Attractions

Plains Kitsch

There are two noteworthy specimens of roadside Americana on the eastern plains. You can supposedly see six states from the Wonder View Tower, just off I-70 in Genoa (tel. 719/763-2309), after you climb the ramshackle staircases to the observation deck, which has been standing for the better part of a century. Below, a former dancehall has morphed into a junk shop over the years, full of bizarre objects in its nooks and crannies, including taxidermy of several two-headed animals. The tower is open 9am to 5pm daily (but it's best to call to make sure if you can) and admission is $1. Just to the east of Genoa in the dinky town of Arriba, Grandpa Jerry's Clown Museum, 22 Lincoln Ave. (tel. 719/768-3257), showcases some 3,000 clowns, from music boxes to paint-by-numbers masterworks to dolls. Admission is free and the museum is open by appointment.