Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
then open in external browser
and click "Open in External Browser" 
Folks Share Quirky “Roadside America” Places You Can’t Find In Travel Guides, Here Are 30 Of The Best
America is famous for many things: Hollywood movies, towering skyscrapers, and vast national parks. But there’s another side to the U.S. that’s often overlooked—roadside attractions. Iconic and fun, they’re spread across the nation’s highways, offering travelers a surprise at every turn.
The Facebook group ‘Roadside America - Offbeat Quirky Tourist Attractions’ is where people share these unusual landmarks—everything from a giant buffalo statue to a whimsical Dr. Seuss museum. We’ve sifted through their posts to bring you some of the best and most eccentric tourist spots. Check them out below and don’t forget to upvote your favorites!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
South Main Plaza Fountain In Mt Vernon, Oh. Some Of The Dogs Have Been Sponsored And Each One Has A Plaque That Tells What It Is. There's One Cat And 3 Birds Also
Upstaged75 1 year ago
This is great! So cute. I'm guessing people sponsor the individual statues in the name of pets they've lost. What an awesome memorial.
RELATED:
#2
We Did A Scavenger Hunt For The 22 Goose Statues In Goose Creek Sc Today. Fun Time And We Found Them All!!!
A roadside attraction is just what it says on the tin: an interesting spot built alongside the road to catch the attention of travelers. Generally speaking, they’re meant to be places one might stop on the way to somewhere rather than being a destination. But to the followers of ‘Roadside America,’ they might as well be the main event—the page has almost 500K members who are dedicated to capturing the country’s weirdest landmarks.
In fact, “the weirder the better,” the group insists. A UFO-shaped house? Brilliant. A miniature Taco Bell? Absolutely. The world’s tallest barber pole? What could be more fitting? Perhaps an enormous rubber duck—you’ll find it in Indiana, by the way. It seems the imagination of Americans knows no limits when it comes to these curious roadside attractions.
#3
Outside The Dr. Seuss Museum, Springfield, Massachusetts
#4
Mr Rogers Museum Latrobe, PA
Roadside attractions first appeared in America in the late 19th century, but they really took off in the 1920s and 1930s when more people started owning cars and long-distance road travel became easier.
As the number of passenger cars in the U.S. grew—between 1919 and 1929 it jumped from 6.5 million to 23 million—the existing infrastructure became overwhelmed. To accommodate this boom, the government undertook massive road construction projects, completing over 10,000 miles of roadway improvements in 1922 alone.
Highways spread across the country, including the famous Route 66 built in 1929, and small towns needed a way to catch the eyes of passing motorists. They responded by building restaurants, motels, coffee shops, and unique attractions to stand out and draw travelers in.
#5
Coffee Pot In Bedford PA. Built In 1925 As Part Of A Gas Station
#7
Underground Kayaking In Red River Gorge, Ky
In many instances, people relied on mimetic architecture—buildings designed to look like the products they were selling—to promote their roadside businesses. In California, vendors sold oranges out of orange-shaped buildings. In Washington and Pennsylvania, coffee was served in coffee pot-shaped buildings. And on Long Island, eggs were sold out of a building famously known as the Big Duck (not to be confused with Indiana’s Giant Rubber Ducky).
#8
Vashon Island, Washington
#9
Bronze Statue Of Albert Einstein In Washington DC…. They Welcome You To Come Sit On His Lap… In Fact, There Is A Worn Off Area On His Lap From All The Sitters… He Is Awesome!
#10
The Rock Garden’s Version Of The Colosseum, In Calhoun, GA
Joanne Mendonza-Earle 1 year ago
We've been there and it's totally worth the stop! So much to see and it's only a couple miles off I-75.
Some of these attractions were named “the world’s largest” and became renowned just for that ambitious title alone. For example, West Virginia boasted the World’s Largest Teapot, built in the 1930s, while Alabama had the World’s Largest Bottle, built in 1924, although it sadly burnt down in 1936.
