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C is for Coral Castle, a Quirky Florida Must-See

Quirky Architecture OK, so it’s not quite coral, nor is it truly a castle, but the Coral Castle Museum (28655 S Dixie Hwy, Miami, FL 33033) is a delightfully quirky structure, and a great example of someone marching to their own drummer. The grounds include a variety of unusual rock buildings and furniture carved from over 1000 tons of oolite limestone, including a water fountain, a sundial, a crescent moon, tables, and living areas. Inspired a Billy Idol Song As the legend goes (and, really, how could a place like this not have a legend behind it) a Latvian immigrant…

Are Pick-up Trucks the State Vehicle of Texas?

Here in Texas we have everything from an official state cooking vessel (Dutch oven) to an official state dinosaur (Pauluxysauras Jonesi.) We don’t yet have an official state vehicle, but if we did, it would surely be the pick-up truck. One in four Texans owns a pick-up truck, and they are often customized. Pick-ups aren’t just for macho men, either. In my neighborhood, I sometimes see a bright pink one with “Daddy’s Girl” emblazoned across the back window. My favorite local customized truck, however, sports a purple and green Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle theme. (Every time I see it drive…

Guest Post: All About Jackalopes

Enjoy this Guest Post by David “Sumoflam” Kravetz I rarely have guest posts, but here you go! I’ve been so busy getting my quirky Texas travel guide together that I asked the prolific traveler/photographer and all-around nice guy, David “Sumoflam” Kravetz if he could put together a Jackalope photo essay. I hope you enjoy it: Jackalope Spotting – a fun road trip tradition So, you are a fan of the Jackalope? Having traveled all over the country I have seen my share of Jackalopes…you know, the furry rabbit looking creatures with antelope (and sometimes deer) antlers! My first inkling of…

Photo Essay: Stalked by a Deer

A Little Island You’ve Probably Never Heard Of Some of my family members live on Lummi, a lush island off the coast of Washington State. Every time I visit, we walk the beach at least once a day. We always try to make it down for low tide. That’s the best time to find agates and seashells, the best time to peer into tidal pools to see what they reveal. No Palm Trees Here Of course, we’re not talking tropical style beaches with palm trees and pale sand. This is the Pacific Northwest, folks. We’re talking a different kind of…

Quirky Headstones: These Boots Were Made for Walker

Aurora Cemetery With over 1800 graves, Aurora Cemetery claims more inhabitants than the town itself, with its population of 376. As you might imagine, not much happens in Aurora, Texas. There’s no courthouse, no historic town square, no central shopping area at all. There’s so little to this town that it’s nearly impossible to tell you are there. Bizarre Incident Mentioned on its Historical Marker Even so, Aurora Cemetery attracts a steady stream of curiosity seekers. They come to look for the grave of a space alien who allegedly crashed there in 1897. The bizarre incident is even mentioned on…

10 Quirky Facts about the Space Needle

I’m not much of a sports fan, but I did grow up in Washington State, so I can’t help but feel excited that the Seattle Seahawks made it to the Superbowl this year. That’s why, for this week’s world travel post, I’m posting a photo of the Space Needle along with ten unusual facts about the Emerald City’s famous icon. I hope you enjoy it: Ten Quirky Facts about the Space Needle The Space Needle was originally called the Space Cage During the 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle, the Space Needle was topped with a 40-foot high flame which burned…