Besides hot dogs and baseball, what’s more quintessentially American than a quirky roadside attraction? While each state has roadside attractions with their own unusual claims to fame, there are a select few roadside attractions across the country that are well-worth the detour. Check out six of the most interesting roadside attractions you shouldn’t miss on your next U.S. road trip.

The World’s Only Corn Palace – Mitchell, South Dakota

Sure, there aren’t any other corn palaces in the running, but that doesn’t mean South Dakota’s claim to fame is any less a-maize-ing. Originally built in 1892 to celebrate the state’s agricultural excellence, the World’s Only Corn Palace now attracts approximately 500,000 tourists every year. Industrial exhibits, dances, shows, rodeos, and farmers markets are part of the attraction, but the sole reason many visitors make the detour off Highway 90 in Mitchell is to ogle the larger-than-life murals adorning the outside of the building, which are made entirely from halved corn cobs. Each year, digital media and design students from Dakota Wesleyan University add new murals, requiring hundreds of thousands of corn cobs to complete. 

Largest Ball of Twine – Cawker, Kansas

It may seem hard to believe, but there are several balls of twine contending for the title of America’s largest. Although there are subtle differences in their claims (such as the heaviest ball of twine or the largest built by a single person), most agree that it’s the twine ball in Cawker, Kansas, that claims first prize — with a circumference exceeding 40 feet (and still growing). 

In 1953, local resident Frank Stoeber began winding twine into a ball, and four years later, he had crafted an 11-foot-diameter ball with 1.6 million feet of twine that weighed 5,000 pounds. These days, the Cawker City Community Club is the official caretaker of the ball, hosting an annual twine-a-thon to encourage the continued growth of the locally famous attraction. Today, the ball — found off Highway 24, about 230 miles west of Kansas City — weighs a whopping 17,320 pounds.   

Cadillac Ranch – Amarillo, Texas

A short detour off Interstate 40 west of Amarillo, Cadillac Ranch is a colorful art installation created in 1974 by a group of bohemian artists from San Francisco known as Ant Farm. Backed by millionaire Stanley Marsh, the artists drove 10 Cadillacs off the side of the dusty highway (which follows the historic Route 66) and partially buried them nose down in the sand at a 60-degree angle (matching the sides of Egypt’s Great Pyramid of Giza). 

The purpose of the unique display was to showcase the evolution of the Cadillac’s tail fin — and perhaps simply to bewilder anyone who came across them. Over time, visitors took it upon themselves to “decorate” the Cadillacs with graffiti, designs, and murals — making Cadillac Ranch one of the most dynamic roadside attractions in the country. 

Enchanted Highway – Regent, North Dakota 

To check out this North Dakota roadside attraction, you don’t even need to leave your car — in fact, you don’t even need to stop driving. Composed of seven larger-than-life scrap-metal sculptures, the Enchanted Highway begins at Exit 72 on Interstate 94 and ends 32 miles later. Sculptor Gary Greff is the mastermind behind the project, an undertaking that began in the late 1980s and aimed to attract tourists to Regent. 

Prior to conception, Greff didn’t know how to mold metal, and took it upon himself to learn how to weld. His creations are mostly nature-inspired and include  Pheasants on the Prairie, Deer Crossing, and Grasshoppers in the Field. Sadly, his efforts did not keep the local school from closing, but it has put his hometown on the map as the town with the world’s largest scrap-metal sculpture, the 110-foot-tall, 154-foot-wide, and 157,659-pound Geese in Flight. 

Hole in the Rock – Moab, Utah

Moab attracts plenty of mountain bikers and hikers with its challenging terrain and epic views of natural arches, but you don’t have to be an adrenaline junkie to get your kicks in this small southwestern Utah town. The Hole in the Rock shows off the desert’s most impressive human-made attraction, located off U.S. Route 191 — a 5,000-square-foot home carved entirely into a giant orange rock. 

