American Kitsch, Keeping Road Trips Interesting Through The Ages

Published January 21, 2015
Updated May 22, 2018

America is marked by long stretches of highway, which pass through large, developed cities and small, sleepy hamlets. Wherever your trek takes you, you can be sure to spot a little bit of strange roadside Americana on the way.

From fairy-tale statues to museums dedicated to tinned pork products, travelers can always find an interesting place to stretch, imagine and learn.

Still a bit fuzzy as to what exactly constitutes "kitsch"? Watch as Allee Willis, kitsch connoisseur, explains:

author
Susan Sims
author
editor
Savannah Cox
editor
Savannah Cox holds a Master's in International Affairs from The New School as well as a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, and now serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of Sheffield. Her work as a writer has also appeared on DNAinfo.
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Sims, Susan. "American Kitsch, Keeping Road Trips Interesting Through The Ages." AllThatsInteresting.com, January 21, 2015, https://allthatsinteresting.com/american-kitsch. Accessed August 27, 2025.