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Favorite roadside stops/attractions

Started by OCGuy81, May 14, 2012, 10:59:49 AM

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OCGuy81

I was recently watching a movie, Into The Wild, that involved a scene with Salvation Mountain out near Niland, CA, and it got me thinking of a thread where we list off our favorite roadside stops, attractions, and places to eat.

What are some of your favorite places you've ever stopped on a road trip?  A few that come to mind for me are:

- Wall Drug.  It's a tourist trap, but with all the billboards, it's worth seeing at least once.

- The Olive Pit (Corning, CA).  It's a great restroom stop en route up to Oregon, and has some great olive oils, tapenades, etc. 

- The Big Texan steakhouse in Amarillo, TX.  It again, is a tourist trap.  While I never took on the insane eating challenge, it was an interesting stopover, and the steak I had was pretty damn good!

What are some of your favorite stops?  Are they touristy? Delicious? Both?  :D


bsmart

South of the Border on I-95 at the NC/SC line.  The signs start way up near DC with miles to go. Tacky tourist trap but an I-95 tradition!

1995hoo

#2
The Varsity in Atlanta is a favorite lunch stop because I love the onion rings.

I liked South of the Border when I was younger, but it's been looking very seedy the last couple of times I've driven past. I understand it's gone downhill big-time since the longtime owner died in 2001, and I must say it's very disappointing how the old un-PC billboards are almost all gone and have been replaced by sanitized versions that aren't very funny.

When I was a kid we frequently stopped at the Town & Country Diner in Bordentown, NJ, en route to or from New York (this was back when northbound I-295 dumped you onto US-130 near Bordentown–at the time, my parents didn't know about the shorter way across from Turnpike Exit 7 and so they would take Exit 7A to connect via I-195 and US-130). I recall the prices being reasonable and the food usually being pretty good, but then who knows what I'd think now. The diner was still there the last time I drove through Bordentown about six years ago. I recall they had spiffed up the interior a lot the last time we stopped there sometime in the late 1980s. I also remember it being a mild nuisance to stop there on the southbound trip because of the peculiarities of making U-turns in New Jersey.


Nowadays I'm stubborn about trying to see how far I can go without stopping and so I don't have any "must-stop" places these days. If I have to stop three times between DC and Florida it's one time too many. (There has to be one stop for gas somewhere in South Carolina and I try to combine that with a lunch stop, and because I'd rather be on the road as early as possible I'm willing to make a breakfast stop. If I could make just those two stops I'd be happy, but inevitably a toilet break is needed somewhere else.)


Edited to add: Almost forgot this one. We've never stopped there, but I always liked passing the sign. It's on the cross-island road on Cozumel, the one that runs east from town to Mezcalito's.

"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

MrDisco99

#3
Cafe Risque on I-75 in north Florida... never actually stopped in, but love the billboards. :)

Town & Country Diner on 130... I know exactly where that is.  I don't think we ever stopped in there, but there's a place across the highway before the merge called Mastori's which was a must-go breakfast spot when I was a kid.

Ian

Quote from: bsmart on May 14, 2012, 11:13:52 AM
South of the Border on I-95 at the NC/SC line.  The signs start way up near DC with miles to go. Tacky tourist trap but an I-95 tradition!

I enjoyed stopping at "SOB" on our trip down to Florida back in 2010. It was a nice little oasis between driving along the very boring I-95 in the Carolina's, even if some of the stores were a little tacky. The fireworks store is what impressed me, although we left empty handed (however we did stop on the way back north to get some fireworks at this smaller store just off I-95 near Latta, SC)

Usually when our family does long distance trips, we hesitate to stop anywhere except for food/restroom breaks because my parents are more willing to get the trip over with. However, we did discover this nice little roadside diner along NY 199 (about a mile off the Taconic State Parkway to the east of Red Hook/Rhinebeck) that we try to make in effort to stop at every time we head home from Albany. The place is called Fork in the Road, and the food is very decent.
UMaine graduate, former PennDOT employee, new SoCal resident.
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texaskdog

halfway between Fairbanks & Anchorage try "Skinny Dick's Halfway Inn"