Built by the Christensen family in the 1940s with the help of volunteers, the project took 12 years to finish and required excavating 50,000 cubic feet of sandstone. The end result yielded a 14-room home complete with a fireplace, 65-foot chimney, an oversized concrete bathtub, and even a sculpture of President Franklin D. Roosevelt out front. When the patriarch of the family, Albert, died in 1957, his wife, Gladys, opened a gift shop below their home to sell her rock jewelry. Eventually, she began letting people tour her home, and today, the Hole in the Rock attracts roughly 500 visitors per day with a 12-minute tour of the quirky yet cozy family abode.

Salvation Mountain – Imperial County, California

Located in Southern California’s Sonoran Desert, just east of the Salton Sea and less than a mile from the art commune of Slab City, Salvation Mountain is a hillside art installation that artist Leonard Knight created over the course of three decades as a religious tribute. “Love Jesus and keep it simple” was Knight’s guiding philosophy for his masterpiece, a 50-foot-high and 150-foot-wide adobe clay rock covered with bright paint, biblical references, and religious scriptures. While religion and nature scenes are prevalent throughout the piece, love is the uniting theme. Visitors are welcome to explore the mountain but must stay on the “yellow brick road” which leads to the top. From there, a sprawling view over the desert and nearby town awaits.

You’re surely familiar with the 63 national parks in the National Park System — from Yellowstone and Yosemite to Grand Canyon and Great Smoky Mountains — but how well do you know the country’s 132 national monuments (and counting)? Similar to our national parks, these indelible landmarks protect and preserve historic sites and natural wonders from coast to coast, from New York’s Statue of Liberty to Hawaii’s Papahānaumokuākea marine area. Don’t know where to start? We think these 16 national monuments should be at the top of your travel wish list.

Devils Tower National Monument – Wyoming

Devils Tower was the first site in the United States to be formally recognized as a national monument in 1906. This spectacular butte is the largest example of columnar jointing in the world, rising 265 feet above the surrounding Wyoming landscape. There are many theories as to how Devils Monument formed, but many geologists believe the tower, which is composed of igneous rock, is made of magma that cooled underground and was exposed over time by erosion.

The site has long held spiritual significance to Native Americans, particularly the Cheyenne, Kiowa, and Lakota peoples, who called the butte Mato Tipila, meaning “Bear Lodge.” Today, the tower is also a popular rock-climbing destination, attracting hundreds of enthusiasts each year. In an attempt to limit crowding, seasonal bans on climbing close to nesting sites ensure peregrine and prairie falcons don’t abandon their eggs or chicks.

Giant Sequoia National Monument – California

The giant sequoia is the world’s largest tree, typically reaching 250 feet tall and measuring over 20 feet in diameter. Some of the biggest specimens have a girth of around 35 feet — imagine six people lying on the ground head to toe and you can picture just how wide that is! The only place giant sequoias grow naturally is in California, where you’ll find the massive trunks in an area west of the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Giant Sequoia National Monument comprises two sections — the northern end and southern end — each featuring multiple groves. Boole Tree, located in Converse Basin, is one of the largest trees on NPS-administered land and survived the widespread logging which took place in the 1890s. Today, the many trails and campgrounds close to the national monument make this a popular vacation spot.

Fort Matanzas and Castillo de San Marcos National Monuments – Florida

The Spanish built Fort Matanzas close to the city of St. Augustine to guard Matanzas Inlet. They began construction on the fort in 1740 and completed it in just two years — a laborious undertaking involving the hard work of many enslaved peoples and convicts from Cuba, who used a building material known as coquina, a soft limestone made of broken shells. But the fort was barely used. In fact, the cannons were fired just once, at the British. The Spanish Empire began to decline and the fort was largely ignored. By the time Fort Matanzas came under U.S. control in 1821, it was in pretty bad shape and was left to decay into a ruin currently maintained by the National Park Service.

Another national monument, Castillo de San Marcos, is located 14 miles to the north and predates Fort Matanzas. The Spanish began its construction in 1672, making it the oldest masonry fort in the continental U.S. The Spanish decided the fort was necessary when a raid led by British privateer Robert Searles damaged the existing fort and destroyed St. Augustine. Over the years, Castillo de San Marcos changed hands several times before earning its official designation as a national monument in 1924.

