weird tourist attractions in the us

25 Of The Weirdest Tourist Attractions In America

You can make a tourist attraction out of anything, and we've got the proof.

Tourists come from far and wide to take in the vastness of the Grand Canyon, the majestic snow-caps of the Rocky Mountains, the soaring architecture of Chicago, the glistening skyline of New York City, and the sleek styles of Rodeo Drive.

However, for as many seals as there are in the San Francisco Wharf (there's a lot) that make passersby stop to squeal with excitement (really, barking seals suntanning is pure joy), there's even more destinations that you wouldn't believe someone would go out of their way to get a glimpse of (or pay to see, for that matter).

You've heard of the world's largest ball of twine just off the interstate. But what about the world's largest chest of drawers? From a museum that is solely dedicated to bad art (but charges admission as though it was a fine gallery) to an unconventional motel with a doggy twist, we dug up twenty-five of the weirdest tourist attractions in America. Of course, our list wouldn't be complete without an enormous eating utensil and a mechanical ride that will make you do a double take.

Keep scrolling to see that the old adage of one man's junk is another man's treasure is alive and well in America. You can make a tourist attraction out of anything, and we've got the proof.

25 The World's Largest Chest Of Drawers Is Just An Exit Away

What could you possibly need a thirty-eight foot tall chest of US Colonial drawers for, you ask? Why, to hold gigantic socks, of course.

At the intersection of Westwood and Hamilton Streets in High Point, North Carolina (aka the Home Furnishings Capital of the World, according to Roadside America), sits the world's largest chest of drawers. What started out as a nod to the business in 1926 is now a roadside attraction rated as "major fun" by Roadside America.

24 The Price Is High, The Lines Are Long, And The Art Is Bad

The Museum of Modern Art. The Museum of Fine Art. The Museum of Bad Art. Wait. What?

Yep, MOBA (as it is commonly referred to) has been confusing people in Somerville, Massachusetts since 1994. According to Atlas Obscura, the first-ever piece was an awful painting found in a garbage can. That inspired a local gallery owner to look for more bad art, which he successfully found to the point that the collection now takes up two buildings.

According to the Museum's website, the art is so bad that it's good. You can see for yourself by paying the $5 admission charge.

23 Saddle Up For A Spin On An Unconventional Ride

You have no doubt either seen someone mount a mechanical bull and watched them fall off one second later after the first spin or done this yourself (no judgments).

The more family friendly version of this (typically) adult drinking game is the Pronto Pup ride in Rockaway Beach, Oregon. Home to the original corn dog (so they say), Pronto Pup has a mechanical corn dog out front lovingly known as "Bucking Pup". According to Roadside America, you can saddle up the corn dog for just a quarter.

22 No Forking Way Could This Be Any Bigger

Sometimes a little healthy competition can be a good thing. For example, the biggest fork in America resides in Colorado because someone in that state wanted to make a bigger one than the previously-held record fork in Missouri. Bragging rights for the win.

According to Roadside America, the aluminum fork in Creede, Colorado at the Cascada Bar and Grill is forty feet long and weighs over six-hundred pounds. That's some heavy lifting just for one bite!

21 We've Gathered Here Today To Pay Our Last Respects

The Ben & Jerry's factory tour in Waterbury, Vermont includes a look at the machines (and people) that make the magic happen, free ice cream samples (obviously the best part), and a history lesson about the two guys that are the brains behind it all. The tour also includes a somber stroll through the Flavor Graveyard.

According to Atlas Obscura, the "dearly de-pinted" includes thirty-five flavors that just didn't reach the expected sales mark like White Russian, Turtle Soup, Fossil Fuel, and Wavy Gravy.

20 No Vacancy For Months On End At This Dog House

Sweet Willy might not fetch or greet you when you come home, but he will provide a cozy place to lay your head for a night or two.

The thirty foot tall beagle in Cottonwood, Idaho is actually a Bed & Breakfast. According to Atlas Obscura, it is known as Dog Bark Park Inn and was designed by a dog-loving couple. You'll have to wait awhile to snag a reservation and the price might be a little out of your road trip budget, but the opportunity to forever tell stories about the time you slept in a loft in the belly of a beagle is priceless.

19 A Tourist Haven And Resting Place For Forgotten Neon Signs

When Las Vegas hotels and other mainstays cease to exist (read: are imploded), a small piece of them remains. Not far from the Strip, abandoned neon signs that previously adorned these treasured buildings (rest in peace, Stardust) are preserved in a museum.

Founded in 1996, the Neon Museum allows visitors to take an educational stroll through old Las Vegas. According to TripAdvisor, the oldest sign in the collection dates back to the 1930s.

Travelers rate the experience as excellent on TripAdvisor and recommend going at night to see the signs fully illuminated. Watch your step though, part of the ambiance is the broken glass and rusted metal.

18 If The Shoe Fits, Grab A Buddy And Sit On It

LL Bean is a sacred store in Freeport, Maine. And, as a rite of passage, everyone in Freeport needs to have a photo with the giant boot in front of the flagship store.

According to Roadside America, the Bean boot is a whopping sixteen feet tall, complete with a rubber sole just like a real pair. As a Bean bonus, visitors can now see a pair of mock boots after the second sixteen-foot boot was stolen a few decades ago and mysteriously returned earlier this year.

17 Dinosaurs Survived Extinction At This Attraction

Amid the palm trees and desert climate of Palm Springs, two long necks can clearly be seen from the highway peaking curiously toward passing cars. Upon closer inspection, the long necks belong to a pair of dinosaurs.

According to Roadside America, the dinos were built just off Interstate 10 by a dinosaur-aficionado and local businessman in the 1980s. They have been attracting visitors ever since.

Wander the prehistoric grounds for free or cough up some cash to explore the museum inside Dinny the Dinosaur's stomach.

16 Billboards Are So Last Year In This Tiny Town

Excuse the Wizard of Oz reference, but you will know you're not in Kansas anymore when the over-sized Van Gogh painting is no longer visible in your rear view mirror.

As you pass through Goodland, Kansas, your eyes will be drawn to a beautiful work of art. Where any other town would have an advertising billboard, the citizens of Goodland raised the $150,000 necessary to commission a replica of Van Gogh's famous sunflower painting.

According to Roadside America, the easel the painting sits on is made of steel, weighs 45,000 pounds, and is eighty feet tall. The painting itself is nearly eight-hundred square feet, making Goodland home to one of the best (and largest) welcome signs.

15 Tall Tales And A Taller Blue Ox On Display

If you thought a live stream of the pandas at the San Diego Zoo was fascinating, wait until you view the cameras pointed at an 18 foot tall, two ton statue of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox in Bemidji, Minnesota. Spoiler alert: they don't move.

According to the New York Times, Minnesotans hold a special place in their heart for Paul and Babe. So special, in fact, that the pair are memorialized in some way in nearly every town in the state. The police even wear a patch in their honor.

So, the next time you're in Bemidji (or Brainerd or Akeley), take a moment to give our favorite lumberjack a little wave.

14 The Giant jackalope At Wall's One Stop Shop

What was once just a pharmacy in the small town of Wall, South Dakota has burgeoned into a sprawling mall and an oasis for the imagination.

Wall Drug sits in a town of only about 900 people, the majority of which work at the shop. Despite its small size, according to Roadside America, the town receives nearly one million visitors per year. Everyone that comes is eager to stroll the grounds of Wall Drug to do their souvenir shopping and take a picture atop the giant jackalope.

13 I Know Why The Caged Tourist Sings

One man's mission to bring business back to the small town of Casey, Illinois ended up doing much more than that.

After years of hard work, tourists are now veering off the path to see enormous replicas of everyday things like wind chimes, a rocking chair, an ear of corn, and a mailbox. A crowd favorite is the walk-in bird cage, complete with a swing for that perfect photo of a tourist looking like a canary.

According to Roadtripper, the locals can even take part in workshops to learn how the replicas were crafted and try their own hand at woodworking, pipe fitting, and steel cutting.

12 The Grass Is Always Greener And The Coffee Always Hotter On The Other Side

The aptly named The Coffee Pot has been posing for pictures since its construction in 1927. Even though the coffee isn't flowing anymore, Roadside America still rates it as worth a detour to its destination in Bedford, Pennsylvania.

The Coffee Pot is one of the last remaining pieces of an architectural style known as programmatic architecture in which buildings were designed based on what was to be sold inside (think along the lines of a big cowboy hat shaped building for a hat shop or a building shaped like a bowl of chili if the inside was a diner).

11 The Golden Arches Speak To Passersby

Even locals will tell you there isn't much to do in Sunbury, Ohio, but you've got to make it there at least once on your way to Columbus to try to figure out why there is Ronald McDonald statue in the middle of a field.

According to Cleveland Scene, nobody seems to know the reason. Whatever it may be, your vacation photos can include a full happy meal set complete with a smiling hamburger and french fries.

10 A Chance To Sit With A Popcorn Legend

We owe it to the King of Popcorn for our favorite movie time snack. Thanks to the ingenuity of a group of people in Valparaiso, Indiana, we can sit next to him as we think about that buttery goodness.

Orville Redenbacher made a name for himself in Valparaiso after he pitched the idea of popped corn. A statue of him (a little too lifelike if you ask us) sits on a bench in Lincoln Park. There's plenty of room for two, so everyone cozies up to Orville for a snapshot.

However, there is no mention of popcorn anywhere near the statue (due to the likeness of his image being purchased by a company, according to Roadside America) so you'll just have to look for the bronze guy and maybe help other tourists locate him, too.

9 There Once Was A Troll Under A Bridge That Everyone Wanted To See

Underneath a dark bridge in Seattle, Washington lives a Volkswagen car-crushing, hubcap-for-an-eyeball staring troll. The eighteen-foot Fremont Troll was sculpted on Halloween in 1990 and has been the epicenter of folklore ever since.

According to Roadside America, weird things have been happening in the vicinity of the Fremont Troll from its beginning. So, go at your own risk to get your photo next to the troll (or dare your friends to go and then spook them).

8 It's All Fun And Games At South Of The Border

South of the Border is not actually south of the border you're thinking of. Rather, it's a rest stop turned kitschy amusement park and hotel in Dillon, South Carolina. You can, however, still enjoy a stopover in the shade of a giant sombrero or dine on the South Carolinian version of Mexican food.

According to Roadside America, South of the Border also offers one of the best selections of fireworks in the whole state. You know, if you want to liven up your road trip.

7 If You See The Giant Buffalo, You're Headed In The Right Direction

When a new interstate was being built in Jamestown, North Dakota, construction crews had to work around the world's largest buffalo that had already staked a claim on the land.

According to Roadside America, the concrete buffalo weighs sixty tons, is twenty-six feet tall, and measures forty-six feet long. On its fiftieth birthday, the buffalo was named Dakota Thunder and he is the unofficial welcome to the town of Jamestown.

6 Good Fortunes Come To Those That Ask

The 1988 Tom Hanks movie, "Big", centers on a thirteen year old boy that makes a wish on a fortune telling machine to grow up. A wish that he realizes was granted when he wakes up the next day as an adult. The machine, known as Zoltar, sprang into popular culture after the release of the film.

Though there are many replicas, according to Lohud the original from the film was located at Playland, an amusement park in Rye, New York. You won't be able to catch it there still, but we can almost guarantee any amusement park will have a Zoltar that can at least listen to your wishes.

38 Most Bizarre Tourist Attractions In America

With a country as vast and diverse as the United States, there are bound to be countless interesting places to visit in just about every state — some more than others. When people think of tourist attractions, they tend to think of the popular ones like Chicago's "Bean," New York City's Empire State Building or even Los Angeles' Venice Beach, but what about the ones that are just off the beaten path?

The U.S. has plenty of bizarre tourist attractions that are hiding in plain sight and even more that are in cities less known by the public. There's a house in San Jose, California, with stairways and doors that don't lead anywhere; the world's most scenic urinal in Kealakekua, Hawaii; "mermaids" that put on elaborate underwater performances in Weeki Wachee Springs, Florida; and a wooden hot dog man in Winchester, New Hampshire.

Needless to say, that's only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to odd and unique places to visit when exploring the country. Whether you're flying somewhere or taking a road trip, try to visit as many of the 38 most bizarre tourist attractions in America as you can.

Grant County Historical Museum (Canyon City, Oregon)

This museum in Canyon City, Oregon, has everything from human skulls to stuffed two-headed calves. The human skulls are of Barry Way and William Cain, the first two men to be hanged in Canyon City... how charming. As for the three stuffed two-headed calves, they were born on ranches in the area and have been on display in the museum since its opening in 1954.

Hole N The Rock (Moab, Utah)

One of the weirdest roadside tourist traps in America, Hole N" The Rock is a 5,000-square-foot home carved out of a massive rock in Utah's Canyonlands country. The man-made home includes a 65-foot chimney, a bathtub built into the rock, and 14 rooms that visitors can now tour. To appeal further to tourists, the unique rock also features a gift shop, an exotic zoo (with camel, bison, and zebras), locally made Native American items (such as pottery, jewelry, and dream catchers) and other fun additions specific to its location.

Ben and Jerry's Flavor Graveyard (Waterbury, Vermont)

Leave it to Ben & Jerry's to create an ice cream graveyard that can be physically visited and even host funerals in honor of some of the fallen flavors. The "dearly de-pinted" are buried at the company's factory in Waterbury, Vermont, each with a granite headstone and epitaph. There are currently 34 flavors in the Flavor Graveyard, but at this cemetery there are sometimes resurrections. Fans can request that a flavor be brought back from the dead through an online form on the brand's website. The graveyard is intended as a celebration of the company's failed flavors and can be seen on their factory tour.

Winchester Mystery House (San Jose, California)

Constructed in 1884, the Winchester Mystery House became a popular tourist attraction for its peculiar history and architecture, as well as the fact that it's allegedly haunted. The house is filled with random rooms, doors, and stairs that lead nowhere. Legend has it that a widow, Sarah Winchester, built this house with the direction from spirits and built it ceaselessly over the course of 30 years until the day of her death in 1922. Her family descendants now own the property but open it to the public for various tours.

Corn Palace (Mitchell, South Dakota)

South Dakota's weirdest tourist attraction is its Corn Palace, a magnificent building covered in creative murals made out of corn to resemble various themes. 2016's theme, which coincidentally was 2017's theme (for monetary reasons) happened to be "Rock of Ages" and included corn depictions of the likes of Elvis, Willie Nelson, and John Travolta.

Market Theater Gum Wall (Seattle, Washington)

There's a brick alleyway under Pike Place Market in Seattle that is covered completely in chewing gum. The gum takes over the space, which is 15 feet high and 50 feet long, and has been a tourist attraction since 1999. People sometimes create artworks with their gum, and the wall has even been featured on CNN's "germiest" tourist attractions.

National Mustard Museum (Middleton, Wisconsin)

If you find condiments exciting, then this museum dedicated to mustard will knock your socks off. The National Mustard Museum features a collection of countless prepared mustards from over 60 countries for visitors to explore. Try samples of new and antique mustards from around the world, and be sure check out the exhibit about the condiment's history while there.

Mermaids of Weeki Wachee (Weeki Wachee, Florida)

Florida — known for its swampland and... mermaids? At Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, visitors can watch "mermaids" (women dressed up and wearing fishtails) perform elaborate shows underwater through windows in an underground auditorium.

Gatorland (Orlando, Florida)

Alligators may be common to Florida, but the idea of going somewhere on purpose to be surrounded by them is a bizarre concept and usually not recommended. For those interested, however, Gatorland is "The Alligator Capital of the World" and the best place to see both alligators and crocodiles. There's even a petting zoo where you can pet these wild reptiles!

Vent Haven Museum (Fort Mitchell, Kentucky)

One of the weirdest museums on the planet, the Vent Haven Museum is the world's only museum of ventriloquism. With over 900 dummies alone spanning three centuries, nearly everything from puppets, memorabilia, recordings, photos, and scripts related to ventriloquism can be found here. Founded by W.S. Berger, who developed a large personal collection over the course of 40 years, Vent Haven Museum was opened to the public in 1973. We can't image how creepy it must've been to have so many ventriloquist dummies in one home!

Nuclear Waste Adventure Trail (Weldon Spring, Missouri)

In Saint Charles County, Missouri, sits a 17,323-acre nuclear waste disposal site that visitors can tour. Weldon Spring was a major manufacturer of explosives, producing over 700 million pounds of TNT by the end of the World War II. A decade later it became a uranium refinery during the Cold War for nuclear bombs. In the 1980s, all the abandoned radioactive material was buried in a man-made mini-mountain that people can now climb.

The Hammer Museum (Haines, Alaska)

The world's first museum dedicated to hammers features roughly 2,000 hammers. Some hammers date back to ancient times — one such artifact was used to craft perfect sugar cubes to win a woman's hand in marriage — while others include those used by miners, the railroad industry, and even medical industries.

The Thing (Cochise County, Arizona)

A tourist trap at its finest, The Thing is a roadside attraction between El Paso, Texas, and Tucson, Arizona, off of Interstate 10. "The Thing" is said to be a mummified mother and child, but was likely created as a sideshow piece by exhibit curator Homer Tate — who was known to do that during his time. However, this hasn't stopped travelers from visiting the bizarre museum.

