Why would anyone travel hundreds of miles for a cold glass of ice water? You might think thirst is the obvious answer. Actually, it’s much more than just wetting one’s whistle that brings millions of people to the famous Wall Drug Store located in the small town of Wall, South Dakota. The "much more" part consists of roadside charm, friendly hospitality, unique shopping experiences and the opportunity to see unusual memorabilia that decorate this large tourist attraction.

During the depression of the 1930's, Ted and Dorothy Hustead started running a typical small town drug store. Dorothy had a brilliant idea to drum up some much needed business. The idea was to put up clever signs with catchy slogans along the road to bring in weary travelers for free ice water. Ted feeling silly about the whole thing was amazed as car after car pulled in looking for those cups of ice water. Besides picking up the free thirst buster, people started buying food and supplies for the rest of their trip. The Hustead’s found success in the middle of nowhere and all the thanks goes to those "silly" signs. Through the years these signs have been erected all over the world letting future travelers know just how many miles they are from Wall Drug.

If you find yourself traveling in the state of South Dakota you must journey onward to this beloved roadside realm of amazement and experience it for yourself! You can ride a giant Jackalope, see a fake Mount Rushmore, almost get eaten by dinosaur, watch kitchy animals come to life for a quarter (check out the YouTube links below), drink a nickel cup of coffee, listen to some singing cowboys, and even buy a few postcards. Of course give yourself plenty of time, because these are just a few of the fun things you’ll find at this place that’s as big as a shopping mall. Just remember as you drink that free glass of ice water that you’re part of a 75-year-old tradition that has made the Wall Drug Store one of America’s first and great roadside attractions.

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Posted by Todd Franklin on January 28, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (1)

When I accidentally dropped my gerbil on the kitchen floor and killed it, my Mum’s response was “Let’s go to Blackgang Chine!”. If there was ever a place on Earth where you could forget about the premature demise of your favourite rodent, Blackgang Chine was it. That was twenty five years ago and the place made such an impression on us that my Mum took the family there to celebrate her sixtieth birthday in 2003.

Hanging precariously onto the Southerly cliffs of the Isle of Wight, Blackgang Chine is one of a dying breed of family-run Theme Parks. It was set up in 1842 by Alexander Dabell who saw money-making potential in this spot of outstanding natural beauty. Having landscaped some gardens at the top of the Chine, he then put the area firmly on the tourist trail by acquiring a stranded whale at auction. He sold off the blubber and installed the bleached skeleton in a hut. Blackgang Chine was now officially open for business and people came from all over Britain to see the whale and walk in the beautiful gardens.

To this day, descendants of Alexander Dabell still run the park which now covers an impressive 40 acres of land. There have been a few concessions to modern expectations, such as the recent “Cliff Hanger” rollercoaster but these make little impact when compared to the folk-art qualities of the fibreglass attractions that have remained intact since the Seventies. Walking through the giant pirate’s legs at the entrance, the memories came flooding back. Imagine my joy as I re-entered “Frontier-Land” cowboy town and sat astride the same steed of yesteryear, turning a corner only to find that “The Crooked House” had not fallen prey to the terrible landslides of the Nineties. “Nursery Land” still contained the giant hallucinogenic mushrooms of my childhood and the bizarre ape-men continued to lurk in the trees en route to “Dinosaur Land”.

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Posted by Jasia on January 20, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (3)

Not many museums are in the attic of a rather crappy antique mall. The Lunchbox Museum in Columbus, Georgia however is not your usual museum. A massive collection of lunch boxes, lunch trays and even production artwork created to adorn lunch boxes, it's a labor of love. While its home in the attic of the River Market Antiques Mall leaves much to be desired, the sheer number of collectibles will distract from their surroundings.

For this trip, the museum was my only destination. So I saw little of Columbus in getting to the River Market Antiques Mall. After arriving, a quick outside tour of the interesting clutter, which included a folk-art covered hearse, I made my way to the door. At the front entrance I was greeted with a menu of odd museum options for my enjoyment.

"WORLD FAMOUS LUNCH BOXES, Lunch Box Museum, Recognized By The Smithsonian Institute - OVER 2000 BOXES. $5.00 VIEWING FEE
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WORLDS HIGHEST SKYLINE - 280 SQ FT. 27 BUILDINGS OVER 1000 FLOORS - 6.7 SQ MILES IN SQ MILES THIS CITY IS RATED 2ND IN THE NATION!! $2.00 VIEWING FEE PER PERSON - 8 YEARS IN THE MAKING
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MEADERS POTTERY MUSEUM OF SOUTHERN STONEWARE - BY APOINTMENT"

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Posted by Robert on January 13, 2007 | Permalink

Morecambe, it’s fair to say, could almost be the resort Morrissey had in mind when he wrote ‘Every Day Is Like Sunday’. It really does have the feel of a place they forgot to close down. The town’s heyday is long past. Looking at the flyblown bargain stores and low rent accommodation that line the seafront, it’s difficult to believe that Morecambe was once considered a more ‘select’ destination than Blackpool further down the coast. Even so, the place does have a certain appeal. There are gems like Brucciani’s unchanged 1930s tea room. There’s a special quality to the light which has attracted artists for decades. Large areas of the promenade have been given a sensitive makeover. The magnificent art deco Midland Grand Hotel is under restoration, and the Stone Jetty behind it is a great example of regeneration with a human touch. The bollards lining the Jetty are topped with witty sculptures of seabirds (incidentally, the patterns for casting them were made by my dad).

Between the Grand and the Jetty is a wind-blasted open square of concrete flagstones – the Arena Funfair. All that remains of this small fairground are two buildings glowering at each other like a couple of punch-drunk boxers. On one side there is the former fairground café, a squat bunker-like building with JUG OF TEA £1.50 carefully hand written on the front. Opposite the café is what was once an open stage. The only performances these days are by vandals and pigeons. Next to the stage is an empty shallow pool, coated in flaking cobalt blue. Painted by the same hand as 'JUG OF TEA £1.50' is a sign announcing REMOTE CONTROL BOATS. The stunning sunsets that Morecambe Bay is famous for only enhance the melancholic appeal.

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Posted by Gareth on January 07, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (2)