9 Amazing Pit Stops You “Must-See” on a Road Trip

America is chock-full of unique roadside attractions…Let’s explore them!

Ralph Waldo Emerson is quoted as saying: “Life is a journey, not a destination.” And fortunately for us, we live in a country that offers a diverse mix of options for the traveling soul. So it’s time to load the car, set the GPS, and prepare for an exciting all-American road trip.

We’re hitting the road because our country boasts a bevy of quirky and unique pit stops, from giant monuments to sprawling works of art.

If you’re already planning a road trip, you’ll want to check out our list of some of the best roadside attractions in our beautiful country that are worth a spontaneous detour on your travels.

…Click “NEXT” to read about 9 fantastic places!

Carhenge: Alliance, Nebraska

Think Stonehenge, only created with cars! Roughly 100,000 people come to see this quirky roadside attraction each year.

Created using automobiles instead of monolithic stones, Carhenge has less spiritual importance than its namesake but was built as a memorial regardless.

This unique replica includes a whopping thirty-nine vehicles, and it has the same proportions as the ancient ceremonial site we’ve all read about in school.

Measuring around 96ft in diameter, the cars are buried trunk end down, while the horizontal pieces are welded in place. And the whole design of this roadside attraction is painted gray. Appropriately enough, the area was dedicated on the Summer Solstice back in 1987.

Prada Marfa: Valentine, Texas

If you live somewhere like New York City, seeing a Prada store won’t make you think something’s off. But if you’re taking a road trip through the Texas desert, you might think you’re seeing a mirage when you run into this structure.

Created by the team Elmgreen and Dragset, the installation is meant to reflect Western consumerism since the store’s site is simply ridiculous. The building is also made of biodegradable materials that’ll eventually decompose.

But maybe the most bizarre thing about Prada Marfa is the weird conspiracy theories that have sprung up around it. Some people even believe it’s an alien trap. So visit at your own risk!

World’s Largest Chest of Drawers: High Point, North Carolina

If you’re traveling through North Carolina, you won’t want to miss this unique roadside attraction! High Point is where you’ll find a chest of drawers that’s obviously meant for giants.

And the “home furnishings capital of the world” is home to not one, but 2 massive chests of drawers. The initial one was created sometime in the 20s by the city’s chamber of commerce to serve as the Bureau of Information.

But while the original 38ft local roadside attraction remains an homage to the city’s position in the furniture industry, a local furniture store has built its own 80ft version to its storefront.

The Windsor Ruins: Port Gibson, Mississippi

What was once the most enormous antebellum Greek Revival mansion in Mississippi, Windsor Mansion, is entirely in ruins nowadays. The estate burned down back in 1890 after a guest of the home dropped cigarette ashes on the floor.

So all that remains now are 23 columns that once kept the house standing in excellent condition. Although, we shouldn’t feel too bad about its demise.

Smith Coffee Daniell II, the manor’s owner, was a plantation owner who made his wealth by forcing slaves to plant cotton. So we guess this was just karma doing its job, right?

Cadillac Ranch: Amarillo, Texas

If you drive a bit west of Amarillo, you’ll find 10 Caddies standing, half buried, nose down, as a tribute to the evolution of the Cadillac tail fin.

In the early 70s, a group of hippies drove the ten models, ranging from 1949 to 1963, and supposedly buried them at the same angle facing west as that of the Great Pyramids of Giza.

What makes it even more unique is that the somewhat repetitious scenery of Route 66 across the panhandle of this state gets broken up by the colorful spray-painted cars buried in the ground at this site.

Over the years, this roadside attraction has become a permanent pit stop for travelers, and they’re even encouraged to bring spray paint with them to sign their names as they pass by.

O.K. Corral: Tombstone, Arizona

If you’re a fan of the Wild West, you’ve definitely heard of the gunfight at the OK Corral. This standoff is considered to be the period’s most famous gunfight. It’s been memorialized in many movies, most notably in a 1957 film starring Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster.

And even though the battle itself took place near this corral, the one-time horse stable has become the location where the gunfight is celebrated.

Live re-enactments of the fight are performed a few times every day. And you can also check out photos and exhibitions about what it was like living in the Wild West.

Paul Bunyan Statue: Bangor, Maine

Maine is special for many reasons. But one of them is just how quirky it truly is. From north to south, east to west, you’ll always find something unique worth checking out. And most of the time, these things are totally unexpected.

Of these, our favorites are the ones that have no particular rhyme or reason. Like this roadside attraction in Bangor!

This city was once the lumber capital of the world and it’s now home to a 31ft tall statue of one of the most famous lumberjacks in the world: Paul Bunyan. The figure was made extra famous when it came to life in Stephen King’s “IT.”

Spam Museum: Austin, Minnesota

What Spam is actually made of is still somewhat of a mystery. But you can definitely learn more on the matter at a museum dedicated exclusively to America’s favorite canned product.

You might not be able to deduce how pork doesn’t go bad, but you’ll know how it was created and how it’s evolved into a worldwide sensation. The exhibit’s coolest part shows Spam’s impact on the world, which manifests in unexpected ways.

For instance, we bet you didn’t know that the product is top-rated in Korea and that there’s even a soup made with it. This is just the kind of quirky information you would learn if you visited this museum.

Salvation Mountain: Niland, California

This man-made roadside attraction is wrapped in half a million gallons of paint with colorful biblical messages such as “God is Love.”

The spot seems to have developed a budding artist community that’s full of sculptures, car windows, car parts, telephone poles, and some other quirky features.

Stories have it that back in 1985, a man began painting his message of salvation onto a hillside in the southern part of California and continued painting and repainting it until he passed away in 2014.

The 50ft high and 150ft wide mural serves as this man’s quest to share his message with the rest of the world that God is love. The adobe clay hill is embellished with religious scriptures and colorful artistic creations, including a giant red heart in the middle of it.

Many visitors flock here yearly, and a public charity was even created that continues to preserve the man’s art to this day.

So grab your camera and hit the road! But be sure to let us know which of these roadside attractions was your favorite or if you know of any others you’d like to share with us!

And in the meantime, if you’re already planning a road trip, you’ll definitely want to check this out first: Top 10 Scenic Roads For Your Next Road Trip