13 Roadside Destinations Worth the Detour
Road trips are quintessentially American, offering the chance to drive through the country’s diverse landscapes and discover quirky, unexpected gems often overlooked by tourists. In a 2024 survey by AAA, 66 percent of Americans said they would take at least one road trip that year, up from 60 percent in 2018, and a growing preference to travel to unconventional places. In the US, domestic travelers also spent over $972 billion in 2023, including on road trips, according to the US Travel Association.
Money-saving expert and travel guru Rick Steves agrees: “Road trips are the best way to travel because you stumble upon surprise discoveries—a place you didn’t know you wanted to visit until you found it.” A report by Travel Weekly shows that 80 percent of roadtrippers say they make detours to go off the beaten path to see unique, iconic roadside attractions.
Here are 13 detours in the US to get to 13 roadside destinations worth every mile!
Amarillo (Texas) Cadillac Ranch
Ten classic Cadillacs buried nose-first in a wheat field along Route 66 were created in 1974 by a group of artists known as The Ant Farm. The cars are showpieces, each representing a model from 1949 to 1963 and demonstrating how Cadillac’s tailfin design evolved.
The Amarillo Chamber of Commerce says this attraction, which hosts more than 2 million people a year, many with spray paint to etch their mark, brings in over $107 million annually to the local economy. Historian Karal Ann Marling describes it as “a public art experiment that invites interaction, constantly transforming with each visitor.”
Santa Cruz, California’s Mystery Spot
In 1939, George Prather discovered and opened a 150-foot diameter area of land called the Mystery Spot, where the laws of gravity seem to break. People lean at impossible angles, balls roll uphill, and measurements go wild. Physicists have puzzled for decades over this phenomenon, with some suggesting their theories on the optical illusion the area’s tilted structures can cause.
This is where astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson calls it: ‘it’s a blend of science and spectacle.’ “It’s an incredible experience whether it’s physics or just clever engineering.”
Wall Drug (Wall, SD)
Starting as a tiny pharmacy in 1931, Wall Drug’s notoriety arose from offering free ice water to travelers over the dusty plains. Today, Wall Drug is 76,000 square feet of café, shops, and, of course, a giant jackalope statue.
The Wall Chamber of Commerce puts the establishment’s annual visitors at over 2 million. “Wall Drug is not a place—it’s an institution, a testament to what you can do with a good idea and a little imagination and clever marketing,” wrote author Bill Bryson.
Carhenge (Alliance, Nebraska)
England’s Stonehenge is recreated in the US in this quirky fashion—with 38 vintage American cars painted gray. Reinders created it in 1987 as an homage to his late father and a commentary on American car culture.
“It’s a brilliant combination of history and pop culture,” says travel writer Samantha Brown. Few places capture the American spirit of creativity like Carhenge.”
Devil’s Kettle (Minnesota)
Half the water at this natural wonder in Judge C.R. Magney State Park flows into the Brule River, and the other half disappears into a mysterious hole called the Devil’s Kettle.
Scientists have puzzled over where the water went, theorizing for decades. ‘However, a mystery still exists: The water likely reemerges downstream, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, which conducted a study in 2017.’ Naturalist Chel Anderson says the allure of Devil’s Kettle is unknown. ‘That’s a geological enigma that keeps people coming back.”
Foamhenge (Natural Bridge, Virginia)
Foamhenge is a full-scale replica of Stonehenge erected in 2004 by artist Mark Cline from Styrofoam. The blocks weigh about 420 pounds each and were carefully carved to look precisely like Stonehenge. They have since been repopulated.
‘Foamhenge is not art, it’s making history accessible and fun,’ Cline remarks. Foamhenge draws tens of thousands of visitors a year, some of whom have donned sunglasses. Virginia’s tourism board reports that people marvel at the workmanship and humor behind the structures.
The Shoe Tree (Middlegate, Nevada)
The lone cottonwood tree in which a Shoe Tree started was where old shoes were tossed for good luck by travelers. The boots were slowly taken away over time, and it almost overnight became adorned with hundreds of shoes, and it is a bizarre but endearing spectacle.
Though the initial tree was chopped down in 2010, a new, additional Shoe Tree continues that tradition. According to local lore, this custom originates when newlyweds argued, threw their shoes at the tree, and made up. The tradition is ‘quirky’ and connects travelers,’ says folklorist Linda Gross.
Cawker City, Kansas, World’s Largest Ball of Twine
Frank Stoeber started this massive ball of twine in 1953, weighing more than 20,000 pounds and measuring over 8 feet in diameter. Visitors can contribute to the town’s growth each year by attending its annual Twine-a-Thon.
The communal ball of twine is the biggest in the Guinness Book of World Records. Travel blogger Mike Wendell said, “It’s a testament of small town charm, community power.”
The Blue Whale of Catoosa, Oklahoma
An 80-foot-long blue whale constructed in the early 1970s as a gift from husband to wife, Hugh Davis, has become a Route 66 icon. Cheerful smiles and a pond-side location make it popular for a photo or picnic.
Route 66 historians say that over 100,000 people visit the Blue Whale annually. “These are people working by hand, and I call it a labor of love,” says author Michael Wallis.
Salvation Mountain (Niland, California)
Salvation Mountain is a 150-foot wide by 50-foot tall hillside covered in biblical verses painted in colorful paint. It was the work of Leonard Knight, who created it over three decades. Knight said that he had used over 100,000 gallons of paint, which had been donated by visitors who came to view the work.
Yet tens of thousands of visitors visit the site every year looking for spiritual enlightenment and artists. “It is a masterpiece of devotion and creativity,” says The New York Times art critic Roberta Smith.
The Thing (Benson, Arizona)
This mysterious roadside attraction teases travelers with billboards asking, “What is The Thing?” Visitors discover a collection of oddities and curiosities, culminating in the titular “Thing.”
According to the Arizona Tourism Board, the attraction draws about 50,000 visitors annually. Sociologist David Savage says, ‘The Thing thrives on curiosity. ‘It’s proof that mystery works.
Lucy the Elephant (Margate, New Jersey)
Lucy, a six-story elephant ‘building,’ was built in 1881 as a promotional building for real estate. It is now a museum listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Save Lucy Committee says Lucy welcomes over 135,000 visitors annually. ‘She’s a whimsical reminder of ambition and creativity of the Gilded Age,’ says historian Mary McElroy.
Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox (Bemidji, Minnesota)
They’re 18 feet tall and were built in 1937 to honor the legendary lumberjack and his faithful sidekick. They’re two of the most photographed roadside attractions in the US.
Visit Minnesota says the statues attract about 100,000 visitors a year. According to travel writer Susan Campbell, “They’re larger-than-life symbols of American folklore.”
Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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