Photo by Dave Lauridsen
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Online Extra
The World's Longest Yard Sale
By Peter Greenberg, May 2009
Peter Greenberg takes you on a trip through five states as he follows the "Highway 127 Yard Sale"
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The World's Longest Yard Sale takes place August 6-9 and stretches 654 miles across five states, from Gadsden, Alabama, to West Unity, Ohio. The official starting point (assuming you're traveling south to north), is Noccalula Falls Park in Gadsden, Alabama, on top of Lookout Mountain. Haven't heard of the yard sale? Well a lot of others have. In fact, it's the 22nd anniversary of the sale, which keeps getting longer and longer! (Ohio has only been a part of it for four years.)
ALABAMA
The good news is that the first 93 miles of the yard sale runs along Lookout Mountain Parkway, from Gadsden, Alabama, through a small section of Georgia and into Chattanooga, Tennessee. This is among the most scenic rural stretches in the country, so just the drive itself will be a pleasure. There are rock formations, hang gliders jumping off cliffs, waterfalls, tiny towns and villages, local dining establishments, and much more…
The yard sale kicks off in Noccalula Falls Park on Lookout Mountain in Gadsden, Alabama. Just steps from the yard sale is 100-foot Noccalula Falls, which drops into the Black Creek ravine and is marked by a bronze statue of the Cherokee princess Noccalula who, according to legend, plunged to her death after being ordered to marry a man she didn't love. Take a hike along Noccalula Falls Historic Gorge Trail, which winds through the park past an old pioneer village, where you can wander among old-world log cabins, a country store, and the lovely Gilliland-Reese Covered Bridge, which dates back to 1899. Also located within the 250-acre park are botanic gardens and ancient caves.
On top of Lookout Mountain is Little River Canyon National Preserve, one of the deepest canyons east of the Mississippi, and DeSoto State Park. Camping is available, as well as accommodations in log cabins or chalets within the park. On the Saturday of the yard sale, the park's free "campfire talk" will feature an outdoor lecture on Alabama's wild wolves.
Around Gadsden and along I-59 toward Mentone, you'll find plenty of motels and chain hotels. But take a detour off I-59 onto Highway 117 to the historic Mentone Springs Hotel in Mentone, which was built in 1884. If it's booked up (and it very well might be as the yard sale is one of the busiest times of year), don't worry: You can still enjoy the property and have lunch at Caldwell's restaurant.
GEORGIA
If you continue north on I-59 over the border into Georgia, you'll be in for a treat at Randy's Restaurant. Located in the town of Trenton, Randy's is home to…the 48-ounce hamburger! Can't stomach that? How about barbecue by the pound? ($5.95 a pound, to be exact). Hey, when in Georgia…
If you can, swing by Cloudland Canyon State Park, one of Georgia's favorite parks. There is great camping available and small cottages for rent, but you can also spend a couple of hours just ogling the canyon views, or—if you're up for it—try the steep hike to the bottom of the gorge (warning: it's strenuous and involves 600 stairs). If you make it, you'll be rewarded by a view of two spectacular waterfalls.
TENNESSEE
The yard sale route then crosses the border into Tennessee. Although Lookout Mountain Parkway doesn't quite go through Chattanooga, it's worth stopping in the city for a few hours or overnight. Downtown Chattanooga has 2,000 hotel rooms and even three downtown bed and breakfasts.
And just on top of Lookout Mountain, about six miles from Chattanooga, is the spectacular Rock City. A walking trail will take you past absolutely enormous ancient rock formations thought to be more than 200 million years old. And from the high point of Lover's Leap, on a clear day you can get a panoramic view of seven different states!
Around Tennessee's Signal Mountain is where the yard sale picks up on Highway 127 (hence the nickname "Highway 127 Yard Sale").
Along the way, take a break in tiny Dunlap. There are only a couple of motels and B&Bs in Dunlap, but the main street of Rankin Avenue is a great place to stop for some Tennessee home cooking. If you're feeling adventurous, wander a few miles off the beaten path to the Cookie Jar Cafe (423-949-5852) located on the Johnson family dairy farm. Yes, it's actually decorated with cookie jars. Here you can enjoy farm country cooking at its finest, and the pies and cakes are out of this world.
Heading north on 127, you'll most likely end up spending the night in the larger town of Crossville or a bit off the highway in the town of Monterey. But on the way, stop in quaint little Pikeville. Its downtown has recently undergone some beautification and renovations to preserve its historic look and feel. If you've got yard-sale fever, stick to Main Street—many of the locals set up for the yard sale right here, and there are several thrift shops and antique shops along the way.
