Travel: Dinosaur World (Part 1)

Dinosaur World! You see this on the side of the highway and OF COURSE you have to go!

Cave City is full of delightful, fun spectacles in the middle of nowhere America. We already checked out the Wigwam Village and a cave, so after the sun came out the next morning, Maz and I explored this great roadside attraction.

Dinosaur World is simple: over 150 replicas of various extinct reptiles spread out over 20 acres of land.

Simple...but SO MUCH FUN! After paying an admission fee, you're set loose to follow a trail around the grounds. There's a dinosaur or two every few feet with a small placard displaying information about the species. 

The temperature was hovering just above freezing and we were on a strict travel schedule so we couldn't spend too much time standing still. It took us about an hour to cover the entire space, but I could see spending a few more hours there if you had smaller kids. There's a playground that could keep little ones entertained for awhile.

We had to pose with the large Photosaurus! We got a couple of honks from the highway, too.

As long as you don't take your dinosaurs too seriously, you and your family could have a nice afternoon at Dinosaur World! 

Travel: Wigwam Village #2

By now you should be familiar with my fondness for weird roadside attractions. While planning my annual roadtrip to Michigan to visit family, I knew that I wanted to stop mid-way for a rest (my younger days of driving 14 hours straight through are officially over!). So I fiddled around on Roadside America and discovered that the Wigwam Village #2 wasn't too far from my route. 

I have to add that I'd seen where Kaylah of The Dainty Squid has stayed at all three Wigwam Villages. I'm pretty sure this is how I discovered the awesomeness of these unique attractions.

I mean, how could you pass up staying in one of these?!?

From their website: Wigwam Village Inn #2 is the most unique motel in all of Kentucky. It celebrated 60 years of colorful history in 1997, and staying there will be an experience you will never forget.

We spent the previous day driving through nasty rain so I was glad to see a bright sun and clear skies the next morning. 

From Wikipedia: The diameter at the base of each tipi is 14 feet (4.3 m), and they are 32 feet (9.8 m) in height. Behind the main room of each unit is a small bathroom with sink, toilet, and shower. In 2008, the rooms contain the original restored hickory furniture and a window-mounted air conditioner. There are no telephones to maintain the original atmosphere of the motel, but the rooms do have cable TV and internet access.

Wigwam Village #2 is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Thank goodness for the wi-fi! I could not figure out how to get the cable tv working, so we at least had the internet to keep us entertained. The room itself was very drafty, especially around the door and window AC unit. It was an extremely windy night due to a cold front barreling through. There was a small space heater in the wigwam that kept us at a comfortable temperature. That thing was a champ!

Staying in Cave City was a treat! We visited Onyx Cave for a short, inexpensive tour. Our tour guide was obviously excited about the cave and science in general, which makes an already interesting experience ten times better. Dinner at El Mazatlan was HUGE and very satisfying after a solid 7 hours driving. 

After telling my husband of all the fun things we did (and all the fun things still left to do!) we decided that we should definitely try to go back to Cave City, Kentucky.

& I have to tell you about our visit to Dino World!

Travel: Blue Ridge Parkway with a Side of Asheville

Visiting Asheville, North Carolina has been on my to-do list for a very long time. Looking back at some email correspondence between me and a friend, it looks as though I've been thinking about going to Asheville for a solid five years! 

Amber and I finally made plans to make the drive over the weekend. "Fawne does not go anywhere in a straight line!" says Amber. So of course, I decided to do some adventuring along the way and looked for some interesting sights. 

There are plenty of neat things to see in North Georgia/North Carolina area but we only had a small window of time for exploring. I saw that the Blue Ridge Parkway lead directly to Asheville and determined that it would be our best bet.

After entering the Parkway we saw a sign that said Asheville - 53 miles. We can make that drive in NO TIME! ...or so we thought.

We stopped at the first few overlooks, super excited to see the beautiful scenery.

Five miles into the Blue Ridge Parkway. Looking at Steestachee Bald. 

And then we decided that if we continued to stop at every lookout point, we'd never make it to Asheville.

