Photo by: aleciccotelli/Adobe Stock
It will probably come as a surprise that World UFO Day is just around the corner on July 2nd, coinciding with the anniversary of the Roswell incident. To help mark the occasion, we’ve covered our favourite six locations around the world that are known for being alien hotspots. Given how big and populous America is, it’s no surprise that there have been high amounts of recorded UFO activity there; in fact, it takes up three of our six slots. Whichever hotspot you plan to visit, be sure to grab yourself a hire car to make the most of what the location has to offer while you’re there.
United States
Pacific Coast Highway, California
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Between Santa Barbara and Long Beach, numerous reports of unidentified objects have been made since the late 40s. Statistically, there are more reports condensed in this area than any other place in the country. It’s due to this, and the kinds of sightings, that believers in the area are convinced that there’s a secret underwater base. Many people claim to have seen flashing lights under the water or unidentified flying craft entering or exiting the sea.
Over 50 reports in the area have been made, starting a few years after the Roswell incident. These are potentially fuelled by Independence Day and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, both of which used the area for filming scenes.
Be sure to keep your eyes on the waterline when you travel this stretch, and perhaps you will discover for yourself what many others have seen.
Roswell
Arguably the most famous UFO sighting, in 1947 a rancher awoke to find unusual debris littering his land. Soldiers from the Roswell Army Air Force Base were called in but everyone remained confused by what object had crashed. Parts were carted away and an explanation given which was quickly debunked- a weather balloon had crashed. Largely disbelieved as the parts didn’t resemble any weather balloon seen before, it wasn’t long before aliens were announced as the cause.
Eventually, the debris was revealed to be from top secret Project Mogul which saw the research and development of high altitude balloons to listen to nuclear tests. Some true believers still defy this claim.
The event is celebrated annually with the Roswell UFO Festival; a great place for like-minded individuals, or those with a general interest, to immerse themselves in facts and theories. The event marks its 70th anniversary this year.
The Extraterrestrial Highway, Nevada
Photo by: Zack Frank/Adobe Stock
Route 375 is great for road trips. It’s a relatively quiet 98 mile stretch of road against a serene American backdrop. What draws people to it however, is its proximity to Area 51 where legend has it that all crashed spaceships are taken for investigation.
Its connection with alien activity started in 1989 when an engineer came forward, announcing that he had worked on alien space crafts and had witnessed test flights in the nearby Tikaboo Valley. From then, UFOs in the area around Groom Lake became the norm.
The road was renamed the Extraterrestrial Highway in 1996 with a grand ceremony to capitalise on publicity the area was receiving. The small settlement nearby called Rachel is home to a quirky restaurant called the Little A’Le’Inn– surely worth a stop for a chat with the locals and a taste of local life. Grab some alien memorabilia to take home with you.
While in the area, consider hanging around for the night and let the unpolluted skyline show you the stars above. There are also lots of geocaches for you to uncover.
If travelling from Las Vegas, be sure to fill your car up with fuel in Alamo. Or, if travelling from California, refuel in Tonopah. Gas stations are few and far between.
United Kingdom
Warminster, England
In the early 60s, reports of UFO activity began when four people spotted a flying craft leaving a trail of sparks behind it in the sky. A mass of activity alerted people in 1965 when locals were awoken by sounds on the roofs of their homes. They recalled scratching noises and loud crashing sounds. Sporadic reports of activity had come in prior to this over the years, but this flurry of accounts were difficult to brush off.
Some sources suggest the proximity to Stonehenge influences the hotspot and many hunters flock to Cradle Hill awaiting their own experience.
Photo by: Aliaksandr Kazlou/Adobe Stock
The Falkirk Triangle, Scotland
Councillor Buchanan of Bonnybridge took the drastic steps of writing to the Queen, Prime Minister and Ministry of Defence when he could no longer shake off reports of UFO activity. Each year the town receives around 300 reports of suspect alien behaviour and over half the population claim to have borne witness to it. Locals repeatedly call for an official investigation, unable to explain these mysterious happenings. Various flying objects have been spotted in the sky, from discs and cylindrical shapes to cubes.
If you’re due to travel down the A70, stay wary. The story goes that two residents were in a vehicle which was stopped by an alien ship. Neither occupant could remember the following two hours, when they were found dazed and confused, until they participated in hypnotic regression. The experience revealed that the pair had been abducted and taken onboard the alien vessel that they encountered on the road.
While some proclaim that the residents and Councillor are exaggerating their stories to improve the town’s tourism, their claim to the unexplainable reaches far around the world, leading to the town being twinned with Roswell.
Australia
Wycliffe Well
Photo by: totajla/Adobe Stock
Located on the Stuart Highway between Alice Springs and Tennant Creek, documents detailing UFOs reach back to World War 2 when servicemen wrote down their experiences in a journal. It’s worked its way up to be within the top 5 countries for the number of UFO sightings around the world and is known to be the UFO capital of Oz.
The site is located near the Woomera Prohibited Area, which is used for vehicle testing. Although this could explain some of the activity, it’s still become known as Area 52.
Visit the nearby Devils Marbles, a sacred Aboriginal rock formation, to wonder at their creation.
If you’re looking to stay in the area, pass by the Wycliffe Well Holiday Park and head for the Devils Marbles Hotel.
No spacecrafts available to hire- book your hire car for UFO spotting now
Whichever of these sites have sparked your interest, Zest can provide quotes for car hire. Have you ever visited any of these sites or gone UFO hunting elsewhere? Have you ever seen a UFO? Let us know in the comments below.
Written by Jessica Juby.
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