Alps

All of mine are neither touristy nor delicious. They include the world's largest potato on Prince Edward Island, world's largest umpire in Iowa, Dateland AZ, world's largest ball of twine and only underground salt mine museum in Kansas. Basically, my favorite roadside attractions are Americana (or in PEI's case, Canadiana), things unique to each part of the country that haven't been molested by tourism and that you won't find anywhere else. I'll admit for accuracy's sake that in some cases, these can end up being touristy (Niagara Falls, for example) or delicious (Nick Tahou's in Rochester) or both (Anchor Bar in Buffalo), but I basically don't account for that when I decide what to see.

myosh_tino

My favorite stop on I-80 was the Nut Tree which unfortunately closed back in the 90's.  As a kid, we would always stop there anytime we were coming home from a weekend in Tahoe.  I remember they had some great ice cream and we always took the miniature train that circled the property and made a stop at the Vacaville/Nut Tree Airport located in the back.  I also remember the candy shop where you buy your train tickets and the large gift shop where my folks would pick up some nuts and breads.  Ahhh... the Nut Tree does bring back some good memories.
Quote from: golden eagle
If I owned a dam and decided to donate it to charity, would I be giving a dam? I'm sure that might be a first because no one really gives a dam.

mukade

Most everything in Wall Drug is made in China so that was disappointing to me.

My favorite establishment (restaurant and formerly gas station) name is on US 31 in Tipton County, Indiana: "Sherrill's Eat Here and get Gas"


kkt

Gowan's Oak Tree, on route 128 in Mendocino County, California.  Some of the best apple cider, dozens of varieties of apples and other produce.  They've been there since the 1920s, their orchards adjoin the stand, and they bred some of their own varieties.  Now I want to go back.

cpzilliacus

Quote from: bsmart on May 14, 2012, 11:13:52 AM
South of the Border on I-95 at the NC/SC line.  The signs start way up near DC with miles to go. Tacky tourist trap but an I-95 tradition!

There was once a Pedro billboard on I-95 in Baltimore City, Maryland southbound approaching the Fort McHenry Tunnel toll plaza (well over 400 miles before South of the Border), but that's been gone for years. 

I am not aware of even one billboard being there now on I-95 for South of the Border now between the Maryland/Delaware line and the North Carolina/Virginia line.
Opinions expressed here on AAROADS are strictly personal and mine alone, and do not reflect policies or positions of MWCOG, NCRTPB or their member federal, state, county and municipal governments or any other agency.

cpzilliacus

#11
Quote from: 1995hoo on May 14, 2012, 11:25:39 AM
The Varsity in Atlanta is a favorite lunch stop because I love the onion rings.

Agreed.

Highly. Unhealthy. Tasty food to be had at the Varsity.

QuoteI liked South of the Border when I was younger, but it's been looking very seedy the last couple of times I've driven past. I understand it's gone downhill big-time since the longtime owner died in 2001, and I must say it's very disappointing how the old un-PC billboards are almost all gone and have been replaced by sanitized versions that aren't very funny.

Some distant relatives of my wife are the people that own it.  Not sure who died in 2001, but it's still run by the same family.

As an aside, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke (a South Carolina native who has an I-95 interchange [190] named in his honor by SCDOT) once worked at South of the Border.  

[snipped]

QuoteNowadays I'm stubborn about trying to see how far I can go without stopping and so I don't have any "must-stop" places these days. If I have to stop three times between DC and Florida it's one time too many. (There has to be one stop for gas somewhere in South Carolina and I try to combine that with a lunch stop, and because I'd rather be on the road as early as possible I'm willing to make a breakfast stop. If I could make just those two stops I'd be happy, but inevitably a toilet break is needed somewhere else.)

Speaking of unhealthy, I always try to stop at a Waffle House someplace along I-95. I have a particular fondness for the one in Selma, North Carolina (just north of Smithfield), off of U.S. 70 at Exit 97, because the place seems very clean and the service is consistently friendly.
Opinions expressed here on AAROADS are strictly personal and mine alone, and do not reflect policies or positions of MWCOG, NCRTPB or their member federal, state, county and municipal governments or any other agency.

