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On the final leg of our two-week road trip from Chicago to Florida, we wanted to make our last stop BIG. Literally. When I first heard about Casey, Illinois a small town in Illinois that was home to 8 of the World’s Largest items, I was intrigued. As a fan of roadside attractions, I knew a visit would need to happen. After all being in a town of big things = big fun! I’m happy to say that our stop here was totally worth the stop!
Our fun adventure started when we exited off I-70. We whizzed by one of their “big” items – a wooden token in front of a bank. We then continued to downtown Casey.
In need of a food and a potty break, we stopped at Whitling Whimsy Cafe. Such an adorable place to eat with sandwiches and soups, but also a great spot to grab a postcard and a pressed penny. They even have a copy of the Guinness World Records Book that includes the World’s Largest items from Casey. Another BIG reason to visit Whitling Whimsy Cafe is that it’s conveniently located next to the World’s Largest Wind Chime. Since all of the World’s Largest items need to be functional, the kids got a kick out of ringing the wind chime. Again. And Again.
Behind the windchime is where all the magic happens, the Big Things in a Small Town Workshop. Unfortunately, since we arrived later in the day it was already closed.
We then crossed the street to see our next attraction – the World’s Largest Rocking Chair.
We continued our walk down Main Street and saw cute shops, wishing they were open one of which included the World’s Largest Knitting Needle and Crochet Hook. We were still able to view them through the window.
Instead, we saw a few other photo-worthy big things- a corn cob, a birdcage,a pencil, and a Minion.
We then walked across the street to my favorite big item — The World’s Largest Mailbox. We could walk up the stairs and go inside the mailbox. It also happens to be a functional mailbox, so we (okay…more like I) were excited to mail a postcard from here.
It was fun taking the bridge over to the adorable store, Casey’s Candy Depot, with a separate Kids’ Entrance. Although it was closed, we could still see the World’s Largest Wooden Shoes through the window. (Darn that glare!)
We explored the rest of the grounds and saw a cute looking caboose out back.
If you’re in the mood, you could also grab ice cream around the corner. At this time, the sun was setting and it was finally time to make our way back home.
Bottom Line:
A visit to Casey, Illinois is the ultimate road trip stop. Although we didn’t get to see all the World’s Largest items, we still had a blast finding them in the charming town of Casey.
Tips to enjoy Casey, Illinois:
- Visit earlier in the day when most of the stores are open.
- Grab a map at any of the official stores or go online to print a map.
- I think it would have been fun to see the items in the Guinness World Records 2017, then seeing it in person. Or you can go to Whistling Whimsy Cafe where they sell the books as well.
- Come back often — they are continuously adding more big items to showcase.
Nitty Gritty:
Website: https://www.bigthingssmalltown.com/
Hours: Since the items are mostly all outdoor they are available 24/7. However, there are a few items located indoors but have a window so you can still view it.
Parking: Plenty of free street parking.
Thank you for sharing. I will have to take my kids too.
I so wanted to take my granddaughter to Casey when she stayed with us for a week, but we ended up having to stay close to home. It looks like so much fun. Next year for sure! Which was the kids’ favorite “world’s largest” item?
How fun! My kids would love this and I love that you were able to mail a postcard from the mailbox!
How cool! I love stuff like this! I’ll have to make a trip there at some point!
What a fun stop! My kids would love going inside the mailbox.