In the 1950s, the Guinness World Records began publishing its books, sparking a wave of competition among towns to create the largest ball-shaped attractions. Nebraskans built the world’s largest ball of stamps, while Kansans and Minnesotans engaged in a decades-long battle over who could create the world’s largest ball of twine. In later years, similar competitions emerged over the world’s largest ball of rubber bands, tape, and even barbed wire.
#11
Ladybirds On The Side Of An Office Building In Milwaukee Wi
#12
Cadillac Ranch Near Amarillo, Texas. I Shot This At Sunrise On Christmas Day, 2019
#13
Just Went This Awesome House In York, PA
However, one of the most famous “largest” attractions in America is Lucy the Elephant, considered to be the oldest roadside landmark. Constructed in 1882 by James V. Lafferty in Margate City, New Jersey, Lucy is a six-story elephant-shaped building that has captivated travelers for over a century.
Initially named Elephant Bazaar, the structure was built to attract real estate customers who could view the city’s skyline from the elephant’s carriage, which now serves as an observation deck for modern-day visitors during tours.
Lucy supposedly got her name in 1902. The structure was sold to Anton Gertzen of Philadelphia in 1887 and remained in his family until 1970. It is believed that Anton’s daughter-in-law, Sophia Gertzen, renamed it Lucy.
#14
Cruising Down I-70 In Colby, Kansas, You Pass By The Wheat Jesus Billboard. No Words ... Just Jesus In A Wheat Field
#15
When I Had Visited Over 10 Years Ago, Little Did I Know That The Official Mascot Of Seattle & Its Pike Market Is The Pig. There Are Over 90 Pigs Scattered Around Town. Here's A Few
Not-a-Clue (she/her) 1 year ago
I visited Seattle (from UK) for my honeymoon 23 years ago. We have a great time hunting out all the pigs, but didn't get to see them all.
#16
The Big Rubber Stamp With The Word "Free" On It Is A Creation Of Artist Claes Oldenburg (1929-2022), Who Sculpted Giant Versions Of Everyday Objects That Turn Up In Public Parks And On City Sidewalks. Located In Cleveland, OH
Over the years, Lucy the Elephant served various purposes, including a restaurant, business office, cottage, and tavern. She was even depicted on many souvenir postcards, often referred to as “The Elephant Hotel of Atlantic City.” (The actual hotel was in a nearby building, not inside the elephant.)
By the 1960s, Lucy was in a very poor state and was scheduled for demolition. However, the local community rallied to save her, and she was renovated in the 1970s. Lucy’s birthday is celebrated each year on July 20 with a fundraising event, keeping this beloved roadside attraction alive.
#17
Has Anyone Been To The Whale Statue In The 9th And 9th District In Salt Lake City, Utah. Very Colorful
#18
Giant Grasshopper, On The Enchanted Highway North Dakota. Near Gladstone Nd
Joanne Mendonza-Earle 1 year ago
This is another side trip that's worth seeing. The pheasants and 'fisherman's dream' were our faves. This was the best part of the whole trip to ND and we discovered it last minute!
Even though roadside attractions are often seen as relics of the past and symbols of America’s transformation into a car-loving country, the tradition of building them continues, especially those aiming to be the largest in their category. In Alabama, you can find the World’s Largest Office Chair, standing around 33 feet tall (about 10 meters), built in 2008. Traveling further north to Illinois, you’ll discover a 42-foot (12.8 meters) long Windchime, which made its way into the Guinness World Records in 2012 as, you guessed it, the world’s largest windchime.
#20
Largest Cowboy Boots In San Antonio TX
#21
If You Schlepped All Of The Way To Mora, MN To See The World's Largest Dala Horse, You Might As Well Head Out 17 Minutes West To Ogilvie And Say Hello To Rusty The Dragon
He's on private property so be respectful of parking but he's definitely worth a stop. They say he can occasionally be talked into breathing fire!
