"Rock Star" road tripper checking in! Self-proclaimed anyway! Road trips and visits to all 50 states are my game. Find your next road trip destinations here. Fill your bucket list with fantastic US journeys. I love road trips and spare no effort in making my travels and experiences inviting for members of the road-tripping family! Pick a trip you want to take, or get inspired to plan your own. - - The Driveby Tourist (or call me Stan!)
Strike it rich in the Natural State! 💎✨
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Ever dreamed of finding a fortune in the dirt? At Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Arkansas, that dream is a daily reality! 🚜💎 (The dream of mining for them, as very few “strike it rich,” but it’s fun to try!) This unique destination is the only place in the world where the public can search for real diamonds at their original volcanic source—and the best part? Finders keepers! 🎒🙌 Whether it’s a white, brown, or yellow diamond, if you dig it up, it’s yours to take home. (What’s the old saying that follows Finders Keepers? I think it’s Losers Weepers!) The "mine" is actually a massive 37.5-acre plowed field. Visitors bring shovels and buckets (or rent them on-site) to sift through the soil. Since 1906, over 75,000 diamonds have been discovered here, including the famous 40-carat "Uncle Sam." 💎(But that was before it became public. The largest found by the public was 16.37 carats, valued at about $150,000. Not bad for finding on vacation!) It’s a muddy, thrilling, and potentially sparkling adventure for the whole family. Even if you don't find a "big one," the excitement of the hunt is worth the trip alone. 🌟⛏️ Grab your boots and get digging! This place is close to my drive in 2025 between Little Rock and Texarkana. I recently visited Arkansas, but I was on the Great River Road on the Mississippi River. I should have stopped last year! The Driveby Tourist Team ✌️🗺️ "No Pressure, no diamonds.” - Thomas Carlyle Classic Rock song: "Rhinestone Cowboy” by Glenn Campbell, who hails from Arkansas. Please email me about your experiences doing unusual things on your vacations! ​Here is the Premium Subscription page: You will get early access to new blog posts, one extra weekly newsletter, and access to all past newsletters. And occasionally, I'll ask for votes on content! ​ Stan Featured Post: As I said above, I was near here in 2025 on my “Presidents & Parks” trip and “should have” stopped. Here’s the link to that trip. |
Stan Wiebe
"Rock Star" road tripper checking in! Self-proclaimed anyway! Road trips and visits to all 50 states are my game. Find your next road trip destinations here. Fill your bucket list with fantastic US journeys. I love road trips and spare no effort in making my travels and experiences inviting for members of the road-tripping family! Pick a trip you want to take, or get inspired to plan your own. - - The Driveby Tourist (or call me Stan!)
Sorry, it went out on Sunday. By mistake! However, since you are a subscriber, I'm sure you know about visiting all 50 states? Of course, it's a common theme in here. One of my daughters just joined the All Fifty Club. She has 36 states ( you need 35 to join.) But you can sign up for the newsletter any time. Another daughter believes she has 35 or more but needs to count them and sign up also. My oldest daughter (I have three) believes she's at 34. I'm going to tell her that I'll help fund a...
I left New Orleans on Friday and got back home ten days later. That would be Monday. My family had some health issues, so that’s taken some time, but now I’m working to get “caught up.” I visited NPS units and historical and scenic locations along the way. I updated the Great River Road Plus preview post, and here’s the link. Many of the updates are about Louisiana, so if you want to go there directly, here’s the link. There will be more updates, and I’ll publish individual posts about many...
......after driving 400 miles, of which 1/3 of it was icy, snowy, etc. A grueling day. I only made a couple of stops, aside from gas and a quick break. Oh, by the way. Here’s the link to the preview post about this trip. Dickeyville Grotto, Wisconsin - If you’re looking for a stop that’s truly one-of-a-kind, you have to pull over for this one. The centerpiece is the grotto itself, which houses a beautiful altar for the Blessed Virgin. It’s peaceful, but it’s definitely just the start of the...