We continued to climb in elevation. Ears popping galore!

But we made it to the top! The highest point in all the Parkway!

It's about 12 miles into the Parkway, if you enter from Hwy 74. We were not prepared for how cold it was going to be! My phone said it was 43 degrees but with the wind it felt much colder.

Hello! The usual touristy photo op.

Then we had to make the decision to not stop at any more overlooks for the rest of the ride. If my calculations are correct, then the Blue Ridge Parkway added about two hours of travel time to an otherwise 5 hour drive. Still, with these kinds of views, we consider it time well spent! Well worth it!

As for Asheville...I took a total of ZERO photos. What? We mostly hung out with friends we hadn't seen for a long, long time. Amber and I agreed to return with the intent of doing more tourist-y exploring. 

We did get the chance to try out some AWESOME food! We had tapas at Zambra, drinks at Asheville Yacht Club, then breakfast at Sunny Point Cafe. 

Wicked Weed and The Black Bird get a shout out because our friends work there. (Adding these two places to our to-do list for next time!)

Asheville, we'll be seeing you again real soon! This time, with a specific to-see list. And more time to explore!

Travel: Howard Finster's Paradise Garden

My fondness for weird roadside attractions grows and grows! I'm always on the lookout for new, strange things to see. World's Biggest Doo-Dad? Folk Artist decorates his property? Show me! Show me! 

Howard Finster's Paradise Garden has been on my to-do list for a long, long time. Some of his pieces are at the High Museum, so I've been fortunate enough to see them in person. But his house? It's a bit out of the way, and never do I ever drive by or even through Summerville. I had to plan a very specific trip and what better time than my birthday!

Amber and I gassed up her car and took off for a three hour drive to Summerville. Soon the tall buildings of Atlanta faded away to the rolling hills of North Georgia. Drive drive drive...and finally Paradise!

Fun tip: Don't park in front of this sign. The official entrance is located on the other side of the property.

From ParadiseGardenFoundation.org: Reverend Howard Finster, a self proclaimed  “Man of Visions”, Finster was one of America’s most widely known and prolific self-taught artists producing over 46,991 pieces of art before his death in 2001. He saw himself as a sacred artist, tirelessly recording his visionary prophesies and providing glimpses of a celestial outer space world that God revealed to him. These visionary journeys were very real for Finster, providing a limitless variety of images for his creative endeavors.

Another Fun Tip: Don't let the high fence fool you! This is a very welcoming place.

For a moment, we were scared that I had read something wrong on the website and that we drove three hours to a closed garden.

We were greeted by a gregarious volunteer and paid a small entrance fee. Two tickets to paradise! We spent the next few hours taking photos all around the property.

Most of Finster's work is covered in Bible verses.

Howard's memorial at the Garden.

A covered rolling chair ramp was constructed to offer handicapped people a view of the Garden. The walls are covered with artwork by Finster and his artist friends. I was excited to see some work by folks I knew.


The Mirror House stands in the far corner of the Garden. Mirrors line the walls, floor, and ceiling of the house giving me a great opportunity for an awesome selfie.


I mean, c'mon...isn't that a great Facebook profile picture!?!





These photos don't even cover half of what we saw! I took an entire roll of photos with my Holga so I'll upload those whenever I get them developed. Howard Finster's Paradise Garden is definitely worth the trip, especially if you're into folk and visonary art like I am!

Travel: Southeast Alabama

Last weekend I took a short trip to my friend's house in southeast Alabama. It's become a tradition that I spend MLK weekend with Amber for her birthday. Before I left my house I looked for some possible interesting roadside attractions on Roadside America.

My first stop was the "World's First Drive Thru Art and Antique Gallery" in Seale, Alabama. It snuck up on me and I had to do a quick u-turn. I've heard about Butch Anthony, his Museum of Wonder, and the Doo-Nanny festival from folk artist friends. I think I could've drove down the road to the artist's house, but it was really early in the morning and I kinda chickened out.

The Drive Thru Art Museum was worth the stop! I LOVED it!

It's composed of three shipping containers and full of interesting antiques and art.

