A Traveling Dog, The Travel Blog

Continuing on the the road trip theme, tourist attractions are a staple in Americana and a must-see for anyone traveling highways and byways. We’re not talking about beaches and theme parks either. These places speak to lovers of the strange and bizarre and probably aren’t in your standard travel guide.They’re like America’s deformities:  so weird, we just can’t look away! Here is a list of a few odd U.S. tourist attractions that still attract hundreds of road-trippers every year.

Babyland General Hospital (Cleveland, Georgia):

This  institution is sure to cater to the 8 year-old girl in all of us. It’s the magical place where Cabbage Patch Kids are stuffed and certified. Although the craze for Cabbage Patch Kids has died down since the 80s and 90s, they still have quiet a few visitors in the summer.

Precious Moments Chapel (Carthage, Missouri):

What’s creepier than those popular teary-eyed, angle-winged Precious Moments figurines? A whole chapel adorned with Precious Moments characters painted Sistine Chapel in a Missouri church. Still, this place rakes in the visitors every year.

Prehistoric Forest (Marblehead, Ohio):

Dinosaurs are cool! Dinosaur replicas are less cool. At Prehistoric Forest in Marblehead, you can gaze at dinosaur statues that are set up to look like a less threatening Jurassic Park. The coolest part is the tram ride in which visitors are handed fake M16’s and are told to “kill the monsters”.

People always argue: Which is better, Disney World or Disneyland? Frankly, I think it depends on what you grew up with.

A lot of people from California, for example, have gone to Disneyland since they were kids, which makes it harder for Disney World to impress them. On the other hand, I lived in Florida most of my life and have been going to Disney World since I could walk on my own, so Disney World has always been my favorite, both as a kid and an adult. When I visited California, I thought it would be cool to check out the smaller version of Disney World, but Disneyland did not impress me at all!

Which park you prefer also depends on where in the country you live and how much you want to pay for tickets and food. Disneyland, perhaps because it is much smaller than Disney World, is generally a little less expensive. But of course I think Disney World has better food, better options, and more to do!

For example, I lo ve the different ethnicities and cultures represented at Disney World, allowing you to easily “travel” from Morocco to Germany, for example, and even enjoy authentic cuisine. Of those countries, my father enjoyed Germany because he loves their beer, whereas my mom and I loved Morocco because of the restaurant’s beautiful decorations—it seriously felt like stepping into another country.

Try out both parks, and see which one YOU like the best!