ROAD TRIP TIME!!

ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS ALONG I-80

We try to take a break every couple of hours during long road trips and we are always looking for odd roadside attractions.

I found these roadside attractions along I-80 that make a great place to stop and stretch your legs for a few minutes. Don’t miss these roadside attractions along I-80.

I’m sharing some of the best stops from New York to San Francisco.

Roadside Attractions I-80 Pennsylvania

The Boulder Field, Lake Harmony, PA

Get out and stretch at this boulder field in Pennsylvania.

There are different sized and shaped rocks, some up to 26-feet long in a field that was created by glacial action.

This is a great spot to get out of the car for a bit. Be sure to wear good shoes. 

Located at Hwy 534, Lake Harmony, PA.

T-Rex and Bigfoot, DuBois, PA

I found Bigfoot in Pennsylvania!!!! Now I can say I spotted Bigfoot. You can find him at DooLittles Station. In addition to Bigfoot, you’ll find his friend, T-Rex. Be sure to grab lunch or a treat while you’re there. 

Located at 1290 Rich Hwy, DuBois, PA.

Sharon, Pennsylvania: Daffin’s Chocolate Kingdom

Chocolate lovers are going to love this stop. A 400-pound turtle, frog, deer and other woodland creatures. So very sweet. 

Located at 496 East State St., Sharon, PA.

Roadside Attractions I-80 Ohio

Warren, OH: David Grohl Alley, World’s Largest Drumsticks

This is the PERFECT stop for music fans. An entire alley of art dedicated to David Grohl plus you’ll be able to see the World’s Largest Drumsticks.

Located at Near W. Market St & Main Ave SW.

Clyde, Ohio: Ice Cream Cone-Shaped Building

Stop for a tasty treat at this ice cream cone shaped building. How fun! 

Located at 314 W. McPherson Hwy, Clyde, OH

Roadside Attractions I-80 Indiana

Whiting, Indiana: Mascot Hall of Fame

Seriously, a great place to run off extra energy. This 25,000 square foot facility pays tribute to America’s furry freakish sports ambassadors. 

Located at 1851 Front St., Whiting, IN.

Gary, Indiana: Fusion: Steel Workers and Fairies

Pretty cool sculpture of fairies flying out of a massive molten pot!

Located at 440 Broadway, Gary, IN.

Roadside Attractions I-80 Iowa

Freedom Rock, Menlo, IA

Make a stop at this patriotic rock.

Located at 120th St., Menlo, IA.

Walcott, IA World’s Largest Truck Stop

This is a great stop to note on your road trip guide.

Plus, you can grab a bite to eat, fill up the car with gas and stretch your legs.

Located at 755 W. Iowa 80 Rd.I-80, Exit 284 Walcott, IA.

If you have some extra time, head over to Winterset, IA and visit the Bridges of Madison County. It’s about 20 minutes south of I-80 and worth the stop if there’s time. A fun stop to see the covered bridges.

Brayton, IA Tree In The Middle of the Road 

Might want to be careful taking the scenic route off I-80. Yikes.

Located at 2401-2449 350th St, Brayton, IA 50042.

Riverside, IA Future Birthplace of James T. Kirk

Just in case you need a refresher of the awesomeness that is Captain Kirk…I guess instead of a road trip planner, Captain Kirk would have used a space trip planner 😉

NOTE: Riverside, IA is about 25 minutes south of I-80, but for Trekkie fans it’s worth the detour!

Located at 350th St., Brayton, IA.

Alliance, NE Carhenge

Step aside Stonehenge there’s a more modern take on your historic display.

Roadside Attractions I-80 Nebraska

Bayard, NE

Chimney Rock National Historic Site

Lincoln, Nebraska: Giant Paper Airplane

A 32-foot long paper airplane replica that looks realistic. W. Adams St., Lincoln, NE

York, Nebraska: Marble Museum: World’s Largest Collection

Proof that there is a museum for everything. This one is all about marbles. If you’ve lost yours by this point on the road trip with the family this might be a good place to look for them.

Potter, Nebraska: 24-Hour Duckpin Bowling

Need a stop in the middle of the night. This is just the spot to try your hand at duckpin bowling.

Roadside Attractions I-80 Wyoming

Buford, Wyoming: Smallest Town In America

This used to be the smallest town in America with a population of 1, but that resident left over a decade ago and it’s now considered a ghost town.

Cheyenne, Wyoming: Giant Coffee Pot

Be sure to check out this coffee pot water tower when you stop for gas at Sapp Brothers fuel.

Pine Bluffs, Wyoming: Tee Pee House 

This home is shaped like a giant teepee with smaller teepee surrounding it. Definitely a unique home.

I-80 Service Rd., Pine Bluffs, WY

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 I used to garden a lot more than I do now, but when I heard that Seed Savers Exchange was on my press trip itinerary I was so excited.

