Odd Attractions Guide
The USA is a fantastic place to take an RV rental vacation, but little do many tourists know, it is also home to some of the world�s weirdest and wackiest attractions. The American roadside is scattered with numerous strange oddities that range from the cool and intriguing, to just plain wacked.
So why not discover them for yourself and delve into our unique guide to the weird, wacky and strange attractions of the US? Trust us; you will be glad you did!
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Arizona
Living Ghost Town
Home to a population of just 200, this tourist town is basically comprised of one street; a street lined with restaurants and bars, where wild burros can frequently be sighted and gunshots can often be heard from the Ghost rider Gunfighters.
Location:Route 66, Oatman, AZ
Admission:Free
Website: www.legendsofamerica.com/
The Thing?
A total of 247 billboards leading up to it makes “The Thing” one of the most anticipated attractions of roadside America. However, we won’t ruin the surprise of what “the thing” actually is so you will just have to check it out for yourself.
Location: 2631 N Johnson Road, Dragoon, AZ
Admission: $1
California
Burlingame Museum of Pez Memorabilia
Taking an obsession with pez dispensers to a whole new level, the Museum of Pez Memorabilia is a must for anyone interested in the likes of this weird and wacky candy world. From rare, to just plain odd, this museum seems to have them all!
Location: 214 California Drive, Burlingame, CA
Phone Number: 650-347-2301
Admission: $3
Website: www.spectrumnet.com/pez/
Old Faithful Geyser of California
As one of the most predictable geysers in the world, Old Faithful does a fantastic job of attracting the tourists to Yellowstone National Park. The underground river causes an eruption every 45 minutes, with water blasting high into the sky, creating a truly fascinating sight.
Location:1299 Tubbs Lane, Calistoga, CA
Phone Number: 707-942-6463
Admission: Adults - $10
Website:www.oldfaithfulgeyser.com/
Colorado
Cano’s Castle – Beer Can Folk Art
Rising majestically as a shiny masterpiece of flattened out beer cans, hubcaps, screen doors, window casements and bicycle reflectors; Cano’s Castle is a unique piece of architecture you simply cannot pass up.
Location: 10th Avenue. and State Street, Highway 285, Antonito, Colorado
Admission: Free to look, donation for information
Junkrassic Park
Behold a land where objects fashioned out of recycled metal farm implements roam free.
It may not sound like a premise for a blockbuster movie, but it’s none the less a place worth digging in to.
Location: 35574 CR JJ, Cheraw, CO
Phone Number:719-853-6519
Admission: Free
Idaho
Oasis Bordello Museum
Experience what a brothel was like back in 1980’s by stepping back in time at the Oasis Bordello Museum. Looking exactly like it did 30 years ago, the real-life prostitutes here have been replaced by mannequins, with authentic lingerie and bedding still in place.
Location:605 Cedar Street, Wallace, ID
Phone Number: 208-753-0801
Admission:Adults - $5
Website: www.planetware.com/wallace/oasis-bordello-museum-us-id-801.htm
Museum of Clean
This museum is entirely dedicated to all things cleaning with exhibits of cleaning supplies and products dating back decades lining the corridors. Perfect for clean freaks, this museum will have you thinking twice of just how clean your own home is.
Location: 702 S. 1st Avenue, Pocatello, ID
Phone Number: 208-232-3535
Admission: Adults - $2
Website: www.aslett.com/damc/
Montana
Montana Testicle Festival
Tantalize your taste buds at the Montana Testicle Festival: home to the tastiest testicles in town. The annual event attracts a titillating 10,000 people all seeking to sample the world’s finest bull testicles in a testy festy fashion.
Location: Rock Creek Lodge, Clinton, MT
Phone Number: 406-825-4868
Admission: Adults - $15
Website: www.testyfesty.com/
Two-Storey Outhouse
Known to the locals as “Big John”, Nevada City’s two-story outhouse proudly sits behind a hotel, reveling in all its former glory (and who knows what else). This “skys-crapper” of a structure is sure to impress.
Location:Brewery Street, Nevada City, MT
Admission:Free
Nevada
Bonnie and Clyde Death Car
Bonnie and Clyde’s car has sure done its rounds, both before and after their existence. Now laid to rest in the northern Nevada town of Primm, the car is still creating a spectacle that would rival its previous life as an escape car for one of the world’s most notorious couples.
Location: 320 Gold Ranch Road, Verdi, NV
Phone Number:775-345-6789
Rhyolite Last Supper
A slightly spooky interpretation of the da Vinci masterpiece, the statues of the Rhyolite Last Supper resemble ghost-like structures, holding an eerie, but noticeable presence.
Location: Hwy 374, Rhyolite, NV
Phone Number: 702-870-9946
Admission: Free
Website: http://goldwellmuseum.org/
New Mexico
The Black Hole: Atomic Surplus Store
Put on your best radioactive suit, and head into the The Black Hole, a 17,000 square foot store and museum brandishing some of the great relics from Los Alamos’ radioactive past. Guaranteed to be an “out of this world” experience!
Location:4015 Arkansas Avenue, Los Alamos, NM
Phone Number: 505-662-5053
Admission: Free
Tinkertown
One of Route 66’s more offbeat attractions, Tinkertown blends folk art with nostalgia and is an unbeatable display of items from the mid-west, packed into a confusing structure that will leave you in awe of just how wacky some people can be.
Location: 121 Sandia Crest Road, Sandia Park, NM
Phone Number:505-281-5233
Admission: Adults - $3
Website: www.tinkertown.com/
Oregon
Grant County Historical Museum
Home to an impressive three stuffed animal freaks and the skulls of two murders, the Grant County Historical Museum isn’t like your typical showcase of American history. Wacky dummies fill out the rest of the building and visually depict the true weirdness of Canyon City’s strange past.
Location:101 South Canyon City Boulevard, Canyon City, OR
Phone Number:541-575-0362
Admission:Adults - $4
Website: www.gchistoricalmuseum.com/
Gold Hill – Oregon Vortex
Nothing can really explain the strange happenings that have occurred at the Oregon Vortex over the years, so I guess you will just have to go there to see for yourself. While its pretty looks may be deceiving, the things that have happened here are chilling enough to make you think twice before entering.
Location: 4303 Sardine Creek Road, Gold Hill, OR
Phone Number: 541-855-1543
Admission:Adults - $9.50
Website: www.oregonvortex.com/
Utah
Bingham Canyon Mine
Shaming the likes of the Grand Canyon, the Bingham Canyon was forged by an especially large trench and could potentially hold up to 9 million people!
Location:Copperton, Utah
Phone Number: 801-252-3234
Admission:Free
Four Corners USA
The concept of being in two places at once is taken to a whole new realm at Four Corners USA. Stand right at the meeting point of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona on just one toe and see what it’s like to break through geographical barriers.
Location: 4 Corners Monument Road, Shiprock, NM
Phone Number: 928-871-6647
Website:www.explorefourcorners.com/
Washington
Marsh’s Free Museum
Positioned on one of Long Beach’s most famous retail strips, this museum boasts many weird and wacky things, but none perhaps more so than Jake the Alligator Man. Half man, half alligator, this ancient attraction is guaranteed to send a few shivers down your spine.
Location: 409 S Pacific Avenue, Long Beach, WA
Phone Number:360-642-2188
Admission: Free
Website: www.marshsfreemuseum.com/
Bob’s Java Jive – Giant Coffee Pot
Measuring in at an impressive 25 feet in height and 30 feet in diameter, Bob’s Java Jive offers an experience you will not want to miss out on.
Pay a visit to the Jungle Room and enjoy a drink at the bar while listening to live music.
Location: 2102 S Tacoma Way, Tacoma, WA
Phone Number: 253-475-9843
Admission: Free
Wyoming
Ames Brothers Pyramid
If you aren’t in the mood for a trek to Egypt, the Ames Brothers Pyramid is the next best thing. Standing a symmetrical 60 feet square and 60 feet tall, this monolithic structure stands proud on a treeless, windswept plateau of nothingness essentially.
Location:Monument Road, Buford, WY
Phone Number: 307-777-6323
Admission: Free
Website: http://ludb.clui.org/
Fossil Cabin
What do you get when you combine 26,000 dinosaur bones in one big clump, with a hollow inside? A Fossil Cabin of course! Affectionately known as the “Oldest Cabin in the World”, this dinosaur boned structure makes for an interesting photo opportunity and a unique walk through.
Location: US Hwy 30, Medicine Bow, WY
Website: http://www.medicinebow.org/
Illinois
Superman’s Hometown
If you are fan of one of the world’s most recognizable superheroes, a visit to Metropolis, Illinois is a must.
The hub of excitement can be found at the Super Museum and the 200-foot-tall-statue of the hero himself; perfect for photo opportunities with the one and only Superman.
Location:517 Market Street, Metropolis, IL
Phone Number: 618-524-5518
Admission: Adults - $3
Website: www.supermuseum.com/
Historic Auto Attractions
Home to some of the most historically and culturally significant auto artifacts in the country, this museum is a must for any interested in the history of, well everything related to automobiles. From Hitler’s staff car and Bonnie and Clyde’s death hats, to part of the fence from the JFK assassination at Grassy Knoll, this museum has it all!
Location:13825 Metric Drive, Roscoe, IL
Phone Number:815-389-7917
Admission: Adults - $10
Website: www.historicautoattractions.com/
Indiana
Santa’s Candy Castle
While the castle itself falls short of being the wackiest thing you will see in Indiana, it is its owner, Kevin Klosowski, who takes the cake (or candy in this case).
Klosowski’s big dream was to “fill the castle moat with hot chocolate”, but on further reflection, and the inevitable disapproval from the health inspector, this dream has been flushed down the drain – quite literally!
Location: 15499 N State Road 245, Santa Claus, IN
Phone Number: 812-544-3900
Admission: Free
Website: www.santascandycastle.com/
RV Hall of Fame
This fascinating hall of fame houses a unique collection of antique trailers, memorabilia, historic photographs and artifacts that have all stemmed from the RV world. The scaled models are particularly exciting!
Location: 21565 Executive Parkway, Elkhart, IN
Phone Number: 800-378-8694
Admission: $8
Website: www.rvmhhalloffame.org/
Iowa
World’s Largest Strawberry
The 15-foot tall sculpture of a strawberry was constructed entirely from fiberglass and in comparison to all the others speckled across the country, is by far the most realistic.
Location: 111 E. Mission Street, Strawberry Point, IA
Phone Number: 563-933-4400
Admission: Free
Website: www.strawberrypt.com/
Albert: World’s Biggest Bull
Albert is the world’s biggest bull, standing 30 feet tall and 33 feet long, with horns that span for an impressive 15 feet. Albert’s proudest feature is undoubtedly his giant gonads, which are made from solid concrete. These features are the only part of Albert that gets painted frequently, mostly the colors of football rivals, bringing a whole new meaning to the phrase “blue balls”.
Location: East Division Street, Audubon, IA
Phone Number: 712-563-3780
Admission: Free
Kansas
Kansas Underground Salt Museum
Comprised completely out of salt, this underground museum boasts tunnels that go on for miles, with some claiming you would find salt all the way through a dig to New Mexico.
Take a tour on the “dark ride” and marvel at just how intriguing this actually is.
Location:3504 East Avenue G, Hutchinson, KS
Phone Number: 620-662-1425
Admission: Adults - $15.75
Website: www.undergroundmuseum.org/index.php
M.T. Liggett’s Political Sculptures
Situated along Highway 154, M.T. Liggett’s Political Sculptures are an expressive form of art that depict not only political structures, but the likes of grinning dogs, ancient gods, a smiling pumpkin and chickens wearing boots. You don’t get much wackier than this!
Location:South Avenue, Mullinville, KS
Admission: Free
Kentucky
Vent Haven: Ventriloquist Museum
Ventriloquism is something that has intrigued the public for many years, and as fascinating as it may be, many of us are still wary of just what these “dummies” can do. This museum really puts you right in the thick of it, as you walk through endless rooms of silently grinning dolls, it’s hard not to get a slight feeling of the “heebie-jeebies” and wonder just what’s going on in their little wooden heads.
Location: 33 W. Maple Avenue, Fort Mitchell, KY
Phone Number: 859-341-0461
Admission: Donation
Website: www.kentuckybeautiful.com/
Answers in Genesis Creation Museum
Offering some sort of answer to the age old debate between Evolution and Creationism, the Answers in Genesis Creation Museum is an attraction that is guaranteed to surprise even the most skeptical among us.
Location: 2800 Bullittsburg Church Road, Petersburg, KY
Phone Number: 888-582-4253
Admission: Adults - $24.95
Website: www.creationmuseum.org/
Minnesota
World’s Largest Twine Ball
Twenty-nine years in the making, the world’s largest twine ball (rolled by one man) has put the small town of Darwin, Minnesota, on the map. Coming in at an impressive 9 tons and measuring 12 feet wide, the ball has faced some tough competition, but has stayed strong (or string rather) and maintained its title, and its keen local admirers.
Location: 1st Street, Darwin, MN
Phone Number:20-693-7544
Admission: Free
World’s Largest Booming Prairie Chicken
Weighing in at a whopping 9000 pounds, this chicken would likely set you back a hefty sum if you were to purchase it from your local butcher. Instead, why not pay a visit to the 13-foot replica, which even on its better days looks positively alien. If you stand at the right angle below it, it makes for a great gag photo
Location:Center Street, Rothsay, MN
Admission: Free
Website: www.worldslargestthings.com/
Michigan
World’s Largest Tire
Nothing captures the state’s automotive history more than this tribute to one of the world’s most useful inventions: the tire!
Weighing in at 12 ton and standing an impressive 80-foot tall, this tire will put the tires on your car to ABSOLUTE SHAME!
Location: I-94, Allen Park, MI
Admission: Free
Weird Michigan Wax Museum
Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is known for its, lets say, oddities, but this museum has to take the cake (and the candles). Although the displays are somewhat “tongue in cheek”, they do well to capture the weird and wacky of the Upper Peninsula and will have you shaking in your boots, or simply just crept out!
Location: Martin Lake Road, St. Ignace, MI
Phone Number: 906-643-8760
Admission: Adults - $7
Website: www.weirdwax.com/
Missouri
Mount Rushmore Celebrity Heads
This celebrity tribute to the real Mount Rushmore features the likes of John Wayne, Elvis, Marilyn Monroe and Oliver Hardy, and is a must for keen pop-culture lovers.
Location: 3030 W. Hwy 76, Branson, MO
Phone Number: 417-337-8277
Admission: Free
Glore Psychiatric Museum
Though slightly depressing, this attraction dives deep into the realm of weird and wacky and is a must-visit for those with a slight crazy tendency. Discover terrifying torture devices and wander through the creepily realistic exhibits; make sure you stay with your group though as you never know what you may find here.
Location: 3408 Frederick Avenue, St. Joseph, MO
Phone Number:816-364-1209
Admission: Adults - $5
Website: www.gloremuseum.org/
Nebraska
Carhenge
America’s quirkiest Stonehenge can be found just outside the small town of Alliance, Nebraska. What makes this one stand out is the fact that is it entirely made of cars; 38 to be exact.
Location: Hwy 87, Alliance, NE
Phone Number: 308-762-1520
Admission: Free
Website: www.carhenge.com/
World’s Largest Ball of Stamps
Weighing in at a whopping 600 pounds, the World’s Largest Ball of Stamps is claimed to be comprised of 4,655,000 stamps, collected from a bygone era when people actually used to mail each other letters. Imagine that!
Location: Leon Myers Stamp Center, 13628 Flanagan Boulevard, Boys Town, NE
Phone Number: 800-625-1400
Admission: $5 donation
Website: www.worldslargestthings.com/
North Dakota
World’s Largest Grasshopper
Gary Greff’s original idea for the Enchanted Highway has soared and the grasshopper has a lot to do with this. For all those acridophobians out there, don’t let its size fool you though; unlike real grasshoppers, this one is completely harmless.
Location: Regency-Gladstone Road, Regent, ND
Phone Number: 701-563-6400
Admission: Free
Tin Family – The Enchanted Highway
The local tin family offers a popular stop-off point along the Enchanted Highway, visually depicting a larger than life impression of farming life. Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of the tin sculptures is the mother’s hair, which if you look closely enough will notice is made of barbed wire.
Location: Regency-Gladstone Road, Regent, ND
Phone Number:701-563-6400
Admission: Free
Ohio
American Sign Museum
America’s roadside is what it is because of the weird and wacky things that can be found along it, and these odd attractions would be nothing if it were not for the signs that lead you to them. The American Sign Museum pays tribute to these signs and is in fact the only one of its kind in the country.
Location: 2515 Essex Place, Cincinnati, OH
Phone Number: 513-258-4020
Admission: $10 per person
Website: www.signmuseum.net/
World’s Largest Basket-Shaped Building
Coming home from work as a basket case is given a whole new meaning at the world’s largest basket in Newark, Ohio. The basket is a replica of Longaberger’s Medium Market Basket…but measures in at more the 160 times larger, and is the home office of Longaberger’s company.
Location: 1500 East Main Street, Newark, OH
Phone Number: 740-322-5588
Admission: Free
Website: www.worldslargestthings.com/
South Dakota
Porter Sculpture Park
Marvel at the Egyptian cow head, the pink Chinese dragon, the Grim Reaper and the Screaming Man and you’ll soon realize this isn’t just weird: this is art.
Location: 25700 451st Avenue, Montrose, SD
Phone Number: 605-853-2266
Admission: $6
Website: www.portersculpturepark.com/
Devil’s Gulch
Allegedly the very spot where Jesse James, famous American outlaw, fell to his untimely death, Devil’s Gulch inspires a certain amount of awe and will have you hanging on for dear life at the very thought of crossing the gorge.
Location:Devil's Gulch Park, Garretson, SD
Phone Number: 605-594-6721
Admission: Free
Wisconsin
Museum of Historic Torture Devices
Find out exactly how rats can gnaw out the intestines of a human and the method of crushing a human skull, or experience what it is like to be electrocuted in the fake electric chair that is “suitable for all ages”.
Location: 740 Eddy Street, Wisconsin Dells, WI
Phone Number: 608-254-2439
Admission: $8
Website: www.torturamuseum.com/
Ghost Outpost
While many haunted houses tend to be on the corny and cheesy side, the Ghost Outpost in Wisconsin Dells tries to move past this and create an experience that will truly terrify its visitors; emphasis on the “tries”.
Location: 633 US Highway 12, Wisconsin Dells, WI
Phone Number: 608-254-2127
Admission: Adults - $8.95
Website: www.ghostoutposthauntedhouse.com/
Connecticut
Museum of Natural and Other Curiosities
Home to a unique collection of freaks and rarities, this museum is a must for those wishing to gain a peak at things like a two-headed calf, an eight-foot-long alligator and strange exo-skeletons.
Location: 800 Main Street, Hartford, CT
Phone Number: 860-522-6766
Admission: Adults - $6
Wild Bill’s Nostalgia Center
Home to one of the strangest collections of random objects you will see in the US, this museum will expose you to the likes of a 15-foot-long snake skin, a rib from a 65-ton whale and an ox yoke.
Location: 1003 Newfield Street, Middletown, CT
Phone Number:860-613-0061
Admission: Free
Website: www.wildbillsonline.com/
Delaware
Miles the Monster
A concrete and red-eyed version of “The Hulk”, Miles the Monster has been standing mascot for the Dover International Speedway for over a decade now, and is so big he can be seen from up to half a mile away.
Location: 1131 N. Dupont Hwy, Dover, DE
Phone Number: 302-883-6500
Admission: Free
Website: www.doverspeedway.com/
World Champion Punkin Chunkin
Held every year just after Halloween, what better way to get rid of those rotting pumpkins than the Pumpkin Chunkin? This annual pumpkin throwing contest has the locals bringing out the big guns, with cannons, catapults and centrifugal machines a common sight here.
Location: Bridgeville, DE
Phone Number: 302-684-8196
Admission: $7
Website: www.punkinchunkin.com/
Pennsylvania
Mercer Museum: Historic Galleys
This seven-storey castle museum is home to things that may seem common, but when on display here, delve into the weird and wacky. Boats hang from the ceiling and an entire room is filled with creepy stove plates and fireplace tiles; a very strange place indeed.
Location: 84 S. Pine Street, Doylestown, PA
Phone Number: 215-345-0210
Admission: Adults - $9
Website: www.mercermuseum.org/
World’s Largest Burgers
Forget Macca’s, Clearfield, Pennsylvania is where you will find the world’s largest burger.
Weighing in at a rather disgusting 15 pounds, the burgers here will have you rolling out the door…literally.
Location: 1452 Woodland Road, Clearfield, PA
Phone Number: 814-765-7190
Admission: Free
Website: www.dennysbeerbarrelpub.com/
Maine
Giant Snowman
Take over 13,000,000 pounds of snow, stack it 122 feet high, wrap it in a 130 foot long scarf, and you have yourself the world’s largest man with a body temperature below freezing.
Location:8 Station Place, Bethel, ME
Phone Number: 207-824-2282
Admission: Free
Website: www.bethelmainesnowwoman.com/
World’s Tallest Indian
He may not be the largest, but he certainly is the world’s tallest Indian. Standing 62-feet high, this structure is the perfect background for happy snaps.
Location:High Street, Skowhegan, ME
Phone Number: 207-474-3621
Admission: Free
Maryland
National Museum of Dentistry
A visit to the dentist generally isn’t a pleasant experience however the National Museum of Dentistry in Baltimore may be the exception to this rule.
Learn about the development of drills and the evolution of extraction instruments, before inspecting the dentures of George Washington and the regal set of picks and tooth scrapers used by Queen Victoria. It’s sure to bring a toothy grin to your face!
Location: 31 South Greene Street, Baltimore, MD
Phone Number:410-706-0600
Admission: Adults - $7
Website:www.dentalmuseum.org/
Geppi’s Entertainment Museum
Comic book fans will go nuts at Geppi’s Entertainment Museum; a big kid’s paradise. The heart of the museum is the shrine of comic books “A Story in Four Colors”, which showcases pristine copies of some of America’s most loved comic books. Other highlights include the showcased box of Mr. T Cereal and a battery powered Great Garloo.
Location: 301 West Camden Street, Baltimore, MD
Phone Number: 410-625-7060
Admission: Adults - $10
Website: www.geppismuseum.com/
Massachusetts
Witch Dungeon
First take in a live performance of an authentic Salem witch trial and watch a 17th century prosecutor tear apart the flawed testimony of the accused witch.
Next, rise to your feet in celebration as the witch is convicted of her heinous crimes. Finally, head down to the Witch Dungeon for a round a witch flogging, water boarding, planking, broomstick beating and any other forms of devious witch torture you can devise.
Location:16 Lynde Street, Salem, MA
Phone Number: 978-741-3570
Admission: Adults - $8
Website: www.witchdungeon.com/
Museum of Bad Art
There aren’t too many art galleries one would visit expecting to see bad art; but this place is one of them. While some would consider the artwork here masterpieces, most would agree it’s tragic beyond words and there is no other place for it.
Location: 580 High Street, Dedham, MA
Phone Number: 781-444-6757
Admission: Free
Website: www.museumofbadart.org/
New Hampshire
American Classic Arcade Museum
Perfect for all keen gamers out there, young and old, this classic arcade museum is the largest arcade in the world. Visitors not only get to look and touch the gaming machines, but also play them as well. There are even machines here from 1971!
Location: US Hwy 3, Laconia, NH
Phone Number: 603-366-4377
Website: www.classicarcademuseum.org/
Ruggles Mine: Movie Caliber Rockyard
Burrowed into the depths of Isinglass Mountain, Ruggles Mine is a huge open pit that is full of pitch-black passages and is perfect for keen cave explorers. Never mind the fact that going inside may make you feel like a leper; the gems you are able to dig for will be well worth it!
Location: Ruggles Mine Road, Grafton, NH
Phone Number: 603-523-4275
Admission: Adults - $25
Website: www.rugglesmine.com/
New Jersey
Northlandz
Regarded as the world’s largest miniature railway, Northlandz boasts 80 miles of track and hundreds of bridges, each of which have been very delicately constructed. You could literally spend an entire day just looking at it!
Location: 495 US Hwy 202, Flemington, NJ
Phone Number: 908-782-4022
Admission: $13. 75
Website: www.northlandz.com/
New York
House of Frankenstein Wax Museum
Enter this house of screams and you will soon discover the true torture some locals feel of living in New York. Be careful not to bump into any of the dummies that are sprawled about the place, since you are also likely to come across an axe or two along with them.
Location: 213 Canada Street, Lake George, NY
Phone Number: 518-668-3377
Admission: Adults - $8.99
Website: www.frankensteinwaxmuseum.com/
Kaatskill Kaleidoscope
Claiming to be the “world’s largest kaleidoscope” this is attraction is…well it’s exactly that. Crane your necks to look up the top of this 60-foot structure and you will be rewarded with a show that will take you on a journey from the days of Lincoln and Stalin, to Marilyn Monroe and Nixon. Surely this couldn’t disappoint?
Location: 5340 Route 28, Mount Tremper, NY
Phone Number: 877-688-2828
Admission: $5 per show
Website: www.kaleidostore.com/
Rhode Island
Rhode Island’s Vampire Grave
The legend of Rhode Island’s most famous, alleged vampire lives on at his gravesite in Exeter. Ghost hunters and vampire fans frequent this place, making it the state’s most visited grave site.
Location: Victory Hwy., Exeter, RI
Vermont
Bread and Puppet Museum
Home to some truly creepy puppets, this museum takes weird and wacky to a whole new level. Many of the puppets here are deformed, adding to their creepiness, making for a perfectly freaky day out.
Location: 753 Heights Road, Glover, VT
Phone Number: 802-525-3031
Admission: Donation
Alabama
The Ava Maria Grotto
Known across the world as a “Miniature Jerusalem”, this beautifully landscaped park is nestled on 4 acres and houses 125 reproductions of some of the world’s most famous buildings and shrines.
Location: 1600 St. Bernard Drive, SE, Cullman, AL
Phone Number: 256-734-4110
Admission: Adults - $7
Website: www.avemariagrotto.com/
African Village in America
As far as weird and wacky in Alabama goes, there really is nothing stranger than Birmingham’s African Village.
Joe Minter has been developing this tribute to African-America in his backyard since 1989, and all attractions have been built from the likes of old sports equipment, baking pans, footwear, toys and Christmas lawn decorations.
Location: 931 Nassau Avenue SW., Birmingham, AL
Phone Number: 205-322-7370
Admission: Free
Florida
Coral Castle
Built by the strength of just one made, Coral Castle may not look like much of a castle, but it is well worth the trek. The structure was erected over 2.2 million pounds of coral rock and tells the story of unrequited love between 2 lovers that just weren’t meant to be.
Location: 28655 S. Dixie Hwy, Homestead, FL
Phone Number: 305-248-6345
Admission: Adults - $9.75
Potter’s Wax Museum
Regarded as “America’s first and finest wax museum”, Potter’s Wax Museum boasts over 160 wax figurines, including the likes of Albert Einstein, Tiger Woods, Princess Diana and even a bald Britney Spears.
Location: 17 King Street, St. Augustine, FL
Phone Number: 904-829-9056
Admission: Adults - $8.99
Website: www.potterswax.com/
Georgia
Lunchbox Museum
Inspired by the lunchtime memories of the years before the 1980’s, the Lunchbox Museum offers an extensive collection of America’s most beloved lunchtime metal pales. From Adam 12 to Yoda, this museum seemingly has it all.
Location: International Marketplace, 318 10th Avenue, Columbus, GA
Phone Number: 706-332-6378
Admission: Free
Website: www.cwpsecure.com/
Babyland General Hospital
Cleveland is the birth town of the Cabbage Patch Kids, and the Babyland hospital here pays tribute to this phenomenon like no other institution could. See the birth of these iconic dolls and experience the opportunity to nurture them into this world and even take one home with you.
Location: 300 N.O.K. Drive, Cleveland, GA
Phone Number: 706-865-2171
Admission:Free
Website: www.cabbagepatchkids.com/
North Carolina
World’s Largest Chest of Drawers
High Point has taken the lead in the “world’s biggest furniture” battle, boasting two giant chests of drawers. The largest of these stands at an impressive 80-foot tall, dwarfing its little sister on the other side of town, which comes complete with socks and all.
Location: 508 North Hamilton Street, High Point, NC
Phone Number: 336-884-5255
Admission: Free
World’s Largest 10 Commandments
Never before has the presence of God felt so big than at North Carolina’s World’s Largest 10 Commandments. This 300-foot tableau rests on the side of a mountain in one of the state’s most obscure western corners, and is accompanied by a Prayer Mountain and a replica tomb of Jesus, from which you can roll the stone away, literally.
Location: Hwy .294, Murphy, NC
Phone Number: 828-494-7855
Admission: Free
Website: www.learnnc.org/
South Carolina
UFO Welcome Center
The owner of this wacky attraction, Jody Pendarvis, has been awaiting the arrival of non-human beings since 1994 and insists that his attempt at a UFO will be a welcoming environment for aliens to get to know the human kind.
Location: 4004 Homestead Road, Bowman, SC
Phone Number: 803-829-2311
Admission: $3
Website: www.ufowelcomecenter.blogspot.com/
Button King Museum
From button suits, to button cars, Dalton Stevens has it covered…quite literally. The Button King Museum showcases a man’s lifework and offers quite a sight to look at.
Location: 55 Joe Dority Road, Bishopville, SC
Phone Number: 803-428-3841
Admission: Donation
Tennessee
Museum of Salt and Pepper Shakers
Walk the halls of this crazy museum and come across almost 20,000 salt and pepper shakers, each placed into their own unique category, in a manner that is pleasing to the eye and quirky enough to make you stop and take a look. From feet and crab claws, to every vegetable imaginable, this museum covers it all!
Location:461 Brookside Village Way, Gatlinburg, TN
Phone Number: 1-888-778-1802
Admission: Adults - $3
Museum of Appalachia
The terms weird and wacky take on a whole new meaning once you have visited the Museum of Appalachia; home to seemingly endless oddities and strange attractions.
Boasting over a quarter of a million artifacts, highlights of the museum include the perpetual motion machine, the American axe and the tribute to the history of the nail.
Location: 2819 Andersonville Hwy, Clinton, TN
Phone Number: 865-494-7680
Admission: Adults - $14.95
Website: www.museumofappalachia.org/
West Virginia
Mystery Hole
While you may be a bit hesitant to enter a “mystery hole”, don’t be alarmed; this attraction isn’t really all that mysterious. The exterior is actually rather tacky but we can’t actually share what’s in the mystery hole, so you’re just going to have to go check it out for yourselves.
Location: US Hwy 60, Ansted, WV
Phone Number: 304-658-9101
Admission: $6
Website: www.mysteryhole.com/
Lost World Caverns
These lost caverns were made famous back in 1992 when claims of a “Bat Boy” living in them hit the tabloids. The large-eyed, fanged human child was said to have been raised by the bats in the cave that measures over a thousand feet long, and reaches 10 stories high.
Location: Fairview Road, Lewisburg, WV
Phone Number: 866-228-3778
Admission: Adults - $12
Website: www.lostworldcaverns.com/
Virginia
Haunted Monster Museum
Set in a real, musty and dank old house, this haunted monster museum boasts every textbook cliché you could possibly think of. Venture outside of the house into the “Freakout Forest” and you will stumble across a graveyard, a crashed plane and a rather unpleasant ogre eating a childe. Creepy to say the least!
Location: Hwy 130, Natural Bridge, VA
Phone Number: 540-464-2253
Admission: Adults - $13
Website: www.virginia.org/
Drug Enforcement Administration Museum
Experience the “modern pleasure drug culture”, head to “Jimmy’s Joint” or get caught up in a booby trap that was used in the marijuana fields back in the 80’s. This museum has it all.
Location: 700 Army Navy Drive, Arlington, VA
Phone Number: 202-307-3463
Admission: Free
Website: www.deamuseum.org/
Arkansas
Arkansas Alligator Farm
Mermen have long fascinated people from across the world, so it should come as no surprise that the wacky state of Arkansas is home to one of them. Resting in the Alligator Farm in Hot Springs, this attraction is both creepy and intriguing and is guaranteed to set off the goose bumps and send chills up and down your spine.
Location: 847 Whittington Avenue, Hot Springs, AR
Phone Number: 501-623-6172
Admission: Adults - $6.50
Website: www.arkansasalligatorfarm.com/
The Great Passion Play Theme Park
A theme park devoted entirely to Christianity is sure to arouse some interest, especially among those who are willing to pay the big bucks to see it.
Home to The Bible Museum and The Museum of Earth History, and putting on Great Passion plays, this park is unlike any other American theme park you will ever visit.
Location:935 Passion Play Road, Eureka Springs, AR
Phone Number:501-253-9200
Admission: Prices vary
Website: www.greatpassionplay.com/
Louisiana
Voodoo Mermen, Marie Laveau House of Voodoo
Somehow escaping wrath of Hurricane Katrina, Marie Leveau’s House of Voodoo remains one of the creepiest things you will come across in New Orleans. Delicately tip toe your way through the devil painted statues and potions and you will find a withered old woman, awaiting your arrival and keen to tell your fortune.
Location: 739 Bourbon Street, New Orleans, LA
Phone Number: 504-581-3751
Admission: Free
Website: www.waymarking.com
World’s Smallest Church – Chapel of the Madonna
Standing at a not-so-imposing 8 feet high and 8 feet wide, the Chapel of Madonna claims status as the world’s smallest church. Holding an impressive 5 seats, mass is held once a year and draws a not so mighty crowd.
Location:River Road, Point Pleasant, LA
Phone Number: 504-687-7158
Admission: Free
Mississippi
Mammy’s Cupboard
Mammy’s Cupboard is a restaurant built inside a 28-foot tall woman’s skirt and has withstood the test of time for over 70 years. A visit here will provide a dining experience like no other.
Location: 555 Hwy 61 S., Natchez, MS
Phone Number: 601-445-8957
Graceland Too
This floor-to-ceiling tribute to the King is all hand-made and depicts the general public’s obsession with the King of Rock. From cardboard and newspaper cut-outs to movies and music, this museum covers it all.
Location: 200 East Gholson Avenue, Holly Springs, MS
Admission: $5
Website: www.visithollysprings.org/
Oklahoma
World’s Largest Totem Pole
Take a detour from Route 66 and you will come across the World’s Largest Totem Pole; well at least the largest one made of concrete. Previously housing handmade fiddles and furniture, along with portraits of all the US Presidents up to JFK, the totem is deeply immersed in history and will blow you away with its vast size.
Location: Hwy 28A, Foyil, OK
Phone Number: 918-342-9149
Admission: Free
Website: www.legendsofamerica.com/
Cow Chip Throwing Capital of the World
Cow chip throwing is a popular past time throughout the state of Oklahoma but the concentration of experts can be found within the town of Beaver. The stories you will hear are all true, so when you visit be prepared to duck to avoid the need for facial reconstruction.
Location: Douglas Avenue, Beaver, OK
Phone Number: 580-625-4726
Admission:Free
Website: www.beaverchamber.com/
Texas
Forbidden Gardens
Discover the mysteries of Imperial China when you visit the Forbidden Gardens; and don’t worry, you will be able to get in! Covering 40 acres, this attraction spans 2000 years of Chinese history and is perfect to visit if you don’t think you will ever see the real thing.
Location: 23500 Franz Road, Katy, TX
Phone Number: 281-347-8000
Admission: Adults - $10
Website: www.forbidden-gardens.com/
Cadillac Ranch
These Cadillac monuments apparently represent America’s hopes and dreams and artistic aspirations, but really they are just old cars decorated with colorful and vibrant paint. Still worth a look, they paint quite the scene and are perfect for some great photo opportunities.
Location:I-40, Amarillo, TX
Admission: Free
Website: www.libertysoftware.be/
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