Traveling with AAA Automobile Club of Southern California

Whether you’re visiting the Empire City for the first time or the fifth time, this is one destination where you will always be spoiled for choice. 

Sky-high city spires, a global exploration of cuisine, and more museums and galleries than you can count. 

When you get bitten by the roadside-attraction bug, stopping to see these unique structures, and learning the stories behind them, can quickly become an obsession. But with such a big country to explore and countless highways to cover, it can be a bit overwhelming to know where to start. Today, Angie Orth is back with roadside-attraction expert Valerie Bromann. The founder of the blog Silly America shares her top tips and favorite stops for exploring the wacky and wonderful on your next road trip.  You’ll hear about some of Valerie’s favorite roadside attractions and how you can hit several of them for fun photo ops all in one go. You’ll learn which stops might appeal to you most, from nature-focused to kid-friendly, and more. You’ll also hear what you can expect to see along America’s Route 66 during the 2026 centennial celebration. What You’ll Learn:* A unique place to stop and send a postcard home (0:48)* Why roadside attractions are great for kids (1:40)* The best stop for nature lovers (2:33)* Discovering classic Americana along a single route (3:01)* Valerie’s personal favorite roadside attraction (3:43)* BONUS: The biggest upcoming road trip event to plan for now (4:47) Resources:The 2026 Route 66 Centennial (https://www.route66-centennial.com/)http://www.kansastravel.org/balloftwine.htm (http://www.kansastravel.org/balloftwine.htm)https://www.bigthingssmalltown.com/rocking-chair (https://www.bigthingssmalltown.com/rocking-chair)https://carhenge.com/ (https://carhenge.com/)https://www.bigthingssmalltown.com/ (https://www.bigthingssmalltown.com/)https://route66roadfest.com/ (https://route66roadfest.com/)Connect with Valerie Bromann:Website: https://www.valeriebromann.com/ (https://www.valeriebromann.com/)Silly America: https://sillyamerica.com/valerie-bromann/ (https://sillyamerica.com/valerie-bromann/)Search by State:

Do you ever wonder how big the World’s Largest Ball of Twine actually is? Have you ever been curious about all those strong and unreasonably tall muffler men standing outside of gas stations along Route 66?If you answered “Yes!” to either of these, then your curiosity has probably steered you toward the exit signs of many of America’s weird and wonderful roadside attractions.   Today, Angie Orth welcomes Valerie Bromann. As an avid road-tripper who has visited hundreds of roadside attractions, she always pulls over for a ‘world’s largest’ anything. This curiosity inspired her to found her blog, Silly America, where she photographs and writes about weird tourist destinations. She offers helpful itineraries and advice to inspire you and add a little more fun and funkiness to your next road trip.You’ll hear about when she first became interested in these iconic curiosities, and the history of how they got started. She shares her top must-see roadside attractions, along with some of the best forgotten highways where you can take in several sights in a single stretch. She also explains why roadside attractions are such an important part of American culture, and how they are being celebrated for the upcoming centennial of Route 66. What You’ll Learn:* The first roadside attraction that sparked her interest (1:58)* Celebrating the centennial of America’s most famous road trip (4:00)* Valerie’s must-see roadside attractions (5:06)* New roadside attractions that are drawing in visitors (11:50)* The significance of roadside attractions in American culture (15:23)Resources:Article: Route 66 Road Trip: The spirit of Route 66 is still alive and kicking, if you know where to look for it (https://mwg.aaa.com/via/road-trips/route-66-road-trip)World’s Largest Ball of Twine: http://www.kansastravel.org/balloftwine.htm (http://www.kansastravel.org/balloftwine.htm)World’s Largest Rocking Chair: https://www.bigthingssmalltown.com/rocking-chair (https://www.bigthingssmalltown.com/rocking-chair)Carhenge: https://carhenge.com/ (https://carhenge.com/)Big Things Small Town: https://www.bigthingssmalltown.com/ (https://www.bigthingssmalltown.com/)Midpoint Cafe:

Traveling solo is exhilarating! But while the narratives that you encounter on social media may all look perfect, planning with safety and comfort in mind can make or break any trip. Safety is paramount, and the more you do in advance to prepare for the unknowns, the better you’ll feel going into it. The outcome can often depend on how prepared you are for your next solo voyage.For smart solo travelers, laying the groundwork during the planning phase makes all the difference. Today, Angie Orth shares her top 5 safety tips for avoiding potential disasters when you’re hitting the road solo. You’ll hear her personal experience from years of solo travel. She shares what she’s learned the hard way, and how a handful of planning hacks have helped her avoid potential travel disasters. You’ll learn how to navigate safety factors for any destination, and why budgeting for the worst-case scenario is always a smart move.What You’ll Learn:* How to be prepared for the unknown (1:19)* Meeting people the smart way (2:23)* A booking tip to manage your arrival time (2:53)* Researching your destination in advance (3:19)* One thing you should never skimp on in your budget (3:50)Connect with Angie:Website: https://angieaway.com/ (https://angieaway.com/)Insta: https://www.instagram.com/angieaway/ (https://www.instagram.com/angieaway/)Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@angieaway (https://www.tiktok.com/@angieaway)X: https://twitter.com/angieaway (https://twitter.com/angieaway)Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/thejetsisters (https://www.youtube.com/thejetsisters)Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AngieAway/ (https://www.facebook.com/AngieAway/)Book: Flirting With Disaster: True Travel Tales of Fear, Failure, and Faith by Angie OrthConnect with AAA:

Do you love to travel, but don’t love waiting on other people to commit? Do you feel like you often have to skip things you’re interested in because your travel partner(s) aren’t intereste...