Also in Pikeville, locals flock to the Pig-N-Catch (423-447-7000), a restaurant right on Main Street that specializes in…barbecue and catfish. The food is smoked outdoors, and patrons can hang out on the big porch on swings and rocking chairs.
Further north toward Jamestown, you're in for a treat: Pickett State Park, which is located on the upper Cumberland Plateau at the Kentucky border. The park is also adjacent the 125,000-acre Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. Whether you're in the mood for camping, hiking, biking, paddling, fishing, star gazing, or wandering among sandstone arches, it's all there.
KENTUCKY
As you travel Highway 127 into Kentucky, you're going to hit towns such as Danville, Harrodsburg, and Frankfort (spending a night in the city of Lexington is a possibility, but it's about 30 miles out of the way).
In Danville, you can stop for a quick lunch at local favorites like Melton's Deli or The Hub Coffee House and Cafe, or grab something sweet at the most popular bakery in town, Burke's Bakery (859-236-5661).
If you're willing to venture into lesser-known territory, head over to Penn's Store in Gravel Switch. It's not exactly easy to find (a few miles southwest of Danville), but it's worth the drive. Penn Store is the nation's oldest and longest continuously running general store. The store has been in the Penn family since 1850. And if you miss a visit during the Longest Yard Sale, go back on Saturday, September 12, for the Great Outhouse Blowout and Star Gazing Party! (OK, don't ask.)
For a real dining experience, head up to Harrodsburg to one of the best restaurants in the region: the Beaumont Inn. This historic bed-and-breakfast has three options that draw in locals and out-of-towners: the Dining Room, which focuses on Kentucky cookin' (think fried green tomatoes and Southern fried catfish); Old Owl Tavern, a more casual bar and grill; and the Owl's Nest, which has an even more laid-back pub-like feel.
For some real Kentucky bourbon, first stop at the award-winning Buffalo Trace Distillery in the town of Frankfort, for a tour and a tasting. Then, once you've developed a taste for the spirit, head over to Serafini (502-875-5599) restaurant on West Broadway, which not only has great Italian food, but also has more than 90 bourbons. Right next door is Capital Cellars (502-352-2600), where you can pick up bottles of bourbon that you may not find elsewhere.
OHIO
And then you cross the border into Ohio, the end of the road. Sort of. The yard sale now extends all the way up to just south of the Michigan border!
As you head up toward the tiny one-stoplight town of Sherwood, you'll pass very unexciting chain restaurants and motels. But in terms of the more local offerings, veer just a few miles off Highway 127 into the town of Defiance for a meal at Kissner's Restaurant (419-782-1116), a family-owned-and-operated establishment with an antique bar located in a beautiful historic building. Or, right on the river is Scotty's Club 111 (419-393-2261), THE place for great barbecued ribs.
If picnicking is more your style, spend a couple of hours at Independence Dam State Park, just outside of Defiance on the Maumee River.
And then there's West Unity, Ohio—the end of the yard sale (or just the beginning for others). Time to take inventory: a car full of rare antiques, kitschy memorabilia, or plain old fun junk? Check. Heat exhaustion? Check. An unforgettable experience through some of America’s most bucolic, scenic and quirky areas? You bet.
Some tips:
- Pack light, but bring a big car. Even if you think you're shopping for only small stuff, chances are you’ll find an amazing old trunk, antique dining table, or any number of large items—and don't expect to find a FedEx in many of these rural towns.
- Bring sunscreen, sunglasses, mosquito repellent, and anything you can think of to survive summer. We're talking the Deep South in August!
- Pick up snacks and lots of water or juice at local grocery stores. You'll be driving through some very rural zones, which can mean miles without passing a single restaurant or rest stop.
- That said, this is a great opportunity to eat locally. In many public areas where vendors gather for the yard sale, you'll be able to chow down at regional cuisine stands—we're talking real Southern barbecue, baked beans, and corn bread.
- Bring cash. Many vendors do not accept credit cards or checks, and there may be a dearth of ATMs on some stretches.
- Even bathrooms can be hard to find in some areas—and that's when you have to turn to campsites or … the great outdoors. Bring along a roll of toilet paper. Just in case.
- Get up early. Many vendors sell all day long, starting at sunrise, but we're talking about hundreds of customers wandering through. The good stuff will go, fast.
- Book your hotels NOW. This is a huge event and hotels book up very quickly.
Peter Greenberg is AARP The Magazine's travel expert and the author of Tough Times, Great Travels (Rodale, 2009).
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