76 Attractions to See While Driving Across the Country

Cross-country road trips are as much a summer tradition as barbecues, fireworks, and clambakes. Packing up the car and heading off for adventures unknown makes for some of the fondest travel memories, especially if the trip involves stopping to explore attractions along America's iconic roadways. In honor of the great American road trip, here's a guide to some top cross-country road trip stops along Interstates 10, 40, 70, 80, 90, and 95, as well as the legendary former Route 66, much of which was later replaced by Interstates 40, 44, and 55. Most are cheap or free; the others may be worth a splurge.

Related: 30 Under-the-Radar Road Trips You Can Take in a Day

Where: Nashville, Tennessee
Miles from highway: 1.5 

Having celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2017, the 350,000-square-foot Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum showcases rare music artifacts and memorabilia from legends including Charlie Daniels, Alabama, the Zac Brown Band, Brad Paisley, and more. 

Related: Bucket-List Destinations for Music Lovers

Where: Nashville, Tennessee
Miles from highway: 1 

Known as "the Mother Church of Country Music," Ryman Auditorium celebrated its 130th anniversary in 2022. Visitors get to peek at costumes, memorabilia, and dressing rooms used by celebrities.

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Where: Oklahoma City
Miles from highway: 2.8

Before 9/11, there was April 19, 1995 — the day Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols attacked the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building with a truck full of explosives, leaving hundreds dead or injured. Today, the site hosts the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum dedicated to the victims, survivors, and responders.

Where: Amarillo, Texas
Miles from highway: 1

The Big Texan Steak Ranch, legendary along Route 66, has hosted a 72-ounce steak challenge since the 1960s. Even vegetarians might enjoy the gift shop, or at least stay at the motel at this historic property.

Where: Near Winslow, Arizona
Miles from highway: 5

Measuring about 4,000 feet across, Meteor Crater is one of the best-preserved meteor impact sites on Earth. The crater was formed about 50,000 years ago by an asteroid traveling about 26,000 miles an hour. There's an interactive discovery center at the site and a walkway that allows visitors to explore the crater rim.

Where: Arizona
Miles from highway: 1.1

Visually stunning, Petrified Forest National Park is most famous for having large deposits of petrified wood dating back to the late Triassic period (225 million years ago). Activities at this 230-square-mile park include hiking, horseback riding, guided tours, and geocaching.

Related: Explore the Best National Parks in Every State

Where: Flagstaff, Arizona
Miles from highway: 9.1

Founded in 1894 by Percival Lowell, a descendent of one of the wealthiest families in Boston, Lowell Observatory is where Pluto was discovered in 1930. It sits atop a mesa overlooking downtown Flagstaff and offers guided tours, films, and the opportunity to view the sun and other stars through a specially equipped telescope.

Where: Granby, Colorado
Miles from highway: About 38

Take Interstate 70 west out of Denver, then hop on the U.S. 40 exit near Idaho Springs and head north. You'll see some eye-popping mountain scenery as you drive along the switchbacks and pass through Winter Park. The Snowflex summer slope in Granby offers a refreshing break from the long drive. The first of its kind in Colorado, the hill has a snow-like surface and misters to keep riders cool. Operated by the YMCA of the Rockies, the hill is open to all.

Where: Kansas City, Missouri
Miles from highway: 1

Designated by Congress as the nation's official World War I Museum in 2014, this attraction holds the world's most diverse collection of objects and documents related to the war. Exhibits include life-size trenches, recovered tanks, photo exhibits, and films.

Where: Indianapolis
Miles from highway: < 1

A veritable rock star in his day, “Hoosier Poet” James Whitcomb Riley gave the world a taste of Indiana life and its dialect through his volumes of poetry and his performances that drew thousands. His home in the historic Lockerbie Square district of Indianapolis is a showcase of his life and era with artifacts such as his writing desk and his top hat and cane. Admission is $10 for adults and $1 for kids 7 to 17.

