They're growing endangered.
posted by Miko at 6:08 AM on January 24, 2005

The Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga is pretty interesting as well.
posted by trox at 6:41 AM on January 24, 2005

Speaking of pictures, don't forget to take a picture next to the Big Bone Lick National park sign (Kentucky, I think). If I remember correctly the park itself was a hotspot for finding dinosaur bones, but you'll forgive me if I don't google for a link at work.
posted by true at 6:52 AM on January 24, 2005

And if you can afford about a 45-minute detour, there's always Sequoyah Caverns or The Lost Sea.
posted by grabbingsand at 6:56 AM on January 24, 2005

When you get near Dalton, Georgia just south of Chattanooga it'll be time to eat. Get off I-75 on Hwy. 41 and go to Dalton. Take a left on Hwy. 71 & head north towards Plainview to Twelve Oaks Bar-B-Que (address: 2948 Cleveland Road, Ph: 706-259-7675). It's a little hole in the wall on the right (a gas station is across the side street on the same side of the road).

You will thank me - I don't even like ribs and theirs are to die for.
posted by Pressed Rat at 8:54 AM on January 24, 2005

As a confirmed speleophile, I second the recommendation for Ruby Falls Cavern (under Lookout Mountain/Rock City).
posted by rushmc at 9:22 AM on January 24, 2005

depending on how far down in FLA you go...Coral Castle is a must!
posted by ShawnString at 9:35 AM on January 24, 2005

Also, you can go to the International Tow Truck Museum in Chattanooga!
posted by Pressed Rat at 10:09 AM on January 24, 2005

I second eating BBQ. Pressed Rat's is a good'un. And close to 75, which the ones I like are not.

Also, The Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum is awesome and just offa I-20 outside of Atlanta. Probably an hour out of your way, each way. But it is teh rox.
posted by zpousman at 11:03 AM on January 24, 2005

Less than 20 miles off of I-75 on I-4 in Florida (very near to Tampa) is Dinosaur World. It's cheesy and ridiculous and great and very photographable. Here are my pics from it.

God, I miss Florida. It's packed to the gills with crazy tourist traps.
posted by logovisual at 1:29 PM on January 24, 2005

go to gainesville florida and eat at burrito bros!!
posted by c at 1:33 PM on January 24, 2005

Totally second Burrito Bros. if you come this far (mini-meetup also arrangeable:). And if you go farther you are not allowed to miss Gatorland.
posted by casarkos at 5:15 PM on January 24, 2005

i second gatorland
posted by mdpc98 at 6:54 PM on January 24, 2005

where are you going to end up once you get to FL?
posted by taumeson at 6:57 PM on January 24, 2005

Oh yeah, I'd forgotten about Ruby Cavern. Definite must!
posted by kamylyon at 9:27 PM on January 24, 2005

Response by poster: We're going to try to hit New Echota, and definitely see Ruby Falls while we're at Rock City. And those of you who suggested photographs with funny signs, consider it done. (Unless it's too cold for two wussy native Floridians.) Miko, thanks for the advice; I'll try for shots of the Rock City barn roofs, too. Taumeson, we'll end up back here in Tampa. It's a round trip, for me; I'm flying up.

Metafilter never disappoints!
posted by cmyk at 1:49 AM on January 25, 2005