Explore Illinois roadside attractions and other tourist traps, restaurants, stops, and detours to add to your Illinois road trip itinerary.
Keep your eye out for this roadside attraction: Tony Tasset’s Eye, a giant eyeball in Dallas, Texas. That’s right, this Dallas tourist attraction is no optical illusion. It really is a 30-foot tall eyeball made from 8,000 to 9,000 pounds of fiberglass, 9,000 pounds of steel, resin and paint. Chicago, Illinois in 2010 The giant eye sculpture was created in...
We were nearing the end of our day-long Chicago road trip. We’d spent all morning visiting the Mr. Bendo Muffler Man, the Leaning Tower of Niles, the Golden Pyramid House, among other Chicago roadside attractions. It was getting dark, but there was still time for our penultimate stop: the giant hot dog topped with fries at Henry’s Drive-In in Cicero...
Are you ready to take an Illinois road trip and find the best Illinois roadside attractions along the way? Whether you’re taking a car trip with kids or a weekend getaway with friends these 15 places to go in Illinois make fun pit stops on the road and great additions to your travel itinerary. I grew up in Illinois and have lived in the state all of my life...
The Robert C. Givins Castle, also known as the “Irish Castle” or just “The Castle,” is a marvel of medieval-inspired architecture at home in the south side of Chicago, Illinois. The building, the only castle in Chicago, sits at the corner of 103rd Street and Longwood Drive in the Beverly community on Chicago’s south side. Since 1942, the...
Chicago is a city known for its baseball. After all, we have two teams: the Cubs and the White Sox. So it’s no wonder Chicago is also home to a giant metal baseball bat titled Batcolumn (or Bat Column). Batcolumn has stood outside the Harold Washington Social Security Administration Building in downtown Chicago since 1977 when it was commissioned by the U. S...
If you drive or walk past the Big Monster Door at Big Monster Toys in Chicago, Illinois, you’ll probably do a double take. That’s what happened to me the first time I went past. “What is that?” I squealed in delight at the giant yellow door with a giant silver knob and a giant green and purple monster peeking through the window pane. That is...
There’s no better autumn activity than visiting a pumpkin patch and picking out that perfect pumpkin to transform into a Halloween jack-o-lantern. One of my favorite Illinois pumpkin patches is Richardson Adventure Farm in Spring Grove, Illinois. Richardson Adventure Farm is best known as being the home of the world’s largest corn maze, but the fun...
How much do you love ice cream? Enough to eat a giant cone? How about enough to eat AT a giant cone? The Twistee Treat franchise offers fast food and ice cream delights in giant ice cream shaped buildings across the US. About the Twistee Treat Franchise In 1983, Twistee Treat was founded in North Fort Myers, Florida. The chain was known for their dipped soft served...
Have you ever found a roadside attraction hidden in your own backyard? I have. Meet the giant cow statue at the Gene’s Sausage Shop rooftop beer and wine garden in the Lincoln Square neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. In 1972, Polish immigrants John and Gene Luszcz, opened a small delicatessen in Chicago. John & Gene’s on West Roscoe Street quickly became...
When I think about finding a home where the buffalo roam in the United States, I think of South Dakota, North Dakota (home of the World’s Largest Buffalo and the National Buffalo Museum), or Wyoming. I don’t necessarily think of Illinois. But you can find roaming bison in Illinois at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie in Wilmington. About Midewin...