Where: Farmington, Pennsylvania
Miles from highway: 45 

There are several cross-country road trip stops worth seeing in Pennsylvania, all a bit off the beaten path. Exit I-70 at State Highway 51, the head south to the town of Oliver, picking up U.S. 40 for the rest of the drive. The 900-acre site of young George Washington's first military engagement and the battle that marked the beginning of the French and Indian War, Fort Necessity is home to an interpretive education center with interactive exhibits, a playground, museum bookstore, and more than 5 miles of hiking trails. There's a recreated fort where the original once stood. You can also reach the battlefield from Interstate 68, which cuts through Maryland to the south.

Where: Fayette County, Pennsylvania
Miles from highway: About 50

One of the most famous homes by renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright and one of the last properties he built, Kentuck Knob is said to be a work of genius. Set atop a bluff overlooking the Youghiogheny River Gorge, the home blends architecture, nature, and sculpture seamlessly in an illustration of Wright's iconic "Usonian" architecture. The property's woodlands and grounds display a collection of sculptures. It's also not far from Wright's more famous home, Fallingwater. For a scenic drive, pick up U.S. 40 outside of Washington, Pennsylvania, and head southeast, or take I-70 a little farther east to New Stanton and head south on State Route 119 until it hits U.S. 40 near Uniontown.

Where: Fayette County, Pennsylvania
Miles from highway: 40 

Laurel Caverns Park is the largest cave in Pennsylvania. There's a 3-mile labyrinth of sandstone passages to explore, as well as guided tours, panning for gemstones for the kids, and even cave rappelling for beginners. Come winter, the caverns are the state's largest natural shelter for bats. You can reach the park by exiting I-70 and heading south on State Route 43 to Uniontown, then picking up U.S. 40, which meanders southeast to the cavern's entry off Skyline Drive.

Where: Wilmington, Delaware
Miles from highway: 3.3

Road trippers can explore the legacy of the du Ponts, one of America's wealthiest and most legendary families, at this opulent 77-room mansion built in 18th-century French style. The property is home to the largest formal French gardens in North America, and the chauffeur's garage houses a collection of vintage cars.

Related: 21 Great Car Museums and Car Shows Worth The Drive

Where: Hockessin, Delaware
Miles from highway: 7.8

The du Ponts were nothing if not prolific when it came to building jaw-dropping estates. Another example of the family's immense wealth open to the public, 500-acre Mount Cuba Center is the former home of Lammot du Pont Copeland and Pamela Cunningham Copeland. It's known for its gardens, native plantings, meadows, and wood canopies.

Where: New Castle County, Delaware
Miles from highway: 5.6

Another legendary du Pont property, Winterthur (pronounced "winter-tour") is the childhood home of collector and horticulturist Henry Francis du Pont, who lived from 1880 until 1969, and is open to the public as a museum of American and decorative arts. Nearly 90,000 objects that were made or used between 1640 and 1860 are on display throughout the 175-room house.

Where: Bucks County, Pennsylvania
Miles from highway: 3.5

Visit the place where George Washington and his men crossed the Delaware River in 1776 to help win the Revolutionary War, and climb to the top of Bowman's Tower for panoramic countryside views. Washington Crossing Historic Park is an ideal place for an impromptu picnic on a road trip.

Where: Langhorne, Pennsylvania
Miles from highway: 2.4

For those with kids in tow, Sesame Place is a must. The nation's only theme park based entirely on Sesame Street offers water rides, shows, parades, and character photos. Single-day prices can be as low as $40 for select events. Prices may vary by season ranging from $45 to $70 with discounts for buying online.

Where: College Park, Maryland
Miles from highway: 7.3

This 27,000-square-foot museum, on the site of the world's oldest continually operating airport, displays unique and historic aircrafts and tells the stories of its aviation innovations — including being the first airport dispatching U.S. airmail flights. There are hands-on activities and interpretive areas for children.

Where: Smithfield, North Carolina
Miles from highway: 1.9

Dedicated to the glamorous actor, who lived from 1922 until 1990, the Ava Gardner Museum showcases original scripts, photos, costumes, and personal effects in her hometown. The star's grave is two miles from the museum, at Sunset Memorial Gardens.

Where: Coral Gables, Florida
Miles from highway: 5

What better way to break up a road trip then a dip in a spring-fed pool? This 820,000-gallon public pool, created in 1923, gets its water from an underground aquifer. Stop in early to ensure admission.

