Summer is the perfect time to go on a road trip in Illinois, which is home to many parks, historical sites, and for those who are brave enough, creepy roads. Illinois not only has cool destinations, but also some awesome roadside attractions. We're bringing you a list of Illinois roadside attractions that were ranked as "Major Fun," courtesy of RoadsideAmerica.com, so you have an excuse to get out and stretch your legs on your next Illinois road-trip.
Dungeons & Dragons Park
After the death of his nineteen year-old son Jeremy "Boo" Rochman, Barrett Rochman bought 3.5 acres of land near his home to build a memorial Dungeons & Dragons themed park in honor of his son, and avid D&D player. The park opened in 2005 and contains an extensive castle, sculptures of fantastic creatures and gardens.
Address: 31 Homewood Drive, Carbondale, IL
Hours: 8 AM- dusk
Admission: free, donations welcome
World's Largest Cross
Standing at 198 feet tall, 113 feet wide and made with over 180 tons of steel, this cross not only can withstand winds up to 145 miles an hour, it is two feet taller than the famed Groom Cross. The cross itself is surrounded by interactive monuments of the Ten Commandments, in addition to church music. There is a small theater at the Effingham Cross Welcome Center that documents the construction of the cross.
Address: 1900 Pike Ave, Effingham, IL
Super Museum
The Super Museum, located in Metropolis, the home of Superman himself, houses Jim Hambrick's Superman collection, which he claims is the world's largest. Hambrick started his collection in 1959 and the museum houses everything from Reeves' original Clark Kent eyeglasses and the phone booth used by Kirk Alyn, the first film star to portray Superman. Superman spin-offs, such as Superboy and Supergirl, even have their own galleries.
Address: 517 Market St., Metropolis, IL
Hours: 9 AM - 5 PM daily
Admission: Adults $5
Superman Statue
Also located in Metropolis, home of Superman, this 12-foot-tall, projectile-proof bronze Superman Statue was funded by the town after plans for a $50 million Superman-themed park and 200-foot statue were shut down over two decades earlier. The current statue replaces a 7-foot-tall fiberglass statue that was placed in the town square in 1986.
Address: Superman Square, Metropolis, IL
Leaning Tower of Niles
Built in 1934 by businessman Bob Ilg, The Leaning Tower of Niles is a half-sized replica of The Leaning Tower of Piza (94 feet tall and 7-foot-4-inch tilt versus 177 feet tall and a 13-foot tilt). The building was originally designed as a utility tower designed to hide water filtration tanks. The plaza surrounding the tower was renovated in the 1990s to include a fountain and a reflecting pool, in addition to other amenities.
Address: 6300 Touhy Ave., Niles, IL
Miniature Golf in a Funeral Home
This nine-hole mini golf course is located in the basement of Ahlgrim Acres, a family-owed funeral service. The course has been operating informally since the 1960s and includes headstones and coffins as obstacles and screams and spooky music for ambiance. The course is offered as part of the funeral package at Ahlgrim's, but outside organizations also use the course regularly.
Address: 201 N. Northwest Hwy., Palatine, IL
Hours: 9 AM- 9 PM, Daily
Admission: Free
Check out six more roadside attractions at Reboot Illinois, including a tug-of-war on a scale of epic proportions.
NEXT ARTICLE: 31 Must-See Historic Sites in Illinois
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12 fun places to take the family in Illinois
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Dungeons & Dragons Park
After the death of his nineteen year-old son Jeremy "Boo" Rochman, Barrett Rochman bought 3.5 acres of land near his home to build a memorial Dungeons & Dragons themed park in honor of his son, and avid D&D player. The park opened in 2005 and contains an extensive castle, sculptures of fantastic creatures and gardens.
Address: 31 Homewood Drive, Carbondale, IL
Hours: 8 AM- dusk
Admission: free, donations welcome
World's Largest Cross
Standing at 198 feet tall, 113 feet wide and made with over 180 tons of steel, this cross not only can withstand winds up to 145 miles an hour, it is two feet taller than the famed Groom Cross. The cross itself is surrounded by interactive monuments of the Ten Commandments, in addition to church music. There is a small theater at the Effingham Cross Welcome Center that documents the construction of the cross.
Address: 1900 Pike Ave, Effingham, IL
Super Museum
The Super Museum, located in Metropolis, the home of Superman himself, houses Jim Hambrick's Superman collection, which he claims is the world's largest. Hambrick started his collection in 1959 and the museum houses everything from Reeves' original Clark Kent eyeglasses and the phone booth used by Kirk Alyn, the first film star to portray Superman. Superman spin-offs, such as Superboy and Supergirl, even have their own galleries.
Address: 517 Market St., Metropolis, IL
Hours: 9 AM - 5 PM daily
Admission: Adults $5
Superman Statue
Also located in Metropolis, home of Superman, this 12-foot-tall, projectile-proof bronze Superman Statue was funded by the town after plans for a $50 million Superman-themed park and 200-foot statue were shut down over two decades earlier. The current statue replaces a 7-foot-tall fiberglass statue that was placed in the town square in 1986.
Address: Superman Square, Metropolis, IL
Leaning Tower of Niles
Built in 1934 by businessman Bob Ilg, The Leaning Tower of Niles is a half-sized replica of The Leaning Tower of Piza (94 feet tall and 7-foot-4-inch tilt versus 177 feet tall and a 13-foot tilt). The building was originally designed as a utility tower designed to hide water filtration tanks. The plaza surrounding the tower was renovated in the 1990s to include a fountain and a reflecting pool, in addition to other amenities.
Address: 6300 Touhy Ave., Niles, IL
Miniature Golf in a Funeral Home
This nine-hole mini golf course is located in the basement of Ahlgrim Acres, a family-owed funeral service. The course has been operating informally since the 1960s and includes headstones and coffins as obstacles and screams and spooky music for ambiance. The course is offered as part of the funeral package at Ahlgrim's, but outside organizations also use the course regularly.
Address: 201 N. Northwest Hwy., Palatine, IL
Hours: 9 AM- 9 PM, Daily
Admission: Free
Check out six more roadside attractions at Reboot Illinois, including a tug-of-war on a scale of epic proportions.
NEXT ARTICLE: 31 Must-See Historic Sites in Illinois
Top 10 Creepiest Roads in Illinois
15 Illinois inventions that changed the world
25 Fun Facts about Illinois
What is the most popular tourist attraction in Illinois?
12 fun places to take the family in Illinois
from Chicago - The Huffington Post http://ift.tt/1n01iD2
via IFTTT
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