Large Statues – Less Beaten Paths of America

18Feb 2025 by David Kravetz No Comments

2024 in Review: Roadside Attractions – Part 3 – Whimsical and Unique Roadside Attractions

Adventure, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Big Cities, Books, Car Art, Cross Country Road Trips, Dinosaurs, Found Metal Sculptures, Giant Things, Horse Art, Horses, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Junk Art, Junk-art Sculptures, Kansas, Kentucky, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Missouri, Museums, Mythical Creatures, National Monuments, National Parks, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Oklahoma, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Route 66, Sculpture Parks, Selfies, Tennessee, Texas, Tourist Traps, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, Unique Shops, West Virginia, Wood Carved Bears

MORE WHIMSY FOUND ON THE ROAD This is the final post for unique roadside attractions from 2024. This one is a hodge-podge of interesting attractions and even a few "seasonal" things that were whimsical and fun that I found along the roads of America. [caption id="attachment_39633" align="alignnone" width="452"] Goofing around with the Welcome Bear at Brizendine Brothers Nature Park in Greenville, Kentucky[/caption] Slack Plaza Sculptures - Charleston, West Virginia Two 16-foot-tall whimsical musicians (plus a smaller dog) were installed in Charleston's Slack Plaza in December 2021. Sculpted by Pittsburgh artist James Simon, they were created to show off West Virginia's Appalachian music history. [caption id="attachment_39370" align="alignnone" width="422"] Charleston Slack Plaza Banjo player and dog[/caption] [caption id="attachment_39362" align="alignnone" width="437"] Charleston Slack Plaza fiddle player[/caption] Brother Morgan - Giant Warhammer Figure -…

05Feb 2025 by David Kravetz

2024 in Review: Roadside Attractions – Part 2 – Sculptures and Roadside Art

Adventure, Airlines, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Birds, Blue Heron, Books, Bucket List Trips, Eagles, Family Travel, Giant Things, Indiana, Kentucky, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Ohio, Oklahoma, Peacock, Pigs, Place Names, Quirky Things, Roadside America Books, Roadside Attractions, States and Provinces, Street Art, Texas, Travel Blogging, Unique Places

Not every roadside attraction is quirky or strange. Sometimes we can learn from them or gain some perspective in life. Sculptures are always an interesting subject and I saw plenty of them in 2024, from larger than life historical monuments to themed art in small towns. Also want to give a big shoutout to Roadside America for guidance on some of these locations. OKLAHOMA CENTENNIAL LAND RUN MONUMENT - OKLAHOMA CITY [caption id="attachment_39428" align="alignnone" width="640"] Centennial Land Run Monument - Oklahoma City[/caption] This monument has special significance to me as I had two great-grandfathers and a great-great-grandfather that participated in one of the four historic land runs in Oklahoma in the late 1800s. On September 16, 1893 my great-grandfather Pascal Hanks, his father Joseph W. Hanks (a first cousin to…

29Jan 2025 by David Kravetz

2024 in Review: Roadside Attractions – Part 1 – The Big Stuff

Adventure, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, Cross Country Road Trips, Dinosaurs, Eateries, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Garth Brooks, Giant Things, Illinois, Indiana, Junk Art, Junk-art Sculptures, Kansas, Kentucky, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Missouri, Muffler Man, Murals, Offbeat Places, Ohio, Oklahoma, Quirky Things, Roadside America Books, Roadside Attractions, Sasquatch Art, Selfies, Street Art, Tennessee, Texas, Tourist Traps, Travel Blogging, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, West Virginia, Yard Art

At the beginning of 2024 I had hopes of traveling across the country to Washington State, but sadly, that didn't work out. Sickness, job losses and other challenges seriously reduced my travels. Despite all of that, I still was able to get some travel in. I had the opportunity to travel to or through eleven different states as I visited my sister in Texas and in Oklahoma. She also traveled with me on a couple of occasions. I also made trips to Ohio for family, a small trip to West Virginia and trips to Indiana and Missouri for my late 2024 job with Uranus Fudge Factory while it lasted. Along the way, as is my travel routine, I hit up numerous road side attractions and oddities. I had a few…

05Aug 2023 by David Kravetz

2023 Gulf Coast Road Trip: The Overview

Adventure, Alabama, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bakeries, BBQ Places, Beaches, Big Cities, Big John, Birds, Books, Bridges, Brown Pelican, Bucket List Trips, Buildings, Barns and Houses, Cities and Towns, City Skylines, Cross Country Road Trips, Eateries, Family Travel, Florida, Found Metal Sculptures, Georgia, Ghost Signs, Giant Things, Graffiti Walls, Highways and Roadways, Junk Art, Junk-art Sculptures, Kentucky, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Muffler Man, Murals, Museums, National and State Parks, Historic Sites and More, National Monuments, Nature and Scenery, Offbeat Places, Peter Wolf Toth, Place Names, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Selfies, Signs and Billboards, Street Art, Tennessee, Texas, Town Names, Travel Blogging, Travel with grandchildren, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Uniroyal Gal, US Highway 98, Wall Art, Wanderlust, Water Towers, Welcome Signs, Whispering Giants, Whispering Giants, Wood Stork, Yard Art

