VOTE: Lucy the Elephant Competing For Top 10 Roadside Attraction

Lucy the Elephant, the pride of Margate, NJ, is in the running to be one of the USA Today Readers' Choice Best Roadside Attractions.

Lucy will need your help and vote if she is going to beat out the World's Largest Ball of Twine and the other nominees.

What is the USA Today's 10Best Readers Choice Awards?

Each year, USA Today has a group of travel experts select the top 20 nominees in contests covering food, lodging, destinations, travel gear, things to do, and, this year, best roadside attractions and lets their readers vote on the top 10 in each category.

A Little History About Lucy the Elephant

Lucy the Elephant was built by real estate developer, James Lafferty, in 1881, as a gimmick to attract potential buyers to his land holdings along the coast of South Atlantic City, now Margate.

Royalty came from around the world to stay at the neighboring Elephant Hotel and climb the stairs to Lucy’s howdah.

Lucy has survived hurricanes, ocean floods, and even a fire accidentally started by some inebriated party-goers when she served as a tavern.

In 1970, the Save Lucy Committee was formed to protect and repair Lucy. Thirty years and over $1.5 million later, Lucy was completely restored to her original splendor.

Recently, Lucy the Elephant had another expensive makeover, having her metal skin replaced. It cost $2.4 million to restore the 65-foot elephant.

Lucy the Elephant is six stories high and is listed on the National Park Registry of Historical Landmarks.

The Competition for Best Roadside Attraction?

Some competing attractions seem to come up a little short compared to Lucy. They include...

- A 24-foot Dalmation Fire Hydrant in Texas, the biggest fire hydrant in the world. Dogs should love this attraction.

- The World's Largest Frying Pan in North Carolina. It's used once a year to fry up 365 chickens for some big chicken dinner.

- The Pencil Sharpener Museum in Ohio. Home to 3,400 pencil sharpeners. That's 3,399 more than you would need.

- The World's Largest Ball of Twine in Cawker City, Kansas. Each year they add more twine to the ball because they have lots of time on their hands in Kansas.

- "Wheat Jesus" in Colby, Kansas. This attraction is a billboard with a photo of a guy in a wheat field who is supposed to look like Jesus. They say it's the most photographed billboard in Kansas. It's also the only photographed billboard in Kansas.

Nothing personal, but I will take Lucy the Elephant over all of these other attractions rolled up into a big ball of twine.

How to Vote For Lucy the Elephant

As of this writing, Lucy the Elephant is barely holding on to the 10th position in the contest. Lucy needs your help! Please pass the word and vote daily for Lucy.

You may vote once per day until voting ends on Monday, May 6 at noon. USA Today will announce the 10 winners on Wednesday, May 15.