Of course, I forgot my regular camera at home so I had to use the camera on my phone. I think I got a few good shots here and there. Taking photos through glass is a challenge.

The containers were covered with bits of art on the outside. I wish I had some magnets of my own to leave.

It was a breath-taking collection of curated art and antiques. The sign said DRIVE THRU but I parked and walked around, pressing my hands and face up to the glass. 

Now I'm wondering how I can do my own large art installation!

A Dollar General sits across the street. Definitely not as interesting. 

After Seale, I stopped in Clayton, Alabama where I found the whiskey bottle shaped tombstone. 

From Roadside America: An unusual granite sculpture marks the Clayton Cemetery burial spot of William T. Mullen, who died in 1863. The tale behind the whiskey bottle-shaped gravestone is that Mullen's wife followed through on a threat of posthumous humiliation if he didn't stop drinking. He didn't.

There was a collection of coins inside the top of the smaller tombstone. I checked my pockets, found some change, and left my own offering.

I'll have to post more about my travels to stranges places in the area. About two years ago, Daniel and I took a trip across the state of Alabama and hit several interesting places but I never posted about them. Perhaps I can make it a monthly/weekly thing on the blog?

New Year...New Blog Post!

Hello 2015! It's so nice to see you!

Let me tell you, this year has definitely started off on the right foot! We've grown quite fond of Tybee Beach recently and we try to visit as often as possible. It's a quick (but boring!) drive and always so worth it! At the stroke of midnight on January 1st we watched fireworks being launched from the Tybee Pier. The temperature was mild so we didn't have to worry about freezing as we watched the spectacle from a blanket on the beach.

The next morning. A bit chilly with loads of sunshine!

The morning of December 31st I took a walk on the beach as the sun rose. Daniel and Maz couldn't be bothered to get out of bed. I don't blame them at all! It was windy and cold and due to the clouds, I couldn't see much of the sunrise. 

Thankfully, it came out in full force on January 1st. We explored the beach, hoping to find some shark teeth. 

We stayed at the Atlantis Inn and our room was titled "Under the Sea". It was delightfully tacky!

I took a total of three photos of the fireworks before I thought to myself, "Just take it in...you don't have to document it!"

Honorable Mentions: Our favorite breakfast on the island is by Sunrise Restaurant. Seriously, best shrimp and grits I've ever tasted! Also check out Lighthouse Pizza for the best pizza on the island! We stopped by Fish Art Gallery in hopes of meeting an interesting folk artist, but he wasn't in. We also checked out River Street in Savannah, but didn't take any photos. We bought a CD from Yes Ma'am, a band playing on the street. Turns out their vehicle broke down in Savannah and they needed to get home to New Orleans. I hope they made it!

* * * * * * * * * * *

I mentioned we were looking for shark teeth, right? Well we found some! We found out about the Megalodon: Largest Shark that Ever Lived exhibit at the Florida Museum of Natural History before we finalized plans for Tybee. Since it ended on January 4th we decided to take an extra day and drive down to Gainesville, Florida to see the exhibit. Daniel's obsessed with megalodons, and I have to admit: they are quite facinating!

I mean, c'mon...those teeth are bigger than your HAND! How exciting it that!?!

After nerding out at the museum, we ate lunch at Satchel's Pizza. It's definitely a MUST DO if you're in Gainesville. Hands down the best pizza I've had in a long time! Baked to perfection! So yummy! And the colorful ambiance! I was in my element and all googly-eyed. 

Satchel's is not only famous for super awesome pizza, but they also make their sodas in house! I ordered the Flight of All 6 Sodas and got to try each one. My favorite was the Ruby Root Beer, with the Lennie Lemon Lime as a close second. So good, so good!

Now we're back home, and after a Sunday to relax and get caught up on sleep I think we're ready to tackle the New Year and kick its butt. I don't make resolutions, more like a to-do lists and I'm just going to keep on keeping on and doing what I do.

And hopefully keep this blog updated more! Don't I say that every entry though? 

Here's to you, Twenty Fifteen!