International Banana Museum (Mecca, California)

This museum is bananas... in every way. Not only will visitors find every type of banana-related item imaginable, but they also have an international banana ambassador called Platty who travels around the world. The bright yellow museum is located in Mecca, California, and holds the title of world's largest collection dedicated to only one fruit, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

UFO Watchtower (Sagauche County, Colorado)

This strange roadside attraction near Hooper, Colorado, was created in 2000. With 360-degree views of the San Luis Valley, this observation deck has garnered much publicity over the years. Created as a joke on Judy Messoline's property, she began making money charging admission, so she built a saucer dome gift shop and only a 10-foot-high platform that acts as the observation deck. Nevertheless, people still stop by to try their luck at seeing UFO activity above.

The World's Largest Toilet (Columbus, Indiana)

This attraction is intended for children, but that doesn't make it any less bizarre. Within a massive playhouse, children can explore between the house walls and tubes. The toilet itself is the entrance to a slide that will take visitors through the plumbing system of this playhouse. It's certainly an interesting way to teach kids about how things function.

The Hobo Museum (Britt, Iowa)

Britt, Iowa, has been home to the Hobo Museum since the 1980s, when the Hobo Foundation purchased the Chief Theatre and turned it into the museum it is today. The collection has been created with artifacts sent in from around the world including original photographs, videos, music recorded by hobos, books written by the community, paintings, doll collections, and plenty of other items depicting their lifestyle. It's an interest look into a part of American history rarely spoken about.

World's Largest Ball of Twine (Cawker City, Kansas)

Surprisingly there are a few towns in the U.S. claiming to have the world's largest ball of twine, but as of 2014, the winner for largest circumference went to this one located in northern Kansas. With an 11-foot diameter, this creation by Frank Stoeber was made up of 1.6 million feet of twine — recorded at the point of his death in 1974. However, every year more twine is added to the ball during the city's "twine-a-thon." Its last known dimensions from 2014 are 41.2 feet in circumference, and 10.83 feet high; but the ball keep growing with each year. Visitors can stop by and take photos with it at any point.

Nicolas Cage's Pyramid Tomb (New Orleans, Louisiana)

Louisiana is home to several bizarre grave sites, but this one is particularly eerie because it is an empty grave purchased by Nicolas Cage and the reasoning has yet to be explained. Many believe the unnamed pyramid tomb was purchased as an homage to his movie "National Treasure." The only words on the 9-foot-tall pyramid tomb — which bears no resemblance to any other tomb in the cemetery — is the Latin phrase Omni Ab Uno , meaning "Everything From One." Regardless of the reason for his purchase, it's worth stopping by before or after visiting Marie Laveau's voodoo tomb. Oh, and don't forget to leave a lipstick kiss on the back of the pyramid (another oddity associated with this tomb).

Grave of Marie Laveau, the Voodoo Queen (New Orleans, Louisiana)

Visit Marie Laveau's grave... if you dare. The notorious Louisiana Voodoo queen may have died in 1881, but it's still widely believed that her spirit will help you with whatever you need should you leave the right combination of offerings or draw three X's on her tomb, located in one of the most beautiful cemeteries in America. Unfortunately, due to tons of grave-defacing, the only way to visit her final resting place now is by taking a tour with a licensed tour guide.

Havre de Grace Decoy Museum (Havre de Grace, Maryland)

Decoy enthusiasts will enjoy the collections of Chesapeake Bay decoys on display here. Known as the Decoy Capital of the World, people — not waterfowl — flock to the Maryland town of Havre de Grace to check them out.

Leila's Hair Museum (Independence, Missouri)

This underrated museum features over 400 wreaths and more than 2,000 pieces of jewelry all made from human hair. This form of art was particularly popular in the Victorian era, but lives on in Independence, Missouri. Some of the pieces on display here date back to the 1600s.

Talking Penguin Statue (Cut Bank, Montana)

This terrifyingly large statue in Montana sometimes decides to speak (when the feature is actually functioning), making it an unintentionally creepy tourist attraction. The nameless talking penguin sculpture was created by Ron Gustafson out of concrete and metal. It weighs 10,000 pounds and stands at 27 feet tall.

Carhenge (Alliance, Nebraska)

Carhenge sounds exactly like what one might think it is — a replica of Stonehenge, but using cars. Made with vintage cars all painted gray to match the Stonehenge rocks, this Nebraska replica was originally created for the summer solstice of 1987 and has remained there ever since, perfect for your Instagram feed.

Ouija Board Inventor's Tombstone (Baltimore, Maryland)

The inventor of the Ouija Board has the coolest tombstone ever in Baltimore, Maryland. Carved into the back of Elijah Jefferson Bond's tombstone is a Ouija Board with the traditional "yes" and "no" in the left and right corners. It's the perfect spot to snap a cool Instagram-worthy shot or build your Tumblr aesthetic. Recently, someone left a crying-eye planchette on the Ouija Board part of the headstone. Would you dare try to communicate with Mr. Bond?

Pit of Buffalo Bones (Vore, Wyoming)

Hunters in the Vore, Wyoming, area once drove herds of bison off the neighboring cliff into this pit to kill them, and over roughly 300 years of use, the site accumulated the remains of between 10,000 to 20,000 buffalo. Visitors and archeologists are welcome, but only 5 percent of the bones have been excavated, so no one really knows what could be under there!

The Clown Motel (Tonopah, Nevada)

If you're scared of clowns you may want to stay far away from this strange hotel. The Clown Motel in Nevada is next to an abandoned graveyard and filled with a variety of clown dolls. This bizarre pit-stop in the middle of the desert seems like a place found only in nightmares or horror movies.

Shoe House (York, Pennsylvania)

This shoe-shaped house sits on Shoe House Road and was created by none other than a shoe salesman called Mahlon Haines. The Haines Shoe House is a five-story home that is now open to the public for tours. Next to it is a shoe-shaped dog house to boot.

Gun Totem (Providence, Rhode Island)

This interesting sculpture in Rhode Island was made using over 1,000 reclaimed guns and concrete. It's a 12-foot obelisk that was commissioned by the Providence Parks Department and stands across from the Federal Courthouse.

UFO Welcome Center (Bowman, South Carolina)

Built by a man named Jody Pendarvis, the UFO Welcome Center in the Midlands of South Carolina is intended to be a safe space for aliens and humans to meet. The saucer-shaped center has an additional, smaller saucer attached to the top. It's been put together using scrap metals and junk material, but it includes a shower, toilet and air conditioning for the long eventual ride into space.

World's Most Scenic Urinal (Holualoa, Hawaii)

Located in beautiful Hawaii, Kona Hotel hosts the world's most scenic urinal, and they are proud of it. Men using the facilities get to enjoy a gorgeous view of the ocean and the green terrain while they relieve themselves. The hotel's manager told R oadside America that she is very pleased with the bathroom's notoriety as an odd attraction.

White House Replica (Atlanta, Georgia)

Want to see the White House without having to go to D.C.? Consider traveling to Atlanta, where someone built a replica three-quarters the size! The mini White House used to offer tours of its replica of the Oval Office and the Lincoln bedroom, but now it's a private home. However, it's still frequently photographed by on-lookers, because... it's basically the White House.

Man-Killing Clam (Cheboygan, Michigan)

Located inside Sea Shell City in Cheboygan, Michigan, this enormous man-killing clam is totally kitschy-cool — plus there are kooky signs for it on the road the closer you get. Although the clam is genuinely quite large, it's more silly than scary, and it's one of the most photographed items at Sea Shell City!

World's Largest Paul Bunyan (Akeley, Minnesota)

This Paul Bunyan statue in Akeley, Minnesota, stands out because you can sit in his huge palm and take the perfect road-trip vacation photo. Although the crouching figure is currently not technically the tallest Paul Bunyan statue in the U.S., his creators say that if he stood upright he would be about 60 feet fall, making him officially the largest Paul Bunyan.

Town Named Hot Coffee (Covington County, Mississippi)

There is a town named Hot Coffee in southern Mississippi, but if you blink you might miss it. The teeny tiny town is now just a green highway sign and an abandoned grocery store. People often stop to take photos that reaffirm their love of java.

Death Rock of Alexander Hamilton (Weehawken, New Jersey)

If you're a "Hamilton" fan, this is a must-see in Weehawken, New Jersey. The actual rock where Alexander Hamilton rested his head after he lost his duel with Aaron Burr is now a monument! Plus it's seriously close to the Lincoln Tunnel to New York City, so you could always see the Broadway show, hop in a cab, and go!

Plastic Flamingo Petting Zoo (Cedar Point, North Carolina)

Ever wanted to pet a flamingo? You can pet the birds without the fishy smell or the worry of getting pecked at this plastic flamingo petting zoo in Cedar Point, North Carolina! Located in the front yard of a tourist information center next to the highway, this is an incredible Instagram opportunity just waiting to happen. The flamingos aren't just for petting and photos — they can also be adopted (purchased).

World's Largest Peanut (Ashburn, Georgia)

The best and weirdest attractions are always large versions of everyday things. Durant's "World's Largest Peanut" in Ashburn, Georgia is no exception. Although the hefty peanut was taken down in 2010 because college kids kept stealing it, it is now back on its pedestal, looking enormous as ever and serving as one of the country's oddest attractions.​​​​​​​

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16 super bizarre landmarks to visit in the U.S.

Try these quirky sites because this kind of travel can't go wrong

Certain destinations have a built-in braggability factor—Paris and pretty much any tropical Caribbean beach—but when you come back from vacation and tell people you saw the world’s largest mailbox: well, you’re definitely a top-tier traveler. America’s got so many funny, kitschy, unusual landmarks (yes, we’ll roll out the word “bizarre”) and they are calling out to you to find your way to them. Anyone can get a shot of a sunset with palm trees, but when your Instagram is filled with 139 skulls from the Mütter Museum’s skull wall or shots of you hamming it up with autographed hot dog buns in Toledo, you’ve gained credibility as an intrepid voyager. Please embark right away with high spirits and get those amazed-face emojis ready.

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Famous weird landmarks in the U.S.

1.   Big Fish set | Jackson Lake Island, AL

Just outside of Montgomery on the Alabama River, you’ll find a Tim Burton wonderland on a privately owned island. The production company behind the movie Big Fish built the fictitious town of Spectre here back in the early 2000s and decided to leave it up after filming. For a small fee, visitors to Jackson Lake Island can follow Ewan McGregor’s footsteps through the town square to the rundown church, to the remaining styrofoam trees from the haunted forest and even hang a pair of shoes off the clothesline. Best part? Goats roam the island, too.

2.  La Brea Tar Pits | Los Angeles, CA

• Natural history
• Miracle Mile

Come see where animals of yore ambled over—and became stuck, forever, in tar. Their predators would see them struggling, come over to partake in the easy feast, and become stuck themselves. It’s actually pretty awful to contemplate, yet fascinating. Paleontologists have been able to recover around 1 million bones from the tar pit, including from a mammoth, dire wolves, saber tooth cats and one unlucky woman. Walk the outdoor park to sniff the signature sulphuric smell and see pits that are still being excavated, then head into the Page Museum to check out the incredible collection of items found in the pits.

3.  World Erotic Art Museum | Miami, FL

• Things to do
• Cultural centers
• South Beach

Don’t bring the family to this Miami museum devoted to all kinds of X-rated art (it's only open to 18+). Billed as the only institution that exclusively shows fine erotic art in the entire country, the World Erotic Art Museum has a renowned collection of antique sex toys, carved phalluses and nudes by Picasso and Rembrandt. Just thinking about exploring the 12,000-square-foot space is enough to make you blush. 

4.  Madonna Inn | San Luis Obispo, CA

The Madonna Inn on the central California coast is the epitome of kitsch. Built by Alex and Phyllis Madonna in 1958, the hotel supposedly has a Swiss Alps theme, but in reality, seems dedicated to all things over the top. Each of the 110 rooms is decorated in a unique theme—the Caveman has faux rock walls and a waterfall shower while the Pony Room has bright red carpets and prominently features a carousel horse statue. You certainly won’t forget a stay here.

5.  Dole Plantation Maze | Oahu, HI

One of the world’s largest plant mazes is located on the Dole Pineapple Plantation on the north shore of Oahu. More than two miles of paths wind through the hedges of 14,000 colorful Hawaiian plants such as hibiscus, heliconia and pineapples, of course. The maze itself from the air includes a pineapple shape. Most people complete the maze in about an hour, but this couple did it in five minutes, sprinting. 

6.  Mystery Spot | Santa Cruz, CA

Whether you believe the tour guide’s schtick about the supposed “gravitational anomaly” at work at this roadside attraction or not, the tilted cabin that seemingly defies the laws of physics is still fun to visit. Even skeptics will have a blast exploring the curious shack where balls appear to roll uphill and chairs seem to sit on walls. Not convinced? See if you can puzzle out the reason behind this optical illusion for bonus points. 

7.  The world’s largest objects | Casey, IL

This small town in Illinois is home to not one, not two, but 12 of the world’s largest objects, including a rocking chair, mailbox, gavel, wind chime and golf tee, plus a slew of really big things. Resident Jim Bolin installed the first piece, the wind chime, in 2011 and things snowballed from there. Bolin thought a  public art installation (titled Big Things in a Small Town ) might help bring in some tourists. His theory seems to be working, and the attractions are all free to visit. 

8.  Witch House | Salem, MA

• Attractions
• Historic buildings and sites

This New England town’s dark past draws urban witches and history buffs from all over the country. Learn about the  infamous Witch Trials of 1692 with a visit to the Witch House. This 17th-century home was owned by James Corwin, a local merchant who presided over many of the witchcraft examinations. The self-guided tours offer a great primer on both the country’s largest witch hunt and early colonial life.

9.  Busy Beaver Button Co. | Chicago, IL

• Logan Square

The Busy Beaver Button Co. has produced tens of millions of shiny pins and buttons since it opened in 1995. They’ll still gladly make you any design you desire, but shopping isn't the only reason to visit the Chicago store. Art lovers and culture vultures will also want to check out the eponymous museum. Scope out the collection of more than 9,000 historical pin-back buttons, including concert memorabilia and political campaign collateral.

10.  The Mapparium | Boston, MA

• Libraries, archives and foundations
• Fenway/Kenmore

You’ll find another of the world’s largest items inside the Mary Baker Eddy Library in Boston: The world’s largest walk-in globe. The Mapparium is a three-story spherical model of a globe built to scale out of brightly-hued stained glass. Stand at one edge of the glass bridge that bisects the interior of the globe and whisper something to a friend at the other end. Since the glass walls amplify sound, they’ll be able to hear you loud and clear. Built in 1935 and representing the world at that time, it has some outdated country names, so this registers as a historical artifact as well.

11.  Area 51 | Lincoln County, NV

Deep in the middle of the barren Nevada desert, you’ll find Area 51, the top-secret installation that has been shrouded in mystery for decades. Little is known about what goes on inside, except that the military developed and tested spy planes at the base during the Cold War—this is the site of a U.S. Air Force base specializing in experimental aircraft, after all. The secrecy combined with strange sightings leaving Area 51 led to countless rumors of UFO sightings, alien abductions and other extraterrestrial activities over the years. Curious visitors and alien enthusiasts should check out the Alien Research Center.

12.  Tony Packo's | Toledo, OH

If you're planning a coast-to-coast road trip and have decided to incorporate Route 66  , you'll want to make this one weird and wonderful pit stop:  Tony Packo's  authentic Hungarian restaurant. Why? Because every wall of the eatery's interior is covered with autographed hot dog buns. Burt Reynolds signed the first one, and now there are more than 1,500, all in display cases. Everyone from Debbie Reynolds to Stevie Nicks and Steve Martin has somehow, at some time, visited this obscure restaurant and signed one.

13.  Mütter Museum | Philadelphia, PA

• Science and technology
• Center City West

If you’re the squeamish type, you better avoid the Mütter Museum. It’s jampacked with human specimens, stomach-churning medical objects and more bones than you could imagine. Think you can handle it? Don’t miss the slices of Albert Einstein’s brain, the Hyrtl Skull Collection of 139 human heads, or the corset skeleton which shows what Victorian corsetry may have done to ribcages.

14.  Museum of the Weird | Austin, TX

• Congress Ave District

In the tradition of old-school curio museums, the Museum of the Weird celebrates oddities like shrunken heads, wax movie monsters and the Minnesota Iceman, a carnival exhibit of a “caveman” trapped in a block of ice. The museum also added a photograph of the infamous Cottingley Fairies to its collection in recent years. It’s only fitting that such a museum would be in Austin—the city’s unofficial slogan (predating Portland by a year!) is “Keep Austin Weird,” after all.