Where: Coconut Creek, Florida
Miles from highway: 4.1

Walk amid butterflies at this three-acre park with aviaries, botanical gardens, and a working butterfly farm. It's the largest such attraction in the Western Hemisphere, and charges like it: $32.50 for adults and $22.50 for children 3 to 11.

Where: Hamer, South Carolina
Miles from highway: < 1

One of the most iconic sights off I-95, this attraction is famous for its giant roadside statue of a man wearing a sombrero. Operating for more than 50 years, the kitschy rest stop includes restaurants, a motel, a video arcade, and mini golf.

Where: Richmond, Virginia
Miles from highway: 2.3

Named one of the top five botanical gardens in North America by USA Today, this 50-acre attraction includes more than a dozen themed gardens, including a Children's Garden, Rose Garden, Edible Display Garden, and Asian Valley. There's also a 63-foot classical domed conservatory.

Related: Gorgeous Botanical Gardens in All 50 States

Where: Bellefonte, Pennsylvania
Miles from highway: 7.3

Stamp collectors will be in heaven at the home of the American Philatelic Research Library. The center contains one of the world's largest collections of philatelic literature — three miles of shelving with more than 23,000 books and 5,700 journals about stamps and postal history. The building itself, a restored match factory from the 1800s, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Where: Bellefonte, Pennsylvania
Miles from highway: 6.5

Established in 1795 and on the National Register of Historic Places, this historic district has nearly 300 original Victorian buildings. They include the Colonel James Dunlap House, dating back to 1795, and the Crider Exchange, from 1889.

Where: South Bend, Indiana
Miles from highway: 4

Roadtrippers traveling across the Hoosier State can soak up a dose of transportation history at the Studebaker National Museum. The museum is housed in a 55,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility and has permanent exhibits of presidential carriages dating back to the 1800s, stylish cars from the company’s glory years, and a look at Studebaker’s wartime vehicles. Admission is $11 for adults, $7 for kids 6 to 17.

Related: Dead Car Brands That American Drivers Miss (and a Few They Don't)

Where: Walcott, Iowa
Miles from highway: < 1

Iowa 80 has served more than 18.2 million eggs and three million cups of coffee since opening more than 50 years ago. There's a movie theater, a dentist, a barber, a chiropractor, multiple places to eat, a laundromat, a library, exercise facilities, and even a "Dogomat." Don't miss the super truck showroom.

Where: Moline, Illinois
Miles from highway: 7

The John Deere Pavilion is about more than getting close with shiny farm equipment, although kids are encouraged to climb around. State-of-the-art simulators let visitors experience what it's like to operate an excavator or dozer — and admission is free.

Where: Council Bluffs, Iowa
Miles from highway: 4.4

One of three remaining examples of what's known as a rotary cell jail, this three-story brick building — built in 1885, used as a jail until 1969, and now on the National Register of Historic Places — has three floors of revolving cells inside a cage.

Where: Elk Horn, Iowa
Miles from highway: 6.4

This windmill was built in 1848 in Denmark and moved to Iowa in 1975 for rebuilding. The mill grinds wheat and rye, and its museum has information about Denmark and its customs. A neighboring gift shop sells Danish items such as dishware and collectibles.

Where: Urbandale, Iowa
Miles from highway: 1.6

An open-air museum spread over 500 acres, Living History Farms illustrates how Native Americans grew crops in the 1700s, as well as how farmers began using oxen in the 1850s and horses in the 1900s to revolutionize agriculture. There are three distinct farms on the property, representing each era, and a town with blacksmith, general store, and more.

Related: The 40 Best Places in America to Travel Back in Time

Where: West Branch, Iowa
Miles from highway: < 1

Explore the humble early life and remarkable career of Herbert Hoover at this national historic site, home to Hoover's presidential library and museum as well as his two-room birthplace cottage and gravesite. Visitors can take self-guided tours of the historic buildings.

Where: Davenport, Iowa
Miles from highway: 5.8

One of the Midwest's most extensive and varied collections, the Figge showcases American, Spanish, and Haitian art and hosts world-class traveling exhibitions. The building, on the banks of the Mississippi, is a striking glass structure by British architect David Chipperfield.

