America has a lot of things to offer both locals and international travellers alike; they’ve got the Empire State Building, the Golden Gate Bridge, and of course we can never forget the culinary genius of the donut burger. But beyond impressive landscapes and inspiring (albeit unhealthy) foods, what does the Land of Liberty have to offer? How about countless unique, fun, and downright weird roadside attractions spread across the 50 states? Of course not every single one justify the trek, so we’ve gone and picked the top 15 attractions worthy of seeing your beautiful face.
1. World’s Largest Santa Claus, Alaska
Location: 101 St. Nicholas Drive
Cost: Free
This 900 pound statue of the big red guy was built for the 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle and was eventually moved to the North Pole in 1983. The statue required 18 gallons of paint to achieve that distinct Christmas vibe everyone knows and loves Santa for. When you swing by this landmark, make sure to visit Santa’s reindeer (located in a pen nearby) and the Santa Claus house where you can see a life-size nativity scene, stuffed moose and polar bears.
2. The Thing, Arizona
Location: 2631 North Johnson Road, Dragoon, Arizona
Cost: $1.00
Dubbed the “Mystery of the desert” by perhaps only the creator of this thing (Thomas Prince), countless tourists are pulled towards this site by a few hundred billboards scattered along Interstate 10. The billboards have an enticing 1950s’ horror comic aesthetic that fit the desert backdrop perfectly. Considering there’s only so many times a person can be tempted by their own curiosity while driving through the middle of no where…it’s a no brainer why this roadside attraction pulls in people so easily. Do yourself a favour though and don’t google this one. Half the fun is the anticipation of what you’ll see when you finally arrive.
3. Salvation Mountain, California
Location: Beal Road, Niland, CA, 92257
Cost: Pay-what-you-can
Salvation Mountain is quite the sight to behold. A combination of paint, adobe, and straw, the attraction covers a hill in the Colorado Desert and is painted with Bible verses and various murals. It was created by artist and local resident Leonard Knight as a personal project, taking over 25 years and two “mountains” (the first one crumbled under the weight of the paint) to complete. People from all over will bring donations of paint with them when they visit. There’s an estimated 100,000 gallons of paint that have made this mountain the brightly coloured spectacle it is now.
4. Fountain of Youth, Delaware
Location: Pilottown Road, Lewes, DE
Cost: Free
So the legend goes that this Fountain of Youth was first discovered by Dutch colonists in 1631 and allowed those who drank from it the ability to maintain their youthful glow for longer than nature intended. When you arrive you can expect to stumble upon a tiny gazebo with an old-timey sign that reads, “Ye Old Fountain of Youth.” Unfortunately, the Fountain is bone dry and the rare leftward-spiral conch shell that used to hang overhead, supposedly as a source of added power for the water, has since gone missing.
5. World’s Most Scenic Urinal, Hawaii
Location: 76-5908 Mamalahoa Hwy, Kealakekua, Big Island, HI
Cost: Hotel Kona’s room rates
On the big Hawaiian island of Kona is the small town of Kealakekua, where you’ll find everything from art galleries, studios, quaint restaurants and bed and breakfasts. Keep driving down the highway and you’ll eventually come across a unique pink hotel called Hotel Kona. Past visitors have said that you can expect to be met by a friendly Japanese lady who (if you’re lucky enough) will invite you to check out the men’s room on the end of a walkway on the first floor. What you’ll encounter is a urinal that, while protecting your modesty, has an open window that allows you to overlook a spectacular view while answering nature’s call.
6. World’s Biggest Beagle, Idaho
Location: North Central Idaho on US Hwy 95 at Cottonwood, Idaho
Cost: Dog Bark Park Hotel rates
This is a great roadside attraction to check out because if you find this one incredibly impressive or very disappointing, you can rest your head here while you get your mental strength back. The hotel was created by two chainsaw artists who sold their miniature dog carvings in order to build the Dog Bark Park Inn in 1997. Sweet Willy, the biggest beagle (there are actually two larger-than life structures) sleeps four with a queen bed in the main section and two twin mattress in the head of the dog. You’ll get the added bonus of walking up to an awesome breakfast of homemade granola and pastries.
7. The Paper House, Massachusetts
Location: 52 Pigeon Hill Street, Rockport, MA
Cost: $1.50
What may appear to be a normal house on the outside, is actually a haven for paper lovers inside. Construction of this house, made entirely from over 100,000 layered newspapers, began in 1922 by the Stenman family. No word on why this particular family had such a passion for paper but nevertheless we’ve been bestowed a house that has 215 layers of newspaper for walls, a writing desk created from accounts of Charles Lindbergh’s transatlantic flight, and a real piano that’s been covered with rolls of paper. Bring some bandaids (to help with inevitable paper cuts) and your glasses because you’ll be spending hours reading the various bits and pieces of headlines that make up the structure.
8. The Largest Burger in the World, Pennsylvania
Location: 1452 Woodland Road, Clearfield, PA
Cost: Admission is free but the burger will run you about $30
Others will claim to serve bigger burgers but this one is a Guinness World Record holder for the largest commercially available hamburger you can get your hands on. Set at a reasonable price, Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub’s burger challenge is not for the weak-willed. The heaviest burger they’ve ever made weighed in at 123 pounds and took nine hours to cook; the bar even has a local bakery on contract to bake them custom buns. Don’t worry though, if you show up you’ll have a slightly smaller challenge in front of you with the “Belly Buster,” a two-person, 15 pound burger made of 11 pounds of meat. The burger is a foot tall, served with all the usual fixings and if you can finish it you don’t have to pay for it…at least not with money.