[caption id="attachment_37550" align="alignnone" width="640"] On our way for a fun road trip! Autumn in the front with me and Chelsea and Jorge in the back.[/caption] I was thrilled to finally get in a good road trip in July 2023. My last multi-day road trip took place back in October 2022 when I traveled Route 66 in Illinois to celebrate by 66th birthday. The July 2023 was taken south to the Gulf Coast, then along the coastal highways and eventually into New Orleans. From there were went on to Houston, Keller and Uncertain, all in Texas, before heading back to Kentucky. All in all, we traveled 3001 miles over an eight day period and traveled through ten different states. I say we as on this trip I was accompanied by my…

24Jun 2023 by David Kravetz

Using the Roadside America App (for iPhone or iPad): A Primer

Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Junk Art, Junk-art Sculptures, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Muffler Man, Offbeat Places, Place Names, Quirky Things, Roadside America Books, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, States and Provinces, Travel Blogging, Uniroyal Gal, Whispering Giants

Over the years of my blogging, I have often mentioned Roadside America, both the website and the iPhone/iPad app, as excellent tools to assist in both your road trip planning and actual road trip guidance while on the road. In this post I am going to explain the app and why one should use it on a road trip. This is not a sponsored post, but rather a detailed post based on my own personal experiences with the app for the past 13 years. I will note upfront, however, that I highly recommend this app to all who may plan on traveling. WHAT IS ROADSIDE AMERICA? [caption id="attachment_37483" align="alignnone" width="316" alt="" height="475"] Cover of the original Roadside America book from 1986[/caption] I have been a fan and user…

01Jun 2023 by David Kravetz

The Bears of Kentucky Hwy 11 (and other fun stuff)

Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, BBQ Places, Books, Burger Joints, Family Travel, Geologic Formations, Kentucky, KY Highway 11, Landscapes, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Offbeat Places, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Sasquatch Art, Selfies, Signs and Billboards, Staycations, Tourist Traps, Unique Places, Unique Shops, Welcome Signs, Wood Carved Bears

[caption id="attachment_37383" align="alignnone" width="485"] Highway 11 runs north of Slade and joins Highway 15 near Campton, KY[/caption] Kentucky Highway 11 runs from Maysville to Barbourville, KY. It is 182.5 miles in length and is planned to become a "macro-corridor" within Kentucky. This post only covers a small section of the highway as it runs through the world famous Red River Gorge National Geologic Area and through Natural Bridge State Resort Park and into Slade. This area is probably the most highly visited natural area in Kentucky and this section of Highway 11 is most certainly the most heavily traveled of anywhere along the nearly 183 mile stretch. Being a major tourist draw, especially near Natural Bridge, this section features numerous eating establishments, many cabin rentals, a smattering of gift shops…

07Feb 2023 by David Kravetz

2022: The Year in Travel – April/May Staycation Fun in Kentucky

Adventure, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Bike Trails, Bison, Books, Bridges, Buffalo, Buildings, Barns and Houses, Caves and Caverns, Deer, Eastern Bluebird, Eastern Box Turtle, Eastern Kingbird, Elk, Family Travel, Farmland, Flowers, Found Metal Sculptures, Geologic Formations, Graffiti Walls, Hiking & Biking, Hiking Trails, Horses, Indiana, Indigo Bunting, Junk Art, Junk-art Sculptures, Kentucky, Landscapes, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Lewis and Clark Sites, Mountains, Murals, Nature and Scenery, Northern Cardinal, Offbeat Places, Osprey, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Selfies, Sheltowee Trace, Staycations, Tennessee, Town Names, Turtles, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, Wall Art, Water Towers, Waterfalls, Welcome Signs, Wildflowers

[caption id="attachment_36906" align="alignleft" width="300"] Staycationing in Kentucky in 2022[/caption] What a year 2022 was!! I started off the year in the midst of another COVID outbreak and high fuel prices. My hopes for much travel in 2022 weren't very high. I expected it would be a lean travel year, but it turned out much different than I had anticipated. By December 31 I had visited 14 states and driven nearly 21,000 miles. This included nearly 1,300 miles (out of a total of 2,400) of driving on Route 66 from Albuquerque to Chicago. I had actually dreamt of driving the entire length of Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica, CA in October, which was when I would celebrate my 66th birthday, but it wasn't meant to be. Nevertheless, I was…

