The Chandelier Tree is a 276-foot-tall coastal redwood tree in Leggett, California, that visitors can drive through. This fun road-side attraction has a 6-foot-wide hole at its base, which is believed to have been carved in the 1930s by Charlie Underwood.
A vintage postcard of the Chandelier Tree was shown during the opening credits of National Lampoon's Vacation. A number of big trees in California had tunnels dug through them in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The tunnel allowed tourists to drive, bike, or walk through the tree. The tunneling inflicted severe damage to the health and strength of the trees. The tunnels were cut to stimulate automobile tourism. Because of the damaging effects of carving through trees, the trend of creating tunnel trees has long passed.
If you're in the area, you can visit the tree between 8:30 am and 8:00 pm and take a photo of your car in the tree-hole. You can find directions to the Chandelier Tree here.
