Weird Illinois: 6 Roadside Attractions To See During Summer 2022

ILLINOIS — Illinois is home to exciting cities like Chicago, stunning natural beauty in places like Starved Rock and plenty of places to eat, hike and road trip. It's also home to an eclectic mix of roadside attractions.

If you're heading out on a summer road trip with the family, here are some of the most eye-catching, impressive and just plain weird roadside attractions the state has to offer.

1. Kaskaskia Dragon

2024 Progress West, Vandalia

Located in Vandalia, Illinois — about a four-hour drive from Chicago — is the 35-foot-long fire-breathing Kaskaskia Dragon, "a tourist attraction as pure as a princess in a fairy tale," the Illinois Office of Tourism says. Travelers can pull off the highway and insert a token to see the dragon "breathe" fire as its eyes glow red — $1 for 10 seconds of flame-shooting fun. Visitors can also stay in the Kaskaskia Dragon RV Park and "buy dragon stuff," according to the website.

2. Gemini Giant

810 E. Baltimore St., Wilmington

Those traveling the historic Route 66 can stop in Wilmington for a bite to eat and to see the Gemini Giant, who, according to Launching Pad restaurant co-owner Holly Barker, is a "peace agent ... come to spread world peace." The 28-foot-tall "Muffler Man" advertising prop is named after the Gemini space program. It originally guarded the Dari-Delight restaurant, which opened in 1956, and is now known as the Launching Pad, specializing in burgers and hot dogs. While you can see the Gemini Giant anytime, the Launching Pad is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, but closed Thursdays.

3. World's Largest Catsup Bottle

800 S. Morrison, Collinsville

Head down to Collinsville, Illinois, to see the "Official World's Largest Catsup Bottle," first built in 1949 by the W.E. Caldwell Company to supply water to the "Brooks old original rich & tangy catsup" plant below. For more than 70 years, the 170-foot tall water tower has wowed visitors. In 1995, the landmark was saved from demolition and restored to its original appearance. In 2002, the Brooks Catsup Bottle Water Tower was named to the National Register of Historic Places.

4. Paul Bunyon Hotdog Statue

112 SW Arch St., Atlanta, Illinois

When it comes to roadside attractions, Illinois is big on giants. Another one of the Route 66 "Muffler Man" statues, this one is named after Paul Bunyan — but intentionally misspelled "Bunyon" to avoid copyright issues. It was installed on top of Bunyon's hot dog stand in Cicero in 1966, according to Atlas Obscura. Today, it stands across the street from the temporarily closed Palms Grill Café and tempts travelers with a tasty hot dog — which this version of Paul "Bunyon" holds in place of an ax — in Atlanta, Illinois.

5. Big Things In A Small Town

Casey, Illinois

We weren't joking — Illinois really loves its giant roadside attractions, and Casey, Illinois, is your one-stop shop for all things oversized. Just off Interstate 70, Casey is famous for its giant objects: a 30-foot golf tee weighing in at 6,659 pounds, a pencil that’s 32 feet long and a 32-foot-tall mailbox where you can actually send mail, according to the Illinois Office of Tourism. It's also the site of multiple Guinness World Records, including the world's largest wind chime, rocking chair, pitchfork, knitting/crochet hook, wooden shoes and largest bar/swizzle spoon, to name a few. The giant record-holders are the work of local businessman Jim Bolin.

6. Home of Superman

Head to the real-life Metropolis in southern Illinois, which was authorized by DC Comics in 1972 to be known as the "adopted home of Superman." Since then, the city's connection to Superman has only grown. A 15-foot statue of Superman stands in front of the courthouse, and a festival celebrating the superhero is held in June. This year it's from June 10-12. According to the town's tourism website, "Located at the very southern tip of Illinois on the border of Illinois and Kentucky at the intersection of Interstate 24, US Highway 45, and IL Highway 145, Metropolis offers the best small-town America has to offer. "

More things and places to see

Roadside America also has a list of notable places and things to see while road-tripping in Illinois, including (but not limited to):

• Visit the hometown of the World's Tallest Man, Robert Wadlow, who was born in Alton in 1918. Relics from Wadlow's life can be seen at the Alton Museum of History and Art, 2809 College Ave.
• A former Cold War missile launch site once stood in what is now Nike Park, 159 S. Rohlwing Road, in Addison. Today, all that remains is the radar installation and control tower.
• Head to Kankakee to see the first Dairy Queen franchise at the corner of Wall and Station streets. Note that it's the first franchise location, not the first-ever Dairy Queen, which, according to the company, opened in Joliet in 1940.
• Spot Superman outside his phone booth near the Polk-a-Dot Drive-In on Route 66 in Braidwood, 222 N. Front St.

Want more?

More ideas for summer travel here in the Land of Lincoln:

• Top Summer Road Trips To Take In And Around Illinois
• Your Chicago-Area Family-Friendly Summer Bucket List
• 15 Illinois Landmarks Everyone Should See At Least Once: Photos