What are your plans for a summer adventure this season? How about a fun and quirky road trip that will take you to some of Southern California’s most unusual roadside attractions? If you love seeing new sides of SoCal then you’ll enjoy this day trip (or weekend trip) that will take you on a fun journey to some of SoCal’s unique and memorable destinations.

Please note, Ruddy’s General Store Museum is temporarily closed.

Ready for a road trip? Click here to pull up the route for this road trip so you can follow along on your own from the destination that's closest to you. Let's hit the road!
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1. Unconditional Surrender Statue
flickr/isaac wedin
Located in America's Finest City you'll find the famous Unconditional Surrender statue of a sailor kissing a nurse. It's literally larger than life and towers above the harbor. Make sure to take a moment to snap a picture of this iconic statue in SoCal. You can find Unconditional Surrender at 55 Tuna Lane, San Diego, CA.
2. Salvation Mountain
photos by clark/flickr
One of the most bizarre stops on our road trip is at Salvation Mountain. You'll find a giant painted mountain in the middle of nowhere that is quite the sight to see in person as pictures do not do it justice. You can find Salvation Mountain on Beal Road in Niland, CA.
3. International Banana Museum
randy heinitz/flickr
Located at at 98775 Hwy 111, Mecca, CA you'll find an unusual museum that is filled with nothing but banana-related items. From banana trinkets and toys to all sorts of banana memorabilia, this SoCal museum will be fun for the whole family.
4. Ruddy's General Store Museum
tripadvisor/perkadventures
tripadvisor/sixeye
Ruddy's General Store is a unique roadside museum that looks just like an authentic general store right out of the 1930s. Admission to this attraction is only 95 cents so it's also light on the wallet. You can find Ruddy's General Store at 193 S Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA.
5. Cabazon Dinosaurs
thomas hawk/flickr
Next on our list is the iconic Cabazon dinosaurs. These giant dinosaurs are 100-ton replicas that look just like the real thing at first glance. Located off I-10, it's likely you've driven by before but may not have taken the time to stop by and see them in person. You can find the Cabazon dinosaurs at 50700 Seminole Drive, Cabazon, CA.
6. Tio's Tacos
tripadvisor/yvonne s.
Every good road trip includes at least one stop for food. We've included Tio's Tacos on the route as it not only serves fantastic tacos, but it's also a quirky attraction that has one of the most bizarre roofs filled with whimsical art and sculptures. Tio's Tacos is located at 3984 Mission Ave., Riverside, CA.
7. Elmer's Bottle Tree Ranch
nathan adams/flickr
As you head toward the town of Barstow you'll want to stop at Elmer's Bottle Tree Ranch. Wander around this quirky local gem and you'll find a variety of art and yard trinkets made from used glass bottles. Even though it's quirky, it's also quite beautiful. Elmer's Bottle Tree Ranch is located at 24266 National Trails Hwy., Oro Grande, CA.
8. World's Tallest Thermometer
steve boland/flickr
Did you know SoCal is home to the world's tallest thermometer? Located in the town of Baker, you'll find a towering thermometer that is 134 feet tall which was purposely built that high to reference the record-breaking temperature of 134 degrees on July 10, 1913 in nearby Death Valley.

So there you have it. A fun and quirky road trip to enjoy this summer season. If you’re looking for more reasons to jump in the car for a getaway, here are nine more road trips to keep you busy all summer long.

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