Sometimes it’s about the Journey
There are some people who love a vacation at the same beach resort every year. They know what to expect, how long it will take to get there, and where the cleanest restrooms are between home and their condo. For this group of people, the journey is merely a means to the end. How quickly can they finish the drive so they can start their vacation?
Then there is us.
We have always felt that the vacation begins the minute we lock the house and start the vehicle. The road trip is part of the experience and the journey is as important as the destination.
Our goal is to find something unique to experience about every two hours. Our most recent road trip adventure took us through 6 states, over 2400 miles in 6 days. It was a lot of driving, but experiencing the journey was the goal.
Sometimes, our stops are as simple as an oversized pencil in front of the local library in Vincennes, Indiana.
Once we see the pencil, that might lead to a picnic lunch in the local park.
And that might lead to us seeing the sign for the presidential homeplace of William Henry Harrison, which is of course worth the stop.
3 W. Scott StreetVincennes, IN 47591
Then there are other times when we are driving that I use RoadsideAmerica to discover a bronze statue of Jesus sitting at an 11-foot-long picnic table. Titled “Dine With Jesus,” it was installed in 2012 with hopes that people will eat their lunches there, or just hang out and imagine themselves in place of the apostles and recreate the classic Da Vinci painting.
Sometimes we are driving on a fixed schedule and need to get to our final destination at a particular time. But even in those times, we still have to find restroom breaks and places to stretch. That means we may only have a few minutes to take a look at the local city murals or grab a few pictures of the sunrise before the journey starts for the day.
What about you? Is it all about the journey or mostly about the destination? Do you take time to find 15-minute stopping spots for fun pictures, random roadside attractions, and picnics at local parks? Or do you prefer to push through and get to your destination? There’s no right or wrong way to travel but I love when we can enjoy the journey as well as the destination, don’t you?
Where to find Roadside Attractions
When we are out on road trips, we love looking for FREE public art. These are great places to enjoy adventures without having to worry about crowds. We look for murals, wall paintings, sculpture gardens or photo opps from movies and pop culture. Public art has taken over and can be found in almost every city in the US. Here are just a few of the pieces of public art that we have found. What have you found when you have been traveling? I’d love to see!