Pullman National Monument – Illinois

Pullman National Monument is the earliest planned industrial community in the U.S. When it was built from 1879 to 1884, it fell just outside Chicago city limits. The community was named after engineer George Pullman, who earned his place in history building sleeping cars during the railroad boom in the late 19th century. He saw an opportunity to create modern homes for his employees: each home featured toilets, lighting, and ventilation, while executive homes even boasted heating. The rent wasn’t cheap, but it was a nice place to live if your wage could cover it. It was certainly a step up from the overcrowded housing workers could expect to afford in Chicago.

Critics of Pullman have noted that when the fortunes of the railroad industry declined in the 1890s, he reduced wages but kept rents at the same price. This decision resulted in the infamous Pullman Strike of 1894, which not only tarnished the company’s reputation but also changed American labor practices. Self-guided and ranger-led tours lead visitors through the many historic buildings, such as the Hotel Florence where Pullman stayed when he visited his factory.

Waco Mammoth National Monument – Texas

Tens of thousands of years ago, Columbian mammoths roamed across the grasslands covering present-day Texas. Similar to woolly mammoths but less hairy, the 10-ton mammoths grew up to 13 feet tall with tusks up to 14 feet long. These great beasts became extinct around 11,700 years ago. So it was a pretty special moment when a large bone was uncovered in a ravine in 1978, and scientists identified it as the femur of a mammoth.

Further excavation uncovered the fossilized remains of a herd of 16 of these Ice Age giants who probably perished together in a flash flood. Since those initial finds, evidence of a further six mammoths have been discovered, along with other creatures dating from the same era. Visitors can enter a climate-controlled Dig Shelter at Waco Mammoth National Monument to view those that haven’t been moved; the rest are on display at the Mayborn Museum Complex at Baylor University.

Pipestone National Monument – Minnesota

Minnesota pipestone, a stone also known as catlinite, has great cultural significance to the Indigenous peoples of the Great Plains, particularly the Dakota, Lakota, and Sioux tribes. They use the stone to make ceremonial pipes, which have religious and civic importance and are often used to seal a treaty. Accordingly, Pipestone National Monument in southwestern Minnesota is a sacred site to Native Americans; they are the only ones permitted to quarry the red stone.

Demonstrations of pipe making take place in summer so that visitors can see the process for themselves. The techniques involved have been passed down from generation to generation, and visitors can read about the important tradition at the visitor center or take a self-guided tour to see the quarries.  Not just a celebration of the precious stone and its history,, the monument also chronicles the history of the tallgrass prairie ecosystem, which has been restored and currently supports a small herd of bison.

Admiralty Island National Monument – Alaska

The Indigenous Tlingit peoples call Admiralty Island Kootznoowoo. It means “fortress of the bears,” and the name is no accident, as the island houses a population of around 1,500 brown bears — one of the highest concentrations of these bears in the world. One of the best places to see them is at the Pack Creek Bear Sanctuary, for which you’ll need a permit. Brown bears are frequent visitors to this part of the island in summer, lured by the promise of plump, pink salmon and an abundance of clams. Watch them from the mouth of Pack Creek or hike inland to climb the Observation Tower for a bird’s eye view. It’s easy to add a day trip to your Alaska itinerary: just book a seat on a float plane from Juneau and you’ll be there in 30 minutes.

Bears Ears National Monument – Utah

Bears Ears National Monument takes its name from two sandstone buttes that dominate the landscape. Native American tribes consider it a sacred and spiritual place. Sandstone cliffs line a valley enclosing Indian Creek Canyon. Nearby, you’ll find North Six-Shooter Peak and South Six-Shooter Peak, plus Lavender Mesa and Bridger Jack Mesa. Scattered throughout the area are around 100,000 archaeological sites. They include cliff dwellings and petroglyphs that are thousands of years old. People also come to this national monument to hike, bike, and climb. Scenic drives lead to overlooks that open up impressive panoramas, such as the one at Upper Arch Canyon, and of course, the Bears Ears buttes themselves.

