Fantastic Fiction: Natural Bridge's Dinosaur Kingdom II

For those who look to the Halterman Weekend to point them towards Roadside America, you are in luck!  Enter Dinosaur Kingdom II, a Mark Cline attraction, in Natural Bridge, VA.  A walk-through outdoor park of sorts, Dinosaur Kingdom II tells the fantastical story of what might have happened if latent dinosaurs had been awakened and used as weapons of mass destruction during the US Civil War.  Yes, you read that correctly, and yes, it's awesome!

Local artist and author Mark Cline has invented a story where, during the battle of Natural Bridge's Saur Hill, dinosaurs cryogenically "sleeping" in nearby caverns are awakened by the sounds of the battle.  The Union then tries to train them to fight the Confederacy--albeit unsuccessfully, largely because the dinosaurs just eat all soldiers without regard to their loyalties.  The story line is pure fun and never intended to be any form of scholarship--but for the nerds in us, it made a great place to discuss the formation of a good story.  In fact, Kim could totally see a field trip here for budding fantasy/sci fi authors.  There's a companion comic book, and seeing the pages from the book posted at parts of the exhibit honestly inspires reading.

If you go, walk slowly on the gravel paths, looking for surprises beyond the path in the woods, and take a second lap instead of exiting when you come to the out door.  For the most part, the dinosaurs don't move and aren't going to startle you, but there are several fun animations to activate by pushing buttons in the "village" through which you enter.  Be sure to check out the concept art featured in the art gallery of the village and watch the fake documentary about the Natural Bridge Civil War paleontologists--it has a bonus feature of one of the very first cartoons, a short about a dinosaur that G, age 4, adored.  Skip the strollers if you can--this gravel on a gentle grade, but enough to lock most wheels.  Relax and enjoy the all-ages fun--we saw couples, groups of teens, families with young kids.  To make a day trip of this adventure, know you are close to Natural Bridge Caverns, where we understand the DK admission stamp will yield a discount, as well as Natural Bridge State Park, not to mention Lexington, VA--a great place for a stroll and visits to various small museums.  For more fantasy-type fun with kids, check out Boxerwood Gardens.

Childhood Legacies: Babyland General Hospital

If you grew up in the 1980s or had kids growing up then in the US, you undoubtedly know the Cabbage Patch brand.  Kim had a few dolls: Kerry Ann, a preemie, an astronaut; Justin had some as well.  Kim also remembered her dad telling stories of seeing some people fight over them at a Roanoke, Virginia, Hills store--they were a BIG deal.  So big that a related tourist site emerged in Georgia: Babyland General Hospital.  Basically, it was the place the Cabbage Patch Kids were born--a center where you could pick them out from a "nursery."  Once in a small building, it graduated in 2009 to a custom-built mansion in Cleveland, Georgia.  This became a perfect surprise destination trip for G this spring break.

Babyland General Hospital is a truly delightful location for young kids interested in dolls, about age 7 and down, that inspires the imagination as well as some shopping. Free admission makes your visit easy, and you can come anytime and wander the large combination simulated hospital-birthing tree-doll nursery-large gift shop.  You shop from the displays, which include cribs full of dolls and a "cabbage patch" of dolls as well as more conventionally-displayed items. Various souvenirs include T-shirts, postcards, limited edition dolls, baby accessories, and the like.  If you ever visited the now-defunct Boyds Bear Country, you have the idea.

We spent about two-and-a-half hours on site on an extended visit with a very impressed G.  She particularly enjoyed the large number of stuffed animals available (that's what she wanted to take home) and the birthing tree, a little show where a Cabbage Patch doll is "delivered" by a patch nurse or doctor every 45 minutes or so.  The delivery features a lot of vague references to actual childbirth and results in a new Cabbage Patch doll the audience names.  G helped name two dolls while we were there: Gwen Amelia and Elijah Alexander.  All of the staff are dressed as medical staff, and the dolls are transported about the center in cradles and incubators.