9. Cadillac Ranch, Texas
Location: I-40 Frontage Rd, Amarillo, TX 79124
Cost: Free
If you enjoyed Mad Max you’ll get a kick out of Cadillac Ranch which looks like it was a set piece for the 2015 Oscar winning movie about a bunch of people in a desert going no where fast. However don’t be fooled by the name, this attraction is not so much a ranch as it is an art installation. Created in 1974 by two artists named Chip Lord and Doug Michels, the ranch features colourfully painted old Cadillac automobiles, meant to represent the evolution of the car line from 1949 to 1963. The cars are half-buried nose-first in the ground, at an angle that’s intended to correspond with Egypt’s famous pyramids. You’ll be able to see this attraction from the highway and although it’s on private land it can be accessed by driving along a frontage road and then by walking through an unlocked gate. The cars are repainted various colours from time to time to mark special occasions and visitors are encourage to spray-paint the cars themselves should they feel so inclined.
10. Hole N’ The Rock, Utah
Location: 11037 South Highway 191, Moab, Utah 84532
Cost: $6.00
The great big “Hole N’ the Rock” has quite the history behind it, having begun to take its current form as far back as a century ago. Originally beginning as just one small room for the Albert Christensen’s children to sleep in, became a complete engineering marvel stretching roughly 50,000 cubic feet of sandstone, excavated from the gigantic rock. When Albert passed away in 1957, his wife Gladys honoured his wishes and continued to develop the property. Now visitors can explore a 14-room home, with a fireplace and 65-foot chimney. There are 14 rooms to explore with original furniture from the initial homeowners as well as old kitschy paintings and a creepy doll collection. Road trippers can also pay their respects to Albert and Gladys Christensen during their visit as the two are buried in a small cover within the rock.
11. Cabazon Dinosaurs, California
Location: 50770 Seminole Dr, Cabazon, CA 92230, United States
Cost: $10.00
This attraction is the perfect choice for any Jurassic Park fans out there who are looking to get more in touch with their prehistoric side. Featuring Dinny the Dinosaur, a 150 ton “life-size” replica of a Brontosaurus and Mr. Rex, a 100 ton T-rex, Cabazon Dinosaurs is regarded as quite the site to behold. While there isn’t that much to do in the surrounding area beyond marvel at the giant dinosaurs, the original vision of artist Claude K. Bell is an interesting story. Prior to his death he had always envisioned that glowing lights and pyrotechnics would be installed in the heads of each dinosaur in order to “scare the dickens out of people driving up…” Although this never came to fruition (and what a shame), you can still check out the ironic Creationist Museum that has since taken residence inside Dinny.
12. Foamhenge, Natural Bridge, Virginia
Location: Natural Bridge, VA 24578, United States
Cost: Free
Fun fact: did you know that an estimated 64% of Americans have never left the United States? And why should they when they have some of the world’s most mysterious and impressive landmarks recreated right in their own backyards? Enter Foamhenge, a full-size replica of the United Kingdom’s Stonehenge that’s constructed entirely out of…you guessed it, styrofoam! Created in 2004 by zany artist and entertainer Mark Cline, the “stones” are positioned so that they are astronomically accurate. Unlike the real Stonehenge, visitors are permitted to walk right up to the site and touch whatever they feel, under the assumption they’ll be as gentle as a butterfly. Tragically Foamhenge will have to find a new home as of 2016 as the site it sits on (Natural Bridge) is being transformed into a state park.
13. Igloo City, Alaska
Location: I-A-4, Cantwell, AK 99729, United States
Cost: Free
Igloo City is actually a completely abandoned four storey hotel that was never completed because a rumour goes, the builder either ignored building codes and was shut down by the fuzz or he simply ran out of money. Either way the State of Alaska considered the whole thing too expensive to tear down and thus it remains a cautionary tale for over-zealous architects from the 1970s. The igloo has passed through the hands of many different owners over the years and as more and more of it falls apart, it’s ripe for exploration by curious travellers who are passing through Alaska.
14. World’s Longest Plant Maze, Hawaii
Location: 64-1550 Kamehameha Hwy, Wahiawa, HI 96786, United States
Cost: $7.00
As of 2008, Dole Plantation’s giant Pineapple Garden Maze has held the title of the world’s largest maze. The maze takes up over three acres and includes approximately two and a half miles of twisting pathways and dead ends built from 14,000 Hawaiian plants. Those not afraid of getting lost can weave their way through the diverse island flora while searching for eight secret stations that each lead to the mystery at the heart of this enormous maze. If you have a great sense of direction and become the fastest finisher, you not only win a prize but you’ll be entered into “Hall of Fame” with your name recorded on a sign at the entrance of the maze. Just make sure you buy your ticket at least 24 hours in advance!
15. Mystery Spot, California
Address: 465 Mystery Spot Rd, Santa Cruz, CA 95065
Costs: $8.00
Last but not least, you have to visit the Mystery Spot if you ever find yourself passing through Santa Cruz, California. Located in the redwoods outside the city, the mystery spot is a gravitational anomaly that is a circular area of affect around 150 feet in diameter. First discovered in 1939 by a group of surveyors, it was opened to the public the next year and has been freaking people out ever since. You can expect weird gravitational effects like a ball rolling up a plank instead of down. How is this possible? If you ask around you’ll hear every reason from secret alien technology to carbon dioxide to an undiscovered magma vortex. Once you’re finished marvelling at the mystery of the Mystery Spot, you can enjoy the nearby hiking trails (and your complimentary bumper sticker).