13Dec 2022 by David Kravetz

Chester, Illinois: The Birthplace of Popeye

Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, Bridges, Cross Country Road Trips, Family Travel, Giant Things, Illinois, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Lewis and Clark Sites, Murals, Offbeat Places, Place Names, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Selfies, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Places, Welcome Signs

[caption id="attachment_36205" align="alignnone" width="481"] Hanging with Popeye in Chester, Illinois.[/caption] With every trip I take, I am always looking for something interesting. Not just a one off quirky statue somewhere, but hopefully something bigger. Back in October when I visited Route 66 in Illinois, I looked for something interesting to see on the way home. Thanks to my good friends at RoadsideAmerica.com, I was guided to the river town of Chester, Illinois. It sits on a hill overlooking the Mississippi River just across from Missouri. [caption id="attachment_36202" align="alignnone" width="640"] Welcome to Chester, Illinois[/caption] The view of the Chester Bridge over the river from Segar Memorial Park is really a splendid view and the town itself is a pleasant little town. That in and of itself was worth the visit. But,…

27Nov 2022 by David Kravetz

Route 66 in Illinois – Celebrating 66th Birthday

Adventure, Backroads Discoveries, BBQ Places, Big Cities, Books, Bucket List Trips, Burger Joints, Cities and Towns, City Skylines, Eateries, Family Travel, Found Metal Sculptures, Ghost Signs, Giant Things, Graffiti Walls, Highways and Roadways, Hot Dog Places, Illinois, Interstate 55, Junk Art, Junk-art Sculptures, Landscapes, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Muffler Man, Murals, National and State Parks, Historic Sites and More, National Monuments, Nature and Scenery, Offbeat Places, Place Names, Quirky Things, Restroom Signs, Restrooms, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Route 66, Selfies, Signs and Billboards, Street Art, Town Names, Travel Blogging, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Unique Shops, US Highway 30, US Highway 40, US Highway 60, US Highways, Vintage Neon, Wall Art, Wanderlust, Water Towers, Welcome Signs, Yard Art

[caption id="attachment_35900" align="alignleft" width="300"] Sumoflam on Route 66 in Illinois[/caption] Everyone knows that Route 66 is considered to be America's most iconic highway. Known as the Mother Road, there have been songs written about it, TV shows that feature it and hundreds of groups that travel it. To me, US Route 66 is really just another US Highway, but, due to its pop culture status, it is a fun highway to travel. As 2022 kicked in, it was my hope that I could use my 66th birthday on October 4 as an excuse to travel the entire length from Chicago to Santa Monica. As is typically the case, things don't always go as planned and/or hoped for, and such was the case for my 2022 Route 66 plan. Nevertheless, I…

16May 2022 by David Kravetz

Towns of America A to Z: The S Towns #atozchallenge

A to Z Challenge, Arizona, Arkansas, Back Roads, Backroads Discoveries, Books, California, Canada, Cross Country Road Trips, Delaware, Distilleries, Family Travel, Flowers, Ghost Signs, Graffiti Walls, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Junk Art, Junk-art Sculptures, Kentucky, Landscapes, Large Statues, Less Beaten Paths Books, Missouri, Mountains, Mountains, Murals, National and State Parks, Historic Sites and More, National Parks, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Offbeat Places, Ontario, Oregon, Place Names, Post Offices, Quirky Things, Roadside Attractions, Roadsigns, Route 66, Sandhill Cranes, Selfies, Signs and Billboards, States and Provinces, Street Art, Texas, Tourist Traps, Town Names, Unexpected Discoveries, Unique Eatery, Unique Places, Unique Shops, Volunteer Fire Departments, Washington, Welcome Signs, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Yard Art

Sadly, I didn't get all of these posted with the month of April, but I most certainly want to finish. I am like the guy in the 5K that shows up last....at least I will complete the race. So, the biggest list of town names in the alphabet is probably those that begin with the letter S. There are a load of towns and places, but I will limit them to a readable amount. I do have some fun names at the end. ENJOY THE READ! ENJOY THE RIDE! SANDWICH, NEW HAMPSHIRE [caption id="attachment_15115" align="alignnone" width="522"] Sandwich Historical Society - Sandwich, New Hampshire[/caption] [caption id="attachment_15107" align="alignnone" width="516"] Signposts in Sandwich, NH. No restaurants![/caption] Hungry? Maybe a sandwich? If so, don't visit Sandwich, New Hampshire as there is not a place…

Category: Large Statues