Takumi

Quote from: cpzilliacus
I am not aware of even one billboard being there now on I-95 for South of the Border now between the Maryland/Delaware line and the North Carolina/Virginia line.

I think there's still one south of Richmond near VA 150-895.
Quote from: Rothman on July 15, 2021, 07:52:59 AM
Olive Garden must be stopped.  I must stop them.

Don't @ me. Seriously.

cpzilliacus

#13
Quote from: Takumi on May 14, 2012, 08:14:24 PM
Quote from: cpzilliacus
I am not aware of even one billboard being there now on I-95 for South of the Border now between the Maryland/Delaware line and the North Carolina/Virginia line.

I think there's still one south of Richmond near VA 150-895.

Thanks for mentioning that.

I almost always use I-295 to bypass the Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike (except when I have business in Richmond), so that's the one part of I-95 in Virginia (from Exit 46 south of Petersburg to Exit 74 in Richmond) that I don't drive very often.

Though in my opinion, South of the Border should spend their billboard dollars on a sign along I-295 and not the RPT, since that's where more of their customers are likely to see their sign.
Opinions expressed here on AAROADS are strictly personal and mine alone, and do not reflect policies or positions of MWCOG, NCRTPB or their member federal, state, county and municipal governments or any other agency.

roadfro

#14
For me as a kid, a regular stop when driving between Las Vegas and southern California was the McDonald's in Barstow (Barstow Station). I always thought the fast food store inside a big gift shop was neat, and I liked eating in the train car.

Whenever I drive between Reno and Las Vegas on US 95 with my buddy, we always stop in Beatty, NV at "Eddie World". Inside the gas station is also the "Death Valley Nut & Candy Co.", which has all sorts of bulk nut and candy--they recently opened a Subway inside as well. Until recently, these were also the nicest restrooms on that drive (recently surpassed by a Chevron/Burger King/Subway in Tonopah).
Roadfro - AARoads Pacific Southwest moderator since 2010, Nevada roadgeek since 1983.

1995hoo

Quote from: cpzilliacus on May 14, 2012, 08:10:04 PM
....

QuoteI liked South of the Border when I was younger, but it's been looking very seedy the last couple of times I've driven past. I understand it's gone downhill big-time since the longtime owner died in 2001, and I must say it's very disappointing how the old un-PC billboards are almost all gone and have been replaced by sanitized versions that aren't very funny.

Some distant relatives of my wife are the people that own it.  Not sure who died in 2001, but it's still run by the same family.

As an aside, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke (a South Carolina native who has an I-95 interchange [190] named in his honor by SCDOT) once worked at South of the Border.  

....

The guy who died in 2001 was named Alan Schafer. Supposedly he founded what became South of the Border in 1950 or so as a beer stand selling to residents of the dry counties across the state line and he got the idea for the Mexican theme when he received boxes addressed to him "south of the border." I read somewhere that his grandson now runs the place. As I said, I haven't stopped there in quite some time. Maybe this summer. My wife has never been there and we didn't stop the last two times due to timing on one trip and bad weather on the other.

Quote
QuoteNowadays I'm stubborn about trying to see how far I can go without stopping and so I don't have any "must-stop" places these days. If I have to stop three times between DC and Florida it's one time too many. (There has to be one stop for gas somewhere in South Carolina and I try to combine that with a lunch stop, and because I'd rather be on the road as early as possible I'm willing to make a breakfast stop. If I could make just those two stops I'd be happy, but inevitably a toilet break is needed somewhere else.)

Speaking of unhealthy, I always try to stop at a Waffle House someplace along I-95. I have a particular fondness for the one in Selma, North Carolina (just north of Smithfield), off of U.S. 70 at Exit 97, because the place seems very clean and the service is consistently friendly.

I believe Exit 97 is the one where that big JR Tobacco outlet is, right? I've stopped at that exit a few times, though not at the Waffle House. If I'm driving south we'll have stopped for breakfast prior to getting that far and it won't be time for lunch yet, and if we're driving north we'll have stopped somewhere in South Carolina (most recent trip we stopped at a Waffle House near Walterboro). But we like to hit a Waffle House somewhere as well. The nearest Waffle House to where we live is on VA-234 in Dumfries and it's probably a good thing it isn't closer–when I was in law school, I visited the Waffle House on Hillsborough Road in Durham so often that the waitress didn't even need to ask me for my order. (BTW, the Barnside Diner on VA-236 just west of Beauregard Street is pretty good, but the hash browns can't come close to Waffle House hash browns.)


