There are plenty of places you can visit in the Southeast, and chances are, no matter where the road takes you, you’ll be on one of a few major interstates and highways to get there. Unlike flights, road trips let you pause and blow off some steam — but not all your stops have to be gas stations.
From the cool to the quirky, here are a few roadside attractions in the Southeast where you can stretch your legs and see something new.
Rock City — Lookout Mountain, Georgia
Have you ever seen a birdhouse or farmhouse painted with the phrase “See Rock City” while on the road? They’re all advertisements for Rock City on Lookout Mountain!
Designed by Frieda Carter, also the wife of the man who invented mini golf, Rock City has been entertaining tourists since 1932. Its grounds are an eclectic collection of botanical gardens, unique rock formations, restaurants, shops, and more, all wrapped up in a fairytale-inspired motif.
Visitors can choose from four trails leading to different sights. Some of the most popular attractions are the Fairyland Caverns, a series of caves with blacklight displays of popular fairytales, and Balanced Rock, where a massive boulder naturally rests on a smaller one. But nothing can compete with Lookout Mountain, from which visitors can see seven states simultaneously at the 2,389-foot-tall peak!
You can find Rock City off I-24 using exit 187 from the east or 174 from the west. It’s about six miles southwest of Chattanooga, at the very tip of Georgia.
Click here to learn more about Rock City.
Dinosaur World — Plant City, Florida
Driving on I-4 near Florida’s west coast, you may be flabbergasted to see a life-size T. rex statue on the side of the road. The sign behind it, which says “Dinosaur World” in a larger-than-life font, tells you everything you need to know.
If you have a little one who loves dinos, there’s no better place to stop off than Dinosaur World. This park features trails that wind through hundreds of dinosaur models, from the brontosauruses to the velociraptor — plus an exhibit of massive casts made from authentic dinosaur skeletons.
There are also plenty of hands-on activities, like gem and fossil digs and an entire dinosaur-themed playground. And if you want to bring something home, visit the enormous gift shop, where your future paleontologist can pick out their favorite dinosaur toy!
Dinosaur World is off exit 17 on I-4, about 30 minutes east of Tampa. Click here to learn more.
Skunk Ape Research Headquarters — Ochopee, Florida
You’ve heard of Bigfoot. Now, meet the skunk ape, the Southeast’s very own cryptid.
The skunk ape is said to be a large, hairy humanoid who wanders the Everglades and other Florida swamps. And at the Skunk Ape Research Headquarters in Ochopee, you can judge for yourself by the exhibit’s newspaper clippings, photos and enormous four-toed footprint cast!
The establishment is owned by Dave Shealy, who claims to have seen the creature. But it’s not just the skunk ape you’ll spot at the headquarters. Guests can also get a glimpse of Goldie, a 24-foot python weighing about 400 pounds, plus alligators, turtles, and waterfowl. And don’t forget to pick up your skunk ape T-shirt at the gift shop!
Skunk Ape Research Headquarters is at Trail Lakes Campground, which is off Tamiami Trail, a road that spans across the entire state from Naples to Miami. Click here to learn more.
World’s Largest Office Chair — Anniston, Alabama
Roadside attractions often include the phrase “world’s largest” — and that rings true in Alabama, too, where you can ogle at one of the world’s largest office chairs!
The chair has been drawing eyes since 1981, when the owner of the nearby Miller’s Office Supply decided he wanted to draw eyes to the company. More than 30 feet tall with a 15-foot-square seat, the chair is now a roadside classic. In 1982, Guinness World Records declared it the world’s largest office chair, although that honor now belongs to a massive seat in Austria.
The chair is in Anniston, Alabama, the seat of Calhoun County. The city is home to several museums, like the Anniston Museum of Natural History and the Berman Museum of World History, and is also known for its outdoor walking, cycling, and horse trails.
You can find the giant office chair by using exits 185 or 188 on I-85 and following Highway 21 north. Click here to learn more about the famed chair.
Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park — Wilson, South Carolina
Located in South Carolina’s historic downtown Wilson, the free park displays the work of Vollis Simpson, a machinery repairman who created enormous moving statues he called “whirligigs” out of scrap metal and other recycled materials. In 2013, the year Simpson died, whirligigs were declared the state’s official folk art.
Thirty of the unique structures, which spin and twist with the wind, are scattered throughout a two-acre park. And just across the street is the Whirligig Park Museum & Gift Shop, which invites visitors to learn Simpson’s story and buy their own whirling momentos.
The Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park and its museum are in Wilson, which is off several major roads — including I-587, I-95, and U.S. 301. Click here to learn more.
Shift gears this summer with a great road trip!
Part of the road trip is the road itself — so why not check out these fun attractions while you’re on your way to your next vacation? Your Toyota is waiting!