James T. Kirk Future Birthplace

For any true Star Trek fan, you'll know that Captain James T. Kirk will be born in Riverside, IA in the year 2228. To honor this future fictional character, the town has erected a monument in his honor, commemorating the future birthplace of the original Star Trek captain.

It can be a little bit difficult to find. The address to put into your GPS is 51 West 1st Street, Riverside, IA 52327 (Note: This is near where West 1st Street intersects with North Glasgow Street). You'll find here a barber shop painted yellow, and to the side, a stone path. Follow that path to behind that building and you'll find the monument. 

Bennington Battle Monument

A 306 foot obelisk, The Bennington Battle Monument can be seen from the road a few miles away.  It definitely sticks out on your way to Bennington.  Once there, you'll find a nice park surrounding it, which is a good place for picnics or just relaxing.  There is a gift shop near it where you can purchase tickets to take the elevator to the top to get a nice scenic view of Vermont, as well as part of New York.  These views are gorgeous, and well worth the small ticket price of $3/person.  During the ride up, the elevator operator will also give you a brief history of the monument and explain what you'll see from the top.