Dinosaur National Monument – Colorado

Straddling the Colorado-Utah border, Dinosaur National Monument was originally designated to preserve the Dinosaur Quarry. Thousands of dinosaur fossils have been uncovered here, representing species such as stegosaurus, diplodocus, and allosaurus. In the refurbished Quarry Exhibit Hall, visitors can view a wall crammed with approximately 1,500 dinosaur bones. But there’s plenty more to see. The surrounding area is wild and beautiful. Visitors can explore the area’s canyon and mountain trails — some of which lead to meadows strewn with wildflowers. Dark skies are ideal for stargazing, and adventurers can go whitewater rafting while history buffs will be delighted by the ancient rock art.

Stonewall National Monument – New York

To understand the significance of Stonewall National Monument in New York City’s Greenwich Village, you have to go back to June 28, 1969. On that day, a police raid on the Stonewall Inn marked a turning point in the gay liberation movement and became a milestone moment for LGBTQ+ civil rights. Resistance to the actions of the police sparked rioting and demonstrations across the street in Christopher Park. But it also gave members of the LGBTQ+ community a voice and encouraged them to fight more openly for change.

Today, the Stonewall Inn is not just a national monument; it continues to be a thriving entertainment venue that opens its doors for music, dancing, and drinking. It is, its patrons will tell you, the place where Pride began and the place where Pride lives on, officially designated as a U.S. national monument on June 24, 2016.

Gold Butte National Monument – Nevada

Designated in 2016, Gold Butte National Monument is one of the newest national monuments in the country. Home to bighorn sheep and mountain lions, the monument draws visitors keen to admire its magnificent desert scenery, ancient petroglyphs, and a ghost town littered with abandoned mine shafts. It’s hard to believe that it’s less than a three-hour drive from Las Vegas, though the lack of paved roads when you get there means you’ll want to travel in a high-clearance 4×4.

Some of the rock formations are spectacular, sculpted over the years by the wind into intricate shapes. Don’t miss a sinkhole known as Devil’s Throat, which is best admired from a safe distance, and the red rocks of Little Finland. Newspaper Rock also boasts many fascinating petroglyphs, though the one that will leave you scratching your head is an image of a falling man.

Mount St. Helens Volcanic National Monument – Washington

Two years after the dramatic 1980 eruption, the Mount St. Helens Volcanic National Monument was established. Preserving the area gives scientists the opportunity to study the ongoing effects of the cataclysmic event and see how nature regenerates without human interference. That doesn’t mean people have to stay away, however. Activities such as hiking, fishing, snow-shoeing, and camping are all encouraged, although you’ll need a permit if you plan to stray above 4,800 feet to climb to the volcano’s summit. One of the highlights is the chance to explore the Ape Cave Lava Tube, the third-longest lava tube in North America, which can be accessed with a guide.

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument – Montana

Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument is a memorial to those who lost their lives on June 25-26, 1876. It was then that Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer led the Seventh Cavalry Regiment into battle against the Lakota Sioux and Cheyenne tribes, led by Sitting Bull. They hoped to take advantage of the element of surprise but found themselves outnumbered and up against warriors who fought bravely to defend their way of life. But although the Native American forces won the battle, Custer’s fate galvanized public opinion and it would have devastating long-term consequences for the Lakota Sioux and Cheyenne people.

Within a year, the U.S. government annexed their land and established reservations. Over a century later, the monument was renamed to honor losses on both sides and present a more balanced account of what happened. The visitor center and museum recounts the events and consequences of the battle and also provides an insight into the lives of the Plains Indians at that time.

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument – New Mexico

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument has a history dating back hundreds, probably thousands, of years. Historians believe that the Mogollon Indigenous people made their home in the caves beside the Gila River for about 20 years in the late 1200s, piecing together a timeline based on items recovered from the site such as fragments of pottery and a bracelet.

Today’s day-trippers can step inside the caves and imagine what life might have been like. Many combine their visit to the dwellings with a dip in one of the local hot springs. The nearest is Lightfeather Hot Spring, which lies within walking distance of the visitor center. However, many choose to walk the six-mile trail to Jordan Hot Spring. Hikers have to cross and recross the Gila River, but a soak in the crystal-clear pool in a delightful natural setting is considered well worth it.

Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historic Park – Maryland

Harriet Tubman was born into slavery in 1822 as Araminta Ross. She managed to escape in 1849, traveling to Philadelphia, but she returned to Maryland over and over again. In all, she made 13 rescue missions to rescue enslaved peoples using the Underground Railroad. She smuggled them using the network of secret routes, enlisting the help of fellow antislavery activists and safe houses.

She took her charges, known as “passengers,” as far as the Northeast and into Canada. As one of the best known of the Underground Railroad “conductors,” Tubman is the focus of the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historic Park, previously the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument.

George Washington Birthplace National Monument – Virginia

John Washington, the great-grandfather of first U.S. President George Washington, first established a tobacco plantation in Westmoreland County, Virginia, in the middle of the 17th century. George himself was born in the plantation house in 1732. He lived there for a few years and then again as a teenager. However, the house you see today wasn’t built until 1931. Since no one knows for sure what the original property looked like (it burned down on Christmas Day in 1779), this is the best guess reflecting the architectural style at the time.

Visitors can stroll through the house and grounds, which contain farm buildings, trees, and formal gardens, as well as wheat and tobacco crops to create a sense of what Washington might have seen as a boy. Also on the grounds, you’ll see a marble obelisk, which is a replica of the one in Washington, D.C., though it’s a tenth of the size.

The Blue House — known locally as La Casa Azul — is more than just a museum in Mexico City. With its unmissable cobalt-blue color, it is the longtime home and final resting place of Frida Kahlo, one of Mexico’s most celebrated artists. Kahlo left an indelible mark on the art world with her vibrant and emotionally introspective works, many of which were painted in this family home. Now, as one of Mexico City’s most popular cultural institutions, the Frida Kahlo Museum offers visitors an intimate opportunity to delve into the artist’s life and her enduring legacy. Below, learn the fascinating story of Kahlo’s life in the Blue House and how to visit this must-see Mexico City attraction.

An Artist Is Born

Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderón was born in 1907 in her family’s home, the residence now famously known as the Blue House. At just six years old, Kahlo was struck with polio. It was the first of many health setbacks that would plague her most of her life — and also greatly influence her artwork. The illness not only disrupted her childhood, sending her to recover in bed for nine months, but also permanently injured her right leg and foot, leaving her with chronic pain and reduced mobility.

During this isolated time, Kahlo spent many hours with her father, photographer Guillermo Kahlo, and found herself drawn to his artistic pursuits. Although she began sketching at a young age, Kahlo was more interested in the sciences and instead dreamed of studying medicine. In 1922, she was selected for Mexico City’s esteemed National Preparatory School. During her time here, Kahlo crossed paths with Diego Rivera, a renowned Mexican artist who had been commissioned to paint a mural at the school. The encounter marked the beginning of the pivotal roles they would play in each other’s lives.

A Dream Becomes Derailed

At the age of 18, Kahlo’s dreams of a career in medicine were put on hold when she was involved in a serious bus accident. She suffered several severe injuries and would endure some 32 surgeries as a result. Kahlo’s long and painful recovery period led to more exploration of her artistic side, and she started painting to pass the time in bed at her family home. Her mother hung mirrors in her room, and Kahlo began to paint herself, including her first of many self-portraits, 1926’s Self Portrait in a Velvet Dress. The artwork — one of several now displayed at the Frida Kahlo Museum — depicts the artist set against a dark background of swirling waves; the stoic gaze that later became characteristic of her art is already front and center. “I paint self-portraits because I am so often alone,” Kahlo once said, “because I am the subject I know best.”

Following months of recovery, Kahlo once again crossed paths with Diego Rivera, deciding to show him her paintings and seek his advice. Their relationship blossomed, and a year later, they married in 1929. 

