Roadside attractions are as quintessentially American as baseball and barbecue. Unlike baseball and barbecue, however, it’s the quirkier, the better when it comes to worthwhile road trip stopovers. From the “Ozarks Strangest Dwelling” to a blue whale on Route 66, these are 10 of the quirkiest roadside attractions in the U.S.
1. Quigley’s Castle
Undoubtedly one of the most unusual abodes in the entire country, let alone the Ozarks, Quigley’s Castle is not your typical palace. Rather, this historic house-turned-museum, in the rolling hills of Arkansas’ Ozarks outside of Eureka Springs, was the singular vision of eccentric Italian immigrant Elisa Fiovanti Quigley. When she came to Arkansas at the age of nine, she started collecting rocks, objects, and oddities. Years later, the then-married Quigley began building her quirky manor with her husband, comprised of timber off their property, flowering plants, and walls covered with stones, arrowheads, and fossils. Now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the “Ozarks Strangest Dwelling” is open to curious visitors.
Nearby KOAs:
Eureka Springs KOA Journey
Branson KOA Holiday
2. The National Quilt Museum
One of just nine places in the U.S. to be designated a UNESCO Creative City, the Kentucky river town of Paducah earned its artful reputation with attractions like The National Quilt Museum. Widely regarded as one of the foremost destinations for quilted art in the world, the riverside museum depicts elaborate displays by visionary quilt-makers across the country, from a massive bedazzled crocodile to intricate depictions of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. The quilts come in every color, size, and style, showcasing the incredible — and largely unexpected — breadth of quilt art.
Nearby KOAs:
Paducah / I-24 / Kentucky Lake KOA Journey
Kentucky Lakes / Prizer Point KOA
3. Blue Whale of Catoosa
Anchored just northeast of Tulsa, on iconic Route 66, the Blue Whale of Catoosa is probably the last thing road-trippers would expect to see in an Oklahoma pond. Originally built by zoologist Hugh S. Davis as an attraction for his family, featuring an 80-foot-long blue whale made of metal and cement, it’s become one of the quintessential stops on one of America’s quintessential roads. Nowadays, visitors can no longer swim in the pond, but are still free to explore the whimsical attraction and perch themselves on its shores.
Nearby KOAs:
Tulsa NE / Will Rogers Downs KOA Journey
4. Wall Drug
To capitalize on the increasing visitation to nearby Badlands National Park in South Dakota, Wall Drug started simply as a pharmacy promoting its “free ice water” to thirsty passersby. Eventually, though, Wall Drug took on a life of its own, evolving into an epicenter of quirky attractions, comfort foods, and photo ops. Today, the 76,000-sq.-ft. destination is an attraction all its own, home to famed cake donuts and pies, souvenir shops and saloons, and even dinosaurs and a giant jackalope, which visitors can climb atop for photos.
Nearby KOAs:
Badlands / White River KOA Holiday
5. The World’s Largest Things
Big things are happening in the small town of Casey, Illinois, home to 12 of “The World’s Largest Things,” along with a smattering of other super-sized oddities. Despite being a mere 2.5-sq.-mi. in size, the town goes big with free-to-visit roadside attractions like a massive rocking chair, a mailbox, a wind chime, a pitchfork, and a golf tee. Beyond the record-holding installations, other “Big Things” to see include a Big Piggy Bank and Big Antlers.
Nearby KOAs:
Casey KOA Journey
6. Enchanted Highway
For 32 miles, the intriguingly named Enchanted Highway winds its way through North Dakota, lined with enormous metal sculptures that are well worth pulling over for. Created by artist Gary Greff, the magical byway extends from Gladstone to Regent, and contains enchanting pieces like “Geese in Flight,” Pheasants on the Prairie,” Grasshoppers in the Field,” and “Deer Crossing.” Be sure to check out the gift shop in Regent, where visitors can purchase miniature versions of these roadside sculptures.
Nearby KOAs:
Bismarck KOA Journey
7. Carhenge
In case it’s a little tricky to road trip to Stonehenge, Nebraska has a roadside cornerstone that could be an apt replacement. The aptly dubbed Carhenge is an irreverent homage to England’s iteration, but instead of blocks of stone, it’s vintage cars. The ramshackle feature, nestled in the high plains region of the state, was envisioned and assembled in 1987 by artist Jim Reinders, who painted old cars a grayish-blue hue to mimic the stony facade of the original. There’s also a seasonal gift shop, in case you’d like to take a piece of Carhenge home with you.
8. Prada Marfa
The entire town of Marfa, a tiny artsy community in the middle of the west Texas desert, could be considered a singularly quirky roadside attraction, from its mythical Marfa Lights to its unexpectedly vast array of galleries, hip restaurants, and boutique hotels. But if there’s one single attraction the channels the overall eccentricity of this place, it’s the one and only Prada Marfa. The stuff of Instagram dreams, it’s not actually a functioning Prada store in the middle of the quiet desert, but rather a permanent art installation designed to look like a designer store. The handiwork of Scandinavian artists Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset, Prada Marfa helped catapult Marfa onto the map as a road trip destination in general, but it’s the fashionable facade that still remains atop the roadside bucket list.
9. The House on the Rock
From the world’s largest indoor carousel to self-playing musical instruments and the mere fact that the place is constructed atop a chimney of rock, it’s immediately and abundantly clear that Wisconsin’s The House on the Rock is not your average house. Built by Alex Jordan Jr. and opened in 1960, the one-of-a-kind abode is a vast, labyrinthine property that’s positively brimming with oddball furnishings and whimsical touch points. Today, the house is available for visitors to meander in awe, through its Asian Garden and glass-lined “Infinity Room,”so named because it stretches 218-feet over a valley, and into the original home’s 13 elaborately designed rooms. There are also additional expansions around the property nowadays, including the Streets of Yesterday exhibit, the Doll House Room, and the Heritage of the Sea, a gallery filled with 200 model ships (including a Titanic replica) and a 200-foot-long sea creature.
Nearby KOAs:
Wisconsin Dells KOA Holiday
Born and raised in New Hampshire, Matt Kirouac grew up with a love for camping and the outdoors. Though he’s lived in Chicago since 2006, he’s always on the lookout for new adventures. He writes about travel and food for outlets like TripExpert, Money Inc, Upventur, DiningOut, Food Fanatics magazine, Plate Magazine and Zagat, and he currently serves as Chicago editor for What Should We Do?! He’s the author of The Hunt Guides: Chicago (2016) and Unique Eats & Eateries of Chicago (2017).