#22
Wigwam Teepee Motel Along Route 66 In San Bernardino, CA
Christina Hughes 1 year ago
Once an iconic road side stopping place. Sadly it fell on hard times like the rest of our hometown
While considered originally American, the trend of building the world’s largest roadside attractions made its way to other countries like Australia and New Zealand in the 1960s. However, they refer to them with the slightly humbler term “big things.” Australia, for example, is home to the Big Pineapple, the Big Lobster, and the Big Prawn. Meanwhile, New Zealand celebrates its national identity with the Big Kiwis and the Big Kiwifruit.
#23
Jerome, Missouri On Rt. 66. Found This As We Were Out Driving Around
General Anaesthesia 1 year ago
"The Trail of Tears was the forced displacement of approximately 60,000 people of the "Five Civilized Tribes" between 1830 and 1850, and the additional thousands of Native Americans within that were ethnically cleansed by the United States government..." - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trail_of_Tears
#24
World’s Largest Buffalo 🦬 Jamestown, North Dakota At The Frontier Village
#25
A Giant Pencil On An Office Supply Store In Wytheville, VA
Of course, not all attractions claiming to be the world’s largest live up to the name. In 2010, six different frying pans in the United States competed for the title. At one point, there was even a dispute over who had the world’s largest rocking chair. As Forrest Wickman aptly put it, “It seems that, while many countries erect big things, only Americans dare to claim that theirs are the biggest.”
#27
Peter "Wolf" Toth Carving In Las Cruces, N.m. Part Of The "Trail Of The Whispering Giants" He Did In The 70's, Put One In Every State
DeoManus Argentem 1 year ago
Oh, wow, we have one of these in Fort Lauderdale, FL, in the grass outside a parking lot across the street from the beach! (just Googled it up, didn't know it was a big deal) We filled his mouth with bright yellow (range) golf balls one drunken night during high school (didn't damage it, at least I hope - didn't intend to, again didn't know it was a known project - just a silly prank after we got kicked off the beach for driving balls into the ocean at night; again, forgive me, dumb kids we were - they stayed there for weeks!)
#28
My. Airy N.C. "Mayberry"
Traveling Lady Railfan 1 year ago
I've been here. It's a lovely mural. Beautifully done. This is just down the street from Floyd's barber shop and Opies candy store on the main street.
#29
A Decommissioned Military Plane On The Front Lawn Of The Don Q Inn
#30
JC Penney House And Museum, As Well As The First (But Technically 3rd) JC Penney Store Down The Block. Kemmerer, WY
Me Oh My (He/They) 1 year ago (edited)
How is it technically the third? EDIT: Never mind, figured it out. For others confused: The first was the original location, the second was, well, the second store they opened, and this one was built as the designated 'mother store' when they started to expand as a national chain.
#31
Dog Bark Park In Cottonwood, Idaho
My in-laws just got back from a trip to this unique roadside attraction, which is owned by my father-in-law's cousin Frances and husband Dennis. Its creator, Dennis Sullivan, is a former builder and when he changed careers, became an expert chainsaw carver. We have a chainsaw carving from him of our dog Shelby. The large dog, Sweet Willy, accommodates a family of 4. The head is a loft where kids can stay on bunks and a queen size bed is in the belly of the dog. The full size bath is in (where else?) the tail. My in-laws spent a couple nights in the dog. They're about to stop operating this as an inn and just leave it open as a roadside attraction
Traveling Lady Railfan 1 year ago
I tried to get a room here, it was totally booked. How cool to spend a night in the belly of a beagle?!
#32
Mr. Trash Wheel Inner Harbor, Baltimore, MD
Mary Kelly 1 year ago
it has literally removed tons of trash from the inner harbor...solar-powered goodness!
#33
We Didn't Realize That We Were Driving Through The Longest Covered Bridge In America. One Side Is New Hampshire While The Other Side Is Vermont. Don't Forget To Walk Your Horses Across
Donkey boi 1 year ago
Does 'walk your horses' mean you have to get off and lead them, or that you can't canter or gallop?