15.  Dinosaur Drive | Granger, WA

Not far from Yakima you’ll find the city of Granger with the tagline, “where dinosaurs roam.” Its Dinosaur Drive welcomes you to drive around town and see various dinosaurs. Fittingly, the first dinosaur was a baby brontosaurus and now there are 33 dinosaurs, typically constructed and painted by the community at a “Dino-n-a-Day” work day at Hisey Park. Catch the pleiosaurus in the park’s pond or the nearby dimetrodon, see the apatosaurus positioned by a tree to “eat” its greenery, or thrill at the sight of a T-Rex busting through the side of a building. Strong bonus: in the park you can see volcanoes that once used to spew smoke (they house non-operational bathrooms).

16.  Gravity Hill | New Paris, PA

Just outside of Pittsburgh in McCandless Township, you can experience this wild road that defies gravity. At a particular intersection, you’ll stop at a stop sign and put your car into neutral and then wait for your skin to crawl. Because instead of your car rolling forward, downhill, as it should, it will start to move backward, up the hill. Why? How? We don't know, but check your rearview mirror before doing this, or the anomaly could become an accident. Watch this video to see Gravity Hill in action. More wierdness? There is also water that flows the wrong way.

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Here's The Weirdest Tourist Attraction In Every State In America

Say goodbye to boring road trips.

BuzzFeed Staff

The coronavirus pandemic is still impacting travel, and destinations around the world have different COVID-19 restrictions in place. Always check and adhere to local government policies, and use our content to dream about a future trip.

1. Alabama (Scottsboro): Unclaimed Baggage Center

A store where all unclaimed luggage goes to die...or get thrifted by passing tourists.

2. Alaska (Anchorage): World's Largest Chocolate Waterfall

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Is this Alaska or Willy Wonka's factory? This choc waterfall is apparently the world's largest, and it uses over 3,000 pounds of chocolate!

3. Arizona (Mesa): Organ Stop Pizza

Amongst communal-style tables and greasy pizza sits the largest theater pipe organ ever built (or so they claim). Oh, and it's fully functional, as their nightly musical shows prove.

4. Arkansas (Little Rock): Billy Bass Adoption Center

You know those super annoying singing fish everyone hung on their walls decades ago? Well, the Flying Fish restaurant will gladly "adopt" yours (in exchange for a free basket of catfish) once you officially can't listen to it one more time.

5. California (San Francisco): Magowan's Infinite Mirror Maze

There's nothing quite like getting lost in a psychedelic mirror maze on Pier 39 to really hone in on the fact that you're in San Francisco.

6. Colorado (Fort Collins): Swetsville Zoo

You won't find any giraffes, lions, or flamingos at this unique "zoo" — instead you can check out a varied assortment of handmade creatures made from things like old cars.

7. Connecticut (Orange): PEZ Visitor Center

Your favorite childhood toy/candy comes to life in this memorabilia museum, which is even home to the world's largest PEZ dispenser!

8. Delaware (Fenwick Island): DiscoverSea Shipwreck Museum

This gallery is dedicated to recovered and found artifacts from shipwrecks, but its weirdest item has to be the Feejee mermaid that totally gives me the creeps.

9. Florida (Safety Harbor): Whimzeyland

Yes, this really is someone's house, and yes, you can really visit it! Owned by two artists, this quirky abode has something interesting to see in every corner (including hundreds of hand-painted bowling balls).

10. Georgia (Lookout Mountain): Rock City

The 4,100-foot trail that winds through Rock City offers magical caves (like the rainbow one above), fairy gardens, and a breathtaking view that spans over seven different states.

11. Hawaii (Wahiawa): World's Largest Maze

If the world's largest maze isn't an interesting enough sell, how about the world's largest maze that is also shaped like a pineapple? Don't forget to grab a Dole whip after conquering it.

12. Idaho (Cottonwood): Dog Bark Park Inn

The world's tallest beagle isn't just a roadside attraction, it's also an adorable bed and breakfast.

13. Illinois (Casey): Big Things Small Town

Casey may be a small town, but it's home to 12 big world records, including the world's largest rocking chair, pitchfork, mailbox, and wind chime.

14. Indiana (Alexandria): World's Largest Ball of Paint

What started as a baseball dipped into paint has become, well, this. Visitors can even take a stab at painting a new layer.

15. Iowa (Madrid): High Trestle Trail Bridge

This bridge-turned-art-installation that runs through five different cities is well worth the walk (or bike, or jog) across, especially at night when the lights are turned on and the bridge glows around you.

16. Kansas (Lucas): Bowl Plaza

This might be the most beautiful public bathroom you ever pee in. Besides its interior full of unique mosaic art, the outside is shaped like a giant toilet!

17. Kentucky (Cave City): Dinosaur World

It's not quite as high tech as Jurassic Park , but maybe that's for the best.

18. Louisiana (New Orleans): Mardi Gras World

Even if you're not in NOLA during February, you can still celebrate Mardi Gras by touring the very factory where they make the floats for the big parade.

19. Maine (Columbia Falls): Wild Blueberry Land

This park dedicated to the state's official fruit is just as strange — and tasty — as it sounds.

20. Maryland (Silver Spring): Wheaton Station Escalator

An elevator doesn't sound too exciting, but the longest escalator in the Western Hemisphere? Now that's a three minute ride worth making a pit stop for.

21. Massachusetts (Salem): Count Orlok’s Nightmare Gallery

At Count Orlok's, it's Halloween every day. Filled with movie monster replicas and plenty of ~spooky~ artifacts, you'll feel like you walked into another dimension.

22. Michigan (Frankenmuth): Bronner's Christmas Wonderland

If Christmas is more your thing, Bronner's is your place for celebrating the holidays (almost) all year long. Spanning one and a half football fields, you can find every kind of ornament here.

23. Minnesota (Austin): Spam Museum

Spam: you either love it or hate it. Either way, this fun and colorful museum dedicated to the notoriously mysterious meat in a can is a must-see on any road trip.

24. Mississippi (Iuka): The Apron Museum

A unique collection of 3,500 aprons , ranging from old-school to totally modern. Make sure to call ahead to make sure this small-town museum will be open!

25. Missouri (Independence): Leila's Hair Museum

Who would have thought the Victorian-era trend of making art out of hair would be so...beautiful? Creepy, but beautiful.

26. Montana (Havre): Havre Beneath the Streets

After the town of Havre's business district burned down in 1904, shops and businesses were rebuilt underground — and you can still walk the "streets" to this day.

27. Nebraska (Alliance): Carhenge

Carhenge : Stonehenge, but made with cars. Iconic, right?

28. Nevada (Tonopah): Clown Motel

Whether you're really into clowns (why...?) or terrified of them but enjoy the thrill of staying at a creepy hotel, this place is for you.

29. New Hampshire (Manchester): Cat Alley

This walkway of public art is right up any feline lover's ~alley~.

30. New Jersey (Hamilton Township): Grounds for Sculpture

This unique indoor/outdoor museum lets you, quite literally, step into your favorite paintings with life-sized versions of famous art.

31. New Mexico (Albuquerque): Musical Highway

Strategically placed rumble strips play "America the Beautiful" as you drive down this section of Route 66 — but only if you stick to the speed limit of 45 mph.

32. New York (Romulus): Pumpkin Chuckin' at Varick Winery & Inn

What pairs perfectly with a glass of wine? Chuckin' pumpkins, of course. During fall, this winery lets you catapult veggies at targets for a little bit of wine-infused fun.

33. North Carolina (Collettsville): House of Mugs

What started as a couple's quirky decor choice grew into a 25,000-strong mug collection . They welcome visitors and even encourage you to add your own mug...if you can find space for it.

34. North Dakota (Jamestown): World's Largest Buffalo Monument

Basically the size of 60 regular buffalo, this monster of a roadside attraction is quite literally unmissable.

35. Ohio (Cincinnati): American Sign Museum

This unique museum has a fake "main street" which displays a huge collection of used signs, some even dating back to the 1800s.

36. Oklahoma (Arcadia): Pops

This modern take on old-school roadside attractions flags you down with its 66-foot tall LED sculpture, but makes you stay with the huge assortment of soda flavors at its "soda ranch."

37. Oregon (Bend): The Last Blockbuster

Somehow, even in the time of "Netflix and chill," the world's last Blockbuster is still going strong in Oregon.

38. Pennsylvania (Bucks County): Ringing Rocks Park

The stones at this park emit a mysterious musical sound when hit with a hammer, so grab your toolbox and get ready to throw your own ~rock~ concert.

39. Rhode Island (Charlestown): The Fantastic Umbrella Factory

Despite its name, you won't find an umbrella factory here — instead you can shop local goods, wander through the nursery, or visit animals in the petting zoo. Don't forget to say hi to the emus!

40. South Carolina (Bowman): UFO Welcome Center

Forget Roswell — aliens need look no further than the small town of Bowman for their next stop. Although this UFO was built in a private backyard, the owner welcomes tourists to take pictures and even tour inside.

41. South Dakota (Spearfish): Termesphere Gallery

This artist paints beautiful scenes on spheres rather than canvases, creating a unique gallery of 360-degree works of art for you to peruse.

42. Tennessee (Gatlinburg): Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum

Grab the salt to your pepper and visit the world's only museum of its kind (besides its sister museum in Spain, that is).

43. Texas (Cedar Creek): Pecan Pie Vending Machine

This 24-hour vending machine will kick your homemade pecan pie cravings with just the press of a button (and $24.99).

44. Utah (Monroe): Mystic Hot Springs

Bathtubs embedded into a natural rock face may seem out of place, but once you're soaking in the hot spring water under the stars, you won't even care.

45. Vermont (Waterbury): Ben & Jerry's Flavor Graveyard

A place for ice cream fans to mourn discontinued flavors of yore (and learn about new ones at the factory next door).

46. Virginia (Lexington): Coffee Pot House

This giant coffee pot (and cup) used to be a restaurant, followed by an art gallery, but it now appears to sit empty. You can still stop for pictures though!

47. Washington (Seattle): The Gum Wall

In the words of one visitor : "gross, but unique." Sounds about right for a colorful wall of chewed-up gum.

48. West Virginia (Ansted): The Mystery Hole

This magical roadside stop featuring mysterious illusions and magic tricks was built in 1973, and it hasn't changed much. It's kooky carnival flair extends into the gift shop, too.

49. Wisconsin (Middleton): National Mustard Museum

The best part of this condiment museum is the gift shop (of course), where you can try and buy hundreds of different types of mustard. Ketchup lovers, better luck next time.

50. Wyoming (Encampment): Two-Story Outhouse

This replica is located in the Grand Encampment Museum (GEM). The second story was practical in the olden days when the bottom toilet would get covered in snow, but it's just plain weird in modern times. Still worth a photo, though.

Does your state have another bizarre tourist attraction? Let us know in the comments below!

Don't forget to check out bring me for all of buzzfeed's best travel tips and hacks, vacation inspiration, and more.

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Strange Roadside Attractions From Every State

In addition to wide-open prairie, twisting coastal highways, and sun kissed mountain ranges, the United States has its fair share of oddities—really, really odd oddities, as it turns out. What better way to spend a road trip than discovering how bizarre our country (and some of its inhabitants) is?

Alabama: Unclaimed Baggage Center

Known to many as the “land of lost luggage,” this stop in Scottsboro, Alabama sees about one million visitors from around the world every year. Covering more than a city block, visitors can purchase literally any item that has been packed in a suitcase that was never claimed by its owner or left on an airplane. It’s the only lost luggage store in the United States.

Alaska: Igloo City

This tourist attraction—located in Cantwell, Alaska—is especially odd because it never actually opened for business. The four-story, concrete hotel, (circa 1970) remains unfinished to this day because it failed to meet building codes. But tourists sure do love to pay it a visit—it can even be seen from airplanes cruising at a lofty 30,000 feet in the air.

Arizona: The Thing

Creators of the hit movie “The Thing” take roadside advertisement to the next level along Interstate 10. The stretch of endless highway is lined not only by dry desert for miles, but with billboards advertising the mysterious “Thing” at exit 312.

Arkansas: Christ of the Ozarks

Interestingly enough, this larger-than-life monumental Jesus is actually known for sort-of resembling a milk carton.

California: Salvation Mountain

Located in Nilan, California—not too far from Slab City—lays a mini mountain, covered in paintings of colorful biblical messages like “God is Love.” The late Leonard King who lived on Salvation Mountain and continuously painted his messages on it from 1985 until the early 2000s created the man-made mountain.

Colorado: UFO Watchtower

Finding a weird, alien-themed road stop is usually within a stone’s throw when it comes to the American Southwest. But the UFO Watchtower is pretty out-there. Finding herself in the middle of what many believers think to be a hub of galactic activity, Judy Messoline decided to turn her ranch into a campground with a UFO watchtower, which is open to the public.

Connecticut: Cushing Brain Collection

“Check out that diseased brain collection” is definitely not something you hear often. But around Yale’s medical school library in New Haven, Connecticut, it might be. Donated to Yale in 1939 in the name of Dr. Harvey Cushing, this collection of brains ridden with tumors and disease definitely earns a spot on the list.

Delaware: Miles the Monster

Think “The Hulk”—except stone grey, angular, and with glowing red eyes.

Florida: Airstream Ranch

Nothing says “America” like a good old, standing car formation that vaguely resembles Stonehenge. This collection of eight classic Airstreams alongside I-4, between Tampa and Orlando, looks more like the RVs were sent rocketing down from space, straight into the ground.

Georgia: Georgia Guidestones

“Let these be guidestones to an age of reason,” reads from the tablet in the front of the Georgia Guidestones. This structure—a monument made up of several 19-foot granite stones, commissioned by an anonymous man in 1979—offers 10 post-apocalyptic messages of guidance, written in eight different languages. The perfect thing for a bit of light reading.

Hawaii: World’s Longest Plant Maze

If you have time to pay a visit to the Dole Plantation in Wahiawa, Hawaii, you’ll want to stop by the world’s biggest botanical maze—made up of 14,000 colorful Hawaiian plants, all in the shape of a giant pineapple.

Idaho: World’s Biggest Beagle (Dog Bark Park Inn)

Here in Cottonwood, Idaho, you can visit the world’s biggest beagle—and sleep in it, too!

Illinois: Gold Pyramid House

This six-story, 17,000-square-foot private home in Wadsworth, Illinois is plated in gold—and it’s surrounded by a moat.

Indiana: Roofless Church

At the nondenominational Roofless Church in New Harmony, Indiana, all are welcome to pray under cover of the sky, next to a domed structure. It also serves as a popular wedding destination.

Iowa: The Hobo Museum

Since it opened in 1980, the Hobo Museum has come a long way in preserving the legacy of hoboes. It exists within an old converted town theater, and serves as an archive of all things created by hoboes of America (music, photographs, art, and more).

Kansas: The World’s Largest Collection of Smallest Versions of Largest Things

The creator of this mobile collection of roadside attractions (which is, in fact, a roadside attraction in itself) does just what you would think: When Erika Nelson hears news of a “World’s Largest” roadside item, she visits it for photo documentation and creates a tiny replica out of various materials.

Kentucky: Dinosaur World

When you spot the giant, larger-than-life T-Rex off of I-65, you know you’re close to Dinosaur World. Visitors will find massive, life-sized dinosaur replicas scattered throughout this park as they take a prehistoric stroll.

Louisiana: The Gates of Guinee

If you’re looking for the gates to the voodoo underworld, Guinee, look no further than the French Quarter. It is believed that seven gates are scattered around the city.

Maine: International Cryptozoology Museum

This unique museum unveils artifacts related to the study of hidden or unknown animals. Established by crypto-zoologist Loren Coleman, the museum is home to a collection of “cryptid” specimens—think Yetis, Bigfoot, sea serpents, and the like.

Maryland: Ouija Board Headstone

It’s only fitting that the man who patented the Ouija Board, Elijah Bond, has a headstone that resembles exactly what he created.

Massachusetts: The Witch House of Salem

This is the last standing structure in Salem with direct ties to the Salem Witch Trials of 1692.

Michigan: Hell, Michigan

With a slogan like “Go to Hell…Michigan,” how could you not be curious? Established in 1838, this little town officially became “Hell” after the first settler began to pay farmers for their grain with whiskey.

Minnesota: Spoonbridge and Cherry

Located in the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, this larger-than-life spoon provides a large dose of whimsy, with an even larger cherry on top. During the winter, when the spoon is covered in snow, the sculpture looks like a massive ice cream sundae.

Mississippi: Touch the Hand of Elvis

This bronze sculpture was created in Elvis’s hometown, Tupelo. Fans will often reach up to touch the hands of the King.

Missouri: Nuclear Waste Adventure Trail

Despite how it looks from the outside, this man-made mountain—just south of Weldon Spring, Missouri—encapsulates the remnants of the largest explosives factory in America, as well as a Cold War-era uranium refinery. Now, you can take a stroll over the 54-acre expanse of 1.48 million cubic yards of covered-up PCBs, mercury, asbestos, TNT, radioactive uranium, and radium.

Montana: Garden of One Thousand Buddhas

Surround yourself with more Buddhas than you’ve (probably) ever encountered in this international center for peace.

Nebraska: Carhenge

There’s something about vintage cars arranged in Stonehenge-like formations that really resonates with the American population. Carhenge, in Alliance, Nebraska, was created by Jim Reinders as a tribute to his father.

