Readers' tips ... quirky US attractions
Each week we run a section in the Guardian newspaper's travel section, asking readers to send in tips on a particular subject. The best tip wins a digital camera courtesy of Jessops. Find out more here.
Winning tip
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Solvang, Santa Barbara County, California
Posted by TravellingFrog
A little bit of Denmark in America. Complete with a windmill, traditional Danish bakeries a plenty, a Hans Christian Andersen museum and even a replica of the Little Mermaid. Stay at the Viking Motel or Royal Copenhagen Inn, and gorge on over-sized Danish pastries for breakfast (well, this is America). Sample robust Danish fare such as frikadeller (meat balls), medisterpølse (sausages) and roedkaal (red cabbage) in one of the many restaurants (most of them done up as replicas of wooden Danish buildings), then indulge in a bit of shopping - you can get anything from Danish chocolate to Danish fashion, or even a pair of good old-fashioned wooden clogs, for half the price of what it would cost you back in Copenhagen!
Solvang was founded in 1911 by a group of Danish educators who travelled west to escape the harsh winters in the midwest. The town lies at the heart of wine country, and parts of the Oscar-winning film Sideways, about a couple of wine-loving friends travelling around California, was filmed here.
Best time to visit? September, when the hordes of tourists have left, and the Danish Days Festival (18 September 2010), now in its 73th year, is in full swing.
solvangusa.com
Google map: tinyurl.com/38apt63
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The Mystery Spot, Santa Cruz, California
Posted by winegum
This classic piece of Americana has been in existence since the 30s. It's a number of big optical illusions ( an odd cabin, a strange slope) tucked away in a small park in a valley just at the back of Santa Cruz. I recommend it less for the optical illusions which were fun but cheesey and more for the slightly odd guide, the bloke doing requests on a trombone (I had to work very hard not to laugh at his heartfelt but iffy renditions) and the quirky gift shop.
Santa Cruz, California
mysteryspot.com
Google map: tinyurl.com/26ave49
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White Linen Night, New Orleans, Louisiana
Posted by lynnemc
It is well worth dealing with the heat and humidity to visit New Orleans in August. This city with a huge soul spills music from every pore. August has the bonus of the Louis Armstrong festival, with venues everywhere including a jazz band-led church service culminating in a "second-line" (dancers') parade through the streets. Cram in a swamp and plantation tours, the Mardi Gras float warehouse and above ground cemeteries and you think you've covered it all until you turn a corner to the bizarre sight of a street thronging with people, old and young, all dressed head to toe in white: white suits, hats, jeans, shorts, dresses, shoes. On White Linen Night, art galleries are open all evening, bars and food stalls line the streets and a mass of white dances to live bands. An amazing and slightly surreal experience.
lynnemc
Julia Street, New Orleans
neworleans.com/festivals
Google map: tinyurl.com/3ybmnt3
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The Barnum Museum, Bridgeport, Conneticut
Posted by bbctestcard
It's a museum which celebrates the history of the city of Bridgeport and the life and times of P.T. Barnum.
As a child, I lived in Connecticut for a few years. One of my overriding memories of this time, was a visit to the Barnum Museum in Bridgeport. Over twenty years later, I'd still recommend it (I have been back since). The museum has a great range of exhibits (including there very own elephant), but probably the most interesting aspect is the display about P.T. Barnum and family. P.T. Barnum was the famous US showman responsible for creating the "Greatest Show on Earth" and the collections include a good range of items from his career, including a replica of the hoax Fejee Mermaid. Admittedly, some of Barnum's entertainment endeavours are, to modern eyes, ethically questionable, but this is still a fantastic exhibition about a fascinating man. It's a bit odd and a bit frightening if you're a child (as I can well attest) but well worth a visit. The building that houses the museum is an architectural gem too.
The Barnum Museum, 820 Main Street Bridgeport, CT 06604
barnum-museum.org
+1 203 331 1104
Google map: tinyurl.com/34kd49n
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National Finals Rodeo, Las Vegas, Nevada
Posted by MAddey
The finals of the national rodeo circuit are a real piece of Americana - real cowboys, very scary events (throwing themselves off galloping horses to grab young steers and rope them up in a given time slot), the national anthem sung with enormous gusto and the fantastic commentary "America is the greatest nation there has EVER been on earth" (!), all make this a not-to-be-missed event in Vegas.
Thomas & Mack Centre, Las Vegas, every December.
+1 888 637 7633,
nfr-rodeo.com
Google map: tinyurl.com/332g2ke
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Turtle Racing, Nisswa, Minnesota
Posted by charlottebrassey
Every Wednesday throughout the summer season, the picturesque Minnesotan town of Nisswa hosts a turtle race in the town square. Visitors are welcome to enter, and may hire their own flippered racers if they don't have a pet tortoise to bring along. It's hilarious for kids and adults alike (I stumbled across it while working at a summer camp just up the road). And as a added bonus, Nisswa has some of the best pizza (Raffery's Pizza) and ice-cream (the Chocolate Ox) in the northern states, for your post-race celebrations.
www.nisswa.com/Turtle.aspx
Nisswa is located off Highway 371, two and a half hours north of Minnesota.
Google map: tinyurl.com/3an4x5f
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Lancaster County Rhubarb Festival, Intercourse, Pennsylvania
Posted by winegum
This is an amazing celebration of, yes, rhubarb, complete with parade, Rhubarb King & Queen, live music, stalls selling home baking and every conceivable rhubarb-based foodstuff, all set the rolling Lancaster countryside.
