According To You: Best Stops on a Road Trip?

Last week we asked readers of Hagerty Media about the best stop they’ve ever experienced on a road trip. The answers were as wide ranging as you’d expect from a country large and unique as the United States. From national parks, museums, and roadside attractions, you folks have certainly seen a lot of cool things in your cars and trucks.

So have a look at the selections below, and comment with your best stops on your road trip!

The National Corvette Museum

Merman: After we visited the Noah’s Ark Encounter in Kentucky, we continued south and approached the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green. I turned into the driveway over my wife’s objections, I said we will just go in for an hour. I was surprised that we received a guided tour and that I couldn’t get my wife to leave. It’s a fabulous museum, and the sinkhole cars were all on display (restored and unrestored). We enjoyed the museum immensely and months later when I brought home a C7 convertible on a test drive she only had four words to say: BUY THIS CAR TONIGHT!

The USAF Museum

hyperv6: The Museum of The United States Air Force. This is a stop you have to make if you are near it.

In one place you can see nearly every significant American military aircraft ever made. Many famous and one-off planes: B-2, F-117, SR-71, Apollo capsule, B-52, B-17 Memphis Belle (the real one), and the Bockscar B-29, the plane that dropped the nuclear bomb on Nagasaki. It takes a day to see much of it, and two days to see all. Best yet, the cost is FREE! So if you are near I-70 and I-75 near Dayton Ohio stop in and check it out. I have been to many aviation museums and this is the best by far.

oldfan: The Museum of the United States Air Force was my first thought when I saw the headline of this article. Fantastic place!

CFJ: Being an USAF/SAC veteran, I have visited the USAF Museum numerous times. The museum has an example of every plane flown by the USAF. Recently opened was an additional facility that displays the larger planes. As mentioned, it takes a minimum of two days to visit and enjoy the museum. GO USAF!!!

Other Museums

M Welch: While in Dayton for the USAF Museum, also go to the Packard Museum downtown in an old Packard dealership. It’s just one of the good auto museums we’ve encountered on the way to other destinations.

DUB6: My mind is racing at the moment, recalling all of the “best” places I could bring up for my answer. Some of them would not be family-friendly, however, so I’ll work on paring down my responses. For now, I think I’ll pick The Oz Museum in Wamego, Kansas.

My wife and I were returning from the East Coast via I-70, and saw an exit for the Road To Oz Highway. Being fans of all things Oz, we were like moths to a flame. The museum itself was fun, albeit not anything spectacular, but the ever-running sit-down theatre with the original movie playing was original. The gift shop was the high point, and our daughter enjoyed her bottle of Squished Witch wine greatly. I still sport my “I went to see the Wizard about a brain, but all I got was this stupid t-shirt” attire sometimes in summer.

We’d been on the road for over three weeks at the time, and the Kansas stretch of I-70 can be a little monotonous, so the fun little stop was a welcome respite and gave us a recharge to get us through to Colorado where we were going to visit family.

Steve S: On a return trip from OKC to upstate NY, I saw a sign for the Daryl Starbird Museum just southeast of Tulsa. It was a Tuesday and the website said they were closed. I took a chance and called, a woman answered and we explained we were on our way back home so this was the only day we could visit. She told us that the detail guy was there so she would be there for a while so come on in. We arrived, met the pleasant woman, paid for admission, and had the entire museum to ourselves for almost 3 hours.

On exit, we stopped and talked to the woman who turned out to be Daryl’s wife. He was on a road trip, but she told us about his endeavors and builds. Great experience and fantastic cars. Unfortunately, the museum closed and most cars went to The National Hot Rod Museum. Wouldn’t have missed this for the world!

Big Al: I was on vacation with my parents in Oklahoma. We were at a service station in Oklahoma and my dad asked the proprietor if there were any sights to see in the area. He suggested Woolaroc Museum that was nearby. The best way to describe it was a kind of miniature Smithsonian with a little bit of everything. There was a wildlife preserve to boot! Everything a young boy could be entertained by and more! Anyway, I’ve never forgotten that place. We ended up spending most of the day there.

The Perfect Restaurant

Paul M: I was going along a stretch of Route 46 around Columbia N.J., on a particularly nice stretch of road that I’d been on before. It was soon after a snowstorm. Aside from the asphalt, everything was covered with snow, and the trees were encased in ice. It all shimmered. The bluest of blue skies, no wind, but a bitter cold that you took in and exhaled with every steamy breath. I stopped at a place called King Cole, got a cheeseburger and a cup of coffee, and took it outside to eat.

The hot coffee warming one hand and the last true plain waxed paper burger that I ever had warming the other. Deadly still, deadly silent. It was one of those few and far between moments where everything is eerily perfect.

John P: East of State College, PA on I-80, there is pretty much nowhere to dine near the highway. We needed lunch and took the 10-minute detour south to Milton, PA, and found the most delightful and delicious coffee shop named Tastecraft. We absolutely love it and make it a destination every time we head down to Philly to visit family. The atmosphere is cozy, the food is very well prepared, and it’s nice and quiet, a welcome little break on a long road trip.

