CRATER OF DIAMONDS STATE PARK, ARKANSAS It's finders keepers when you dig for diamonds in the only place in the world where the public can hunt for them in their original volcanic source. The largest diamond unearthed in the U.S., the 40.23-carat ‘Uncle Sam’, was found here. The 37-acre park lets visitors take home any gemstones they find. NEON MUSEUM, LAS VEGAS Relive the past glories of Las Vegas with a visit to this non-profit museum. Its outdoor Boneyard displays more than 250 evocative, unrestored neon signs that echo the city’s history, lit from the ground. There are also 26 restored signs, including the iconic Stardust sign from the now-demolished casino hotel. CADILLAC RANCH, TEXAS One of the most bizarre monuments in the U.S., Cadillac Ranch is a roadside art installation of 10 old Cadillacs that are buried nose deep at an angle in a field in Amarillo. Having lost their original colour years ago, they are now covered in vivid paint and graffiti, with visitors encouraged to add their own embellishments. WORLD’S LARGEST BASEBALL BAT, KENTUCKY 'The Big Bat' is a replica of the Louisville Slugger used by baseball legend Babe Ruth. It is made of metal rather than wood, as the original was, and towers 120 feet high against the outside of Louisville’s Slugger Museum. The museum also has a 17-ton giant baseball glove and ball, carved from Kentucky limestone. FENELON PLACE ELEVATOR, IOWA Just 296 feet long and travelling 189 feet up from Fourth Street in Dubuque, the Fenelon Place Elevator is perhaps the world’s shortest and steepest scenic railway. Open from April until the end of November, the historic funicular gives great views of Dubuque, the Mississippi and three states – Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin. WEIRD AND WONDERFUL OFFBEAT AMERICANA KENTUCKY TOURISM TRAVEL DUBUQUE PETER ELLEGARD 50 visitusa.org.uk
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