Albert the Bull

About 15 minutes off Interstate-80 in Audubon, Iowa, Albert the world’s largest bull makes his home in a small and well-manicured park. Albert is not a live bull, but a 30-foot-tall concrete-and-steel statue (although you might be able to find the world’s largest live bull somewhere in Iowa, too, especially around state fair time).

This giant statue stands in a small, pretty park just off Market Street. Look for the huge Albert The Bull Campground signs. It's pretty true to life: painted white with brown spots, it has big doe-eyes and is anatomically correct. Standing next to Albert, it's easy to believe that he's the world's largest. Visitors are welcome to touch Albert and take their photo with him. Nearby, a small gazebo features posters with background information on Albert, a viewing window, and if you push a big red button, a narrated history of Albert and Audubon, along with some loud and entertaining mooing.

The surrounding park offers a modern playground, a few picnic tables settled under shade trees near a little garden, a large shelter with several picnic tables, bathrooms of the public-outdoor-park variety (serviceable but certainly not fancy) and a RV campground. During our visit, a road-tripping family of four enjoyed a picnic in the shade and played on the playground. Even if seeing the world’s largest bull isn’t high on your to-do list, the surrounding park makes Albert a sweet destination for road-weary travelers.