#34
Billed As The Most Photographed House In Maine. The Wedding Cake House In Kennebunk Maine And It’s Currently For Sale If You Have A Spare $2.65 Million Laying Around
#35
I Went To The Enchanted Forest In Turner, Oregon, In June. Here Are A Few Of The Pictures I Took. They Have A Small Alpine Roller Coaster, A Dark Ride, Several Kiddie Rides, A Fountain Show And Other Neat Attractions
#36
Worlds Tallest Barber Pole. Forest Grove, OR
Tiggy Darling 1 year ago
I thought a barber's pole was just red and white: Red to symbolise that they also used to do surgery.
#37
Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens… In The Heart Of Center City Philadelphia … A Virtual “Trash Made Into Art” “Garden”
A very unusual winding road of art created from discarded glass, tile and other unusual pieces…here is just a sample… it’s not a big place, but lots of punch packed in. Like something you’ve never seen before… definitely worth a look
Sky Render 1 year ago
Back in the day there was a little place in Newport, OR like this called the Zig Zag Zoo. It was nowhere near this impressive though!
#38
The Coal House (Made From 65 Tonnes Of Coal ) In Williamson, West Virginia
#39
Geographic Center Of North America In Rugby, Nd
Traveling Lady Railfan 1 year ago
I've been here and experienced the BEST window washing from a female attendant at the gas station near the train station (what a weird thing to remember). Not a streak on the windshield afterwards. I asked to watch her technique. She was so nice!
#41
Latrobe PA Home Of The Banana Split
#42
Junkman Statue In Buena Vista, Virginia
#43
The Ever So Popular Paul Bunyan And His Blue Ox Off Highway 101 In Klamath, California
#44
UFO House On Signal Mountain, TN
#45
Laclede’s Landing St Louis, Mo
#46
Silly But Cute. Haha. Dice On Shawnee Mission Parkway In Shawnee, KS
#47
Spoonbridge In Minneapolis Minnesota. Am I The Only One That Calls This “The Mini Apple” Yes I Know It Is A Cherry
#49
Second Smallest Operating Post Office In The Us. Bridal Veil, Or
#50
Dinosaur State Park, Glen Rose, Texas. These Dinos Were Originally Made For The 1964 Worlds Fair In NYC. Which I Attended!
#51
3 Large Conch Shells In Key West
#52
Dover Downs Speedway "The Monster Mile" Dover Delaware
#53
40 Foot Tall Jack-A-Lope. Wall, SD. It Took 5 Chainsaw Artists 5 Weeks To Build
BunnyMommy 1 year ago
The real Jackalopes are wild rabbits that have been infected with the "Shope Papilloma virus". It's related to the human Papilloma virus, and it causes hard dark warts on the rabbits face. The mythical Jackalopes are horned rabbits ready to take on the coyote that's chasing him!
#54
The World’s Largest Kaleidoscope, Made Out Of An Old, Converted, Grain Silo, Is Located In Upstate NY, In A Small Town Named Mount Tremper, Which Is Near Woodstock, NY
It is 56 feet high, and opened in 1996. You walk into the Kaleidoscope, and can sit on the floor or lean against a wall to watch a colorful show accompanied by music. And of course, there’s a gift shop full of Kaleidoscopes. It’s “far out, man”! When I first visited the giant kaleidoscope, there wasn’t much around it. But now it is part of a complex. There are stores and there’s a resort hotel & spa surrounding the kaleidoscope
#55
US Steel Edgar Thompson Plant 1329 Braddock Ave Braddock PA 15104
#56
Tallest Thermometer! Record Was 134 Degrees! - Baker, CA
#57
Transformer Displays In The Wisconsin Dells
These are actually outside of the Top Secret Upside Down White House (which is an absolute JOKE of an attraction) but these displays are free in the parking lot!
