When you think of America, images of the stunning Grand Canyon, the New York City skyline, Hollywood sign and the Golden Gate Bridge probably take the forefront of your mind. Whilst America boasts a number of fantastic cities and beautiful landscapes, it also has a somewhat quirkier side. Here is just a taster of some of the unusual attractions in America to give you an idea…
Toilet Seat Museum, Texas
Found in the town of Alamo Heights in Texas, the Toilet Sea Museum is just one of many other oddities in this state alone. The owner, Barney Smith, is what really makes the attraction; he is in his 90’s and looks after his wife who suffers from Alzheimers. He has dedicated his life to creating art work based around toilet seats and his collection now contains over 1,000, adorned in a variety of decorations from paint to memorabilia. Call ahead before you venture here and he will open up his garage where his collection is displayed and regale stories about each and every one of his weird and wonderful toilet seats.
Enchanted Highway, North Dakota
A trip on the Enchanted Highway in North Dakota will certainly make your road trip a bit more interesting; you will find the world’s largest collection of scrap metal sculptures which decorate the road side at various intervals along a 32 mile stretch of highway. Subjects include giant creepy birds, insects, farmers and fish! The structures, created by local metal sculptor Gary Greff, are truly huge, very unique and are the main reason that many venture down this road!
Oregon Vortex, Oregon
Located in Gold Hill, the Oregon Vortex is very much a subject of mystery! The attraction consists of a building of which contains a number of different effects; sceptics say they are optical illusions but the proprietors insist they are the result of paranormal activity. The building, now referred to as the House of Mystery, was originally constructed in 1904 and is said to have slid from its foundations and ended up resting at a strange angle and the surrounding circular area spanning 165ft is known as the Vortex. Objects appear to roll up hill and people appear to change height depending on where they stand. Fact or fiction, it’s probably something you won’t have seen before!
Carhenge, Nebraska
Carhenge in Nebraska was created, as the name suggests, as a tribute to Stonehenge in the UK. The difference however is, of course, the building materials used with stones being replaced by 38 scrap cars that have been spray painted grey, arranged to replicate the original structure’s shape, proportions, and size as closely as possible. It was built by Jim Reinders in time for Summer Solstice in 1987 and has been receiving visitors ever since!
Meteor Crater, Arizona
You can’t really miss the Meteor Crater; measuring 2.4 miles in circumference, 1 mile wide and 550ft deep, it’s just a few minutes from one of Arizona’s main highways and was created when a mammoth meteorite travelling at 26,000 mph smashed into the earth 50,000 years ago. It’s pretty incredible, a bit sobering and definitely unusual! You can’t hike to the bottom of the crater, but you can visit the viewing centre, discovery centre, movie theatre and enjoy the outdoor observation trails on the rim of the crater.
Unclaimed Baggage Centre, Alabama
Ever wondered what happens to lost luggage that isn’t reunited with its owner? Well it makes its way to lost luggage heave of course, in the form of the Unclaimed Baggage Centre in Alabama. If you can’t locate your case but fail to claim it from your airline within 90 days, it gets sent here where shoppers can then buy lost goods and treasures for cut prices! With a warehouse that consumes almost one block of the city centre, it makes for a unique shopping experience.
The Marfa Lights, Texas
The Marfa Lights are a world famous phenomenon and are named after their location in Marfa, Texas. Odd floating orbs of lights can be seen here with apparently no rhyme or reason; spotted in all weather conditions, at all times of days lasting for varying amounts of time. Sceptics suggest that they are reflections of car tail lights or camp fires but the locals remain unconvinced and have done for many years, especially as the lights were first spotted in the late 1800’s. Why not pay a visit to the annual Marfa Lights festival held every Labour Day weekend and see if you spot them!
Largest Ball of Twine, Kansas
For some bizarre reason, there are several claims for the world’s largest ball of twine. The winning string however as awarded by the Guinness Book of Records, can be found in Cawker City, Kansas. Originally rolled by one man, the ball is now continually expanding, added to by the local community at an annual Twine Fest. Records indicate it weighs in excess of 19,000 pounds with more
than 7 million feet of sisal.
So there you have it; just a selection of some of the unusual attractions in America; you’ll be sure to find plenty more though. If you want to read about some other weird things to see and do elsewhere in the world, why not check out these bizarre restaurants…
