The Tacky Tourist Trap Hall of Shame

[Fly at Night]

An update from part of "Welcome to the Breakfast Show."

Presenting, Bridal Falls, B.C.

So, where is it?
Bridal Falls is squished between the Trans Canada Highway and the Cascade Mountains, approximately 15 minutes east of Chilliwack. There are four RV parks in the immediate area. Bridal Falls is the sixth highest waterfall in Canada (just in case anyone's keeping track).

What's there besides the RV parks and falls?
At one time the only business there was a modest gas station and cafe. Business was good. Then the business changed hands. The new owner was ambitious. "Good" wasn't good enough. He was going to change the little gas bar and cafe into something great with the addition of a rock/gem museum and a store.

However, one's idea of greatness is always subject to interpretation.....coupled with a high degree of risk.

Is the cafe/store/gas station/museum easy to spot from the highway?
Absolutely! Just look for the big mural of cows, cute kids, a cowgirl, and a red pick-up truck with the dog in back that's painted on the front of the cafe. The mural really isn't that bad. I respect the intent: This is a blank wall. You deserve more than a blank wall. I am going to put something on that wall in the name of "art"......



What is the inside of the cafe like?
The cafe is clean with spacious booths for big families and beefy truckers.
The menu reminds me of a Hellenic Diner. You know....the diners started by those who fled the Greek Junta in the 1970s. Faced with the freedom of choice, they didn't know where to begin, so everything was put on the menu: Spaghetti and meatballs, Chinese food, Pot roast and dumplings, a Chef Salad, Clam Chowder, or a hot-fudge sundae...it's all here. Canada...she's a good country.

If your shoes don't have grease or doggie doo-doo on them and you don't smell too bad, you might be seated in the "Fancy Eatin' Room".....


Just beyond the Fancy Eatin' Room is the cafe's "Private Dining Room" with it's own display of rocks and gems. Waitress! Bring me another bowl of soup. This one's stone cold!....


What was the cafe store like?
I was overwhelmed....



Didn't You Buy Anything?
Of course I did. I can conspicuously consume with the best of 'em -- and found the perfect gift for my OB/GYN -- these wiggly bottle stoppers...


After all that consumption, one just has to take a stroll down the road. What I found was one of those garden sculpture places. I say "sculpture" lightly. I don't think Rodin had this in mind when he said, "Sculpture is the art of the hole and the lump."

If you offend easily, you might want to scroll over the next bit. Note the sign at the foot of the statue: "We're open. Please come in and look around."



Frontal view: I didn't want to get banned again, so this is like Elvis' first appearance on Ed Sullivan. From the waist up only. And what is King Neptune looking at? Pervert!



Update: The cafe/store has changed hands; they took out all the fun.

The garden sculpture centre is also closed.

Hope you enjoyed that. If you have anything that would do justice to the theme of this thread, please post!

[Al and Missy]

No pictures, but have you been to Ruby Falls?

Al

[Fly at Night]

Originally Posted by Al and Missy

No pictures, but have you been to Ruby Falls?

Al

Hi Al and Missy. Afraid not. A visual narrative would be most helpful. If it's as tacky as Bridal Falls was, I want to go!

[Gene]

I can’t remember the name of the restaurant or the town, but it is on the east side of the highway south from Bend on the way to Crater Lake. This bar/restaurant has scores of stuffed animals on shelves and hanging from the ceiling. There is also a glass display, but it is the stuffed animals that are featured.

We went there for breakfast and sat in the dining room behind the bar room. It was kind of dark. I am no expert on stuffed animals, but it seemed to me these were not of the highest quality. I’d like to report the food was good, but I think it was less than ordinary.

Certainly tacky in its own way, but I’ve seen worse, however this came to mind. It was a couple of years ago and the place was for sale, so if it still is on the market, an unusual opportunity.

[Al and Missy]

Originally Posted by Fly at Night

Hi Al and Missy. Afraid not. A visual narrative would be most helpful. If it's as tacky as Bridal Falls was, I want to go!

We went years ago. At the time there were advertisements all over the south, most painted on barn roofs and walls, "See Ruby Falls". According to its website it is the tallest underground waterfall open to the public. It was named for Ruby, the wife of the discoverer. I recall a waterfall with red lights shining on it. I don't know what I was expecting, but I wasn't impressed. Maybe it is better now.

[Gene]

In Crescent, Oregon, the Mohawk bar and lounge has scores and scores of stuffed animals. There is also a bottle collection, but it is the stuffed animals you come for. We stopped there for breakfast one morning about two years ago. The dining room was dark and stuffed animals were all along shelves on the walls with some birds hanging from the ceiling. I am no expert on taxidermy, but I was not impressed by the quality of the work.

I’d like to report the breakfast was good, but it was quite ordinary small town breakfast and may have been greasy.

This place was kind of spooky with all the dead animals wherever you looked. It was for sale then and may be a great opportunity for those with a macabre sense of life, or, death.

I know we’ve been to tackier places, but the Mohawk came to mind right away. I wonder if Tinytown, Colorado is still in existence?

