Roadside America

It may seem that vacation season is winding down, but there's still plenty of time left for a road trip. I am a big fan of taking the path less travelled while roadtripping and have been known to drive miles out of my way to gawk at a tourist attraction. From the Big Duck on Long Island, to the Spam Museum in Minnesota, to Meteor Crater in Arizona, I've seen my share of them--the tackier the better. So it's with great pleasure that I shamelessly plug one of my favorite websites, "Roadside America--Your Online Guide to Offbeat Tourist Attractions."

"Roadside America" is a great source that'll make your next boring drive a little more interesting. If you're planning any kind of road trip--for business or pleasure--be sure to check your route against information on the site. You may discover there's an attraction on the way, one you didn't know existed. Goofy things you'll remember (perhaps) from your youth, like Mystery Houses, colorfully lit caverns, and wacky museums housing everything from funeral regalia to Elvis souvenirs.

My favorite Roadside America topic is that of the Muffler Men. We've all seen them--giant dudes (large sculptures) often dressed as cowboys or lumberjacks outside of buildings advertising all kinds of things ( in this case, mufflers). Turns out there's even a Muffler Man documentary in the works. From the website:

Clean White Lines, a trio of San Francisco area filmmakers, are making a feature-length film about Muffler Men, a species of roadside giants that Roadside America has tracked and cataloged for over twenty years. Clean White lines is asking for help to get on the road and do a proper exploration of the phenomenon. If you make a donation via their Kickstarter Project, you will receive special Muffler Men rewards.
Kickstarter Project.
Hurry! The project pledge period ends on Sept. 1, 2011. The Kickstarter project only goes forward if fully funded.

Check out this fun website next time you're off to visit grandma or Uncle Louie, and be sure to use the feature that lets you save the sights you've seen. With the "My Sights" feature, you can map and plan your next adventure, too. Happy Trails!