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Best Roadside Attractions Near Los Angeles

Cabazon Dinosaurs 610
(credit: Andrea R./Yelp)

Did someone say "road trip?" Even an impromptu decision like going to see the world outside Los Angeles means making some decisions, like which way to go and how far to roam. Add to that mapping out some cool sights to see along the way and you've got yourself a guaranteed fun time ahead. That is especially true when your radar hits on one or more of the following and utterly astonishing roadside attractions.

big doughnut donut hole
(credit: Lolia S./yelp)

Big Doughnut
The Donut Hole
15300 E. Amar Road
La Puente, CA
(626) 968-2912
www.thedonuthole.net/home.html

You're bound to get the munchies during your road trip, especially so when you spot cars driving through two huge donuts spanning about 26 feet not far from home in La Puente. Join the crowd, and enjoy this roadside attraction from the inside as you drive through the delicious looking tunnel. Built in 1958, The Donut Hole, formed out of fiberglass, gives new meaning to fast food, that's for darn sure.

Cabazon Dinosaurs
(credit: Mike D./Yelp)

Cabazon Dinousaurs
50770 Seminole Drive
Cabazon, CA 92230
(951) 922-8700
www.cabazondinousaurs.com

Just outside of Palm Springs, the iconic Cabazon dinosaurs attract attention arguably more than any other roadside attraction in Southern California. Two of these prehistoric beasts roam in all their gigantic glory at more than 30 feet high, with the T-Rex featuring a giftshop in his giant gut. Meanwhile, the Apatosaurus is worthy of being the bomber in a selfie of your desert sighting that will be too good to pass up. A definite surprise in the desert, this "museum" made of magical dinosaurs showcases novelty architecture to the max.

Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego  boats
(credit: Janey E./yelp)

Pile Of Boats Stuck On A Wall
Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego
700 Prospect St.
La Jolla, CA 92037
(858) 454-3541
www.mcasd.org

When you hit the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego in La Jolla, take time to peruse the back wall of this art institution. In 2006, sculptor Nancy Rubins came up with what you'll see there, which is essentially old canoes and other boats that have been wired together. The result is a marine montage that looks rather out of place, yet in the right place, near the mighty Pacific in the San Diego area.

Related: Best Drive-In Movie Theaters In The Los Angeles Area

Muffler Man The Indian Warrior ethel's old corral
(credit: Seven B./yelp)

Muffler Man The Indian Warrior
Ethel's Old Corral Cafe
4310 Alfred Harrell Highway
Bakersfield, CA 93308
(661) 873-7613
www.ethelsoldcorral.com

This giant fiberglass statue of an interpretation of a Native American man, made in the 1960s, was used to push roadside businesses. That is still the case today as this guy resides at the iconic Ethel's Old Corral Cafe in Bakersfield. Once belonging to the family of realtor Kenny Barnes, the Indian Warrior -- originally called the Big Indian -- was purchased so that the Barnes' Big O Tires store would have its muse, touting Mohawk brand tires. Later in its life, this memorable statue was relocated to a private ranch. After restoration, the Muffler Man Indian Warrior found its current spot, happily hawking products once again.

Salvation Mountain
(credit: Stephanie P./Yelp)

Salvation Mountain
Beal Rd.
Niland, CA 92257
www.salvationmountain.us

Head a bit further out of Los Angeles to the Colorado Desert near the Salton Sea for the chance to run into a 50-foot-high hill where about 100,000 gallons of paint were splashed onto Salvation Mountain and straw and adobe were added. The man who did the magic? The late artist Leonard Knight, who said his installation in nature was a "tribute to God," with his philosophy for this piece that includes murals and Bible verses said to be based on the Sinner's Prayer. California Senator Barbara Boxer called Salvation Mountain "profoundly strange and beautifully accessible."

Related: Best Activities You Wouldn't Think To Do In Los Angeles

Los Angeles freelance travel writer Jane Lasky, contributes to publications such as Travel + Leisure, Vogue and Esquire. Her weekly sojourning column ran in 40 newspapers for 20 years. Jane is anything but an accidental tourist and always travels with her pillow. Check out her articles on Examiner.com

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