Stupidest Travel Questions Ever

Jan. 11, 2010— -- Every once in awhile, even the best traveler needs to stop and ask for directions (although some might be more hesitant to do so than others). Luckily, state tourism associations typically have manned stations at various highway entrances to their states to help tourists learn more about area attractions and, of course, to put them back on the right course.

But with thousands of visitors passing through every week, there are bound to be some oddball requests and questions.

Thankfully, the tourism folks in around the country have compiled a few lists of their favorite -- and most outrageous -- questions they were asked during the past year. Let's just say that folks sometimes come in looking for more than just directions, brochures, maps or some rest before continuing on their way.

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We start in Minnesota, where a woman walked into one of the Gopher State's 11 visitor information centers seeking a bridge, a very special type of bridge.

"I want to see the bridge in Minnesota with the two arches. It's the only reason I came to Minnesota. Where is it?" she asked the attendant at one visitors' center.

A very patient host went through all the great bridges of Minnesota, showing pictures of them all. The woman just became more and more frustrated. Then it was suggested that maybe, just maybe, she might be in the wrong state. That wasn't the right thing to say: Her frustration started to turn to anger.

But at last a photo of her two-arch bridge was found: the St. Louis Gateway Arch. And yes, you can stop scratching your head. The arch is in Missouri, some 600 miles -- or a nine-hour drive -- from Minnesota.

The woman wasn't too apologetic, but she needed directions to drive there the shortest way possible. When she left, the tourism authorities reported, she seemed happy that she had a clear, direct way to get where she wanted to go.

That's OK, because the folks in Missouri's travel centers are often asked: How far is it to the golden arches?