[AtomicNo13]

How about the 50000 silver dollar casino/saloon. In Haugen Mt. It's a trapon the upside, the owner allows a stay in the very simple RV park. Electric and water, no dump. Gasoline and junk food available. Switchblade Combs, alligator eggs, and a variety of bumper stickers also aplenty!☕

[Foiled Again]

Skinny Dick's Half Way Inn.

[rmkrum]

Seligman, AZ. The whole town.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

Hmmm ...... now I have a reason to pull over and take pictures of all those places I simply ignore

I must admit, in most parts of the world, you drive past a *lot* of buildings that once were attempts at a business. In some areas they outnumber the functioning concerns by 2 or 3 to one.

Bob

[greghoro]

Wall Drug in Wall SD


Ron-Jon Surf shop in Cocoa Beach FL. Only tacky from the outside, but certainly fits the theme of Tourist Trap.


Forevertron near Baraboo WI





Greg

[PecanMan5]

South of the Border on I-95.

[GCinSC2]

Originally Posted by PecanMan5

South of the Border on I-95.

South of the Border, well it might need a bit more info for those that haven't traveled I-95 from NC to SC.

It's right inside the SC border just south of NC hence the name I assume but for miles and miles up and down I-95 a bit like Wall Drug are billboard after billboard crying out to you to stop and see Pedro and the alligators and gifts and fireworks.

https://www.sobpedro.com/

They even have a campground!

[Mollysdad]

Originally Posted by PecanMan5

South of the Border on I-95.

Pedro's!
I've been there.
Ultimate in tacky.
I was working in the area, and a co-worker wanted to take me out for my birthday, and I picked Pedro's. We got totally silly and had a blast!

[blickcd]

Pigeon Forge, TN.

Tacky, but my wife and I love it.

[BobnGayl]

Antler's Bar & Grill in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan. This restaurant is pretty unique and in a great location, about half a mile from the Sault Locks. The Sault Locks are a set of locks that allow ships to pass from Lake Superior to Lake Huron. Lake Huron is 21 feet below the level or Lake Superior to in order to transit from one to the other a set of locks was built in 1855 and improved since. The largest can handle the 1000' ships that carry iron ore, coal, and grain from Minnesota and Upper Michigan to the lower states.

The Antler's restaurant is fun, and extremely tacky. It features hundreds of mounted animals of all types including a large and moth eaten anaconda. We went there when we were skiing or visiting the locks. Sadly we have since lost our taste for eating there. Based on appearance, none of the mounts have been cleaned - maybe ever. When we realized the dust from these was probably drifting into our food, the attraction went away and we haven't been back recently. But, it's definitely worth a visit.

[Fly at Night]

Originally Posted by Mollysdad

Pedro's!
I've been there.
Ultimate in tacky.
I was working in the area, and a co-worker wanted to take me out for my birthday, and I picked Pedro's. We got totally silly and had a blast!

That's the idea. You can't take these places seriously. They are so bad....they're good!

[Fly at Night]

Originally Posted by Gene

I can’t remember the name of the restaurant or the town, but it is on the east side of the highway south from Bend on the way to Crater Lake. This bar/restaurant has scores of stuffed animals on shelves and hanging from the ceiling. There is also a glass display, but it is the stuffed animals that are featured.

We went there for breakfast and sat in the dining room behind the bar room. It was kind of dark. I am no expert on stuffed animals, but it seemed to me these were not of the highest quality. I’d like to report the food was good, but I think it was less than ordinary.

Certainly tacky in its own way, but I’ve seen worse, however this came to mind. It was a couple of years ago and the place was for sale, so if it still is on the market, an unusual opportunity.

Gene, by "stuffed animals," I initially thought you meant this!

[Gene]

Then there was the tree you can drive through. There's more than one redwood tree in California you can drive through, or at least, used to be more than one. I didn't want to, but my wife thought it would be cool to drive our very large SUV through one about 15 years ago. So we enter the tourist attraction and watch someone try to get thought the tree and it was pretty close. On the other side there are a bunch of people waiting for you to get stuck.

I thought to myself that this was not a very good idea. I lined up and started going through, very, very slowly. I had to turn slightly every few inches to squeeze through as the path wasn't perfectly straight for a larger vehicle. I was watching how close the right door handles were. Guys were pointing at me and probably wagering that I wouldn't make it. I wanted to look like I knew what I was doing, but I didn't. Those door handles were very, very close. I inched through and finally got past the middle spot and then it started to open a little and drove out triumphantly. Later I saw the door handles had scraped on the tree and had some marks on them, but I made it. No prizes were offered, but my wife got a photo and promised to never ask me to do that again. Over the years there are fewer trees you can drive through as it is really very bad for the tree.

[Fly at Night]

Gene, that's pretty corny all right!

When I was a kid, my parents took us to see the "Trees of Mystery." What made it tacky was the piped-in music (vis-a-vis a very bad sound system).

Another candidate for tackiness is the tagline at a cheap casino and hotel:
"We have the best slots in town."