Kitchen Kettle Village, Intercourse PA
kitchenkettle.com/events/rhubarb-festival.asp
Google map: tinyurl.com/35mnsfs
Winning tip
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Solvang, Santa Barbara County, California
Posted by TravellingFrog
A little bit of Denmark in America. Complete with a windmill, traditional Danish bakeries a plenty, a Hans Christian Andersen museum and even a replica of the Little Mermaid. Stay at the Viking Motel or Royal Copenhagen Inn, and gorge on over-sized Danish pastries for breakfast (well, this is America). Sample robust Danish fare such as frikadeller (meat balls), medisterpølse (sausages) and roedkaal (red cabbage) in one of the many restaurants (most of them done up as replicas of wooden Danish buildings), then indulge in a bit of shopping - you can get anything from Danish chocolate to Danish fashion, or even a pair of good old-fashioned wooden clogs, for half the price of what it would cost you back in Copenhagen!
Solvang was founded in 1911 by a group of Danish educators who travelled west to escape the harsh winters in the midwest. The town lies at the heart of wine country, and parts of the Oscar-winning film Sideways, about a couple of wine-loving friends travelling around California, was filmed here.
Best time to visit? September, when the hordes of tourists have left, and the Danish Days Festival (18 September 2010), now in its 73th year, is in full swing.
solvangusa.com
Google map: tinyurl.com/38apt63
______________________________________________________________
The Mystery Spot, Santa Cruz, California
Posted by winegum
This classic piece of Americana has been in existence since the 30s. It's a number of big optical illusions ( an odd cabin, a strange slope) tucked away in a small park in a valley just at the back of Santa Cruz. I recommend it less for the optical illusions which were fun but cheesey and more for the slightly odd guide, the bloke doing requests on a trombone (I had to work very hard not to laugh at his heartfelt but iffy renditions) and the quirky gift shop.
Santa Cruz, California
mysteryspot.com
Google map: tinyurl.com/26ave49
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White Linen Night, New Orleans, Louisiana
Posted by lynnemc
It is well worth dealing with the heat and humidity to visit New Orleans in August. This city with a huge soul spills music from every pore. August has the bonus of the Louis Armstrong festival, with venues everywhere including a jazz band-led church service culminating in a "second-line" (dancers') parade through the streets. Cram in a swamp and plantation tours, the Mardi Gras float warehouse and above ground cemeteries and you think you've covered it all until you turn a corner to the bizarre sight of a street thronging with people, old and young, all dressed head to toe in white: white suits, hats, jeans, shorts, dresses, shoes. On White Linen Night, art galleries are open all evening, bars and food stalls line the streets and a mass of white dances to live bands. An amazing and slightly surreal experience.
lynnemc
Julia Street, New Orleans
neworleans.com/festivals
Google map: tinyurl.com/3ybmnt3
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The Barnum Museum, Bridgeport, Conneticut
Posted by bbctestcard
It's a museum which celebrates the history of the city of Bridgeport and the life and times of P.T. Barnum.
As a child, I lived in Connecticut for a few years. One of my overriding memories of this time, was a visit to the Barnum Museum in Bridgeport. Over twenty years later, I'd still recommend it (I have been back since). The museum has a great range of exhibits (including there very own elephant), but probably the most interesting aspect is the display about P.T. Barnum and family. P.T. Barnum was the famous US showman responsible for creating the "Greatest Show on Earth" and the collections include a good range of items from his career, including a replica of the hoax Fejee Mermaid. Admittedly, some of Barnum's entertainment endeavours are, to modern eyes, ethically questionable, but this is still a fantastic exhibition about a fascinating man. It's a bit odd and a bit frightening if you're a child (as I can well attest) but well worth a visit. The building that houses the museum is an architectural gem too.
The Barnum Museum, 820 Main Street Bridgeport, CT 06604
barnum-museum.org
+1 203 331 1104
Google map: tinyurl.com/34kd49n
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National Finals Rodeo, Las Vegas, Nevada
Posted by MAddey
The finals of the national rodeo circuit are a real piece of Americana - real cowboys, very scary events (throwing themselves off galloping horses to grab young steers and rope them up in a given time slot), the national anthem sung with enormous gusto and the fantastic commentary "America is the greatest nation there has EVER been on earth" (!), all make this a not-to-be-missed event in Vegas.
Thomas & Mack Centre, Las Vegas, every December.
+1 888 637 7633,
nfr-rodeo.com
Google map: tinyurl.com/332g2ke
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Turtle Racing, Nisswa, Minnesota
Posted by charlottebrassey
Every Wednesday throughout the summer season, the picturesque Minnesotan town of Nisswa hosts a turtle race in the town square. Visitors are welcome to enter, and may hire their own flippered racers if they don't have a pet tortoise to bring along. It's hilarious for kids and adults alike (I stumbled across it while working at a summer camp just up the road). And as a added bonus, Nisswa has some of the best pizza (Raffery's Pizza) and ice-cream (the Chocolate Ox) in the northern states, for your post-race celebrations.
www.nisswa.com/Turtle.aspx
Nisswa is located off Highway 371, two and a half hours north of Minnesota.
Google map: tinyurl.com/3an4x5f
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Lancaster County Rhubarb Festival, Intercourse, Pennsylvania
Posted by winegum
This is an amazing celebration of, yes, rhubarb, complete with parade, Rhubarb King & Queen, live music, stalls selling home baking and every conceivable rhubarb-based foodstuff, all set the rolling Lancaster countryside.
Kitchen Kettle Village, Intercourse PA
kitchenkettle.com/events/rhubarb-festival.asp
Google map: tinyurl.com/35mnsfs