Nevada: The Clown Motel

Located on a stretch of the Nevada desert—right next to a century-old miner’s graveyard—sits the oh-so inviting Clown Motel. What about a motel decorated with dozens of smiling, glassy-eyed clowns in a desert doesn’t sound appealing? That being said, all are welcome.

New Hampshire: Yankee Siege Catapult

If there’s one thing that the good people of Greenfield, New Hampshire love to do in the fall, it’s launching enormous pumpkins into the sky with this massive catapult (which actually resembles a giant medieval weapon). As of 2010, unfortunately, the Yankee Siege Catapult is out of commission—but it sure is cool to look at.

New Jersey: Lucy the Elephant

Located in Margate, New Jersey, Lucy the Elephant just might be the coolest thing in the state. What’s not to love about a 134-year-old, 90-ton, 65-foot elephant made of tin and wood? You can even go inside the structure through a small spiral staircase to peruse a museum focused on the history of her creation.

New Mexico: World’s largest pistachio

It’s safe to say that this larger-than-life pistachio is one of the more unique “World’s Largest” items found in the U.S. It’s only fitting that this giant nut is located near Pistachio Land. The giant pistachio stands 30-feet tall and is pretty realistic—but don’t be fooled. It’s concrete.

New York: World’s Smallest Church

The Cross Island Chapel (or chapel-ette, perhaps?) in Oneida, New York, is tiny . The small structure has enough room to accommodate a bride, groom, and minister—but don’t worry, the church is in the middle of a pond, so the wedding party can anchor on a boat nearby.

North Carolina: The last Shell Oil Clamshell station

In Winston-Salem, North Carolina, you can ogle the last standing Shell Oil Clamshell station, from an era when Shell thought that selling gas from seashell-shaped stations was a good idea. Turns out, the clamshell shape doesn’t lend itself to much other than a clam. The station was abandoned in the 1950s.

North Dakota: Enchanted Highway Sculptures

Driving through the open, flat prairie of North Dakota can be monotonous—but things start to get exciting along highway 21 (now the Enchanted Highway ) when heading toward the small town of Regent. From giant metal deer and geese frozen in mid-flight to an alarmingly large grasshopper, Gary Greff made sure that no traveler would find themselves bored while driving down the enchanted highway.

Ohio: Frozen Cleveland Lighthouse

Ever wondered what an empty lighthouse covered in hundreds of layers of ice looks like? Search no further than the Frozen Cleveland Lighthouse to discover this beautiful natural ice sculpture.

Oklahoma: Totem Pole Park

In 1938, local artist Ed Galloway began creating the first of 11 concrete totem poles, one of which became the world’s largest concrete totem pole, standing at 90 -eet. The structures eventually covered the expanse of 14 acres in what is now a public folk art garden and park.

Oregon: Octopus Tree of Oregon

The reason behind the octopus-shape of this wild Spruce tree in Tillamook, Oregon is a complete mystery. People have speculated that it was natural forces, and others attribute it to Native Americans, who some believe shaped the tree’s cage-like structure. Either way, it’s cool to look at—be warned: there are no octopus here.

Pennsylvania: Shoe House

A very wealthy shoe-enthusiast built this boot-shaped house in 1948. Once serving as an over-the-top advertisement for Haines Shoe Company, the giant boot is now open for tours.

Rhode Island: The Big Blue Bug

Located in plain site right along I-95, road-trippers don’t even need to stop for the experience that is the Big Blue Bug. The bug serves as a mascot for Big Blue Bug Solutions, and welcomes all who pass through Providence.

South Carolina: South of the Border

Advertisements leading up to this road side experience off of I-95 include signs that say things like, “You never sausage a place!” The stop offers restaurants, gas stations, a motel, and an amusement park. Its mascot—a giant sombrero-wearing caricature of a Mexican man—is known to be politically incorrect, but is impossible to miss while crossing the border from North Carolina to South Carolina.

South Dakota: Wall Drug

Wall Drug is the epitome of tourist traps and weird America, boasting over 80 years of inviting travelers in with giant billboards advertising kitschy attractions, restaurants, and stores (think giant dinosaur, life-size cowboy statues, western wear, and Wild West-style apothecary shoppe). One of the biggest draws? Free ice water.

Tennessee: Peabody Memphis Duck March

The Peabody Memphis Hotel Duck March began in 1933 and is now a famous tradition at this iconic Tennessee hotel. Everyday at 11am and 5pm, five North America mallards march (read: waddle) up a red carpet at the hotel lobby fountain to pay a visit to hotel guests.

Texas: Prada Marfa store

Two Berlin-based artists, Elmgreen and Dragset, created this permanent sculpture installation located along U.S. 90 near Valentine, Texas in 2005. The idea was that the sculpture would resemble a real Prada store—but in the middle of the dessert, with the hopes that it would eventually deteriorate into the Earth. To discourage vandals from stealing the expensive products, all bags are bottomless and all shoes are right-footed.

Utah: Hole in the Rock

There’s a 5,000-square-foot home carved directly into a rock along Highway 191 in Utah—and all visitors are welcome.

Vermont: Ben and Jerry’s Flavor Graveyard

Here, you can pay your respects to the ice cream flavors that just couldn’t make it to the shelf.

Virginia: Foamhenge

In Natural Bridge, Virginia, there is a full-sized replica of Stonehenge, made entirely out of styrofoam. So if you can’t make it to England, fear not. Foamhenge is here.

Washington: Wild Metal Horses Monument

Above the Columbia River, a majestic stampede of 15 wild metal horses runs along a ridge in Vantage, Washington, as a memorial to the horses that once inhabited the area.

West Virginia: Mothman Statue

In Point Pleasant, West Virginia, the legend of Mothman lives on as a giant red-eyed sculpture.

Wisconsin: Chatty Belle, World’s Largest Talking Cow

Built for the World’s Fair in Neillsville, Wisconsin, The World’s Largest Talking Cow used to be able to tell visitors about fun Wisconsin dairy facts. Unfortunately, Chatty Belle’s voice box no longer operates correctly.

Wyoming: Fossil Cabin

With a sign outside the building that says “Believe it or not,” this tourist attraction is hard to miss. Built way back in 1932, this roadside cabin was constructed from real dinosaur bones, found at the nearby Como Bluff just outside of Medicine Bow, Wyoming.

The Weirdest Roadside Attractions in the United States

There are many reasons solo travelers, couples, families, and adventures take road trips. Whether it’s to get away from it all, grow closer together, or see things you'd never see during everyday life, road trips bring you face-to-face with some of the most beautiful sights and weirdest things you’ll ever see. Here are 13 of the weirdest roadside attractions in the US. While road tripping, it’s often the undiscovered path that makes the most memorable moments on and off the road.

Mitchell Corn Palace, South Dakota

Any drive through the Midwest will bring you face-to-face with cornstalks taller than you can imagine. The Mitchell Corn Palace in South Dakota celebrates all things corn—starting with this prairie town in the middle of nowhere. This “palace” looks like something straight out of Russia, built in 1892 to showcase South Dakota’s bountiful harvests. Touring celebrities and one of the world’s largest bird feeders await road-trippers who visit.

One of the World’s Largest Rubber Band Balls, Florida

Many of us at some point have created a rubber band ball. Most of us lose interest after getting it to the size of a golf ball, but the Guinness World Records holder for World’s Largest Rubber Band Ball kept going, and kept going he did. Joel Waul’s rubber band ball measured in at 9,032 pounds in November 2008. More than 700,000 rubber bands were used coming in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Nicknamed “Megaton,” this 6’7” rubber band ball will leave you in awe during this pit stop—the ball can be found at Ripley's Believe It or Not! in Orlando .

One of the Largest Rubber Stamps, Ohio

If you’ve ever wielded a rubber stamp, you know how fun it can be to stamp things randomly in front of you. Now, imagine, standing up close and personal with a giant rubber stamp. In 1985, Standard Oil of Ohio commissioned the 28’ tall, 48’ long “free” rubber stamp from artist Claes Oldenburg. Located near downtown Cleveland's harbor, this sculpture is one of the largest rubber stamps in the world.

Hat 'n' Boots, Washington

In 1954, a gas station named Premium Tex south of Seattle hosted a 19’ tall, 44’ wide, bright cowboy hat. It covered the station’s offices and convenience store, while a pair of equally tall cowboy boots housed the men’s and women’s bathrooms. The goal of Premium Tex was simple—to create and open a western warehouse and destination. Alas, the gas station closed in 1988 before that happened and the local city council raised funds to preserve the giant cowboy boots and hat well into the future. The restoration of both was completed in 2010 and travelers now stand in awe at this road trip treasure in Oxbow Park, Seattle.

Jumbo Uncle Sam, Michigan

Uncle Sam is an iconic figure, coming to life in posters, literature, television, and more. There are several larger-than-life Uncle Sam statues across America, but the one on the Ohio/Michigan border might eclipse them all. This Uncle Sam figure originally came from Toledo, Ohio, and has been relocated along stretches of US 23 over the years to come to rest to its current location in Ottawa Lake. Whether you drive by this Uncle Sam or stop to stare up at its majesty, you’ll be left in patriotic awe after seeing it.

Ball of Twine, Kansas

There are wonders of the world, and then there are wonders of Kansas. If you’ve ever road tripped through Kansas, you may feel like there’s nothing much to do but get from point A to point B, but that’s not true! Ask anybody who lives in Kansas about the ball of twine, and they’ll talk your ear off. Started in 1953 by Frank Stoeber and his family, this ball of twine continued to grow over the years. Neighbors, visitors, and others around town helped contribute, and the tradition has continued throughout the years. At 17,400+ pounds and 40 feet in circumference, you won’t see twine the same after stopping to see this wonder of The Sunflower State.

The Groom Cross, Texas

Crosses are found across the US, and you’ll come across them in the oddest places. Drive along Texas long enough, and you’ll come across the Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ or The Groom Cross as locals call it. At nineteen stories high, you’ll see this on a bright day from up to 20 miles away. Created from 2.5 million pounds of steel by an anonymous Texas millionaire, it’s free to the public to look up at from the road, pray at the base of, or drive past it. It lit up at night, so you’ll never miss this when road tripping.

One of the Largest Baskets, Ohio

Who doesn’t love baskets? Whether it’s of the picnic variety or simply storing things, everyone’s drawn to a cute wicker basket—and large ones, too! The largest one, to be exact. Situated in Newark, Ohio, you’ll find one of the world’s biggest baskets; the seven-story basket once served as Longaberger Basket Company headquarters. Many companies often create opulent, over the top icons to represent their brands. If you’re a fan of the oddities on the road, driving to one of the world’s largest baskets is a must.

Fiberglass Fish, Wisconsin

If you love fishing and road tripping, a stop at the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame is right up your alley. The fiberglass sculpture at this location is four stories tall and about as long as a Boeing 757. It’s a Muskie, a fearsome fish that’s both been a blessing and curse for freshwater fishers. Since the 1970s, this museum has kept track of freshwater fishing records across America. If you’re in Wisconsin and you love fishing, consider a stop to stare into the face of a sculpture so large, if it were alive, it could swallow a bus.

Tower of Filing Cabinets, Vermont

The biggest oddities on the road are the things that make us stop and say, “why?” The tower of filing cabinets on the road in Vermont is that sort of road trip oddity. Located off Route 7 on Shelburne Street, between Foster Street and Pine Street in Burlington, you can’t miss these towing, rusty filing cabinets. Created by local artist Bren Alvarez in 2002; the project is meant to highlight the years of paperwork that accumulated from a failed project to build a beltway in the area. This is most likely a weird sight for travelers in Vermont who have no clue what they’re looking at. That type of stop makes for the best road trip story.

One of the Largest Teapots, West Virginia

If you’ve traveled through West Virginia and stopped at a gas station or convenience store, you may have noticed a plethora of postcards with the “world’s largest teapot”. At approximately 14 feet high, this teapot was built as a keg for a root beer company. It changed hands several times over the decades, and it underwent a major restoration in the 1990s. Depending on what side of the river in the state's Northern Panhandle, you can see the teapot lit up at night like a beacon to travelers looking for a little levity on their road trip.

One of the Largest Rubik's Cubes, Tennessee

The world’s largest Rubik’s Cube stood at the entrance of the 1982 Knoxville World’s Fair. Weighing in at 1,200 pounds and standing more than 10 feet high, this Rubik’s Cube wasn’t something someone could solve on their own. Over the course of the World’s Fair, the colors and patterns on the cube changed throughout the day. Once the fair was over, the city had no clue what to do with the Rubik’s Cube, and it fell into disrepair. Once exposed by local journalists, the city worked to repair and restore the cube to its former glory and was moved indoors for the 2007 Knoxville World’s Fair. This is a sight to see for travelers, even if it once again fell into bad shape with no word on whether it’ll be repaired again.

Gnome Chomsky, New York

Garden gnomes either make you smile or cringe. No matter how creative, tacky, or scary they may be, you’ve no doubt come across them on your travels. But you may not have come across this 2006 project called “Gnome on the Grange.” Celebrating the local farming community in New York at Kelder’s Farm, the giant gnome can be seen from the road—standing at 15’ tall, it’s hard to miss! At one time, Gnome on the Range held the title of Guinness World Record for Tallest Concrete Gnome.

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22 Quirky Roadside Attractions That Will Remind You How Weird America Is

Sarah McCosham

I write like it's my job - because it is! I have a Master's in English and love words: crossword puzzles, Scrabble games, Wordle, and, of course, good, old-fashioned books. I'm a writer and editor at OnlyInYourState, and a contributing writer at Cincinnati Magazine. I love the Great Outdoors and am endlessly awestruck by this beautiful country of ours. Coffee keeps me going, yoga keeps me sane, my kids keep me grounded, and my writing keeps me inspired.

More by this Author

America is a patchwork of attractions and experiences, with each state and region home to its own unique color, culture, and roadside attractions . For proof of this, simply look at the various roadside attractions found across the U.S. of A. From larger-than-life landmarks and monoliths to staggering sculptures and showpieces, America’s roadside attractions are as varied as they are extraordinary. Here are 22 quirky roadside attractions that will remind you just how weird — and wonderful — America really is.

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Editor’s note: This Bucket List originally listed a Wigwam Village in Kentucky that doesn’t align with what we’re seeking to do at OnlyInYourState; that is, promote places and experiences for everyone, that are in no way offensive, exclusive, or alienating. 

While all of these roadside attractions can be considered a bit quirky, there’s so much more beyond their initial shock value. Each of these attractions tells a story — some of American triumph and tragedy; others, fables passed down through generations; and some stand to represent big cultural moments and events in our county’s history. These roadside attractions are wholly, wonderfully American, and worth exploring on your next bucket list adventure !

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

More to Explore

Roadside attractions.

What are some of the most bizarre roadside attractions in the US?

Americans, it seems, have a thing for Paul Bunyan. We get it; the lumberjack is quite legendary, but in the U.S., he's a larger-than-life legend... quite literally! In addition to the Paul Bunyan statue in Minnesota (see above), there's a massive Paul Bunyan statue on the streets of Portland . At 31 feet tall, Mr. B most definitely stands out as one of the state's more bizarre roadside attractions; however, in a state known for keeping it weird, Portlanders happily accept this massive monolith as part of the town scenery. But that's not the only place in the West where you'll find him; standing tall and in full view of Highway 101 in Northern California, Paul Bunyan and his faithful blue ox, Babe, are the first thing visitors see when stopping at Trees of Mystery in Klamath . Standing 49-feet tall, the current Paul Bunyan statue was constructed all the way back in 1961! However, it took them a few tries to get it right. The first statue was made from papier mache and only lasted a year before Paul's head melted during a winter rain. And over on the East Coast, Paul Bunyan has been keeping a watchful eye over the good folks of Bangor, Maine , for decades. Gifted to the good people of Maine by a group of builders from NYC on the occasion of their 125th anniversary, the statue has been a prominent feature of Bass Park in Bangor since 1959.

What are some must-visit roadside attractions *and* road trips in America?

They don't call 'em "roadside attractions" for nothing; these unique sites are found along some of the country's most amazing road trips, giving beleaguered road warriors a fun reason to stop and enjoy the scenery. The American Discovery Trail is an epic coast-to-coast journey that absolutely belongs on any adventurer’s bucket list. It’s 6,800 miles of continuous, multi-use trails that stretch from Cape Henlopen State Park in Delaware to Pt. Reyes National Seashore in California, with numerous points of interest (and yes, roadside attractions) in between.

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Home » Roadside Attractions Blog » Roadside Attractions » 50 Weird Roadside Attractions in the United States

50 Weird Roadside Attractions in the United States

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A hotel shaped like a potato. An oversized condiment bottle in the sky. More oversized animals than you can count. The world’s largest ball of twine. And…a Thing??? The American landspace if full of strange, odd, and weird roadside attractions.

Roadside attractions are quirky things made to draw travelers off the highway to gawk. Usually, they are not the destination but rather a detour that breaks up a long road trip across America.

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These weird roadside attractions are worthy of not only being a layover on your way to where you’re going, they are destinations in themselves. Get ready to pull over for these world’s largest things, quirky outdoor artworks, over-the-top oddities and all the weirdest roadside attractions in the United States of America!

