Roadside Attractions: The Open Road & Playlists

From roadside oddities to pit stops and playlists, this is your guide to the central Ohio road trip

By Jack McLaughlin / Story Design by Victoria Smith

To see additional content, visit the 614TV YouTube channel ( https://www.youtube.com/c/614tv )

With the windows down and the first warmth of spring rushing through the open window: It's time for an Ohio road trip. We've compiled your definitive collection to Columbus-area roadside oddities (including a giant ground sloth skeleton, the world's largest ping pong paddle and one huge Ronald McDonald), our road trip playlist and the best pit stop in the Buckeye State. So take your mind off the world for a minute, but keep your foot on the gas.

Roadside Relics

From a massive mantis to the world's largest washboard, we've mapped out some of the world's largest, and some of the overall weirdest, roadside finds in central Ohio

EAST OHIO

1. Giant Ronald McDonald Statue

Located at 7352 E. St, Sunbury, OH

2. Brown Pet Cemetery

Located at 5031 Sawyer Rd, Columbus, OH

3. Circleville Water Tower

Located at the intersection of Logan St. and Town St., Circleville, OH

4. Huge Golf Ball Sculpture on Tee

Located on Hebron Rd., Heath, OH

5. Giant Basket

Located at 1500 E Main St., Newark, OH

6. World's Largest Apple Basket

Located at 5563 Raiders Rd, Frazeysburg, OH

7. World's Largest Washboard

Located at 4 E Main St, Logan, OH

8. Big Muskie's Bucket

Located at 4470 OH-78, McConnelsville, OH

CENTRAL COLUMBUS

9. Annabelle the Praying Mantis

Located at Chadwick Arboretum’s Phenology Garden

10. Jeff the Giant Sloth

Located at 155 S. Oval Mall, Columbus, OH

11. 15-Foot Cardinal Sculpture

Located at 717 E. 17th Ave, Columbus, OH

12. Largest Ping Pong Paddle

Located at 141 N. 4th St., Columbus, OH

13. World's Largest Gavel

14. The Slingshot

Located at 65 S Front St, Columbus, OH

15. Gambrinus Beer King Sculpture

Located at 605 S. Front St., Columbus, OH

16. Rusty Cigarette Sculpture

Located at 1472 E. Livingston Ave., Columbus, OH

WEST OHIO

17. Shortest Street in America

McKinley St., Located in Bellefontaine, OH

18. Yawning Hippo Statue

Located at 630 Dayton Rd, Springfield, OH

19. Hartman Rock Garden

Located at 1905 Russell Ave, Springfield, OH

20. Massive Adirondack Chair

Located at 6945 Hwy 73 W., Wilmington, OH

21. Field of Corn

Located at 4995 Rings Rd, Dublin, OH

22. Sword in the Stone

Located at 4589 Kenny Rd, Columbus, OH

23. Beer Keg Burglar

Located at 4223 Roberts Rd, Columbus, OH

24. Giant Trap

Located at 6106 Bausch Rd, Galloway, OH

Columbus Road Trip Playlist

30 tracks from local artists that will get the wheels spinning for your next road trip

One of the most important parts of road trip preparation has nothing to do with your car itself. As any road-tripping veteran knows, music can make or break the atmosphere, and eventually the trip itself.

We’ve put together a list of 20 songs from Ohio-based artists that are the perfect complements to both the high and low energy stages of your trip, so you can carry the Buckeye state with you, nowhere in the country you end up.

Note: Columbus artists are marked with asterisk *

High-Energy Highway Songs

1. I'm Not Part of Me --Cloud Nothings

2. While Yall Wait --EKT 40*

3. Bleed --Yellow Paper Planes*

4. Weekend --Clubhouse*

5. A Thousand Times --Old Hundred*

6. Refresh --9ina*

7. Glad Girls --Guided by Voices

8. Queen of the Nightlife --Post Coma Network*

9. Stop Asking --Chelsea Pastel

10. Anna Sun --Walk the Moon

Relaxing Night Ride Music

1. For the Better --The Floorwalkers*

2. Problem Solver --Honey P

3. Carry Me Ohio --Sun Kil Moon

4. The Girl in the Mirror --Zodiac

5. Smoke and Ashes --Tracey Chapman

The Way You Loved Me --7HO3NIX*

7. 1 Ghosts One --Nine Inch Nails

8. Visions! --Free Black!

9. Break My Fall --Doc Robinson*

10. Don't Swallow the Cap --The National