13 Bizarre but Fascinating United States Roadside Attractions
American culture is all about road trips — it’s the quintessential way to soak up the vast, diverse beauty of the country. The open road beckons from the soaring peaks of the Rockies to the sandy shores of the Gulf Coast. The quirky unexpected treasures that run along highway backroads aren’t the just natural beauty that entices travelers. Stopping to see something weird, wonderful, or downright wacky along the way to your destination is part of the journey.
Roadside attractions are a hallmark of American road trips, and have been for generations. These attractions are born out of a desire to capture the attention of drivers in an era before smartphones and GPS, and are often wildly creative. Some are works of art, others are a tribute to human whimsy. Now, let’s take a look some of the most interesting stops you can make on your way across the U.S.
Cawker City, Kansas
What do you do with 1.6 million feet of twine? Of course, roll it into a massive ball. This is more than just a giant spool: it’s an attraction lovingly maintained by the people of Cawker City. Each year, residents and visitors alike add to the size of the Twine-a-thon during the city’s annual Twine-a-thon. It’s a curious sight and a testament to small-town pride.
Carhenge – Alliance, Nebraska
Carhenge is an American reimagining of England’s Stonehenge, using classic American cars. This auto-art spectacle is a tribute to his father and was created by Jim Reinders. Thousands of visitors flock to Carhenge each year to admire its peculiar, if not entirely accurate, acknowledgement of prehistoric brains at work.
Seattle, Washington, The Fremont Troll
The Fremont Troll is an 18 foot tall concrete sculpture of a troll gripping a real Volkswagen Beetle, nestled under the Aurora Bridge. An eerie and endearing creation of four local artists in 1990, this hulking figure is. Many visitors climb onto the troll’s shoulders for a quirky photo op, and wonder what the troll was meant to protect from the bridge above.
Margate, New Jersey – Lucy the Elephant
A giant wooden pachyderm, Lucy the Elephant is a six story tall real estate promotion built in 1881. Lucy has been a tavern, a summer home, and now a museum over the years. You can climb to her howdah for ocean views or simply admire her unusual charm, but Lucy provides a memorable slice of New Jersey history.
Niland, California – Salvation Mountain
For nearly 30 years Leonard Knight worked to create Salvation Mountain, a technicolor hill in the arid California desert, covered in biblical messages and murals. The mountain is made of adobe and straw and countless gallons of paint and is an artistic marvel and labor of love all rolled in one. For those who make the trip to this offbeat location, it’s a spiritual and creative haven.
Santa Cruz, California – The Mystery Spot
Go into the Mystery Spot, and you’ll wonder why the laws of physics don’t apply here. Things roll uphill, people seem to change height. The strange sensations experienced while visiting leave a lot of people spellbound, though skeptics say it’s all an optical illusion. Either way, it’s a mind bender of a pitstop.
Mermaid of Weeki Wachee Springs – Florida
The mermaids of Weeki Wachee Springs have been enchanting audiences since 1947. These talented swimmers do choreographed routines in the spring in the park and entertain everyone from kids to adults. “They do great work, and it’s not just a job—it’s a chance to bring magic to life,” one performer said.
Amarillo, Cadillac Ranch – Texas
Ten Cadillacs are buried nose first in the Texas dirt, tail fins pointed skyward, in this roadside art installation. A group of artists called Ant Farm started it all and invited visitors to spray paint the cars creating an ever changing canvas, which started in 1974. Graffiti meets sculpture in the Lone Star State.
Natural Bridge, Foamhenge – Virginia
Virginia has you covered if you’ve ever wondered what Stonehenge would look like made of foam. A full scale Styrofoam replica of the famous monument, called Foamhenge, is a playful parody and an oddly impressive feat of craftsmanship.
Collinsville – Illinois
This water tower, built in 1949 for a ketchup company, towers 170 feet above the ground. Now it’s a celebrated piece of Americana and the centerpiece of the annual Catsup Bottle Festival.
Moab, Hole N” The Rock – Utah
Unconventional living is the name of the game in this 5,000 square foot home carved into a sandstone rock face. The home was originally created by Albert Christensen and includes a 65 foot chimney and exotic animal petting zoo. A fascinating insight into the ingenuity of this desert dwelling is offered by tours.
Bemidji – Minnesota
The Paul Bunyan and Babe statue is such an icon in American folklore that tourists from Japan, Canada and Great Britain come to see them. They were built in 1937 and have since become a selfie magnet and nod to the logging heritage of the region. Legend has it that Babe’s footprints made Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes.
Regent, The Enchanted Highway – North Dakota
The Enchanted Highway of Regent boasts twenty-eight miles of bright metal sculptures which include a 60-foot tall grasshopper, geese gliding through the air, and a happy tin family. The sculptures are intended to bring visitors to this small town and were created by local artist Gary Greff. It’s a detour worth taking through art.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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