Pit stop

America’s largest ball of twine, Cawker, KS

Where:Off Highway 24, 230 miles west of Kansas City

Big is our business, and this attraction is definitely worthy of a Hamilton high five. The world’s largest ball of twine was birthed back in 1953 when a local resident started—you guessed it—winding twine into a ball. In just four years, he had amassed an 11-foot-diameter ball with 1.6 million feet of twine weighing 500 pounds. And the fun hasn’t stopped since. Today, the ball weighs 17,000+ pounds and calls the Cawker City Community Club home, where they host an annual twine-a-thon to keep the party going. But anyone can stop by and add to the mix. Maybe bring your cat.

Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo, TX

Where:A quick detour off Interstate 40, west of Amarillo

An art installation worthy of a spot at Coachella, this collection of 10 colorful Cadillacs partially submerged nose-side up in the sand to showcase the evolution of the Cadillac’s tail fin feels like an oasis in the desert. Each Cadillac is tipped at a precise 60-degree angle to mimic the sides of the Great Pyramid of Giza, and over the years visitors have added their own artistic touches of graffiti and mural design to deepen the spectacle. The overall effect feels like God’s outsider art. But the project was actually backed by millionaire Stanley Marsh, benefactor group of boho artists who created the installation back in 1974.

Hole in the rock, Moab, UT

Where:12 miles south of Moab on U.S. Highway 191

Adventure-seekers and adrenaline junkies on their way to appreciate Moab’s natural beauty will definitely want to take a detour to see this unbelievable man-made structure: It’s a 5,000-square-foot, 14-room home that was carved entirely out of rock in the 1940s by a family known as the Christensens. It took the family 12 years to excavate 50,000 cubic feet of sandstone and transform Hole in the rock into their fully furnished and inhabitable home, complete with fireplace, stone-carved bathtub, 65-foot chimney, and a sculpture of President Roosevelt. After the family patriarch passed away, wife Gladys began inviting visitors to tour the home, which over the years has transformed into a major destination for some 500 daily visitors who come for a 12-minute tour of the bizarre and kitschy family abode. There’s even a petting zoo, trading post and general store.