Prada in the Desert, Texas
There are plenty of things someone would expect to find in the desert: tumbleweeds, cactuses and blazing sun just to name a few. However, Texas boasts something a little more unique, a high-end, designer Prada store in the middle of nowhere. The store is always stocked with window displays and items, but more people visit to stare at it than to actually buy anything.
Top Secret Inc, Wisconsin
For an attraction called Top Secret Inc., this roadside building is actually pretty inconspicuous. Found in Wisconsin, it features an upside-down version of the Oval Office, an inverted press conference room complete with a robot President, and a backroom full of artefacts including the Ark of the Covenant, aliens and even caged-up dinosaurs.
Miniature Big Little Things, Illinois
One of the most difficult-to-explain roadside attractions in America resides in Illinois, where you can find a permanent museum of little big little items. Essentially, one woman went around the country visiting all the United States’ comically large items, like giant cowboy hats and balls of yarn and then mocked them up in miniature. She now has the largest collection of such objects in the world.
Gnome Chomsky, New York
If you were to pay a visit to Kelder’s Farm in New York, you’d find a lot of what you might expect. There are goats, a pumpkin patch for the Halloween season, and plenty of produce. The farm also boasts Gnome Chomsky: a 15-foot-tall concrete gnome that holds the record for being the tallest of its kind in the world.
Hole N’ the Rock, Utah
Hole-in-the-wall stores are fairly common across the United States, but what about hole-in-the-rock communities? This roadside attraction in Utah is primarily comprised of a 5,000-square-foot home literally carved into the rock and has a zoo, a general store with supplies, a memorial and an art gallery for visitors to explore.
Dinosaur Kingdom II, Virginia
There are plenty of dinosaur-themed roadside attractions across the United States of America, and many of them deal with actual scientific or historical education. Dinosaur Kingdom II has a different goal though, and instead imagines how history would have played out if dinos lived alongside humans. So if you want to see a Confederate soldier riding astride a T-Rex, this needs to be on your bucket list.
Mitchell Corn Palace, South Dakota
If the American Midwest is famous for one thing, it’s probably corn. This monument to the tasty golden vegetable was constructed in 1892 to promote South Dakota’s rich and fertile soil and has been a recognisable roadside attraction ever since. Though it has gone through several remodels over the decades, it is more popular than ever currently, attracting half a million visitors every year.
Car Henge, Nebraska
Stonehenge is one of Britain’s most enviable landmarks. Not only is it strikingly beautiful, but it’s also a place of spiritual pilgrimage and togetherness. By contrast, Nebraska has Carhenge, a roadside attraction made from vintage American cars instead of authentic historical standing stones. With that said, this location has also become a place of pilgrimage, with enthusiasts gathering there every summer solstice.
Kaskaskia Dragon, Illinois
Roadside attractions have to grab your attention in a very short time, as you need to have made the decision to stop and look around before you drive past. The Kaskaskia Dragon in Illinois doesn’t have a problem with this, as it’s a 35-foot-tall metal dragon with red glowing eyes and the ability to breathe fire every time a dollar is inserted.
The Doll’s Head Trail, Georgia
Hiking trails are already pretty ominous places, but the Doll’s Head Trail in Georgia is even spookier than most. This roadside attraction is more rural than your average giant cowboy hat and allows the participant to journey through picturesque landscapes, marred only by trail markers represented by decapitated babydolls. Yikes.