This is the place to find the most unique heirloom seeds and learn about seed saving and sharing.

Visiting the Seed Savers Exchange was definitely a big old check mark on the list of “must-visit” places that is always evolving.

The almost 900 acre farm is a historical living museum for plants that are seldom grown today.

In addition to their heirloom plants being grown in organic fields they also have a historic orchard and a herd of Ancient White Park Cattle.

Hiking trails surround the property and guests are welcome to spend the day exploring the gardens, hiking, taking classes and learning about how heirloom seeds can easily be added to a garden.

Of course, a visit to the Heritage Farm wouldn’t be complete without stopping inside the Seed Savers Exchange store located in a beautiful red barn.

In addition to seeds you’ll finding gardening items, food goods, resource books, gifts and more. I could have spent a fair amount of time wandering around the shop and putting a dent in the bank account.

However, I limited myself to buying their latest publication, The Seed Garden: The Art & Practice of Seed Saving.

Seed Saving is one thing that I’ve always wanted to be better at, but really had no idea where to start or how to make it happen.

This book holds my hand and walks me through it step-by-step. 350 pages with 250 color photos ensures that regardless of the plant I have the Seed Garden will be able to show me how to save seeds for future crops.

An Iowa Steel Cow is on the main barn and is a great opportunity to see another great work by artist Valerie Miller. Wander past the main barn to see the Ancient White Park Cattle in real life.

Be sure to plan a visit to the Seed Savers Exchange when you are in NE Iowa. I think you’ll find the visit very educational and fun. Learn more here:

Seed Savers Exchange website

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Iowa is often thought of as a fly-over state and is usually ignored by travelers. It’s a shame because there are so many hidden gems to be found. During a recent visit to Decorah I found many hidden gems and enjoyed my time exploring the region. Here are some of my favorite finds in Decorah, Iowa.

HIDDEN GEMS IN DECORAH, IOWA

County Courthouse

I didn’t have time to go inside, but walking around the outside and taking photos was worth the short stroll from the hotel to the courthouse. It’s lovely design had me shooting it in different types of light from early morning to dusk. I don’t have much knowledge about the type of architecture of most buildings, but I do know that I love this type of style and am always fascinated with how these buildings come to be. Plus, we just don’t build buildings like this anymore which is a shame really as they are quite lovely to look at.

Waterfall

Fun find! No idea there would be a waterfall, but a waterfall is exactly what I found. Located about a mile from downtown the waterfall is easily accessible with nearby parking and trails around the falls. Bring a camera and stay awhile.

Shopping

You all know I’m not much of a mall shopper. It’s definitely not my thing, but give me a downtown street filled with boutiques and I can quite happily browse for a couple hours. Downtown Decorah is filled with storefronts that caters to all style of shoppers. I’m so glad I didn’t have more time to shop the stores because I know I would have come home flat broke but with a great new wardrobe…hmmmm…it might have been worth it.

Norweigian Culture

Decorah was settled by immigrants from Norway and that culture is still alive and well in the area. Bits of Norwegian culture is spotted throughout the area. Trolls seem to be a bit of a theme and I would spot them in restaurants and stores. The small statues always brought a smile. There is a Norwegian Heritage and Culture center downtown Decorah. You can visit original settler buildings, take classes on Norwegian cooking and culture and visit the museum to get a glimpse of the early settlers life. This is definitely worth a visit when you are in the area. If you can, take a cooking class and try the Norwegian dish Rømmegrøt made with a bit of flour, milk and butter and topped with sugar. I wasn’t sure how I felt about trying it, but it was actually quite good.

Farm to Table Experiences

There are so many farm to table food experience to be had in the area. In some cases you can visit the farm or dairy plant. You’ll also want to go to the farmers market to see what is currently in season.  Most of the local restaurants are serving at least some produce from the area.

Seed Savers Exchange

Decorah is home to the Seed Savers Exchange Heritage Farm. You can read about visiting the farm here, but do be sure to add it to your list of places to visit when you are in the area. The kids will love seeing the Ancient White Park Cattle.

Pinters Garden Center

If you visit during the fall a stop at Pinters is an absolute must!! They have many fall activities including corn maze, pumpkin picking, hay rides, and more. Plus, you can have lunch so you can spend the day having fall fun with the family without having to leave to feed the hungry littles. Be sure to buy some fudge. Trust me.

Hotel Winneshiek

A historic boutique hotel located in the heart of downtown. The hotel was lovingly restored and reopened in 2000 and looks much like it did on its original opening date in 1905. The Hotel Winneshiek is the only full service hotel in downtown Decorah. Enjoy the Tap Room for a fantastic martini and have dinner at Restoration for a locally sourced, from scratch entrees.

Learn More:

Visit Decorah Website

Travel Iowa Website