Strange Planet: Nebraska

Even Intelligent Travelers get a kick out of the kooky — so as a spin off of our magazine’s back page, we’re offering up our own Strange Planet selections here on the blog. While researching family-friendly attractions in the U.S., intern Laura Mansho stumbled upon some quirky roadside destinations that will probably never grace the cover of Traveler, but that deserve a mention nonetheless:

Nebraska:

• Can’t make it to England? Find the next best thing at a kitschy version of Stonehenge outside the town of Alliance, where American-manufactured cars have been lovingly shoved into the dirt to create Carhenge — a site where capitalism, culture, and Cadillacs converge in one memorable family photo op.
• Over in Hebron, you can sit back and relax on the (alleged) World’s Largest Porch Swing — it’s long enough to seat 18 adults side by side at one time. However, it’s not actually attached to any kind of porch as far as I can tell.
• If you work up a thirst while you’re swaying on the swing, stick around for August’s Kool-Aid Days festival in Hastings. My favorite thing about this festival (besides the ridiculous amount of sugar water you get to imbibe) is the boat race. You can build your own ship out of Kool-Aid Jammers packets and Bursts bottles and compete for a chance to take home the grand prize — a pair of Nike Air Force Ones with the Kool-Aid Man emblazoned on the front. What else can you expect in the birthplace of Kool-Aid? At the Hastings Museum, you can learn all about its juicy history and glimpse the original Kool-Aid Man’s costume in all its wall-busting glory — Oh, Yeah!

Got more Nebraska nuggets? Send them our way. And stay tuned for more of our funky finds. And if you’re on your own Strange Planet, let us know your favorite odd spots, and we’ll try to feature them in future posts.

Photo: Barbara Klocko, Friends of Carhenge