Craig R: We did Route 66, stopping at Delgadillo’s in AZ. Juan and his wife were working their counter. What an absolute hoot! The burgers and shakes were excellent as well! Their comedy routine kept us laughing hard! The door knob is mounted on the wrong side when you go in. That shoulda been our clue that fun times were ahead!

Matt K: 81N in PA, right where 81 connects with 84 (I can’t remember the exit number; somewhere in the high 200’s), there was a gas station that my ex and I stopped at, on our way up to MA to visit family. In the shop (and this was a tiny family-owned type of place) they had some deviled eggs. The guy said that his wife makes them. We bought some. Let me tell you, I can now die a happy man. They were so incredibly good. Best stop, ever!

Jim M: Robert’s Grill in El Reno, Oklahoma, as part of a bucket-list trip last fall of Route 66 from Chicago to California in my 2007 stick-shift Corvette convertible. I had my first authentic Oklahoma onion-fried burger there. El Reno is supposed to be the town where onion-fired burgers were created in the Great Depression as a means to stretch out limited amounts of ground beef. There are two other places in town that also make them and I am sure they also are mighty good, but I chose Robert’s Grill, which dates back to 1926. It’s basically a lunch counter in a non-descript building. There were a lot of great stops on the Route 66 trip but for some reason, I keep thinking back to Roberts Grill. I apparently have a soft spot for great burgers in mom-and-pop greasy spoons!

DUB6: On a road trip with two grandkids some years back, we stopped at Buffalo Phil’s Pizza and Grill in Wisconsin Dells, WI. It was a great place for the kids. Our drinks and meals were delivered to the booth on electric train flatbed cars. There was a stuffed bison for the little ones to sit on. In an adjoining room was an entirely indoor roller coaster. All sorts of games, displays, historical artifacts, and fun stuff were there to get all of our minds off the boredom of many miles cooped up in the vehicle.

Michael A: Back in the ‘80s when our two girls were young and we were trading up for a new Dodge Caravan every third year, we drove across South Dakota and happened upon the Ponderosa Cafe in the unassuming small town of Kimball, South Dakota. It was a cool, damp morning, and we were happy to snag a booth and settle into the warm and fragrant surroundings. We all ordered pancakes and sides, and when they arrived we were amazed to see them literally hanging over the edges of the plates! Besides their generous size, they were the best pancakes I’ve ever eaten to this day; light and fluffy centers, with slightly crisp, caramelized edges… the best! I don’t know if the old Ponderosa is still there, but it still holds a fond place in this old pancake eater’s heart.

Parks

Paul G: The best stop we’ve made had to be a couple of years ago on the big island of Hawaii. Driving around the island, not sure where we might stop, we came across a state park along the highway that faced the water. We decided to see if this was type of place the locals would go, and sure enough it was. It turned out to be one of the finest beaches to spend an afternoon on. We thoroughly enjoyed the day with the best sand, fantastic water, and great people. When we return we will definitely visit this beach again!

WickedAce: Glacier National Park was my best and I hope it was my Father’s too. We were on a road trip through the west together and Glacier was our goal. There were quite a few memorable stops like Wright-Patterson Air Force museum, headwaters of the Mississippi, crossing the Missouri River, the Badlands, Wounded Knee, Dead Wood, and Black Hills in South Dakota, Devils Tower in Wyoming, and of course the BIG SKY of Montana. Still, nothing topped the wonderment of Glacier and the time spent with Dad acting like John Wayne again. Sadly, we lost him 10 months later.

Dean: We left MI for a trip out to Yellowstone. Hit all the hotspots like the Corn Palace, Mt Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Devils Tower. We left Devils Tower and planned to go north up to the north entrance of Yellowstone, but ended up going through Big Horn National Forest. This is one of those places you didn’t plan to see, but then you get there and you were blown away. Absolutely beautiful and there was almost no one there. We found a parking lot high up a long grade, pulled in, and had lunch. There was a map that showed the mountains we were viewing from that spot. The wife and I will be going back for more of that place in the future.

Anthony T: In 1993 my wife and I rented a new Buick Regal for a quick trip to the Grand Canyon. Leaving there, we side-roaded on Route 66 to lots of little wide spots on the road, including the fantastic Grand Canyon Caverns, and Ash Fork, where some guy named “Bill” owned everything we saw. We then drifted slightly east to Meteor Crater. Amazing sight. But the standout was just before we got to Flagstaff. A natural wonder called Walnut Canyon, which was the home of very long ago cave dwellers, and the scenery was beyond beautiful. Sheer rock walls, a sunlit verdant green semi-jungle at the very bottom of the canyon, while puffy clouds touched the tops of the walls. Very few visitors on that day and the park Rangers were extremely informative and pointed things out that were and are still mind-boggling. Nature is incredible!