The Enchanted Highway

World’s largest ball of twine, trees of mystery, albert the bull – the world’s largest bull , world’s largest beagle: dog bark park inn, giant hot dog, wild blueberry land & the giant blueberry.

• Hole N" The Rock

Field of Giant Corn Cobs

Lucy the elephant, dinosaur kingdom ii, the creede fork: the largest fork in america, the coffee pot, farnham fantasy farm (the farnham colossi), house on the rock, prada marfa, vollis simpson whirligig park, harvey the rabbit, ufo welcome center, seven magic mountains, spoonbridge and cherry, salvation mountain, the world’s largest catsup bottle, 31-foot tall paul bunyan statue, bangor, world’s largest buffalo monument, big idaho potato hotel, the fremont troll, mothman statue, world’s largest cherry pie(s), teako’s giants of hatch.

• Longaberger's World's Largest Picnic Basket

Paul Bunyan & Babe the Blue Ox Statues

World’s largest chest of drawers, blue whale of catoosa, gaffney peachoid, the big duck.

• Salem Sue, The World's Largest Holstein Cow

Big Things in a Small Town: Casey, Illinois

World’s largest teapot, elmer’s bottle tree ranch, former world’s largest jackalope, world’s only corn palace, 50 weird roadside attractions in the united states:.

607 Main St, Regent, North Dakota

Take a road trip down Enchanted Highway to see some of the biggest and best roadside attractions in North Dakota . Metal sculptor Gary Greff created these giant sculptures in order to lure people off the nearby highway and into the town of Regent. His plan is to create ten over-the-top creations and, so far, seven have been completed, including a giant Tin Family, a Covey of Pheasants, the World’s Largest Grasshopper, a giant leaping deer (Deer Crossing), and a big metal fish (Fisherman’s Dream).

719 Wisconsin St, Cawker City, Kansas

In 1953 Frank Stoeber started the innocent task of rolling spare bits of sisal twine he found in his barn into a ball. Eight years later that ball grew to 11-feet in diameter and contained over 1,600,000 feet of twine. This was an impressive accomplishment for any one man, but when another man in Darwin, Minnesota out twined his ball, the locals got to work. They organized an annual Twine-A-Thon and this Kansas roadside attraction has continued growing ever since. As of 2018, the world’s largest ball of twine contained over 8 million feet of twine and weighed over 10 tons.

5500 US-101, Klamath, California

Trees of Mystery opened in 1931 and is one of California’s oldest roadside attractions . The mountainside park offers panoramic scenic views of California redwoods with a side of kitsch. There are sky ride gondolas to take you to the tree tops. There’s an Indian museum. There are chainsaw sculptures along the paths. And, there’s the pièce de résistance, the main draw to the Trees of Mystery forest hike: a 49-foot tall Paul Bunyan statue and 35-foot companion Babe the Blue Ox.

2151 Co Rd 59, Alliance, Nebraska

Perhaps the most famous Nebraska roadside attraction , Carhenge is a replica of England’s Stonehenge… but made from cars. Standing at 96 feet in diameter and made up of thirty eight gray-painted cars, the roadside attraction was created in 1987 by experimental artist Jim Reinders. This is a must-stop item to add to any Nebraska road trip itinerary and it the perfect start or end to a Sandhills Journey road trip .

115 Circle Dr, Audubon, Iowa

Albert the Bull, the world’s largest bull , has been an icon of the Iowa town of Audubon since he was dedicated on October 21, 1964. He was conceptualized to represent the booming local beef industry and to be a tourist attraction to draw passersby from the highway. Nowadays over 20,000 visitors visit the Iowa roadside attraction every year. Albert weighs 45 tons and stands at 30 feet tall and 33 feet long.

2421 Business Loop 95, Cottonwood, Idaho

Have you ever wanted to sleep in a giant beagle? You’re in luck! In Cottonwood, Idaho you’ll find the World’s Largest Beagle AKA Sweet Willy AKA Dog Bark Park Inn : a beagle shaped bed and breakfast! The 30-foot tall dog is the creation of folk artists Dennis Sullivan and Frances Conklin. They originally built a 12-foot dog hoping to lure in travelers. After their plan worked they had a realization: if a 12-foot dog brings visitors imagine how many more would come to see a 30-foot dog! When construction began on this Idaho roadside attraction , the giant beagle wasn’t originally slated to be a habitable hotel, but as it progressed it became clear that the doggy would be a doghouse! The world’s largest beagle sleeps four, and pets are welcome, but book far in advance if you want to stay overnight.

Wienerlicious, 102 E Central Ave, Mackinaw City, Michigan

Mackinaw City is a Michigan vacation destination. Known for its relaxing beaches, historic parks, shopping, restaurants, and giant hot dog! In 2014, local hot dog joint Wienerlicious installed the world’s largest wiener on their roof. The world’s largest hot dog is a Michigan roadside attraction topped with all the fixins including mustard, relish, onion, and peppers!

1067 US-1, Columbia Falls, Maine

The giant blueberry is the centerpiece of Wild Blueberry Land in Columbia Falls. Since 2001 the blue domed building has served as a coffee shop and gift shop serving up homemade blueberry jam, pastries, and other sweets. Come to grab a slice of blueberry pie at this Maine roadside attraction and stay to admire the giant blueberry-shaped building, the pie-holding fiberglass chef out front, and all the other blueberry-themed decor around the grounds.

Hole N” The Rock

11037 US-191, Moab, Utah

Hole N” The Rock is probably the most famous roadside attraction in Utah . It is a unique, 5,000 square-foot home carved out of a huge rock in Utah’s Canyonlands Country. Albert Christensen created the home in the 1940s, where he lived with his family and continually build until his death in 1957. Here you can take a guided tour of the home, visiting 14 rooms carved out of rock (including a bathroom dubbed “a toilet in a tomb”) and admiring the original furnishings, Albert’s paintings, and his wife Gladys’s doll collection. You can also visit a trading post for locally made fare and shop for one-of-a-kind souvenirs.

4995 Rings Rd, Dublin, Ohio

In a large field off of the highway in Dublin, there stand 109 human-sized ears of corn each standing at 6 feet 3 inches (1.9 m) tall and each weighing in at a whopping 1500 pounds (680 kg.). Known to some as the Field of Giant Corn Cobs , to others as just Cement Corn and, to others, as “Cornhenge” this Ohio roadside attraction is actually called “Field of Corn (with Osage Oranges)” and was designed and created by artist Malcolm Cochran, a professor of sculpture at the Ohio State University.  The piece was commissioned by Dublin Art Council ’s Dublin Art in Public Places program and was installed in 1994.

9200 Atlantic Ave, Margate City, New Jersey

Standing at six-stories tall and weighing over 90 tons, Lucy the Elephant in Margate City, New Jersey is the world’s largest elephant. Lucy was built in 1881 by real estate developer James V. Lafferty. The giant elephant originally functioned as a real estate office and then for various other businesses through the years, from a summer home to a tavern. By the 1960s the poor elephant had seen better days, laying abandoned and dilapidated. Luckily for tourists to come, the citizens of Margate raised money to restore this New Jersey roadside attraction to her former glory and she is now the pride of Margate City and a National Historic Landmark.

5781 S Lee Hwy, Natural Bridge, Virginia

Dinosaur Kingdom II is not your usual Jurassic park. Step inside this weird roadside attraction and you’ll enter a fictional alternate reality of the Civil War in which the Yankee army is defeated by Dinosaurs. Built by Artist Mark Cline (the Virginia artist who has had several pieces pop up on this list of the best Virginia roadside attractions ), here you will find dinos attacking Union soldiers, a mad scientist, a variety of monsters, and a statue of general Stonewall Jackson outfitted with a 15-foot-long robotic arm.

Cascada Bar and Grill, 981 La Garita St, Creede, Colorado

The Creede Fork is a Colorado roadside attraction created by local artists Chev and Ted Yund after being commissioned by the owner of a local Mexican restaurant ( Cascada Bar and Grill) . The 39-foot tall, 600-pound, hand-welded aluminum utensil was purposely built to become the Largest Fork in America, edging out the previous record holder, the Giant Fork in Springfield, Missouri .

714 W Pitt St, Bedford, Pennsylvania

The Coffee Pot is one of the best roadside attractions in Pennsylvania and a fun stop on a Lincoln Highway road trip. David Berton Koontz built the big, 18-foot tall by 22-foot wide coffee pot in 1927 to attract customers to his adjacent service station. The novelty building fell into disrepair after the business closed in the 1980s but has since been fully restored by the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor and moved to the Bedford County Fairgrounds where it now serves as a museum.

14633 Winchester Grade Rd, Unger, West Virginia

George and Pam Farnham are pack rats with a penchant for anything big and fiberglass. They moved to their West Virginia home in the 1980s and after lucking out on eBay, added a muffler man to their yard. But the couple couldn’t stop at just one roadside attraction. The muffler man turned into a fiberglass beach dude and that turned into a Big John Grocery Clerk and that turned into a Uniroyal Gal. Their collection has grown exponentially over the years adding everything from a giant apple to a full collection of Simpsons characters. Stop by this West Virginia roadside attraction to see a menagerie of fiberglass giants (but be respectful, its their private property).

5754 WI-23, Spring Green, Wisconsin

Alex Jordan built a house on a 60-foot chimney of rock in Wisconsin in the 1940s. Today, House on the Rock is perhaps the most well-known tourist attraction in Wisconsin . Filled to the brim with collections of lanterns, musical instruments, lights, dollhouses, and more, the 14-room house will take you hours to explore. Be sure to visit the world’s largest indoor carousel and its 269 carousel animals, a highlight of the kooky attraction.

14880 US-90, Valentine, Texas

If you’re driving in the middle of the Texas desert and you see a Prada store up ahead, you might think it is just a mirage. But it’s real. Well, sort of. Prada Marfa looks just like a luxury boutique, merchandise and all, but it was never an actual functioning store. The fake Prada store was designed as a “pop architectural land art project” from Berlin-based artists Elmgreen and Dragset in 2005 and quickly became a must-see quirky Texas roadside attraction .

301 Goldsboro St S, Wilson, North Carolina

Farm machinery repairman Vollis Simpson began making his “whirligigs” — giant kinetic sculptures and pinwheels — as he approached retirement and continued until he died at 94 in 2013. His impressive whirligigs were built using salvaged debris and were made in various shapes and sizes, some spanning up to 60-feet tall. The colorful sculptures look like carnival rides in the sky, rocket ships, bicycles, and more. When the towers started falling into disrepair, the North Carolina roadside attractions were purchased by a nearby town, restored, and moved to what is now the official Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park where they will be able to be admired for years to come.

21250 SW Tualatin Valley Hwy, Aloha, Oregon

Harvey the Rabbit started his life as an abandoned Texaco Big Friend statue. When Ed Harvey (1928-2017) of Harvey Marine in Aloha, Oregon got his hands on the 20-foot-tall statue he turned it from a he to a hare. This 26-foot tall half man half rabbit has become a fixture in the town, revered by both locals and tourists alike. Ed passed away in 2017, and Harvey Marine closed, but the giant rabbit and Oregon roadside attraction still stands with no plans of hopping away.

4004 Homestead Rd, Bowman, South Carolina

If extraterrestrials want to land on planet Earth, there’s a place in South Carolina waiting to welcome them. Jody Pendarvis built the UFO Welcome Center out scrap metal, wood pieces, and other castaways. Two UFO-shaped structures sit stacked on top of one another, one 46-foot across (the same diameter as a typical UFO) and the second a refuge for Jody, so the aliens can take him with when they leave again. So far no aliens have made their way to this South Carolina roadside attraction , but, in the meantime, the Bowman UFO attracts plenty of tourists.

S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, Nevada

Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone’s Seven Magic Mountains is a public art installation south of Las Vegas. The artwork features seven 30-foot towers made from colorful, stacked boulders, set against the dark Ivanpah Valley landscape. Seven Magic Mountains was was produced by the Nevada Museum of Art and Art Production Fund in 2016 and was only supposed to stay up for two years but it proved to be such a popular Nevada roadside attraction , its contact was extended.

14357 Loring Greenway, Minneapolis, Minneapolis

Spoonbridge and Cherry is a giant pop art sculpture that depicts a big cherry resting on a big spoon. This weird roadside attraction was created by artist Claes Oldenburg and his wife, Coosje van Bruggen. It was commissioned in 1985 for the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden at Walker Art Center and installed and inaugurated in 1988. The stainless steel and aluminum sculpture is 29 feet 6 inches tall by 51 feet 6 inches long by 13 feet 6 inches wide. The 5,000 pound the spoon carries a 1,200 pound cherry!

Beal Rd, Calipatria, California

Salvation Mountain is a giant piece of artwork and visionary environment that attracts visitors from all around the world to the desert to marvel at the Imperial County attraction. Made from adobe, straw, and paint, the colorful hill is decorated with Christian sayings and bible verses alongsize flowers, trees, suns, and messages of love. It was created by Leonard Knight (1931–2014) who began the work in 1985 and called it a tribute to God.

305 Railroad Ave, Collinsville, Illinois

While you won’t find any actual ketchup in this giant condiment container, it’s one of the biggest, best, and most recognizable roadside attractions in Illinois . At 170-feet tall, the world’s largest catsup bottle has stood high above Collinsville, Illinois, since 1949, serving as a water tower for the town that once was home to the company who bottled Brooks catsup.

Bass Park, 519 Main St, Bangor, Maine

Tall, dark, and handsome, the 31-foot tall Paul Bunyan statue is on one of the most popular roadside attractions in Maine . Bangor, Maine claims to be birthplace of the lumbar industry and the birthplace of Paul Bunyan (so does Minnesota , but whatever) so it’s only right that they would pay tribute to this giant man with a giant statue. The sign next to this Bunyan declares him to be the “largest statue of Paul Bunyan in the world,” and, at 31-feet tall and 3,700 pounds, it’s hard to argue. This Paul is a local favorite and a celebrity: author Stephen King brought him to life in his 1986 novel, IT.

2631 N Johnson Rd, Benson, Arizona

There are more than 200 signs for “The Thing” next to the road between El Paso, Texas, and Tucson, Arizona. And my theory if that many sign beg for you to stop, you stop. While The Thing was once a sleepy Arizona roadside attraction , it was remodeled in 2018 to take its kook up a notch. Enter The Thing and be prepared for an exhibit of dinosaurs, aliens, pharaohs, and conspiracy theories. All of this leads to The Thing itself. What is The Thing? You’ll have to follow the road signs and see for yourself.

404 Louis Lamour Ln, Jamestown, North Dakota

The World’s Largest Buffalo Monument (nicknamed Dakota Thunder) in Jamestown, North Dakota, is a must-see road trip stop for any weird roadside attraction lover! At 26 feet tall, 46 feet long, and weighing in at 60 tons, this big bison is certainly a site to behold! The giant buffalo was commissioned in 1959 to entice passersby from the newly-constructed I-94 segment that passed through their town.

George Parks Hwy, Cantwell, Alaska (mile post 188.5)

In 1972 Leon Smith set out to build a three-story tall igloo-shaped hotel called Igloo Lodge. While the outside facade, an 80-foot tall by 105-foot wide dome, was completed, he never quite finished the interior and it never opened as planned. Decades later the abandoned igloo still stands on a plot of land between Anchorage and Denali. While you can’t stay in Igloo City, it makes for some fun Instagram photo ops and an eerie Alaska roadside attraction to visit on a road trip.

31581 S. Orchard Access Rd, Orchard, Idaho

The Big Potato Hotel in Boise began its life in 2012 as The Big Idaho Potato — a 6-ton giant steel, concrete, and plaster potato that traveled across the US to promote the Idaho Potato Commission on the Big Idaho Potato tour. For seven years the giant spud traveled across 48 states, nearly 175,000 miles, spreading the potato live across America. At 28-feet long, 12-feet wide, and 11.5-feet tall it was one BIG potato! In 2019 it was converted into an AirBNB and visitors can admire this giant potato from the road or book a night to sleep in the spud.

510 Main St, Wall, South Dakota

Follow the barrage of road signs to Wall Drug Store , a popular South Dakota roadside attraction and tourist trap in Wall, SD. The Western-themed shopping mall features a drug store, gift shop, restaurants, travelers church, taxidermy, a giant Jackalope, an 80-foot brontosaurus, and free ice water for all.

N 36th St, Fremont, Seattle, Washington

In 1989 the Fremont Arts Council in Seattle, Washington, held a contest to select an idea for an art project to occupy the space under the Aurora Bridge. Disillusioned by the idea of the space becoming a waste dump, they wanted to do something different and more imaginative. After five projects were picked, the community voted and the Fremont bridge troll received overwhelming support. The Fremont Troll was a collaboration by artists Steve Badanes, Will Martin, Donna Walter, and Ross Whitehead and is an amazing 2-ton, 18-foot creature made from rebar steel, wire and 2 tons of ferroconcrete. One shining eye of this Washington roadside attraction watches for visitors and billy goats alike and in one hand he clutches an actual Volkswagen Beetle.

