{"id":2483,"date":"2024-12-20T12:43:44","date_gmt":"2024-12-20T20:43:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/magazine\/?p=2483"},"modified":"2025-03-27T18:03:20","modified_gmt":"2025-03-28T01:03:20","slug":"on-the-road","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/magazine\/on-the-road\/","title":{"rendered":"On the Road: The Best of California\u2019s Roadside Attractions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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On the Road: The Best of California\u2019s Roadside Attractions<\/h1>\n\n\n<\/div>\n \n
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\n\n \n Make your next Golden State adventure truly unforgettable by visiting some of California\u2019s quirkiest roadside attractions.\n\n\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n By<\/span>Margaret Crable<\/strong>\n \n December 20, 2024<\/span>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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Is California the best state for a road trip? There\u2019s a solid case to be made. Its 163,000 square miles offer an abundance of natural beauty, from the vast forests of the north and the booming surf breaks of the Central Coast to the mystical deserts in the south. With often temperate weather and an extensive network of highways, driving in the state can be a pleasurable pastime, not just a means to an end.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a special kind of peace that starts as soon as you hit the road, turn on your favorite playlist and let the conversations flow. For me, road trips have always been about taking a break, feeling the warmth of the sun come through the windows, and watching California\u2019s golden landscape stretch out in every direction,\u201d says Natalia Molina<\/a>, Distinguished Professor of American Studies and Ethnicity<\/a> and Dean\u2019s Professor of American Studies and Ethnicity.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the magic of a road trip: It transforms you, even if just for a moment, into someone free, fully alive in the beauty of California\u2019s winding roads and endless horizons.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re embarking on a long trip or a quick getaway, experiencing California\u2019s eclectic scenery means incorporating some \u201ctotally rad\u201d stops along the way. Here are our recommendations for an unforgettable drive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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Chandelier Drive-Thru Tree<\/h2>\n

Leggett, CA<\/p>\n

Travel south along the Avenue of the Giants Scenic Highway, winding through towering California Redwoods. Continue for 30 miles to the nearly 300-foot-tall Chandelier Drive-Thru Tree. Cut into the tree\u2019s 16-foot diameter base is a 6-foot-wide tunnel that allows motorists to pass through its ancient trunk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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Mark\u2019s Hot Dogs<\/h2>\n

San Jose, CA<\/p>\n

In the 1920s, Giant Orange refreshment stands began popping up along California highways, tempting parched motorists with freshly squeezed OJ. By the 1950s, faster motoring and the advent of automobile air conditioning made these stops less popular, but a few iconic globes remain, including this San Jose classic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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Palm and Pine<\/h2>\n

Madera, CA<\/p>\n

For nearly a century, travelers have marked the shift between Northern and Southern California by two celebrated trees, one palm and the other pine, planted in the median of Highway 99. Sadly, highway widening will uproot the beloved duo in 2025, but for now, they stand as a symbol of the state\u2019s contrasting regional flora.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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Blackwell\u2019s Corner<\/h2>\n

Lost Hills, CA<\/p>\n

California\u2019s oil fields helped power the rise of the automobile, and gas stations abound across the state. One lonely stop, Blackwell\u2019s Corner, marks a tragic moment in cinema history. It was here that actor and racing enthusiast James Dean made his final stop in 1955, reportedly purchasing an apple and a Coca-Cola, before his fatal car crash in nearby Cholame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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For me, road trips have always been about taking a break, feeling the warmth of the sun come through the windows, and watching California\u2019s golden landscape stretch out
\nin every direction.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n \n