Regarding the billboards, I also haven't been on I-95 between Richmond and Petersburg in several years because we also use I-295 unless we're heading to or from I-85 (and even then, if it's around rush hour we sometimes use I-295 anyway). I do remember an SOB billboard going up somewhere along that part of I-95 back in the early 1990s, though. It definitely seems to me that there are FAR fewer of the billboards in North Carolina and South Carolina than there were 20 years ago. I guess when they removed the funny ones they didn't replace a lot of them. I saw an article at some point during the 1990s saying that the Schafer family wanted to expand the billboards even further north near the Canadian border, but that never happened and I always thought it sounded absurd.
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

MrDisco99

The McDonald's on the Chicago Skyway and the Mobil/Dunkin Donuts on either side of the Deegan Expressway in the Bronx are neat for being odd roadside stops on the interstate itself.

Anywhere else like this (not counting turnpike service plazas)?

1995hoo

Quote from: MrDisco99 on May 15, 2012, 01:33:13 PM
The McDonald's on the Chicago Skyway and the Mobil/Dunkin Donuts on either side of the Deegan Expressway in the Bronx are neat for being odd roadside stops on the interstate itself.

Anywhere else like this (not counting turnpike service plazas)?


There's a Mobil station on the Belt Parkway just south/west of the Flatbush Avenue interchange. I always thought that was odd.
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

Alps

Quote from: 1995hoo on May 15, 2012, 05:58:52 PM
Quote from: MrDisco99 on May 15, 2012, 01:33:13 PM
The McDonald's on the Chicago Skyway and the Mobil/Dunkin Donuts on either side of the Deegan Expressway in the Bronx are neat for being odd roadside stops on the interstate itself.

Anywhere else like this (not counting turnpike service plazas)?


There's a Mobil station on the Belt Parkway just south/west of the Flatbush Avenue interchange. I always thought that was odd.
See, that stuff can fly on parkways (see Merritt), but I'll never understand how it got onto the Deegan.

cpzilliacus

Quote from: 1995hoo on May 15, 2012, 09:31:57 AM
Quote from: cpzilliacus on May 14, 2012, 08:10:04 PM
....

QuoteI liked South of the Border when I was younger, but it's been looking very seedy the last couple of times I've driven past. I understand it's gone downhill big-time since the longtime owner died in 2001, and I must say it's very disappointing how the old un-PC billboards are almost all gone and have been replaced by sanitized versions that aren't very funny.

Some distant relatives of my wife are the people that own it.  Not sure who died in 2001, but it's still run by the same family.

As an aside, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke (a South Carolina native who has an I-95 interchange [190] named in his honor by SCDOT) once worked at South of the Border. 

....

The guy who died in 2001 was named Alan Schafer. Supposedly he founded what became South of the Border in 1950 or so as a beer stand selling to residents of the dry counties across the state line and he got the idea for the Mexican theme when he received boxes addressed to him "south of the border." I read somewhere that his grandson now runs the place. As I said, I haven't stopped there in quite some time. Maybe this summer. My wife has never been there and we didn't stop the last two times due to timing on one trip and bad weather on the other.

I have stopped there once (since 2001) - and we spoke with one of the Schafers that runs the place now.  Got a few gag gifts for my  Dad's birthday (the place is an excellent source for that).

I recall reading (years ago) an article in the Wall Street Journal which described the origins of South of the Border.

Quote
Quote
QuoteNowadays I'm stubborn about trying to see how far I can go without stopping and so I don't have any "must-stop" places these days. If I have to stop three times between DC and Florida it's one time too many. (There has to be one stop for gas somewhere in South Carolina and I try to combine that with a lunch stop, and because I'd rather be on the road as early as possible I'm willing to make a breakfast stop. If I could make just those two stops I'd be happy, but inevitably a toilet break is needed somewhere else.)

Speaking of unhealthy, I always try to stop at a Waffle House someplace along I-95. I have a particular fondness for the one in Selma, North Carolina (just north of Smithfield), off of U.S. 70 at Exit 97, because the place seems very clean and the service is consistently friendly.

I believe Exit 97 is the one where that big JR Tobacco outlet is, right? I've stopped at that exit a few times, though not at the Waffle House. If I'm driving south we'll have stopped for breakfast prior to getting that far and it won't be time for lunch yet, and if we're driving north we'll have stopped somewhere in South Carolina (most recent trip we stopped at a Waffle House near Walterboro).

That would be the correct interchange.  The Waffle House is on the west side of I-95 (JR is on the east side).

QuoteBut we like to hit a Waffle House somewhere as well. The nearest Waffle House to where we live is on VA-234 in Dumfries and it's probably a good thing it isn't closer–when I was in law school, I visited the Waffle House on Hillsborough Road in Durham so often that the waitress didn't even need to ask me for my order. (BTW, the Barnside Diner on VA-236 just west of Beauregard Street is pretty good, but the hash browns can't come close to Waffle House hash browns.)

I've been to the Va. 234 Waffle House a few times.  Seems to be popular with some of the Marines from MCB Quantico for lunch (and those guys can probably eat at a Waffle House every day with limited ill effect).

I will check out the Barnside sometime.  Driven by there many  times.


QuoteRegarding the billboards, I also haven't been on I-95 between Richmond and Petersburg in several years because we also use I-295 unless we're heading to or from I-85 (and even then, if it's around rush hour we sometimes use I-295 anyway). I do remember an SOB billboard going up somewhere along that part of I-95 back in the early 1990s, though. It definitely seems to me that there are FAR fewer of the billboards in North Carolina and South Carolina than there were 20 years ago. I guess when they removed the funny ones they didn't replace a lot of them. I saw an article at some point during the 1990s saying that the Schafer family wanted to expand the billboards even further north near the Canadian border, but that never happened and I always thought it sounded absurd.

Some of the SOB billboards in the Carolinas apparently fell victim to 1980's and 1990's storms like Hurricanes Hugo, and Floyd, and were not replaced (at least not by Pedro signs).
Opinions expressed here on AAROADS are strictly personal and mine alone, and do not reflect policies or positions of MWCOG, NCRTPB or their member federal, state, county and municipal governments or any other agency.

OCGuy81

QuoteThe McDonald's on the Chicago Skyway and the Mobil/Dunkin Donuts on either side of the Deegan Expressway in the Bronx are neat for being odd roadside stops on the interstate itself.

Is it one of those places where the restaurant is over the highway itself?  I recall several of those in the Chicago area, especially along either 94 or 294.  It's been years, so maybe I don't recall that correctly.

rawmustard

#21
Quote from: OCGuy81 on May 16, 2012, 12:38:38 AM
QuoteThe McDonald's on the Chicago Skyway and the Mobil/Dunkin Donuts on either side of the Deegan Expressway in the Bronx are neat for being odd roadside stops on the interstate itself.

Is it one of those places where the restaurant is over the highway itself?  I recall several of those in the Chicago area, especially along either 94 or 294.  It's been years, so maybe I don't recall that correctly.

The Skyway McDonald's is immediately southeast of the toll plazas between the carriageways. It's very unlike the typical ISTHA oasis (which all except DeKalb go over the road).

hbelkins

I stopped at the oasis on I-90 just before you get to I-39 (forget the name) and it appeared that the over-the-road portion was strictly for seating. The restaurants were located at either end of the "skywalk" on land.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

mgk920

Anyone remember Stuckey's?  I recall one with a tacky gift shop on US 41 just NW of Milwaukee when I was a kid.  Few traces of that one still exist.

Also, has anyone ever checked out the Marrs Cheese Castle on I-94 in Kenosha County, WI?

Mike

Scott5114

The only stop I regularly make on longer road trips is the Belle Plaine Service Area on the Kansas Turnpike. Perfect place to update the map collection.

The "Worlds Largest McDonalds" in Vinita, OK is neat but I avoid it because I've found that it has terrible service. When going that way I tend to either eat in Tulsa or Joplin.
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef



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