No Midwest road trip is complete without stopping at some quirky, fun, and totally Instagram-worthy roadside attractions. From giant sculptures to offbeat museums, these stops will add some weird and wonderful memories to your adventure!
1. Casey, IL – The Town of Giant Things
📏 Why Stop?
- Home to over a dozen Guinness World Record “World’s Largest” items!
- Must-see giant attractions include:
- World’s Largest Rocking Chair 🪑
- World’s Largest Wind Chime 🔔
- World’s Largest Mailbox 📬 (you can actually mail a letter!)
- Plus giant knitting needles, birdcage, pencil, and more!
- Small-town charm with fun, interactive photo ops everywhere.
📍 Where: Casey, Illinois
2. The World’s Largest Ball of Twine – Cawker City, KS
🧶 Why Stop?
- Weighs over 20,000 pounds and keeps growing!
- Visitors can add their own twine to the ball.
- A true piece of classic Americana.
📍 Where: Cawker City, Kansas
3. Carhenge – Alliance, NE
🚗 Why Stop?
- It’s Stonehenge… but made of cars!
- 39 vintage American cars stacked to mimic the real Stonehenge.
- Free admission & perfect for quirky road trip photos.
📍 Where: Alliance, Nebraska
4. The Spam Museum – Austin, MN
🥫 Why Stop?
- A museum dedicated entirely to SPAM (the canned meat, not emails).
- Hands-on exhibits, history, and SPAM-themed souvenirs.
- Free admission and a fun pit stop for all ages.
📍 Where: Austin, Minnesota
5. The Pink Elephant – DeForest, WI
🐘 Why Stop?
- A giant pink elephant wearing glasses, standing outside a gas station.
- Snap a photo with this nostalgic roadside icon.
- The gas station also sells cheese curds and Wisconsin souvenirs.
📍 Where: DeForest, Wisconsin
6. The Corn Palace – Mitchell, SD
🌽 Why Stop?
- A building completely covered in corn!
- Features murals made entirely of corn and grains.
- Seasonal events, concerts, and a fun gift shop.
📍 Where: Mitchell, South Dakota
7. World’s Largest Toilet – Columbus, IN
🚽 Why Stop?
- Located inside Kidscommons Children’s Museum, it’s a giant, climbable toilet!
- Kids can slide down the inside of the toilet like a funhouse.
- Hilariously weird and perfect for families.
📍 Where: Columbus, Indiana
8. Paul Bunyan & Babe the Blue Ox – Bemidji, MN
🪓 Why Stop?
- Larger-than-life statues of the legendary lumberjack and his ox.
- A true Midwest icon and a must-stop photo op.
- Visit the Paul Bunyan Museum next door for more folklore fun.
📍 Where: Bemidji, Minnesota
9. The Shoe Tree – Middletown, MO
👟 Why Stop?
- A tree covered in hundreds of shoes thrown by travelers.
- No one really knows how it started, but everyone adds a pair!
- Fun way to leave your mark on a Midwest road trip.
📍 Where: Middletown, Missouri
10. The Jolly Green Giant Statue – Blue Earth, MN
🥦 Why Stop?
- A 55-foot-tall statue of the Jolly Green Giant from the veggie commercials.
- Free visitor center with fun Green Giant history.
- Perfect for a goofy road trip selfie.
📍 Where: Blue Earth, Minnesota
11. Kaskaskia Dragon – Vandalia, IL
🐉 Why Stop?
- A massive metal dragon that breathes real fire (yes, seriously!).
- Buy a golden token from the nearby liquor store to make it breathe flames.
- Fun for kids and adults alike.
📍 Where: Vandalia, Illinois
Final Thoughts
The Midwest is full of strange, hilarious, and just plain cool roadside attractions. Whether you’re posing with a giant ball of twine, adding your shoes to a tree, or mailing a letter from the world’s largest mailbox, these stops will make your road trip unforgettable!
🚗 Which one would you visit first? Let me know in the comments! 😊
PLAN WITH LEANNE 
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