Where: Le Claire, Iowa
Miles from highway: 2

Learn how vodka, gin, and whiskey are handcrafted from local ingredients harvested just up the hill from this distillery. There are samples included at the end of the tour; tickets to the tour, which sell quickly, are $5.

Where: Chipley, Florida
Miles from highway: 3

A unique 73-foot waterfall flows deep out of sight to an underground labyrinth of rivers and lakes from a cylindrical pit, following a path no one has been able to definitively trace. Viewing the waterfall requires walking along a boardwalk known as Sink Hole Trail — a reference to fern-covered sinkholes surrounding it.

Where: Los Angeles
Miles from highway: 2.9

A world-class museum of art, LACMA can hardly be bypassed when headed through Los Angeles. Opened in 1965, it is the largest art museum in the western United States. Its collection includes more than 135,000 objects, ranging from antiquity to the present — some still on view while the museum prepares for reconstruction. The iconic “Urban Light” display and “Levitated Mass” public art are still there too.

Where: Los Angeles
Miles from highway: 5.8

Another must-see museum in Los Angeles, the Getty Center displays its collection — from pre-20th-century European paintings, drawings, and sculpture to 19th- and 20th-century American, European, and Asian photographs — in pavilions around a central garden. The entire campus is on a bluff overlooking the city.

Where: near Palm Springs, California
Miles from highway: 3.3

This roadside stop and 50-dinosaur display will be familiar to many visitors from films such as "Pee-wee's Big Adventure." There's also a dinosaur dig and fossil panning.

Where: Palm Springs, California
Miles from highway: 9.7

Ride along the cliffs of Chino Canyon in the world's largest rotating tram car. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway ($31 for adults, $19 for kids 3 to 10) rises about 2.5 miles in 10 minutes, depositing riders at Mount San Jacinto State Park, where there are restaurants, a natural history museum, two theaters, and miles of hiking trails.

Where: Outside Tucson, Arizona
Miles from highway: 1.5

There are more than 300 historical aircraft spread over 80 acres at this museum. It includes individual hangars dedicated to World War II aircraft, space travel, and more. In addition, there are tram tours of the boneyard, which includes more than 150 aircraft.

Where: Phoenix
Miles from highway: 5.3

The 140-acre Desert Botanical Garden is home to a sprawling collection of more than 50,000 plants, including hundreds of rare, threatened, and endangered succulents from throughout the Southwest. Admission is $25 to $30 for adults and $15 to $17 for kids 3 to 17.

Where: San Antonio
Miles from highway: 1.8

There's so much to do along the tree-lined San Antonio River Walk that it's hard to know where to begin. Some of the larger attractions include the Blue Star Contemporary Art Center and Tower of the Americas, a 750-foot landmark with an observation deck, revolving restaurant, and adventure ride.

Where: Toyahvale, Texas
Miles from highway: 7.4

A highlight of this park (particularly on a long, hot drive through the desert) is its 1.75-acre, 25-foot-deep swimming pool. The spring-fed water is 72 to 76 degrees year-round. Other activities at this historic park include camping, bird watching, and picnicking.

Where: Crockett County, Texas
Miles from highway: 9.4

The site of what was once a bustling 25-building settlement, Fort Lancaster was built in the 1850s to provide guides for people on the San Antonio-El Paso Road trail to California. Visitors can see ruins of some of the original blacksmith's shop, hospital, and general store.

Where: San Antonio
Miles from highway: < 1

For road trippers who can make time and room in the budget for an amusement park, Six Flags Fiesta Texas offers roller coasters, a water park, live music, and kids rides. Tickets start at $45.

Related: How Six Flags and Other Popular Amusement Parks Have Changed Over Time

Where: San Antonio
Miles from highway: 1.1
The site of a pivotal siege and battle in the Texas Revolution in 1836, this 300-year-old landmark is now the site of history demonstrations and talks.

Where: Lake Charles, Louisiana
Miles from highway: < 1
Traditions, history, and artifacts tied to Louisiana's famous annual Mardi Gras celebration are showcased at this museum. The six-room exhibit houses the largest collection of costumes in the South — which you can see in April 2022 after its latest round of renovations.

Where: Boston
Miles from highway: 2.2
There are thousands of animals at the New England Aquarium, including sea lions, penguins, and harbor seals. Don't miss the shark and ray touch tank, or a feeding in the four-story Giant Ocean Tank. There's also an IMAX theater. Admission is $34 for adults and $25 for kids 3 to 11.

Where: Boston
Miles from highway: 2.2
One of the most famous sites in Boston, Faneuil Hall Marketplace was built in 1742 by one of the city's wealthiest merchants. Today it includes four structures — Faneuil Hall, Quincy Market, North Market, and South Market — for shopping and dining enlivened by street entertainers.

Where: Cleveland
Miles from highway: < 1
Fans of the movie "A Christmas Story" can tour Ralphie's home and a museum across the street filled with the props, costumes, movie memorabilia, and hundreds of rare behind-the-scenes photos.

Where: Avon, Ohio
Miles from highway: 1.2
Get a little escape from 2021 at Olde Avon Village, a community of restored homes from the 1850s. Visitors can walk to unique shops; lunch at the Tree House Tea Room Restaurant, in a historic farmhouse filled with antiques; or visit the Avon Train Depot, which dates back to 1882.

Related: America's Most Beautiful and Historic Train Stations

Where: Gary, Indiana
Miles from highway: 4.7
For those who grew up listening to "Thriller" and "Beat It," Michael Jackson's first home is a chance to glimpse the humble beginnings of a pop god. The tiny home is a far cry from the fabulous mansions the icon later inhabited. August typically brings events celebrating Jackson.

Where: Baraboo, Wisconsin
Miles from highway: 9.7
Everything you've ever wanted to know about circus history is on display at this 64-acre, 30-structure museum — once home to the Ringling Brothers. There are artifacts, exhibits, and daily live performances in the summer, when ticket prices double to $20 for adults but cost $14 for kids 5 to 11.

Where: Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
Miles from highway: 6.1
This attraction (which has nothing to do with the sort of witches celebrated on Halloween) is a natural geological wonder — a slot canyon like those found in Zion National Park. It's accessible by boat tours.

Where: Sparta, Wisconsin
Miles from highway: 4.9
File this one under quirky roadside attractions that make fun photographs. This company is famous for crafting everything from giant apples to cows, elephants, and fish. The molds used for the many roadside signs and attractions the company has made over the years are part of sprawling graveyard visitors can explore.

Where: Austin, Minnesota
Miles from highway: 1.1
The SPAM Museum looks at the history of the processed meat and displays a comprehensive collection of spiced pork artifacts. Visit the gift shop to stock up on goodies for the road.

Related: Circus World and Other Weird Museums Across America and Beyond

Where: Mitchell, South Dakota
Miles from highway: 2.2
Built in 1892 to prove the state had a healthy agricultural climate, this "palace" looks like a cross between a circus tent and an exotic temple and houses corn murals, drawing 500,000 people a year.

Where: Rapid City, South Dakota
Miles from highway: 7.1
Built in 1969, this attraction reproduces a chapel in Norway known as the Borgund Stavkirke. The surrounding grounds provide a peaceful place to stretch your legs and explore. There's a meditation trail, gift shop, and museum onsite as well.

Where: Crow Agency, Montana
Miles from highway: < 1
A solemn site from a tragic chapter in history, this battlefield is where the Sioux and Cheyenne mounted one of their final armed efforts to defend and preserve their way of life from encroaching settlers, killing Lt. Col. George A. Custer and 262 other soldiers June 25-26, 1876. There's a museum with historic photos and an audio tour visitors can take while driving the site, retracing the battle.

Where: Butte, Montana
Miles from highway: 2.5
This 90-foot statue atop the Continental Divide is filled with messages visitors have left for loved ones. The statue, built in the likeness of the Virgin Mary, overlooks Butte and is visible from nearly anywhere in the city. (A gift shop is a few miles off the highway.)

Where: Deer Lodge, Montana
Miles from highway: 1.3
Visitors can tour the cell house and even the "black box" once used for maximum-security prisoners at this prison, which operated from 1871 until the 1970s. See guns, shackles, and restraints used within, as well as the work of the inmates: their art and lethal weapons made from forks.