Experiences and/or Tourist Traps

Standing on a corner: 2 tourist traps. Stopped at Uranus on way to Branson. Yet another tourist trap I’ll never go back to. Most memorable is driving my daughter to California when she moved there. Stopped in Winslow without mentioning its significance. Another tourist trap. Took some pics by Easy and spent 20 minutes there. On the way out of Winslow, things clicked in her head. She lit up and said, “that’s what uncle Steve used to listen to!” Then she cranked “Take it Easy” on the car stereo. To this day we hear that song and it brings back memories of that road trip. Good times!

Gary B: Uranus, Missouri which is on Route 66 right next to Interstate 44 on the way to St. Louis (about 2 hours southwest). You will walk in and be greeted by people repeatedly saying “Welcome to Uranus”. Is it immature to go to the Uranus Fudge Factory? Not sure but everyone was giggling young and old. They have T-Shirts!

DUB6: Immature? All I know is that wearing my t-shirt still gets giggles years after I got it.

Mark M: My son moved from San Diego to Virginia Beach, VA, and asked me to help him drive across the country. The trip took us past Uranus, and I said we should buy some Fudge. Butt, he didn’t want to stop. A year later he moved back to San Diego and I was tasked with driving his car and belongings back to CA. I don’t know how I missed the exit to Uranus, and didn’t realize until a couple hundred miles later. So, two strikes. Maybe I will get a third chance someday, and I will plan the stop!

A.J.: About 15 years ago on a family trip across the U.S. we stopped at the Kansas State Capitol building in Topeka. We climbed the stairs all the way to the catwalk at the very top. What a rush. Not for the faint-hearted. Definitely unforgettable.

John K: We loved Pioneer Village in Minden, Nebraska, (just south of Kearney NE & Interstate 80). It has so many things to see that we named it the Smithsonian of the West! We planned to stay for an hour or two and ended up staying 5 HOURS! It is a collection of Americana that includes cars, trucks, tractors, airplanes, home furnishings and so much more. It is all displayed in multiple buildings in a cute mini-town setting. Worth the trip!

Rob R: A spur-of-the-moment stop at Gettysburg battlefield. We were on a tent camping vacation back in the days before the internet and cell phones. After cruising up the east coast from our home in Florida where the rule was that the roads traveled had to be the ones closest to the Atlantic ocean, having made up into Canada, we were headed home a more inland route. We arrived at the battlefield late in the afternoon and were lucky enough to tag along with a guided walking tour. The timing (golden hour) combined with the guide’s ability to paint such a vivid picture made it special. I still get chills.

Mik: The best road trip was camping in a rental Pinto wagon in Kauai, to the Waimea Canyon. When we couldn’t see enough from the road, we walked along the ridge taking pictures. We were so captured by the fantastic scenery, the next day we booked a helicopter ride to see more, which was inaccessible by car or on foot. There were gigantic waterfalls in every direction you looked. Most beautiful place I’ve ever seen. A couple days later we were burning up film on the big island, filming lava hitting the ocean in complete darkness. What a sight. Burned up a lot of film back in those days.

Roger K: My friends and I were heading from Chicago to Minneapolis, coming from and going to ballgames. We stopped at the Field of Dreams in Dyersville Iowa, tossed a ball on the field and had a great time. We took pictures of our group coming out of the cornfields. But on our way to the game at Target Field we passed through Clear Lake. I said, “Isn’t that where Buddy Holly’s plane crashed?” We detoured to the memorial (a giant pair of horn-rimmed glasses) and made the 1/2 mile pilgrimage into the corn (now soy) field to the site of the crash. Fans leave records, medals, photos, glasses, and more to mark the spot. Quite a day.

Marvin W: Meramec Caverns! I’ve been there several times. You used to see signs for it all over, not so much anymore. Great stop in MO.

Brian J: It’s just an interstate rest area, but the I-24 one on an island in the Nickajack Lake just west of Chattanooga is one of the prettiest places around. Stopped there many times on hockey trips when my son was younger. The stop was closed for a while but appears to be open again, looking at Google Maps.

Allan W: Little BigHorn Monument! Driving to Livingston, MT from SD with my friend Jax from Nairn, Scotland. She spied it off the side of the Interstate so we pulled in. I was kind of shocked that it was just a roadside attraction. It was a holiday so admission was free. It was later in the afternoon and we had the place pretty much to ourselves. I was able to get a couple of pics that were just staggeringly beautiful. One was of the iron sculpture at the Indigenous Memorial looking over the plains at golden hour. A very real piece of American history.

Banjo Man Ed: Driving from Jackson, Wyoming, to Glacier National Park, I fueled my truck in Makay, Idaho. Asking what there was to do in town, I was informed that the 4-H rodeo was in town. I played my banjo all night for the kids and parents at the communal bonfire. One of the best times ever.

Jim L: South Of The Border. Mexican-themed lodging, with a giant neon bandido. And fireworks! Of course I was 12 at the time, and I still remember the corny billboards. “Pedro sez…”

Eric H: My wife will haunt me forever if I don’t say the Corn Palace – but I prefer Stewart’s chain in upstate NY.

Frank P: While there’s nothing wrong with Stewart’s, I have to agree with your wife’s choice of The World Famous Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD.