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What’s the Best Stop You’ve Ever Made on a Road Trip?
Be it for business or pleasure, we often find ourselves seeking a destination far away from home. The road trip happens for many reasons, some are more fun than others. But any excursion can be made enjoyable in its own right, and stops (of the planned or unexpected variety) are essential to the experience.
We should all be so lucky to have a Buc-ee’s travel center en route to our destination, but that’s just the bias of an automotive journalist who was born and raised in Texas. As gas stations/conveninece stores go, I openly admit to also liking both Sheetz and Wawa on road trips (don’t roast me in the comments one way or the other, East Coast readers) but sometimes the best stops are further away from the interstate. Here’s my contribution to this question for you loyal Hagerty Media readers.
Will Rogers’ Birthplace, Oologah, Oklahoma
Many years ago, I was a corporate suit. And as a loyal business drove, I rented cars across this great nation. Thanks to the handy Google Maps app on my trusty iPhone 4, I learned that the birthplace of Oklahoma’s Favorite Son was a worthwhile stop on my road trip from Tulsa to Kansas City. The historical building did not disappoint, and the experience even made me enjoy my rental car (a Ford Fusion Hybrid) even more. This diversion was beautiful and enlightening; it did a fantastic job keeping my mind off the fact I’d been on the road for 10 days and I was getting a bit homesick.
The road trip was so enjoyable that I was inspired to write an early Vellum Venom column about a rental car that kinda looked like an Aston Martin from the front. That was back in 2013, but the fact that I still vividly remember it proves the juice was worth the squeeze. Side excursions on road trips are worth the effort, provided you have the time for them. And if not, maybe you should make the time.
Now the question comes back you, dear Hagerty Media reader:
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What’s the Best Place You Visited On A Road Trip?
We did RT66. Stopped at Delgadollos 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!
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.
Best was The Dragon in Tennessee/North Carolina. A run in my 2004 Mini Cooper S across the Dragon chasing a VW GTI was a blast.
While travelling to the West Coast and driving through South Dakota, we came upon “The Cosmos”. It was in the middle of nowhere and was very bizarre with many strange effects of gravity and size perception. I believe there was an influence from a magnetic field.
During a solo cross country trip in 1972 I stopped in between two mountain ranges on Interstate 50 in Nevada; “The Loneliest Road in America”. I got out and turned off the car. I sat there for about an hour and experienced deafening silence. I’ve never heard anything like it. The only sound was a tractor trailer passing by which I heard for 20 minutes before and 20 minutes after he passed me. That means I was able to hear that sound for almost 40 minutes.
This isn’t some unknown, secret place – it’s very well known. But as I talk to folks, I’ve found that a lot of people haven’t visited Mount Rushmore. It’s an inspiring sight to stand and gaze up at it. The story of how it was constructed is amazing. As darkness falls, there is a patriotic program and veteran/military volunteers are asked to come stand on the stage and be introduced. I was honored to be selected to help retire the colors at sunset. The grandkids got a good meal and we then found a hotel room in Sturgis. The next morning we left the Black Hills area all recharged and feeling good about our country.
The story of how Mt. Rushmore was constructed is amazing–in all the wrong ways–if you go back further than the blasting and chiseling of the stone. Lots of reasons to visit the area, but it’s always best take in all of the historical context when visiting somewhere like the Black Hills. Great stop on a roadtrip though, highly recommend.
I have two on opposite ends of the country. If you are traveling down beautiful US 101 on the Oregon coast, Tillamook Oregon has more than just cheese. There is an air museum housed in an original military blimp building made entirely of wood. Entering this immense structure is quite an experience. And once inside there are all manner of commercial and military planes, including my fave, the P-38. Totally worth a stop!
On the other side is the Ford Museum in Dearborn. Despite my hatred for Henry the first, the museum is fabulous, and for more than Fords. From the largest American steam locomotive ever built (stored indoors too!) to many other amazing wheeled vehicles like an original weinermobile, and a huge vintage bicycle collection, its not to be missed.
GEARHEAD CURIOS in Galena, KS on my Rt. 66 road trip in June 2023. (Chicago to Santa Monica) It’s a restored gas station with licence plates from all over nailed to the ceiling and walls. (mine too). They’ll take a picture of your car next to a mural painting of the American Flag and post it on their website.