Where: Pontiac, Illinois
Miles from highway: < 1
Immerse yourself in all things Route 66 at this museum showcasing thousands of relics and memorabilia. Opened in 2004, the exhibit includes photos, license plates, and more. It's about 100 miles southwest of Chicago on Interstate 55.

Related: Route 66, Then and Now

Where: McLean, Illinois
Miles from highway: < 1
For anyone who grew up in the 1980s, this is an essential trip down memory lane. Bring a pocket full of quarters to this tiny museum, home to a collection of vintage but still playable games. It's just blocks west of Interstate 55.

Where: Springfield, Illinois
Miles from highway: < 1
The historic Route 66 Drive-In Theater is still open for business and a great place to pass a few hours. The theater shows double features every night starting in April and continuing through Labor Day weekend. 

Related: The Best Drive-In Movie Theaters in America

Where: Staunton, Illinois
Miles from highway: < 1
A classic Route 66 stop, this ranch with both hopping rabbits and VW Rabbits is home to a vintage gas station, a collection of memorabilia from America's "Mother Road," trucking memorabilia, and more. Historic Route 66 is just west of Interstate 55.

Where: St. Louis
Miles from highway: 1.5
In St. Louis, Interstate 44 follows much of the same path as Route 66. This 105-acre, open-air museum includes a giant eyeball among its quirky art displays. It's one of the first and largest sculpture parks in the country, and it's free.

Where: Outside Eureka, Missouri
Miles from highway: 6.7
Park displays and memorabilia detail Route 66 history in a roadhouse built in 1935. Route 66 State Park also offers walking, biking, and equestrian trails.

Related: The State Park You Don't Want to Miss in Every State

Where: Rolla, Missouri
Miles from highway: 1.2
If you can't see the real Stonehenge, visit this partial replica on the campus of the Missouri University of Science and Technology — the largest monument ever to be cut with waterjet. About 160 tons of granite were used, with each rock cut to match the exact dimensions of the original structure.

Where: Springfield, Missouri
Miles from highway: 4.1
Discovered in 1862 by an Ozarks farmer when his dog crawled through an entrance, Fantastic Caverns can now be toured via tram. On the hourlong tour ($30 for adults, $17 for kids 6 to 12), participants get to see a wild variety of cave formations including stalactites and stalagmites, as well as unusual "soda straws" and "cave pearls."

Where: Springfield, Missouri
Miles from highway: 4.5
Nearly 70 American and European cars are on display at the Route 66 Car Museum, some dating back to the early 1900s. The privately owned collection includes seven Jaguars, two Rolls-Royces, the truck from the movie "The Grapes of Wrath," and a 1963 Morgan owned by Desert Storm Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf.

Where: Arcadia, Oklahoma
Miles from highway: < 1
Consider Pops Soda Ranch an American tribute to soda. The classic diner serves 700 kinds. There's a 66-foot-tall soda bottle out front to add to a photo collection. The ranch is just a few miles north of Interstate 44 or east of I-35 and about 20 miles northeast of Oklahoma City.

Where: Hydro, Oklahoma
Miles from highway: < 1
Don't tour Route 66 without stopping at one of its classic service stations. There's not a ton to see at Lucille's, which opened in 1929 — it's simply a great photo opportunity of a vintage piece of Americana.

Related: How Gas Stations Have Totally Transformed Over the Past Century

Where: Amarillo, Texas
Miles from highway: < 1
Yet another quirky, roadside art installation, this display of Cadillacs — half-buried, nose first, in the ground — was created in 1974. Visitors are encouraged to leave their mark by spray-painting the vehicles.

Where: Tucumcari, New Mexico
Miles from highway: 1.9
Tee Pee Curios, which began as a gas station and grocery store in the 1940s, is one of the few remaining classic tourist tchotchke shops along Route 66 in New Mexico since I-40 offered travelers a bypass. The shop sells pottery, T-shirts, jewelry, and more.

Where: Santa Monica, California
Miles from highway: < 1
Famous in its own right, the Santa Monica Pier is a great place to end a Route 66 trip (or start one). The pier has restaurants, shops, an old-fashioned soda fountain, and rides including a historic carousel from 1922. 

Related: 40 Iconic and Beautiful Boardwalks in the Country