The World’s Largest Dashboard: Route 66, Illinois to MissouriDitch the iPad screens and look out the window. The stretch of Route 66 starting in Illinois delivers pure, unadulterated roadside Americana. Families can kick off this journey in Wilmington, Illinois, to meet the Gemini Giant. This giant green fiberglass astronaut stands 30 feet tall, holding a silver rocket ship. It is one of many “Muffler Men” built in the 1960s to grab the attention of passing motorists. Kids love tracking down these retro giants, making for an easy, built-in scavenger hunt across state lines.
Driving further southwest into Missouri reveals the world’s largest rocking chair in Cuba, Missouri. Standing over 42 feet tall, this massive structure cannot actually rock, but it serves as an excellent backdrop for a memorable family photo. Just down the road, the Meramec Caverns offer an underground escape once used as a hideout by outlaw Jesse James. This route succeeds because it provides frequent, short stops that prevent back-seat boredom while keeping everyone entertained with pure kitsch.
Prehistoric Beasts and Python Farms: The Badlands, South DakotaSouth Dakota is famous for Mount Rushmore, but the real magic for children lies in the bizarre stops leading up to the monument. A road trip along Interstate 90 toward Badlands National Park brings families to Wall Drug. What started in 1931 as a tiny pharmacy offering free ice water to thirsty travelers has grown into a massive, city-block-sized emporium. Families can wander through mechanical cowboy bands, a giant indoor roaring T-Rex, and a backyard featuring a giant jackalope that kids can actually climb on for photos.
Just outside the park, the town of Murdo hosts the Pioneer Auto Show. This museum displays over 300 vintage cars, tractors, and motorcycles. It also houses Elvis Presley’s personal motorcycle and a collection of creepy, old-fashioned music boxes. Combining these quirky tourist traps with the dramatic, alien landscapes of the Badlands provides a perfect balance of geological wonder and classic American roadside weirdness.
Aliens and Art Installations: The Desert Southwest, New MexicoFor families who prefer their vacations with a heavy dose of science fiction, New Mexico delivers. A road trip starting in Albuquerque and heading south to Roswell introduces kids to the ultimate outer space adventure. Roswell embraces its alien-crash-landing reputation completely. Streetlamps are shaped like alien heads, fast-food restaurants look like flying saucers, and the International UFO Museum and Research Center offers an entertaining mix of historical newspaper clippings and Hollywood props.
Heading further west leads to the Valley of Fires, where families can walk across a collapsed lava flow that looks like the surface of another planet. This route can conclude near the border at the White Sands National Park. Here, kids can rent plastic saucers from the gift shop and sled down massive hills of pure white gypsum sand. It is a surreal, otherworldly journey that sparks the imagination of teenagers and toddlers alike.
Paul Bunyan and Monster Muskie: The Northwoods, MinnesotaThe upper Midwest loves its oversized lumberjacks and legendary fish. A family road trip through northern Minnesota takes travelers deep into the folklore of Paul Bunyan and his blue ox, Babe. In Bemidji, the massive statues of Paul and Babe have stood on the shores of Lake Bemidji since 1937. The interactive exhibits nearby allow kids to learn about the early logging days through hands-on games and tall tales.
Driving a bit further east brings families to the town of Hayward, just across the border, home to the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame. The centerpiece of this museum is a four-story-tall concrete muskellunge. Visitors can actually walk up inside the massive fish and stand in its open jaws, looking out over the museum grounds. This region is packed with peaceful lakeside drives, vintage candy shops, and giant fiberglass animals, creating a relaxed, classic vacation vibe that feels entirely frozen in time.
The Dinosaur Highway: The Rocky Mountain West, UtahUtah is celebrated for its natural arches and red rock canyons, but it also boasts a highway dedicated entirely to prehistoric monsters. Highway 191 runs through eastern Utah, connecting massive active paleontology sites and quirky dinosaur parks. The journey begins near Vernal, also known as “Dinosaurland,” where a giant pink dinosaur greets drivers on the side of the road. Nearby, Dinosaur National Monument allows families to see over 1,500 dinosaur bones still embedded in a cliff face inside an enclosed museum.
Heading south toward Moab, the landscape shifts from desert canyons to lush prehistoric gardens at various dinosaur walk-through parks. These locations feature life-sized, animatronic dinosaurs hidden among the native desert plants. The combination of real, scientific discoveries and Hollywood-style monster exhibits makes this a highly educational yet deeply entertaining route for any family looking to add a little bit of prehistoric wonder to their summer vacation plans
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