It's the best time: FOLIAGE ROAD TRIP TIME!
This trip took me 2 days, but it could easily take 3. It goes from Chicago to Wisconsin, but of course you could do it backwards.
1. Onan's Gold Pyramid House, Wadsworth, Illinois
Just near Six Flags, there is a very, very weird domicile. It has gigantic plaster colossi. It has gigantic plaster sphinxes. It has a gigantic gold pyramid. They do tours, it's also totally visible from the street, go there.
2. The Mars Cheese Castle, Kenosha, Wisconsin
Just off the highway, the Mars Cheese Castle looms up like the cheesiest tourist attraction around. It really looks like a (fake) castle, and it really is full of cheese. Get there after 11 AM, and they should have a full sampling of free cheese samples. They also sell temporary tattoos of the Mars Cheese Castle for 50 cents, which is really a must. While you're in Kenosha, check out Frank's Diner, which was featured on the show Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. The portions are huge, and although the food was not shockingly stellar, it has that old-time small-town vibe.
3. The Mustard Museum, Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is a nice university town/small city. Lots of cheese! Get some cheese. The Mustard Museum is hilarious and also has free samples of mustard. Admission is also free. It is both tongue-in-cheek and a clear labor of love. I don't even like mustard but I like this museum.
4. Doctor Evermor's Forevertron, North Freedom, Wisconsin
A gigantic junkyard sculpture park in the back of the most glorious junk salvage shop. The story is that it the main sculpture is an alien spaceship. Sounds legit. The junk shop is awesome, too. I got a suitcase for $5 and it was just a bit dusty but otherwise great. They had everything a person could need, like giant batteries or maybe they were generators, gloves, tools, hats, you name it. It's on the border of a couple towns, so don't worry if your GPS gives you a different town name or zip code.
5. House on the Rock, Spring Green Wisconsin
This museum is very, very weird. The drive out here is unbelievably gorgeous. I'd say the drive is even more of a must-see than the musem. It feels like you're in an ad for autumn. The museum itself is full of weird collections, statues, etc., and has two giant incredible carousels. There are huge, intricate sculptures that move and play music throughout the museum. It is actually pretty creepy, especially when you're the only person around, walking down the narrow path through the labyrinth of dolls. They do special Halloween stuff, too, if you're into that. Adult museum tickets cost $17.50, making it the only stop on this list that costs money.
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