Travelers take on a variety of habits to ensure their trips go smoothly, whether it means not flying on the 13th or wearing a pair of lucky socks. Even if you don’t consider yourself a superstitious traveler, discover the legends of these lucky landmarks the next time you travel.
This Californian city was named the luckiest in America after a panel analyzed which cities offered the fewest lightning strikes, the least deaths from falling objects, the most holes-in-one and the most lottery and sweepstakes winners. It’s hard to not feel lucky with year-round sun and sandy beaches. Will you test Lady Luck on your next trip to San Diego?
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Dating back to 4th-century Rome, the Trevi Fountain holds one of Italy’s oldest urban legends. The story goes that when a traveler turns their back and throws a coin over their left shoulder into the fountain, they are ensured a trip back to Rome.
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Have you ever wanted to rub noses with a former president? Here’s your chance. Three hours outside of Chicago you’ll find Springfield, capital city of Illinois and home to Lincoln’s Tomb. Worn away from thousands of visitors, Lincoln’s nose stands out from the rest of the tomb’s bronze statue and rubbing it is said to bring good luck.
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This lucky landmark isn’t for the faint of heart. Until recently, visitors who wanted the gift of eloquence were held by their ankles and lowered head first so they could kiss the infamous Blarney Stone. Now, visitors are held by volunteers and an iron railing so they can kiss this hard-to-reach stone and receive the gift of gab.
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The next time you’re testing your luck at Las Vegas casinos, be sure to stop by Hoover Dam. Not only will this modern marvel impress you with its engineering feats, but this Boulder City monument offers a bit of luck to passersby. At the end of the dam you can find the “Winged Figures of the Republic” – 30-foot-tall bronze statues that weigh four tons a piece. Similar to Lincoln’s nose, visitors have polished the toes of the winged figures into a gold hue with hopes of a better fate at Vegas casinos.
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Translated to “the little pig,” Il Porcellino is a bronze statue of a wild boar. Travelers in search of luck rub its snout and place a coin in its mouth. If water washes the coin from the boar’s mouth and into the grate below, the traveler will soon return to Florence. The coins are donated to a local orphanage, so it won’t hurt to test your luck more than once.
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If you’re headed to Shreveport, you need to take a day trip to Lucky, Louisiana – a small town with a population of just 291. Afterwards, you can head to Money, Mississippi or Wealthy, Texas (formerly known as Poor, Texas before their residents asked for a name change) to see if your luck has improved.
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Fortunately, travelers don’t need luck to have a great hospitality experience. Book your next trip at bestwestern.com to enjoy contemporary properties, great style and must-have hotel amenities. Travel with free Wi-Fi and a great breakfast, offered at Today’s Best Western.