10 Largest Roadside Attractions in Illinois Are Road Trip Goals

To discover the largest and tallest roadside attractions in Illinois, your trip will take you from Chicago down to the southernmost parts of the state. The list includes Guinness record-breakers and two of the tallest symbols of love in the world.

Illinois Roadside Attractions

It took a recent road trip from Rockford to Florida and back to see two of the tallest symbols in the world. If not for the trip home I never would've seen such a majestic symbol of love standing nearly 200 feet above the interstate in southern Illinois.

Just a few hundred yards away, my entire family stood at the base of another giant symbol, one that reminded us of one of our favorite fast-food hamburgers.

10 Largest Roadside Attractions in Illinois

Let's start with a couple of Guinness world record-breakers in one of the smallest towns in Illinois.

Casey, Illinois, a tiny town in East Central Illinois, tucked between St. Louis, Missouri, and Indianapolis, Indiana with a population of around 2,500 holds a dozen Guinness world records for large and tall things.

1. World's Tallest Barber Pole

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2. World's Tallest Truck Key

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3. World's Tallest Wind Chime

4. World's Tallest Golf Tee

5. World's Largest Mailbox

6. World's Largest Chair

These are the 12 Guinness World Records the town of Casey, Illinois holds

• World's Largest Wind Chime
• World's Largest Golf Tee
• World's Largest Pitchfork
• World's Largest Rocking Chair
• World's Largest Wooden Shoes
• World's Largest Mailbox
• World's Largest Gavel
• World's Largest Truck Key
• World's Largest Barbershop Pole
• World's Largest Teeter Totter
• World's Largest Golf Driver
• World's Largest Swizzle Spoon

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7. America's Tallest Observation Deck at Willis Tower in Chicago

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Far & Wide ranked the Tallest Observation Decks in America and said that the now Willis Tower is the tallest in the USA.

At 1353 feet above the ground, The Ledge is where you can see almost the entire city of Chicago.

9. The Cross in Effingham

The Cross in Effingham is located just off of Interstates 57 and 70 in Effingham, IL. and as we were driving home from Florida, seeing this cross peeking out over some trees on my left made me gasp. As the interstate curved around those trees, this beautiful symbol of love came into full view and left my entire family speechless.

The Cross is 198 feet tall and is a beautiful landmark that is a part of The Crossroads of America.

10. The Tallest Culver's Sign in the World

Also in Effingham and just a few hundred yards away from The Cross, another symbol of love stands at 172 feet. The symbol of my favorite fast-food burger, Culver's Butter Burger (with pickles, onions, and mustard.

The owner of that Culver's location shared that the sign was built for an old Standard Oil gas station in the 50s, I believe he said, and he just switched out the sign.

Explore Illinois with These Road Trip Ideas