Two huge displays - Bumblebee and Optimus Prime, and some other random transformers that are a bit smaller
#60
Worlds Largest Penny In Woodruff, Wisconsin
mysterious(all pronouns) 1 year ago
Wisconsin also has the world's largest indoor carousel and the world's largest accordion museum.
#61
Get Whisked Away In Nashville, 🤣 On Broadway And 21st Ave
#62
Massive Ring At Tri State Pawn And Jewelry In Ashland, KY
Upstaged75 1 year ago
LOL, this town is where my grandparents lived. It's a seriously depressing little place. I dreaded every time we had to go visit them because it's one of the most boring locations on Earth.
#64
Salem Sue - Worlds Largesr Holstein Cow - New Salem, North Dakota
Glenn Cuneo 1 year ago
I've been to this cow. You're driving on I-94 (I'ts north of I-90) and you see this huge friggin cow on a hill top- out in the middle on nowhere. The paint is usually worn off of the cow tits from people touching it. https://www.google.com/maps/@46.8614491,-101.4113879,3a,60y,229.31h,92.11t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s_lb4mmiAqWr7sAAnSpgCJA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?coh=205409&entry=ttu
#65
A Huge Basket, 20 Feet Tall, Filled To Overflowing With Large, Apples. Located On Longaberger Homestead Frazeysburg, OH
#66
Soloman’s Castle Near Arcadia FL
#67
Ha Ha Tonka Ruins In Camdenton, Missouri
Daniel Atkins 1 year ago
I have been there it is a house a That burnt in 1942 But the State of Missouri bought it an turned it into a state park. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ha_Ha_Tonka_State_Park
#68
El Paso TX, A Door For Very Big People
#69
Miniature Taco Bell Reproduction In San Diego
#70
Prada Marfa Is A Permanent Sculptural Art Installation By Artists Elmgreen & Dragset, Located Along U.S. Route 90 In Jeff Davis County, Texas, United States, 1.4 Miles (2.3 Km) Northwest Of Valentine, And About 26 Miles (42 Km) Northwest Of Marfa
#71
Saw This New Structural Display In Steelville, MO. Steelville Is Known As, 'The Floating Capital Of The World.'
Ellen Townsend 1 year ago
There's a statue like this on the campus of the University of Texas in Austin. I believe it is all aluminum.
#72
S.P. Dinsmoor's Garden Of Eden Location: Lucas, Kansas - Home Of The "2nd Best Small Town Art Scene!" Est. 1907
S.P Dinsmoor started building the cabin home in 1904 at 64 yrs young, intending it to be a residence and a source of income from tourism.
The cabin is made to look like a log cabin, but is entirely constructed of rock and cement, as are the yard sculptures. Inside the cabin, no two windows or doors are alike. In the garden, there are 15 cement trees from 30 to 40 feet tall. There are 150 life size cement and stone sculptures in the garden
#73
The Hoodah Statue In The Granary District Of Salt Lake City, Utah. It’s 15 Feet X 15 Feet
#74
Largest Class Ring Citadel Class Ring In Charleston SC
#75
Arkansas Alligator Farm And Petting Zoo
#76
Chester, Illinois.... Home Of Popeye
#77
Giant Rocking Chair! Located On 385...between Hill City And Deadwood, SD!
#78
Presidents Heads Park, Williamsburg, Virginia
#81
Giganticus Headicus On Route 66 A Little Pass Kingman Arizona
#82
Summerville, Sc Claims The World's Largest Sweet Tea
#83
Shreveport, LA
Sara Frazer 1 year ago
I have seen him! My mom lived in Shreveport for a couple years, was surprisingly quite a pleasant city, lots of art and things to do
#84
Montrose, SD
Add New Image
What do you think ?
Trentin Quarantino 1 year ago
Yes, please give us more posts like this, interesting ànd unusual things from around the world, instead of copy/pasting rage bait from Reddit.
Trentin Quarantino 1 year ago
Yes, please give us more posts like this, interesting ànd unusual things from around the world, instead of copy/pasting rage bait from Reddit.
Related on Bored Panda