201 4th St, Point Pleasant, West Virginia

The legend of Mothman has been popular in the Point Pleasant area since 1966 when locals started reporting sightings of a strange flying humanoid monster with red eyes, a 10-foot wingspan, and the face of an insect. While the creature has been around for many years, his popularity surged after the release of the movie The Mothman Prophesies in 2002. On the day of the film’s premiere, West Virginia’s secretary of state announced that they would build a monument dedicated to this local urban legend. A 12-foot tall polished steel Mothman statue was erected in downtown Point Pleasant and, in 2006, the Mothman Museum and Research Center opened across the street with history, film props, and souvenirs.

World’s Largest Ball of Paint

10696 N 200 W, Alexandria, Indiana

The world’s largest ball of paint has been continually growing since 1977. It was then that Mike Carmichael and his son dropped a baseball into a can of paint and decided to just keep going. Now, over 40 years later it’s gathered over 24,000 coats of paint and weighs more than 3,000 pounds. Visit the world’s largest ball of paint to admire its vastness and contribute to the Indiana roadside attraction for yourself. Visitors are encouraged to paint on their own layer (just be sure to email or call ahead – this roadside oddity is by appointment only).

6549-6717 US-31, Charlevoix, Michigan 3424 Cass Rd, Traverse City, Michigan

Two towns in Michigan claim to have the world’s largest cherry pie: Charlevoix and Traverse City. Charlevoix’s was built 1976, when the town baked the World’s Largest Cherry Pie as part of the their annual cherry festival. In order to bake it, they needed to make a pan big enough to hold it. The pie ended up weighing 17,420 pounds and today the original pan is displayed proudly in the town, complete with a slice of replica pie. In 1987, Traverse City stepped up to the pie plate to outdo their neighbor. At their local cherry festival they made a 28,350 pound cherry pie. The pan is still on display in front of the former Chef Pierre Bakeries plant, complete with a faded certificate from Guinness World Records.

Sparkys, 115 Franklin St, Hatch, New Mexico

Stop at Sparkys for a famous Hatch green chile burger (or a green chile shake), but be sure to save some time to admire the explosion of New Mexico roadside attractions that decorate the outside. There’s everything from an A&W root beer family to a burger-eating robot to a giant 30-foot tall Uncle Sam to a big pig to an enormous KFC bucket. The collection belongs to owner Teako Nunn who has been obsessed with fiberglass giants since he was a kid.

Longaberger’s World’s Largest Picnic Basket

1500 E Main St, Newark, Ohio

The World’s Largest Picnic Basket was once the corporate headquarters to the Longaberger Basket Company. The giant basket was constructed to be an over-the-top replica of Longaberger’s Medium Market Basket, only standing at 160 times larger than it’s normal-sized counterpart. At seven-stories tall, it is 192 feet long and 126 feet wide at the base and 208 feet long and 142 feet wide at the roof, this Ohio roadside attraction is certainly the world’s largest basket. Alas, the business has since closed and the big basket laid vacant for many years. But there is hope for its future: a developer bought the property in 2017 and announced in 2019 that it would be turned into a hotel.

300 Bemidji Ave N, Bemidji, Minnesota

Minnesota legend says that it’s 10,000 lakes were formed when Paul Bunyan’s footprints were filled with water. So it’s not wonder that Minnesota’ best roadside attraction revolve around this folklore giant. The Paul Bunyan & Babe the Blue Ox Statues in Bemidji are said to be the “second most photographed statues in the United States” (behind Mount Rushmore). The 18-foot tall lumberjack wearing a red plaid shirt and blue pants was created in 1937 for a local winter carnival, and the 10-foot Babe the Blue Ox was added beside him in 1939. This pair isn’t just one of the best roadside attractions in Minnesota , they are also some of the earliest! In 1988 the duo was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

508 North Hamilton St., High Point, North Carolina

First built in the 1920s by the High Point Chamber of Commerce, the World’s Largest Chest of Drawers pays homage to the town’s status as the “Home Furnishing Capital of the World.” The first incarnation of this North Carolina roadside attraction was just twenty feet tall, but in a 1996 renovation, more levels were added, creating the 38-foot tall dresser that stands there today. The huge cartoon-like structure, complete with oversized drawers, golden pulls and a pair of mismatched socks, towers over tourists, the traffic lights, and the nearby buildings.

2600 Rte 66, Catoosa, Oklahoma

The Blue Whale of Catoosa has been a Route 66 icon since 1972. Hugh Davis originally built the giant 80-foot-long blue sperm whale adjacent to their alligator farm as an anniversary present for his wife Zelta and their kids. It soon became the centerpiece of their Route 66 attraction, Nature’s Acres, and a much beloved Oklahoma roadside attraction for travelers on the Mother Road and beyond. After the park closed in 1988, the giant whale fell into disrepair, but today it is maintained by a local group, preserving this piece of nostalgia for modern road trippers.

Peachoid Rd, Gaffney, South Carolina

If you’re looking for a giant peach you might have Georgia on your mind. But this giant peach is found in South Carolina. Gaffney is known as the “Peach Capital of South Carolina” and they celebrate their nickname with the world’s largest peach. The giant peach is 135 feet tall and is garnished with a7-ton, 60-foot long leaf. It functions as the town’s water tower and hold one million gallons of water inside!

The World’s Largest Fish

10360 Hall of Fame Dr, Hayward, Wisconsin

Over 100,000 people visit the  National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame  in Hayward, Wisconsin every year. While they might be there to explore the world record fish archives or peruse the collection of lures and artifacts, the highlight is “Shrine to Anglers.” The world’s largest fish (which is also the world’s largest fiberglass sculpture, period) portrays a leaping muskellunge (muskie) that stretches one-half city block long and four and a half stories tall.

1012 NY-24, Flanders, New York

The Big Duck is a classic Long Island New York roadside attraction . The giant fowl was originally built in 1931 to serve as a duck-shaped poultry store. Farmer Martin Maurer commissioned the mimetic building as a way to entice people to buy his ducks and duck eggs. The 10-ton, 20-foot tall, 30-foot long, 18-foot wide bird is made of concrete and has the headlights of a Model T Ford for eyes. The Flanders landmark is still a popular site today where is now lives in a park and serves as a souvenir gift shop.

Haines Shoe House

197 Shoe House Rd, York, Pennsylvania

In the late 1940s “Shoe Wizard” Colonel Mahlon Nathaniel Haines had a 5-story, 25-foot tall, 48-foot long boot constructed off the highway to advertise his booming shoe store empire. The Haines Shoe House is still an incredible example of mimetic architecture and popular Pennsylvania roadside attraction . Stop by for a tour, a scoop of ice cream, and a shoe-venir!

Salem Sue, The World’s Largest Holstein Cow

8th Ave. N, New Salem, North Dakota

You can’t miss seeing Salem Sue, the World’s Largest Holstein Cow when traveling through New Salem on a North Dakota road trip . And I mean that in two ways. One, she is absolutely one of the best and biggest world’s largest things, so it would be a travesty to drive by without at least taking a peek. And two, she’s just so big that she is IMPOSSIBLE to miss! This giant fiberglass cow stands at 38 feet tall and 50 feet wide and weighs in at an impressive 12,000 pounds (6 tons). Perched on a hill overlooking New Salem, you can spot her from up to five miles away!

Casey, Illinois

Casey, Illinois is the definition of “go big or go home.” Known for their “ big things in a small town ,” Casey features many Guinness World Record certified world’s largest things. It’s the home to the giant and world’s largest rocking chair , wind chime , knitting needles , pitchfork , golf tee , yardstick , Dutch wooden shoes , mailbox , pencil , birdcage , key , teeter-totter , gavel , golf club , swizzle spoon , barber’s pole , and more. It’s impossible to pick just one roadside attraction to make the list of best Illinois roadside attractions , so the entire town makes the list! If you’re going to visit Illinois, this is a point of interest you can’t miss.

Chester, West Virginia

The world’s largest teapot wasn’t always a teapot. This West Virginia roadside attraction was originally built to be a hogshead barrel for Hires Root Beer. When the building was brought to Chester in 1938 a large handle, spout, and lid were added to transform it to a teapot in order to celebrate Chester’s claim to the largest pottery industry in the world. The Chester Teapot stands at 14-feet tall and 14-feet in diameter.

24266 National Trails Hwy, Oro Grande, California

Elmer Long (1946-2019) was a scrap metal artist who began filling his property with trees made from metal pipes and recycled glass bottles in 2000. By 2019, he had created over 200 ethereal glass trees, filling his lawn with a forest worth of brilliant glass sculptures. His glass tree ranch has become a must-stop for Route 66 travelers following the Mother Road.

100-198 S 3rd St, Douglas, Wyoming

Douglas, Wyoming is the self-proclaimed “Jackalope Capital of the World,” and they don’t take that title lightly. In the middle of town that celebrates the mythical jackrabbit antelope hybrid, you’ll find Jackalope Square, anchored by an eight-foot tall jackalope sculpture. The town has since erected multiple other jackalope monuments: the new World’s Largest Jackalope at the Douglas Railroad Interpretive Center and a 13-foot tall metal silhouette on top of a hill. All of these Wyoming roadside attractions are worth a detour on a road trip, but the OG in the square is the most beloved.

Cox Farms, 15621 Braddock Rd, Centreville, Virginia

Can’t make it to England to cross Stonehenge off your bucket list? No worries, you can see the next best thing right here in the United States: Foamhenge , Virginia’s Stonehenge made of foam. Artist and fiberglass sculptor Mark Cline of Enchanted Castle Studio made this full-scale styrofoam replica of the iconic English tourist attraction and unveiled it in 2004. This Virginia roadside attraction spent many years in Natural Bridge before moving to its new home at Cox Farms in Centreville.

604 N Main St, Mitchell, South Dakota

Mitchell Corn Palace, the world’s only corn palace , is an “a-maize-ing” South Dakota road trip stop that was built to celebrate the local corn harvest. The concrete castle is covered in thousands of bushels of corn and grain making striking murals in rotating themes across the walls. Stop by to admire the artwork, get some selfies with a giant ear of corn, learn the history on a tour, and shop for corny souvenirs.

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Valerie Bromann

Founder & road trip expert.

Valerie Bromann is a a website manager, content creator, and writer from Chicago, Illinois (currently living in Dallas, Texas). As an avid road tripper who has visited hundreds of roadside attractions, Val always pull over for a world’s largest thing. Founder of Silly America and author of The Road Trip Journal & Activity Book , she visits, photographs, and writes about all the weird tourist destinations she visits and offers road trip planning advice and inspiration based on her own travels so you can hit the road for yourself.

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Last modified: April 4, 2022 Category: Roadside Attractions

Best Roadside Attractions in Each State

Legend of the piasa bird in alton, illinois, share this post ⤵.

BY Valerie Bromann

The road trip you’ve been dreaming of starts here! Journal about your stops and get to know your fellow passengers with activities and exercises designed to pass the time and bring you closer together. Instead of “Are we there yet?” you’ll find yourself asking, “We’re there already?”. Complete with prompts you can turn to while driving between locations, this journal will one day be a memento of your life-changing trip.

Silly America

Silly America is a roadside attractions blog designed to help travelers find unique stops for their next road trip. The website is a tribute to the great American road trip, devoted to all that is odd in America: roadside attractions, tourist traps, peculiar destinations, bizarre events, road food, fun festivals, and more! It’s a travel website and trip planner for those seeking an offbeat road trip.

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17 Weird Roadside Attractions In The USA To Visit Next

We could have easily listed 100+ destinations, one funkier than the next. Because oh boy, there’s a lot of weird stuff out there! But we tried to keep it short and sweet. This is our take on some of the most weird roadside attractions in the USA, attractions that are still standing today. PSA: there’s a lot of car-themed spots featured on the list.

1. The Shoe Tree – Middlegate, Nevada

2. Muffler Man – various spots

3. Salem Sue – New Salem, North Dakota

4. World’s Largest Pistachio – Alamogordo, New Mexico

5. Car Forest – Goldfield, Nevada

6. The Enchanted Highway – Regent, North Dakota

7. VW Slug Bug Ranch – Panhandle, Texas

8. Barstow Station – Barstow, California

9. World’s Largest Teapot – Chester, West Virginia

10. The Ave Maria Grotto – Cullman, Alabama

11. The Unclaimed Baggage Center – Scottsboro, Alabama

The Unclaimed Baggage Center is a retail store located in Scottsboro in Jackson County, Alabama. The store’s concept is the reselling of lost or unclaimed airline luggage. Over a million customers visit the 50,000-square-foot (4,600 m2) store each year to browse through some of the 7,000 items added each day.

Stop by this hotspot, a store that sells items from lost luggage. It’s a treasure trove of a ton of things, from self care items to laptops.

12. Cadillac Ranch – Amarillo, Texas

13. World’s Largest Ball of Twine – Cawker City, Kansas

14. Salvation Mountain – Niland, California

15. Carhenge – Alliance, Nebraska

16. The Blue Whale – Catoosa, Oklahoma

Recommended reading next : 21 Weird Conventions : Strange Hobbies Bringing People Together

17. The Hammer Museum – Haines, Alaska

That’s all the weird roadside attractions in the USA for today. If you know of more please share them in the comments. Have a good one!

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29 Weird And Wonderful Roadside Attractions In The US

Posted: April 17, 2024 | Last updated: April 17, 2024

From vast national parks to scenic stretches of coastline, the USA is road trip heaven. But it isn’t just about the big sights and the breathtaking roads – it wouldn’t be an American road trip without the quirky stuff thrown in along the route.

From kitsch diners and open-air art installations to otherworldly natural wonders, click or scroll on to discover the best and most unusual roadside attractions across the US...

Salvation Mountain, Calipatria, California

Local adobe clay, straw, thousands of gallons of donated paint and a lot of love were poured into creating Salvation Mountain, a vivid hillside monument in the Colorado Desert near Calipatria in southern California. It was created by local artist Leonard Knight, who began piecing it together in the 1980s as a symbol of his religious devotion.

He regularly updated it with messages and embellishments up until his death in 2014.

Doo Wop motels, Wildwood, New Jersey

New Jersey has its very own Ocean Drive, which skims along the Jersey Shore from Atlantic City to the golden beaches and retro amusement park of Cape May. En route is Wildwood, famous for its classic beach town vibes and fascinating strip of mid-century modern inns.

Known as ‘Doo Wop’ motels, they burst with colourful details like plastic palm trees, dolphin motifs and original 3D signage.

Carhenge, Alliance, Nebraska

Stonehenge might be shrouded in mystery but, in Nebraska, it’s all about Carhenge. This curious sculpture, off Highway 59, was created in 1987 by Jim Reinders as a tribute to his father.

He used 39 old cars to replicate the original Neolithic stone circle which is in Salisbury, England, UK.

Iowa 80, Walcott, Iowa

Haines Shoe House, Hellam, Pennsylvania

A shoe-shaped house on Shoe House Road? It’s all part of the classic US road trip. The Haines Shoe House was built in 1949 by an eccentric shoe salesman (of course) originally as an advertising gimmick. It later became a holiday rental and remains one today.

The 25-foot-long and 48-foot-tall boot sleeps six people and has gorgeous design details, including wall murals and stained-glass windows adorned with… shoes. The street on which it sits, just off the Lincoln Highway, was renamed in its honor.

Unclaimed Baggage Center, Scottsboro, Alabama

There’s something enduringly fascinating about the stuff people lose or leave behind. That’s the premise behind the Unclaimed Baggage Center, which is filled with, well, unclaimed baggage.

The center takes in luggage left behind on domestic airlines and, if they can’t track the owners, selects items for sale. It's essentially a huge second-hand store stuffed with finds ranging from designer handbags to diving helmets.

Other items are recycled or repurposed to be donated to communities in need.

Madonna Inn, San Luis Obispo, California

Madonna Inn – named for its founders, married couple Alex and Phyllis Madonna, rather than the Queen of Pop – is a palace of pink off US 101 in central California. The 1950s hotel’s exterior resembles an intricate wedding cake crossed with a scene from  The Flintstones , and the inside is even more outrageous with themed bedrooms and lipstick-pink bathrooms.

The flamboyant Gold Rush Steak House (pictured) serves some of the best burgers in the area, while the relatively subdued Copper Cafe is famous for huge wedges of cake.

Multnomah Falls, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

The most majestic waterfalls are usually reached via long hikes or long treks through forests. But this lofty beauty is right by the roadside. The upper portion of Multnomah Falls can even be viewed from the Historic Columbia River Highway.

The cascade crashes from 611 feet, with a stone bridge – built in 1914 – spanning its width.

Enchanted Highway sculptures, Regent, North Dakota

The 32-mile (51km) Highway 21, known as the Enchanted Highway, is an open-air gallery of huge sculptures crafted from scrap metal. There are seven pieces in total, created by Gary Greff.

They include the World’s Largest Tin Family and Geese in Flight, which is shaped like an eye (pictured). Some of the works can be seen from the I-94 but they’re at their surreal best viewed up close, looming through the windscreen.

