Captiva Island (near Ft Myers, FL), is an unbelievably beautiful piece of real estate on the Gulf Coast. Just north of Sanibel, the five-mile long island has basically one road going through it, with gorgeous vacation homes, mansions, resorts, and ocean views flanking each side of the road.  It is peppered with small touristy restaurants, shops, and a few public beaches to explore. Retirees putter around on golf carts. But by far the quirkiest thing in the popular vacation-destination beach town is a place called The Bubble Room. Continue reading →

Having explored the bizarre world of Roadside Attractions for almost 15 years, shame on me for somehow not knowing about little ol’ Casey, IL.  A small town of just the right size (about 2,700), sitting there right on Interstate 70 just west of the Indiana border, the conditions all came together on a Saturday in November for a fascinating discovery. Casey is home to eight Guinness-certified “World’s Largest” objects, and maybe 20 other roadside attractions, most of which are found within a few blocks of the city center.  I had to see it. Continue reading →

It’s one of the biggest and oldest Renaissance Festivals in the United States, and it runs every weekend from Mid-August through the end of September.  It’s a people-watching extravangaza, a whimsical and enchanted place, where the weirdest of the weird get to geek out, judgement-free.  Much like the Minnesota State Fair, the Renaissance Festival brings in all walks of life to experience something like nowhere else.  So what’s it like? Let’s find out! Continue reading →

The magnificent Art Deco-style St. Paul City Hall and Ramsey County Courthouse Building in downtown St. Paul is a bit of a 1930’s time capsule.  Built during the Great Depression Era when Art Deco was all the rage, the structure has changed very little to this day. The countless signature Deco stylings have all been well-preserved, and visitors who enter the courthouse from the 4th Street entrance encounter something much more fascinating on their way in: the three-story tall “Vision of Peace” statue, dramatic and visually-arresting. Continue reading →

There are a lot of quirky things to see and do around Baraboo, Wisconsin.  The small town just south of Wisconsin Dells is home to the famous Ringling Brothers, Dr. Evermor’s Forevertron; and this week’s curiosity, the “Man Mound,” which dates back to the late Woodland Period (750-1200AD). Continue reading →