If you go, this is an affordable outing.  Admission is free, parking is easy, and signs to Babyland abound once you are within about 5 miles.  Some of the dolls are priced upward of $200--but the hard-to-find smaller dolls are plentiful here and start at around $9, the various souvenirs are affordable, and there are sales on overstock dolls also with very reasonable prices.  The site itself is large (so large that the ballroom hosts weddings), and you could easily take a picnic (bring a blanket) and eat on the grounds.  Babyland General Hospital is not, however, super close to the interstate system, so you will be getting off the beaten path.  The nearby small town of Alpine Helen, Georgia, can provide you a place to stay.

The End of Another American Wax Museum: Farewell, Natural Bridge Wax Museum

Natural Bridge Wax Museum, the first wax museum Kim ever visited (at age 10), the first wax museum Elijah ever visited (at age 9 months), and the first wax museum Gwen ever visited (at age 14 months), is closing.  We're lamenting the loss of these treasures--the 171+ figures from this site and the wax museum genre in general.  Wax museums, like taxidermy displays in natural history museums, inspire imagination in ways supposedly more "interactive" displays do not.  In the past year, we've seen the closing of the National Civil War Wax Museum in Gettysburg, PA, too.  We suggest you immediately take in a wax museum if you can--introduce your kids to one while we have them.  Here's a plus on this one, right now:  Before closing Labor Day 2014, the Natural Bridge Wax Museum is offering reduced admission and a great sale on postcards in the gift shop (a penny each!). 

The Natural Bridge Wax Museum is an interesting hodgepodge of tableaus with touches of humor.  There are Biblical scenes of Adam and Eve in the Garden, of the Last Supper, and of the Resurrection--and the museum owner is an Orthodox Jew.  There are two famous displays of wax figure Presidents--and there's a George Bush figure also serving as a security guard.  We also swear we saw a figure of former Presidential candidate Michael Dukakis downstairs in the wax figure factory exhibit.  Scenes of history include serious scenes of the US Civil War--and a scene of a truly scary "elevator" that once lowered folks down Natural Bridge and of a silly story where a gentleman traded his wife for whisky.  Check out our family visiting the museum a few years earlier here. 

This article captures the tone surrounding the closure of wax museums, although we're pretty sure it contains an error, as the Harpers Ferry John Brown Wax Museum seems to still be in operation.  Yes, you can still buy wax figures, and some will still be made in Virginia.  Find out more about Dorfman Museum Figures if you are interested.

If you go, take lots of pictures and/or video (both are encouraged) and talk to the museum staff.  We met very friendly workers on this visit, and they told us fun stories like the fact that authorities visit annually to make sure the still in the moonshine scene isn't really making anything!  You should also visit the main Natural Bridge gift shop--we hear they are redoing it sometime soon and that it will sell less "kitsch."  Therefore, we stocked up on Natural Bridge snowglobes today.  Visit here first and you may find some $2 off admission coupons (good if you don't have AAA).  You can mail those penny postcards from the Natural Bridge Post Office downstairs in the main gift shop building, too.  Of course, there are many other attractions at Natural Bridge, including the splendid bridge itself and caverns, as well as two nearby zoos: the Natural Bridge Zoo and the Virginia Safari Park.  If you like to follow the changing landscape of roadside tourism in America, check in here frequently, as there is a move to make the Natural Bridge complex a Virginia State Park. 

If you just want to learn about wax museums, the blog Houses of Wax is a good place to start--even if it hasn't been updated in a while.  We hear some of the Natural Bridge figures are headed to Bible Walk in Ohio, where some may be repurposed into other scenes.  That's always fun--ask Justin if you'd like to be able to spot MASH characters and others from Gatlinburg's former wax museum in Christ in the Smokies displays. 

Vintage Weekend: Carlin's Amoco

Did you know that Roanoke is home to, of all things, an impressively restored gas station?  It just goes to show you that you never know what you will find in your hometown if you just look.  This spring, the restored Carlin's Amoco Station on Williamson Road was open for a special day of tours based from the Virginia Museum of Transportation.  We pass by the beautiful station often, thinking it would be a great spot for a photo op, but we've never been able to be inside. 