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The Mammoth Orange, Redfield, Arkansas

If a giant orange by the roadside doesn’t seem strange enough, the fact that this is a burger restaurant – rather than a juice bar – makes this spot even more brilliantly bizarre. The Mammoth Orange can be found just off the road between Little Rock and Pine Bluff, and was built in 1966, inspired by a similar restaurant in Fresno, California.

The hot dogs and hamburgers are highly rated.

White Sands National Park, New Mexico

Drivers traveling along US Route 70 could be forgiven for thinking they’ve landed on another planet or somehow taken a wrong turn and ended up at an enormous, blazingly white beach. The alabaster dunes of White Sands National Park cover 275 square miles, making this the world’s largest gypsum dune field.

The white waves can be seen from the road, brightening the landscape between the San Andres and Sacramento mountain ranges.

Dog Bark Park, Cottonwood, Idaho

Just off the US-95, this 12-foot-tall sculpture of a giant beagle used to double as a place to stay, but now it's just a quirky (and free) roadside attraction. The 'dog house' was handcrafted by the original owners using a chainsaw.

They also created the series of sculptures, including a smaller dog and a fire hydrant, that dot the grassy grounds.

Ave Maria Grotto, Cullman, Alabama

To describe the Ave Maria Grotto as intricate would be an understatement. To describe its creator, Benedictine monk Brother Joseph Zoett, as dedicated would be even more so.

The park in Cullman, which opened in 1934, has 125 stone and cement structures depicting biblical passages, shrines, and miniature replicas of famous religious buildings including St Peter's Basilica and Lourdes Basilica Church.

Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah

The lunar-like landscape of Bonneville Salt Flats sprawls out for 30,000 awe-inspiring acres between Utah’s Salt Lake City and Wendover, Nevada. The salt pans are blazingly white, cracking and curling in the heat, with nothing growing or living on the surface.

There are several viewpoints along the I-80.

Bishop Castle, Rye, Colorado

It’s hard to believe this intricate monument is the product of one man’s imagination, let alone built by one man’s hands. The elaborate, self-built stone and iron structure has been chiseled, embellished, and decorated by Jim Bishop over six decades.

What started as a one-bedroom stone cottage is now a 16-story fortress with cathedral windows and a steel dragon. It’s just off Highway 165, which wiggles through central Colorado.

The Lone Cypress, Pebble Beach, California

Pebble Beach’s 17-Mile Drive, just north of pretty Carmel on California’s Central Coast, is a road trip within a road trip, looping off the Pacific Coast Highway. This isn’t a drive to rush: there’s a must-stop pretty much every few minutes, from beaches with harbor seals to this forlorn but noble-looking cypress tree, which occupies a solitary, salt-sprayed perch on a rock jutting over the ocean.

Jolly Green Giant, Blue Earth, Minnesota

Thor’s Well, Yachats, Oregon

America’s oddities aren’t limited to quirky cafes and giant sculptures. Sometimes, the natural world rivals the human imagination when it comes to strangeness. Take Thor’s Well.

Dubbed ‘the drainpipe of the Pacific,’ it sucks in water and swirls it around before spurting it out with optimum drama. It can be viewed at a safe distance from the parking area at Cook’s Chasm, off the coast-skimming US 101.

Mrs. Mac’s Kitchen, Key Largo, Florida

Wild donkeys, Oatman, Arizona

The tiny ghost town of Oatman, on historic Route 66, has some unusual residents – wild donkeys, or burros. The animals, which roam the streets, were originally brought here by prospectors and set loose in the surrounding mountains when the gold mine closed in 1942.

They’re so beloved – and such a part of the town’s fabric – they even feature on the welcome sign, and stores sell special ‘burro food.’

Prada Marfa, Texas

Desert oases tend to appear in the form of watery pools – but this looks like something springing from the imagination of a tired, hallucinogenic fan of high fashion. In some ways it is an illusion, as this Prada boutique on US Route 90 is an art installation, created in 2005 by Berlin-based artists Elmgreen and Dragset.

Although it does have real merchandise on display, the bags are bottomless and all the shoes are right-footed.

Bleu Horses, Three Forks, Montana

This striking series of steel statues is a prime example of art working beautifully with nature. From a distance, the 39 equine figures that make up Bleu Horses look very much like real horses – except they stay stunningly, silently still.

They were created by local artist Jim Dolan to stand watch from their hillside perch off Highway 287, just north of Three Forks.

Ben & Jerry's Flavor Graveyard, Waterbury, Vermont

Dinosaur World, Cave City, Kentucky

Shell Oil Clamshell, Winston-Salem, North Carolina

There were once eight of these striking gas stations in North Carolina, designed to bring the Shell logo vividly to life. Now just one of the bold 1930s structures remains, in the city of Winston-Salem.

The pumps no longer dispense petrol and the building has been closed since the 1950s, but it’s become a beloved curiosity in the town and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1976.

Hole N” The Rock, Moab, Utah

Carved out of a massive rock on US Highway 191, this unusual structure was created in the 1940s as a small alcove for the owners’ kids to sleep in. It gradually expanded into a 5,000-square-foot home with 14 rooms.

The unusual ‘house’ is usually open for brief tours so people can see how the Christensen family once lived. Things get even more bizarre with an on-site zoo housing zebras, camels, and bison.

Lucy the Elephant, Margate, New Jersey

Lucy the Elephant is rather old. The tin-and-wood structure was built in 1882, modeled after real-life elephant Jumbo who starred as the ‘Largest Elephant on Earth’ in PT Barnum’s circus.

She’s also rather large, looming over the coastal city of Margate at a lofty 65 feet and weighing 90 tons. She once housed offices and a restaurant, the bones of which you can see on a tour of her interior (accessed by spiral stairs hidden in her hind legs).

Rhyolite Ghost Town, Nevada

Rhyolite, near the eastern edge of Death Valley, boomed during the Gold Rush of the early 20th century but quickly went into decline and was deserted in 1916. The remnants – including a well-preserved railroad depot, school, bank, and general store – look especially eerie against the stark, shrubby, desert backdrop.

A scattering of art installations, added from 1984 and including a metal model of a miner with a penguin, take the scenery to an even more bizarre level.

Brooks Catsup Bottle Water Tower, Collinsville, Illinois

Officially the world’s largest catsup (or ketchup) bottle, this landmark just outside Collinsville is pure, joyful Americana. It was built in 1949 to supply water to the nearby Brooks ketchup factory and was saved from demolition in the 1990s. It’s now owned by a group of volunteers dedicated to its preservation and has been restored and added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Now discover your state's most mysterious place

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78 Weird Tourist Attractions Across America

Rick G./Yelp

Only in America

Millions of people have been to bucket-list attractions  like Gettysburg and the Grand Canyon. Far fewer have had the privilege of visiting a building shaped like a giant muskie. Every state in the country has offbeat attractions, from the amusing to the inspiring to the disturbing. If you feel like you've been there, done that, seen it all, check out one of these quirky places on your next road trip . 

Related: 30 Vintage Photos of Classic American Road Trips

Ave Maria Grotto

The Ave Maria Grotto  in Cullman is also known as "Jerusalem in Miniature." Handmade by a Benedictine monk, the grotto is home to 125 miniature replicas of historic buildings , events, and shrines from around the world. Many of the pieces were made with donated materials — everything from colored glass and pieces of marble to bathroom tiles. Visitors marvel at the detail.

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Aunt Claudia's Doll Museum

Dolls of all sizes and kinds populate the free Aunt Claudia's Doll Museum  in Juneau, the state capital, a few doors from the Alaskan Hotel, the oldest operating hotel in the state.

Casa Grande Ruins National Monument

Arizona At Casa Grande Ruins National Monument , about an hour's drive southeast of Phoenix, visitors can see the remains of one of the largest prehistoric structures in North America and tick a national monument  off their list. The Casa Grande and surrounding buildings and walls date back to about 1350. Entrance to the monument is free.

Christ of the Ozarks

Arkansas In Eureka Springs, an unusual theme park  draws large crowds of Christians. The main feature is " The Great Passion Play ," a nearly two-hour re-enactment of the last week in the life of Jesus Christ. Special effects and live animals complement the 150-person cast. There is also a 67-foot, 2 million-pound Christ of the Ozarks statue and, somewhat inexplicably, a section of the Berlin Wall. 

Related:   25 Amusement Parks That Aren't Horrible for Parents

The Bridge to Nowhere

California After a bridge in the San Gabriel Mountains was completed, a flood wiped out the road leading to it. With the road never replaced, it's now the "The Bridge to Nowhere" — only two hours from Los Angeles but accessible only by a manageable, if not epic , 5-mile hike with a free permit.

Related: The Best of California For Budget Vacations

Sea Glass Museum

California Beaches near Fort Bragg were once used as garbage dumps, until cleanup programs commenced in 1967. Although most of the trash was removed, small pieces of broken glass remained on the beaches, and the ocean smoothed their edges over time. Removing sea glass from the beaches is against the law (which may seem odd but isn't one of the weirdest laws  out there). Luckily, the   International Sea Glass Museum  offers free admission and sells sea glass jewelry.

Related: 55 Surprising Facts About America’s Beaches

The Trail of the Whispering Giants

Sculptor Peter Toth has one of these 20- to 40-foot giants in each state, but Colorado's stop on the Trail of the Whispering Giants in Loveland — "Redman," carved in 1979 from a 100-year-old fallen cottonwood tree — gets special attention because it's on the path to the visually stunning Rocky Mountain National Park .

Related: 10 Cheap Places to Stay Near Major National Parks

The Frog Bridge

Connecticut 

The nearly 500-foot Thread City Crossing spanning the Willimantic River would be unremarkable if not for its four 11-foot frog sculptures. The Frog Bridge commemorates a night in 1754 when everyone thought French troops were attacking the town — but the horrible racket was drought-panicked frogs fighting to the death over pond water.

Johnson Victrola Museum

Maybe it's no Nashville, but Dover is where recorded music came to be: Eldridge Reeves Johnson created the Victrola here. The free Johnson Victrola Museum  has some spectacular talking machines, along with an exhibit devoted to Nipper, the RCA mascot, and a recreated record shop circa 1910. Reservations must be made in advance. 

Related:  36 Bucket-List Destinations for Music Lovers

Monkey Island

Florida Want to see wild animals  up close? Aptly named, Monkey Island in Homosassa is inhabited by three monkeys: Ralph, Ebony, and Emily. Florida Cracker Riverside Resort , which owns the island and takes care of the animals, offers boat tours  and dinner cruises that promise an up-close look at the monkeys.

Danville B&B

Florida The Danville B&B  in Geneva is a whole tiny town, including a pub and theater, self-contained in an airplane hangar. It's a popular wedding rental and also has six unique lodging venues including a yurt, man cave, treehouse and old Florida homestead. Rates range from $90 to $300.

Expedition: Bigfoot

Georgia For those who think Bigfoot is out there somewhere, a trip to The Sasquatch Museum  in Cherry Log ($8 for adults, $6 for kids) will delight, with food allegedly seen being eaten by Bigfoot, his butt-print on a bed, up-to-date sighting maps, and more.

Georgia Guidestone

Georgia In Elbert County stand the Georgia Guidestones, five massive granite blocks that were erected in 1980. Sometimes referred to as the "American Stonehenge,"the stones are inscribed with instructions that urge humanity to live in tune with nature. These "commandments" appear in multiple languages, including Sanskrit and Egyptian hieroglyphics.

Related: 30 Incredible Photos of Ancient Ruins Across North America

Pala'au State Park

Hawaii's Pala'au State Park  in Molokai features Phallic Rock. It has stood erect for generations overlooking Kalaupapa, a former leper colony. 

Green Sand Beach | Hawaii

Near the southern tip of the Big Island, another natural wonder, Papakolea Beach, stuns visitors with awesome views  of its blue waters and green sand. It takes about 90 minutes to drive to the beach from the Kahaluu-Keauhou area, followed by a lengthy trek. The sand takes its coloring from olivine sand eroded from the nearby volcanic cone. 

Related: 20 Tips for Visiting Hawaii on a Budget

Dog Bark Park Inn

Dog Bark Park Inn  in Cottonwood promises patrons a chance to stay in the belly of a beagle: Chainsaw artists built the inn to resemble the canine breed. Media outlets have declared the structure one of the world's wackiest hotels. Lodging costs about $158 a night if  you're looking for a reasonably-priced summer vacation  spot, but visits and gawking are free.

The Museum of Clean

Idaho The Museum of Clean  in Pocatello ($6 for adults, $5 for kids) celebrates cleanliness and whatever makes it happen . There are almost 1,000 vacuums (from the years 1869 to 1969), a "Texas-sized trash can," a look at toilets through the ages, and more.

Museum of Surgical Science

Chicago's International Museum of Surgical Science , in a historic, four-floor lakeside mansion, has more than 7,000 medical artifacts, including an Austrian amputation saw with reversible blade from 1500 and X-rays taken by radiology pioneer Emil Grubbe from 1910, as well as paintings and sculptures depicting healing practices. Admission is $17 for adults, $9 for kids.

Related: Cheap or Free Museums in All 50 States

Leaning Tower of Niles

The Leaning Tower of Niles doesn't have the same cachet as its inspiration in the village's sister city of Pisa, but it certainly is an odd attraction to find outside Chicago (where you need to stop for a quick bite ). At half the size of the original, Niles' tower isn't overly impressive, according to reviews on TripAdvisor , but it's worth a quick stop and photo .

Santa Claus Central

Indiana The town of Santa Claus  doesn't disappoint visitors. Visit Frosty's Fun Center miniature golf course, the Santa Claus Museum, the Santa Claus Post Office, Santa's Candy Castle , and Santa's Stables (with horses rather than reindeer) for a festive time.

Related: From Santa Claus to Mistletoe: 20 Towns With Festive Names

Field of Dreams

Iowa To break up a cross-country road trip, retrace the path of Kevin Costner and James Earl Jones to the Field of Dreams (yes, that one), a free attraction in Dyersville. School groups sometimes claim the field for games, but when it's open, everyone can take a turn running the bases or playing catch. Watch for ghost players to join the fun and remember to get some real baseball tickets  when you can. 

Related: 50 Movie and TV Locations Worthy of a Road Trip

Kentucky Castle

Kentucky The Kentucky Castle  is a medieval-style inn on scenic grounds (in Versailles, of course) built in 1969 and used as a bed and breakfast with 10 luxury rooms and suites, a library, game room, music room, grand dining hall, ballroom, swimming pool, and more. Rates range from $155 to $575. 

Apple Valley Hillbilly Garden and Toyland

At the  Apple Valley Hillbilly Garden and Toyland , visitors fondly remember their childhoods while perusing a museum chockablock with toys. Visual puns on the grounds (such as an outdoor living room for old tires — a "retirement home") are groaning good fun. Although entrance to this Calvert City attraction is free, donations keep the place running. Be warned — you might just be inspired to buy some retro toys  after your visit. 

Gothic Jail

DeRidder's historic buildings include a Gothic jail  immortalized in song as "The Hangman's Jail" for the two condemned men hanged there in 1928, leading to stories that the jail's old cells, spiral staircase (and hanging site), and tunnel are haunted . Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for children.

Nicolas Cage Plot

The actor Nicolas Cage may be alive and well, but a 9-foot stone pyramid holds his celebrity burial spot  in New Orleans' famous St. Louis Cemetery No. 1. It is inscribed with "Omnia Ab Uno" (Latin for "Everything From One") and adorned with lipstick kisses from visitors. 

Cryptozoology Museum

Maine Portland's International Cryptozoology Museum ($10 for adults, $5 for kids) is allegedly the only one of its kind — appropriate for the study of unknown or mysterious animals, including monsters such as Bigfoot, Nessie, the Montauk Monster, and the Jersey Devil, which are well represented in displays.

Ship Graveyard

Mallows Bay in Charles County is a ship graveyard that's home to hundreds of abandoned vessels, many of them former wooden steamships intended for battle during World War I. Visitors enjoy canoeing or kayaking between the wrecks for a boating adventure  and fishing for bass and snakehead that call the ships home.

Related: 21 Eerie Shipwrecks Around the World

Beanstalk Adventure Ropes Course

Massachusetts

People don't usually expect to climb high while shopping for furniture, but Jordan's Furniture  in Reading has a challenging ropes course that invites visitors to have a thrilling adventure  by tackling zig-zag beams and spaghetti hand lines for $9 ($15 if they want to try the additional zip line) and even walking a plank 24 feet above ground.

Mystery Spot

Said to have been discovered in the 1950s by surveyors who became lightheaded and couldn't get equipment to operate there, the Mystery Spot  in St. Ignace seems to mess with gravity, make tall people seem smaller, and cause plenty of other confusing phenomena. A maze, zip line, and other attractions have been added nearby.

Heidelberg Project

Artist Tyree Guyton began decorating blighted houses on Heidelberg Street in Detroit in 1986. Today the Heidelberg Project  is a nonprofit focused on arts, education, and community development, as well as an outdoor art project visited by hundreds of thousands each year.

House of Balls

Minneapolis artist Allen Christian has used bowling balls (and other stuff) as art at his House of Balls  for more than a quarter-century, and might let people in to see it at any hour. Even if you can't get in, there's interactive art accessible 24 hours a day. Donations are appreciated.

