Fantasy: Mount Rushmore

Mount Rushmore was originally commissioned in the 1920s, not as a monument to some of the United States’ finest leaders, but as a way to draw tourism to the Black Hills area of South Dakota. The project took 14 years to finish.

These days it’s one of the most visited national attractions in the West, as it receives more than two million visitors each year. So, if you’re ever in South Dakota swing on by Mount Rushmore and gaze at the giant faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.

Reality: Mount Rushmore

If you’re hoping for an up-close and personal encounter with the stone faces of some of our country’s finest presidents, then you’ll be sorely disappointed at Mount Rushmore.

The observation deck is not close to the faces so they’re going to be pretty small. Better bring your binoculars. Also, why are there faces carved into a mountain anyway?