Recently, E was thrilled to ride a 1960s tour bus from VMT to the station, where we all disembarked to look around and enjoy Moonpies and Cokes.   The restoration is impressive and includes authentic uniforms, including one belonging to the previous owner; vintage tire ads; vintage maps; and even vintage bathroom decor!  The obvious effort spent making the station a true blast from the past is to be commended.  As we toured, we couldn't help but think how much Papa Danny, Papa Bud, and Granny Helen would have enjoyed a visit here.  At this special event, Wayne Henderson of Petroleum Collectibles Monthly was there signing his books, too!

The hours for touring the station are irregular, as it is currently open only for special events, some of which seem to be connected to VMT or to antique automobile "crusing" festivals.  If you are a local Roanoke area family, we highly recommend you become museum members if you have interest--you'll hear about museum special events like this one!  If you are touring the station, you find yourself on Williamson Road, one of the most interesting streets in Roanoke.  You'll be close to several non-chain restaurants, including The New Yorker, and can easily venture to attractions in the downtown area. 

And This is Mountain Kitsch: Jurassic Jungle Boat Ride, Hillbilly Golf

If you ever doubted that we like all kinds of touristy fun, here's proof!  We finally visted the Jurassic Jungle Boat Ride in Pigeon Forge, and while we recommend it for Americana diehards like us, we don't think everyone would enjoy it.  It's pricey for what you get, but the boat ride through anamatronic dinosaurs is pleasant.  The property was actually more "high tech" than we expected, and I can imagine a willing five or six year old having a magical time here.  This attraction is of the variety you don't see too much outside of "big theme parks."  If you've read Tim Hollis's Dixie Before Disney, you can imagine Jurassic Jungle Boat Ride being memorialized in a similar work in a decade or so.  We both have fond memories of large animated dinosaurs that would come to the local science museum, and this ride is a less-educational throwback to that part of childhood. 

Now for a tourist spot we believe will endure:  Hillbilly Golf of Gatlinburg.    This legendary spot is still locally owned and features a well-known incline train ride up a mountainside.  When you disembark, you play one of two simple putt-putt courses in the shade.  It's a classic, easy course decorated by farm implements and fake outhouses--pure, low-maintenance fun so simple it doesn't even have an official website.  Kim had great memories of playing as a kid with her mom and dad, and Justin has decided he enjoys inclines and was looking forward to the experience, too. 

If you go, we'd specifically recommend Gatlinburg's Brookside Resort for your lodging.  The "resort" is a classic, locally-owned hotel complex--very retro.  Nice walkable-yet-off-the-beaten-path location--"city close, country quiet" is their motto.  Expect good value with the stream out back; don't expect extremely modern decor.  The vintage look is part of the charm; Justin stayed here growing up, and we'll continue the tradition.  We already have our next trip planned:  Sweet Fanny Adams Theatre, Hauntings Ghost Show, and Clingmans Dome. 

Dinosaurs and Potato Chips, Oh My!

We asked Elijah if he wanted to see some dinosaurs and went in search of old fashioned roadside amusement, heading for Dinosaur Land near Winchester, VA.  What a fanciful place full of outdoor sculptures of dinosaurs--not to mention King Kong, an octopus, a shark, and some oversize bugs.  At $4 to $5 entry a person, it's a bargain as far as dino attractions go.  It's also terrific for preschoolers and young elementary-aged kids.  Fences allow for some running, and the sculptures are captivating.  If we lived closer, it would totally be the site of a birthday party.  The attraction is almost 50 years old, and the gift shop sells plenty of classic souvenirs.   Interesting sculptures include uniquely-positioned birds and a dino attack scene, a la Jurassic Park movies. 

If making the journey from Roanoke, consider stopping at one of the many other attractions "up I-81."  Options certainly include the Route 11 Potato Chip Factory, a pop-in factory "tour" that involves viewing the potato chip creation process for yummy Route 11 chips.  If buying, Justin recommends the lightly salted, Kim recommends dill pickle, and Elijah recommends BBQ.  There are plenty of samples, it's free to visit, and given the nature of the viewing, there are no age restrictions.    For other ideas, see our posts about The Factory Antique Mall, Green Valley Book Fair, Johnny Appleseed Restaurant, and the Shenandoah Caverns Family of Attractions (or click their live links for their websites).