Roadside America

Roadside attractions are my jam.

I never, EVER, go on a road trip without planning a side jaunt to see something quirky, creepy, or just plain weird. 

I've already seen many of the iconic attractions of the American roadways; Graceland (Memphis, TN), the Corn Palace (Mitchell, SD), Cadillac Ranch (Amarillo, TX), and the biggest ball of twine (Darwin, MN), as examples. That said, some of my favorites receive far less fanfare. The house made of paper comes to mind (Rockport, MA), and the 40-foot-tall file cabinet (Burlington, VT), and of course the largest bottle of ketchup (Collinsville, IL), just waiting for a Big Mac to come along.

Always on the prowl, a recent trip to California's central valley brought some new opportunities to explore. But which site would win my heart? The coffeepot water tower in Kingsbury? Or perhaps the root beer drive-in of Selma? Or maybe the milk bottling facility in Tulare?

But when all the votes were cast, a clear winner emerged. This trip's blue-ribbon goes to the 7-story tree house in Traver. Talk about feeling like a kid again!

“And just like that, we were on our way to everywhere.” - Emery Lord