Each year over 12 million people pass by concrete dinosaurs on Interstate 10 near the Palm Springs turnoff in Cabazon. I know that we always notice this fun landmark. Even if you have never stepped foot in California, you may recognize these dinosaurs from many 1980s television commercials to music videos to even the movie "Pee Wee's Big Adventure". This Easter Sunday, we decided to photograph the Dinosaurs on our way home from the Salton Sea and learn more this quirky rest area.
From the freeway, I always thought that the dinosaurs were solid concrete structures.
However, the Apatosauras, affectionately known as Dinny, boasts the World's Biggest Gift Shop which is inside a dinosaur.
The entrance to the giftshop is hidden on the tail.
As you would expect, inside you can buy dinosaur toys and T-shirts, and children's books.
What surprised me about the dinosaur store is that it also doubles as a museum for the Institute of Creation Science. For example, the plaque next to this Cro-Magmon Man statue argues strongly against Darwin's Theory of Evolution.
The answer to the question "is evolution true?" is a resounding "no" to Gary Kanter, Orange County developer and the current owner of the life-size dinosaur replicas and the Wagon Wheel restaurant. Intelligent design and a strict literal translation of the book of Genesis including a six-day creation period and dinosaurs co-existing with early humans and being part of Noah's Art are some of the core beliefs that define the Institute of Creation Science's theology.
As you can see here, Dinny is an absolutely huge creature. It was started in 1964 by artist Claude Bell, who wanted to attract attention to his Wagon Wheel Restaurant. It took Mr. Bell eleven years to complete the Apatosaurus. He lived in a cabin next to his life's work and spent all his spare time scounging for materials, like the steel from a washed out bridge and surplus concrete from road builders, to create this 150-foot long dinosaur, which is likely the world's largest dinosaur replica.
He started the T-Rex in 1981 which stands 55 feet tall, was working on it until his death in 1989.
On Saturdays and Sundays, you can climb to the mouth of the four-story high T-Rex for an outstanding view of the San Gorgonio Mountain. Mr. Bell's plans for the Tyrannosauras included a slide down its tail. He ran out of time, however, and now the T-Rex has stairs winding on the outside up to the mouth.
This snake was the last prehistoric creature Mr. Bell created at this site: he was 91 years old when he was putting the finishing touches on his vision of a prehistoric park in the middle of the Coachella Desert.
Claude Bell's Wagon Wheel Restaurant is still in operation and a wonderful place to get a homestyle meal.
Until cell phones became so ubiquitous, each booth at this popular truck stop had a pay phone making it a nice way for truckers to keep in touch with family while catching a meal.
We were not hungry when we stopped here, but next time, I am most definitely trying the peanut butter cream pie.
For those in a hurry, Burger King, seen behind Dinny, is also in this parking area.
Many people eat their Whoppers or homemade sandwiches from their coolers in the shade of the Apatosaurus.
Another place that we always stop at when passing through Cabazon is Hadley's Fruit Orchards.
The speciality of the house are their Date Shakes. We wanted to order some, but the line was out the door. The vegetarian sandwiches made with their fresh produce are also incredible.
So, we browsed around the isles upon isles of fresh produce and dried fruits and admired the fresh ostrich and emu eggs.
An ostrich egg costs $20!
My daughter is always begging for me to buy her an emu, so I let her hold the egg. It looks like a giant avacado.
My son poses with the ostrich egg, which looks like it is glowing because of the flash bounce.
In the background, you can see the wide bounty of natural foods that have made Hadley's famous since 1931.
Today, Cabazon is home to the Morongo Casino and Resort Spa and the Desert Hills Outlet Mall, making this part of the Coachella Desert a destination in itself. However, I still enjoy the two original stops, the Dinosaurs and Hadley's Fruit Orchards, the most.
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Comments: 53
Mike, I wasn't sure if I should include the glowing egg picture, because it was out of focus, but it was the only shot I had to show how cool the inside of Hadleys really is. Thank you ♥ !
I would be put off by Kanter's Creationist views--not so much reading it since it's important to read different views--but the marketing of it where it could easily seep into people's unconscious minds unaware.
The website promoted at the dinosaur store explains that teenage dinosaurs that were not nearly as big as the monsters we imagine, were loaded up on Noah's Ark. It did not explain how any other creatures managed to survive with such dangerous predators on board :-)
We stop by several times a year on our way through the area. :)
Jennifer, that was so funny to see those giant eggs, which look almost like dino eggs, at Hadleys, just down the street from the big Dinosaurs. Thanks so much.
When my children were young, they would have loved this!
Wade, I want that peanut butter cream pie too! I raise chickens but the truth is I don't like eggs to eat. But, I would like to buy an empty emu egg just to have it around - it's so pretty. Emu eggs typically cost around $15 so I bet you can make one really really big omelet with them. What I wonder is if they taste the same as chicken eggs. Once I bought little tiny quail eggs to play a trick on my kids and act like our Chinese Silkie laid an egg (hehehehehe), but then we ended up not being able to eat them because it's just too weird to try non-traditional animal products.
Karen, if you come out here, you better let me know! I'll take you around! That would be so so so fun. We could meet Sadie out in the desert too! I want to see Salton Sea again and she's the expert. I never opened an ostrich egg, but that thing was so heavy. I always wanted to raise an ostrich or an emu because they are just such hilarious creatues. But, on the other hand, it might be scary going out in your backyard if you ended up with a terrotorial 8 foot tall, 300 pound bird out there.
t b, my children love it too. Heck, so do I. I just always have enjoyed going to dinosaur parks - I went to a really good one in northern Utah and a totally neat on in Austria. Dinosaurs look so neat and are so interesting for kids to see up close.
JoAnne, it is a great place to spend the day. Besides taking a rest and play at the dinosaurs, there is a giant outlet mall - one of the best in Southern California and also a really fancy Indian Casino and Spa right at Cabazon. If that gets boring, then Palm Springs is just down the road in one direction or Joshua Tree National Park in another direction. I just love being in the Coachella Valley - it is so beautiful and so fun.
My kids would love this!!
Steve, Where were you? I was missing you! Thanks so much! I bet you've been here before.
Vera, it is just one of those wacky road-side attractions that makes traveling in America fun. I'm always one who loved the giant donut or huge tire man -- any huge replica and I'm likely to want to take pictures of it :-)
Victoria, I'm sure they would and you would be busy photographing them too. Thank you so much!
Thanks so much, Dena! I appreciate your nice words.
Katie, if you ever get the chance to go to Palm Springs, you should take it because it's a really neat and unusual and fun place to spend time in the cooler months. Thank you so much for your nice comment.
Elizabeth, don't worry, I've had plenty and plenty of date shakes before :-) In fact, I made up a batch of them when we got home in my blender because we were all still craving them from Hadleys. That is so cool that this was a childhood memory for you. The outside of Hadleys doesn't look too special, but what is inside is so unique and so California that I hope this place never changes.
Mariana, I think the anti-evolution thing is a new development. I didn't see that before, but on the other hand, this was the first time I went there when the dinosaurs were open for going inside and exploring. I know that the Claude Bell didn't have these views and his family is not particulary pleased that his work is being used in this way. I hope you are enjoying yourself! I love when you are at your second "inspiration" house.
This article & the photo's made me smile. Great job! ~mo-zy
In the middle of the somewhat boring drive to Palm Springs,
this is such a fun little stop.
Thanks so much, Joy. I like driving to Palm Springs -- I just don't like driving from Indio to Arizona --- boring!!!
Thanks for sharing the story and pics.