These Weird Tourist Attractions Should Be on Your Bucket List
In a world where capturing the perfect photo to post is a requirement during any vacation, stand out from the crowd by swapping an iconic landmark for one lesser known. We’ve all seen photos perfectly posed in front of the Eiffel Tower, or the ever-creative hand propped against the Leaning Tower of Pisa, but why not opt instead for the colorful cars of Texas’ Cadillac Ranch? Or get lost in the largest maze in the world?
Stand out with a visit to these 15 weird (yet surprisingly chic) tourist attractions.
Dole Plantation’s Pineapple Garden Maze
Famed agricultural producer, Dole, holds the record for having the largest maze in the world in Hawaii. Spanning three tropical acres, the Pineapple Garden Maze is packed with sights, smells and photo opps galore. Be sure to download the free app before you enter!
Nicolas Cage’s Pyramid Tomb
The man behind the memes made a purchase as eclectic as he is in 2010. Whether the New Orleans-based pyramid tomb is a nod to National Treasure or simply a future resting place, the world may never know.
Cadillac Ranch
While the entirety of Route 66 is iconic, one public art installation outside of Amarillo, Texas, is certainly worth stopping for. Cadillac Ranch consists of 10 Cadillacs that were buried nose-down in the 1970s, stripped of most parts and spray painted many times over.
Ben & Jerry’s Flavor Graveyard
It’s a bad feeling when your favorite flavor of your favorite snack is discontinued, and ice cream is no exception. Ben & Jerry’s has created a space behind the factory in Waterbury, Vermont, to mourn the loss of its fallen flavors.
The World's Only Corn Palace
It’s corn! Literally. The Corn Palace in Mitchell, South Dakota, draws roughly 500,000 tourists per year to see its decorations, scenes and murals made entirely out of different colored corn.
SPAM Museum
SPAM is a mystery to many, but if you’ve ever wanted to learn all about the origin, company history and its place in world culture, a visit to the Austin, Minnesota, SPAM Museum will tell you all you need to know. Plus, admission is free!
Dinosaur World
A much less frightening version of Jurassic Park (though just as exciting), Dinosaur World features a number of interactive exhibits, prehistoric artifacts and hundreds of life-sized dinosaurs in each of its three – yes, three – parks.
Winchester Mystery House
From 1886 to 1922, San Jose’s Winchester Mystery House remained under construction, creating one of the most extravagant mansions in existence: 20,000 square feet, 160 rooms, 6 kitchens, and a price tag estimated at $71 million today. Plus, it’s rumored to be home to countless spirits.
National Mustard Museum
Barry Levenson was once an assistant attorney general for the state of Wisconsin. Then, the story goes, he was wandering a grocery store after his favorite baseball team lost the World Series, and the mustards called to him. The rest is history, and thanks to the Boston Red Sox, you can now see nearly 6,100 mustards in Middleton, Wisconsin’s National Mustard Museum.
Prada Marfa
In the middle of the Texas desert stands the incredibly chic Prada Marfa. While modeled to look like a Prada storefront, the landmark is simply an art installation that draws flocks of tourists annually. The photo opps are swoon-worthy.
Carhenge
England is home to the prehistoric monument, Stonehenge, but America said, “hold my beer,” and answered with a full-scale replica made entirely out of silver cars. In all seriousness, Carhenge is an impressive art installation worthy of a detour when visiting Nebraska.
Lucy The Elephant
It’s the oldest roadside attraction in America, dating all the way back to 1881. The six-story elephant is a National Historic Landmark in Margate, New Jersey, and is free to visit.
Elijah Bond's Ouija Gravestone
Have you dared ask a question to something beyond the grave using a Ouija board? Perhaps more creepy than the game itself is the headstone of its founder, which in 2007 was tracked down and converted to a replica Ouija board. The shiver-inducing stone stands out in a Baltimore graveyard.
California's Bubble Gum Alley
A 70-foot-long alley covered in chewing gum is a sight to behold in San Luis Obispo, California, and you can even add a piece of your own. Just remember what Ed Asner once told us in Elf… if you see gum on the side of the street, leave it. It’s not free candy.
Nevada’s Clown Motel
One word: Nope.
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