Related: Circus World and Other Weird Museums Across America and Beyond

Twine Ball Museum

Darwin, west of Minneapolis, is host to the world's largest ball of twine made by a single person. The massive ball weighs 17,400 pounds and took 29 years to complete. It's housed in the town gazebo , and, like many wacky museums , it's free to view any day of the year.

Johnnie's Drive-In

Mississippi

Eat like a king — the  King — at Johnnie's Drive-In , the restaurant in Tupelo where Elvis Presley spent much of his time after school. Get lucky and you'll be seated in his booth (just look for the picture).

Related: 22 Unusual Theme Restaurants Across America

Windsor Ruins

Mississippi Near Port Gibson and Alcorn State University, 23 barren columns mark the site of a mansion built in the mid-19th century and unintentionally burned to the ground by a guest. The Windsor Ruins  are on the National Register of Historic Places and a favorite backdrop for local photographers.

'Awakening' Sculpture

A giant is stirring in Chesterfield. The 70-foot-long, 17-foot-high "Awakening" sculpture is made up of several aluminum pieces depicting a giant digging himself out of the ground. Near the city's Central Park, the sculpture is a replica of an original outside Washington, D.C.

World's Largest Fork

Here's one fork that will never get lost. In fact, it's fit for a giant. A full 35 feet tall and weighing 11 tons, the world's largest fork is in Springfield, leaning toward a three-story ad agency building after being rescued from a failed restaurant, according to Roadside America .

Largest Virgin Mary Statue

Our Lady of the Rockies , the largest Virgin Mary statue in North America, is 90 feet tall, weighs 80 tons, and sits on a 425-ton base along the Continental Divide some 3,000 feet above Butte. Bus tours from the Butte Plaza Mall are $25 for adults and $10 to $20 for kids. 

Merry Widow Health Mine

The Merry Widow Health Mine  near Basin has been helping people with pain for more than 50 years, according to its website. Relief from hay fever, asthma, eczema, migraines, arthritis, and other ailments have been recorded by visitors who have breathed the radon gas and sipped the mineral water inside the mine.

Largest Time Capsule

Buried in Seward County is the world's largest time capsule (certified by Guinness in 1977). Its contents include a car and thousands of other items collected by an eccentric resident. The vault isn't supposed to be opened until July 4, 2025, 50 years after it was sealed, but those passing by in the meantime can see the large monuments that mark the site.

The National Museum of Organized Crime and Enforcement, better known as the Mob Museum , has three stories of exhibits, from Dick Tracy comics merchandise to a look-alike of an electric chair from Sing Sing. Non-Nevada residents can buy tickets online for $30, and advanced reservations are strongly suggested. Not planning to be in Vegas? Try an online nickname generator  anytime.

Longest Candy Counter

New Hampshire

Chutters  has been in the candy business in Littleton for more than 100 years and boasts the world's longest candy counter (112 feet). Locals and tourists enjoy stopping by to fill up a bag with just about any type of candy or buy some of the store's famous fudge.

Related: 25 Candy Stores That Will Make You Feel Like a Kid Again

Classic Arcade Museum

Long before Pokemon Go there were Pac-Man, Frogger, and Donkey Kong. The American Classic Arcade Museum  in Laconia has more than 300 classic arcade games to play across 10,000 square feet (and players must stay 6 feet apart). It's located in the even vaster Funspot Family Fun Center, which is free to enter.

Lucy the Elephant

Lucy the Elephant , six stories of tin and wood, stands on the New Jersey coast in Josephine Harron Park in the town of Margate. The enormous pachyderm was built in 1881 as a scheme to attract land buyers to the area. The structure has been used as a hotel, private mansion, and tavern. Guided tours are available.

Northlandz Miniature Railway

Also big but on a small scale, the world's largest miniature railway, Northlandz ($30 for adults, $22.50 for kids) in Flemington has 8 miles of tracks, 400 bridges and trestles (up to 40 feet), and a half-million lichen trees. Its massive substructure uses enough lumber to build about 40 houses. Masks are required and visitors are encouraged to buy tickets online.

Natural 'Eternal Flame'

In Chestnut Ridge Park in upstate New York, a natural eternal flame burns behind a waterfall, fueled by a stream of natural gas (although it does need to be relit occasionally). One reviewer who visited in winter described the experience on Roadtrippers  and compares the setting to Narnia. The falls were frozen, he says, but the flame continued to burn.

Related: 30 Cheap Destinations for Off-Season Travel

Coleman's Authentic Irish Pub

Syracuse's Tipperary Hill feels like a visit to Ireland — a local traffic light even has green on top — but Coleman's Authentic Irish Pub  is the real corker. Leprechauns have their own booth, separate entrance, phone booth, and taxi stand. (And don't miss the tiny park.) Inside are two clocks, one giving the time in Syracuse, the other in Dublin.

Hills of Snow

North Carolina

Hills of Snow  in Smithfield is serious about snow cones, which cost $1.25 to over $6 depending on size. The place has 101 flavors to mix and match and a secret family recipe for perfect snow-like ice. The stand is hard to miss: It's shaped like a giant snow cone. Check out the menu online, as they currently can't hand out printed copies as a sanitary precaution.

Enchanted Highway

North Dakota

The 32-mile Enchanted Highway  in western North Dakota offers travelers eight larger-than-life roadside sculptures. Located every few miles on a two-lane highway between Gladstone and Regent, Gary Greff's sculptures include giant grasshoppers, "The World's Largest Tin Family," and "Geese in Flight," named the world's largest metal sculpture by Guinness in 2000.

American Sign Museum

Cincinnati's American Sign Museum ($15 for adults, free for kids 12 and under) showcases late-1800s pre-electric signs and iconic American symbols such as the McDonald's arches. It takes 19,000-plus square feet of space and 28-foot ceilings to accommodate the large exhibits. Masks and reservations are encouraged.

Spiro Mounds

Oklahoma's only prehistoric Native American site that allows visitors, Spiro Mounds  comprises 12 earthen dwellings. The 150-acre area also houses an archeological center and small gift shop.

American Pigeon Museum & Library

Whatever you think of pigeons, at the American Pigeon Museum & Library  in Oklahoma City (free), they're "man's oldest feathered friend." Along with the books, artifacts, and memorabilia are exhibits on homing pigeons and their use in wartime. There are live pigeons, too. 

Thor's Well

On the coast in Cape Perpetua, Thor's Well appears to be a bottomless sinkhole in the ocean, although speculation says it's only about 20 feet deep in reality. It can be dangerous to get close and mesmerizing to gaze inside.

Shanghai Tunnels

Bar and hotel basements are linked by a Portland Underground network called the Shanghai Tunnels , supposedly because that's how people were taken to the docks and forced to work on seafaring ships. Tours are $23 for adults, $19 for kids.

Pennsylvania

The inspiration behind many a creepy movie, Centralia was once home to more than 2,000 people. Nearby coal mines caught fire in 1962 and continue to burn. Today Centralia is one of America's ghost towns , with sulfurous steam spewing out of the ground. It's best to visit in the fall and winter, when low temperatures make it easier to see the steam.

Mütter Museum

The Mütter Museum  in Philadelphia ($20 for adults, $15 for kids) is a storehouse of 20,000 medical "wonders" — abnormal body parts preserved in fluid or oak frames, an 1889 electrometer donated by Marie Curie, even the death cast of "Siamese Twins" Chang and Eng, whose autopsies were performed there. Tickets must be purchased in advance and masks are encouraged for all visitors.

Viking Tower

Rhode Island

Folks in Newport have asked for ages who built the mysterious, 28-foot fieldstone tower in town. Most agree it was the base of a former colonial windmill, though some speculate it was put up by Vikings, or Knights Templar from medieval Scotland. It's free to visit and puzzle over.

Busted Plug Plaza

South Carolina

Four stories high and weighing a tornado-proof 675,000 pounds, "Busted Plug Plaza"  is billed as the world's largest fire hydrant. It's actually a sculpture, and formerly a fountain, in a parking lot in Columbia. Visitors can take snapshots with the same artist's trippy "Tunnelvision" mural in the background.

Giant Prairie Dog

South Dakota

It doesn't cost anything to see the 6-ton prairie dog at the Ranch Store  in Philip, which has been sniffing the horizon for more than five decades with no signs of tiring. There's a colony of real prairie dogs to the north of the store to feed peanuts.

Graffiti on Display

Many cities commission murals, and almost every major city has its fair share of graffiti. Rapid City takes this a step further, making Art Alley  fair game for local artists, who cover the walls, stairs, and telephone pole with cartoons, quotes, portraits, and tags.

The Lost Sea

The Lost Sea  in Sweetwater is America's largest underground body of water. The extent of this freshwater lake is unknown, but its upper chamber covers nearly 5 acres at depths of 70 feet. Admission, including a glass-bottom-boat tour, is $24 for adults, $14 for kids. Buy tickets online, as they sell out quickly. 

'The Mindfield'

"The Mindfield" is an outdoor sculpture made of salvaged steel that stretches to cover about an acre and reaches more than 125 feet into the air. It's the work of Billy Tripp, a local Brownsville artist who began construction in 1989 and has said he will continue to add to the sculpture until he dies. 

Related: Cheap Must-See Attractions in All 50 States

Cadillac Ranch

Cadillac Ranch was formed in 1974 when Stanley Marsh, an eccentric millionaire, planted 10 vintage Cadillacs, nose down, into a deserted stretch of dirt outside Amarillo. They sit off Interstate 40, between exits 60 and 62. Common practice is for visitors to bring spray paint, or use a can left there, and leave their mark on the cars.

Beer Can House

Another Texan who made his mark in metal, John Mikovisch began some home improvements to his place in Houston in 1968, much of it aluminum siding — made of beer cans, which is why it's called the Beer Can House ($5 for adults, free for kids under 12). Ripley's estimates more than 50,000 cans were added over 18 years. 

Hole N' the Rock

The Hole N' the Rock  in Moab ($6.50, under 4 is free) is more than a hole; it's a 5,000-square foot home with 14 rooms, excavated out of sandstone over 12 years starting in the 1940s. The owners have added a petting zoo and other attractions.

Ice Cream Cemetery

The Flavor Graveyard  in Waterbury marks something a little different: the resting place of ice cream flavors no longer made by Ben & Jerry's. It's part of the ice cream brand's factory tour ($4 for adults, free for kids 12 and under). While tours are on hold, you can still order ice cream for pick-up from the scoop shop.

Bread and Puppet Museum

Some of the puppets in the Bread and Puppet Museum  in Glover — a crammed storage barn for the Bread and Puppet Theater troupe — are impressive, others creepy. The sign on the door says "Enter at Your Own Risk," and puppeteers ask visitors to wear masks and "turn out the lights when you are through." Donations are welcome.

Markel Building

Considered by some to be one of the ugliest buildings in the world, the Markel Building in Richmond was inspired by a baked potato. Commissioned in 1962, the round building looks a bit like New York's Guggenheim Museum wrapped in foil.

Natural Bridge

Recently made a state park ($89 for adults, $6 for kids), this 215-foot tall limestone Natural Bridge (backdrop for a nightly Biblical light show since the 1920s) is among six miles of hiking trails and the 30-foot Lace Falls. It was once surveyed by George Washington and owned by Thomas Jefferson.

Chewing Gum Wall

The Market Theater Gum Wall is a 15-by-50-foot wall in Seattle's Post Alley covered with globs of chewing gum. The wall was given a thorough degumming and cleaning in 2015, but visitors are back to work adding pieces to the mix. (Tip: Bring a bottle of hand sanitizer.)

Town of Metal People

About 200 metal people and animals reside in downtown Raymond and along State Route 6 and Highway 101. They were put up by artists starting in 1993, bulking up a town with only about 3,000 real people.

George Washington's Bathtub

West Virginia

Berkeley Springs State Park is a beautiful place to stroll, but one offbeat attraction sets it apart. On the west side of the park, a spring-fed stone tub has been dubbed George Washington's Bathtub , to recognize the way the first president likely bathed during his visits in the 1700s.

Mothman Museum

The Mothman Museum  in Point Pleasant ($4.50 for adults, $1.50 for kids 10 and under) is dedicated to the legend of the mysterious winged creature first spotted in the 1960s. It tracks the mythos from original handwritten accounts to Hollywood's versions. 

King Gambrinus

A statue of King Gambrinus, called "the patron saint of beer," stands watch over the former Pabst Brewing corporate offices in downtown Milwaukee, now home to Best Place Tavern. The statue is on permanent loan from Pabst. While the bar, tours, and gift shop in the tavern are closed, a coffee shop (that also serves liquor) has just been opened. 

Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame

Hayward has a giant muskie 4.5 stories tall and as long as a Boeing 757. Of course, it's not a real fish, but rather the fiberglass shell of the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame ($9 for adults, $7 for kids). Visitors enter through the tail to see exhibits (including a real 69-pound muskie caught in 1949) and stop at an observation platform in the building's "jaw."

Devils Tower

This was the first site named a National Monument — by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 — and is instantly recognizable from "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." How it got its mysterious shape isn't fully understood , which has led some to supernatural explanations. Some people come just to climb it.

Related:   50 Iconic Movie Locations You Have to Visit

Giant Lincoln Bust

Westbound travelers on Interstate 80 will find an odd monument to Abraham Lincoln at the Summit Rest Area east of Laramie. A bust more than 13 feet tall towers over visitors from its perch atop a 30-foot granite pedestal. The bust is a nod to the fact Interstate 80 closely tracks the route of the old Lincoln Highway, the first coast-to-coast road built for cars.

Fighting Seabee Statue

Outside the Seabee Museum and Memorial Park  in North Kingstown, the Fighting Seabee statue draws attention with its fierce sneer, large hammer, machine gun, and sailor's cap. The bee is the mascot of the U.S. Navy's Construction Battalion.

Protect Your Trip »

The 50 best tourist attractions in the u.s..

See which American landmarks are worthy of your bucket list.

(Getty Images) |

From national parks to iconic symbols of freedom and democracy, these popular and highly regarded U.S. tourist attractions cannot be missed.

U.S. Space & Rocket Center: Huntsville, Alabama

Denali National Park and Preserve: Alaska

Grand Canyon National Park: Arizona

Hot Springs National Park: Arkansas

Golden Gate Bridge: San Francisco, California

Pikes Peak: Cascade, Colorado

(Courtesy of Mystic Aquarium) |

Mystic Aquarium: Mystic, Connecticut

DiscoverSea Shipwreck Museum: Fenwick Island, Delaware

(Courtesy of Walt Disney World Resort) |

Walt Disney World Resort: Orlando, Florida

(Courtesy of Coca Cola) |

World of Coca-Cola: Atlanta, Georgia

Road to Hana: Hana, Maui, Hawaii

(Courtesy of Idaho Tourism) |

Kirkham Hot Springs: Lowman, Idaho

Chicago River: Chicago, Illinois

Indianapolis Motor Speedway: Indianapolis, Indiana

The Field of Dreams: Dyersville, Iowa

(Courtesy of Oz Museum) |

Oz Museum: Wamego, Kansas

Kentucky Horse Park: Lexington, Kentucky

French Quarter: New Orleans, Louisiana

Acadia National Park: Bar Harbor, Maine

National Aquarium: Baltimore, Maryland

Freedom Trail: Boston, Massachusetts

Mackinac Island: Michigan

(Courtesy of Mall of America) |

Mall of America: Bloomington, Minnesota

(Courtesy of Elvis Presley Birthplace) |

Elvis Presley Birthplace and Museum: Tupelo, Mississippi

Gateway Arch: St. Louis, Missouri

Glacier National Park: West Glacier, Montana

Chimney Rock National Historic Site: Bayard, Nebraska

Las Vegas Strip: Las Vegas, Nevada

Mount Washington Cog Railway: Mount Washington, New Hampshire

Cape May: New Jersey

White Sands National Park: Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico

Statue of Liberty: New York City, New York

Wright Brothers National Memorial: Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina

Theodore Roosevelt National Park: North Dakota

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Cleveland, Ohio

(Courtesy of First Americans Museum) |

First Americans Museum: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Mount Hood: Oregon

Liberty Bell: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The Breakers: Newport, Rhode Island

Fort Sumter National Monument: Charleston, South Carolina

Mount Rushmore National Memorial: Keystone, South Dakota

(Courtesy of Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum) |

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum: Nashville, Tennessee

The Alamo: San Antonio, Texas

Zion National Park: Utah

(Courtesy of Smugglers' Notch Resort) |

Smugglers' Notch Resort: Jeffersonville, Vermont

Colonial Williamsburg: Williamsburg, Virginia

Space Needle: Seattle, Washington

White House and the National Mall: Washington, D.C.

Harpers Ferry, West Virginia

Lambeau Field: Green Bay, Wisconsin

Yellowstone National Park: Wyoming

You might also be interested in:

• The Best National Parks in the U.S.
• The Best Hiking Trail in Every State
• Vacation Ideas for Every Type of Traveler
• The World's Best Tourist Attractions
• The Most Famous Landmarks in the World

If you make a purchase from our site, we may earn a commission. This does not affect the quality or independence of our editorial content.

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