Kahlo Comes into Her Own

After marrying Rivera, Kahlo underwent a personal and professional transformation. She embraced traditional Tehuana clothing, which would become her signature look, reflecting her ideas about identity and also symbolizing her burgeoning artistic interest in Mexican folk art. In the early 1930s, as Kahlo traveled the United States with Rivera, she suffered several difficult pregnancies that tragically ended prematurely. These experiences, coupled with the loss of her mother in 1932, inspired some of her most raw and poignant works, including Henry Ford Hospital‘ (1932) and My Birth (1932).

In 1933, Kahlo and Rivera returned to Mexico and moved into their newly constructed house and studio. Their new home became a gathering place for activists and intellectuals, including revolutionary Leon Trotsky when he was forced to flee the Soviet Union, and surrealist writer André Breton, who was a strong advocate for Kahlo’s work. However, by the late 1930s, following infidelities and other difficulties, Kahlo and Rivera’s relationship was strained, and they divorced in 1939. By 1940, however, the couple had reconciled, moving into Kahlo’s childhood home — and starting their life in the Blue House together.

Moving into the Blue House

The Kahlo family home was built in the once-rural Coyoacan neighborhood in 1904, three years before Frida was born. Kahlo’s parents — father Guillermo Kahlo, a German-born photographer, and her mother, Matilde Calderón — originally designed the home with French influences, but Kahlo and Rivera later adapted and expanded it to resemble a more traditional Mexican style. The couple also gave the Blue House its signature cobalt color, painting the home in the early 1940s not only as a piece of Kahlo’s art, but to represent and honor the Indigenous peoples of Mexico. 

For Kahlo, the Blue House was not just a house but a sanctuary — her “private universe” — that encapsulated her identity and creative spirit. The interior also came to represent her unique artistic vision: She adorned the walls with paintings of both hers and Rivera’s, and filled the rooms with her personal collection of Mexican folk art, ceramics, and religious artifacts.

Kalho also replaced much of her parents’ roses and palms with native tropical and desert plants such as cacti, yucca, and canna-lily. This laid the groundwork for Kahlo and Rivera’s courtyard filled with pre-Columbian sculptures, now one of the museum’s highlights. For Kahlo, the garden served a purpose beyond decoration or entertainment — she saw it as an integral part of her artistic expression and often incorporated the greenery into her paintings.

A Life Preserved

After Kahlo’s death in 1954, Rivera worked on turning the Blue House into a museum to honor Kahlo’s memory and showcase her work. It opened in 1958, a year after Rivera’s own death. Today, the Blue House allows visitors to explore these intimate spaces — a rare opportunity to see where the legendary artist lived, loved, suffered, thrived, and created her exceptional art.

Remarkably, the Blue House remains practically frozen in time, preserved almost as Kahlo left it. It showcases a robust collection of her personal belongings and demonstrates the ups and downs of her complex life — from her iconic Tehuana dresses and corsets to other personal mementos such as letters, photographs, and many medical devices used throughout her years of ailments. Through these exhibits, visitors can discover how the Blue House became the backdrop for Kahlo’s profound self-exploration and artistic expression — and now, a living testament to her enduring legacy and impact.

How to Visit the Blue House Today

The Blue House is one of the most-visited museums in Mexico City, welcoming about 25,000 visitors monthly, so it’s essential to plan out your visit in advance. The museum is closed on Mondays, as well as certain holidays. Tickets can be purchased online in advance, but it’s still likely you’ll wait in a long line to get in, as the number of people allowed inside at one time is limited. (Weekdays tend to be less busy.) The museum has a separate line for guided tour groups, another option to consider for a deeper dive into Kahlo’s life and artwork. 

After taking in the ambiance of Kahlo’s living quarters, including her preserved studio space, visitors can explore the other rotating thematic exhibits. And don’t forget to bask in the lush courtyard garden, still immaculately preserved all these years later.

One key rule to visiting the Blue House is that photography is generally not allowed, unless you purchase a specific no-flash photography pass. Touching the exhibits and leaning on walls or any other part of the residence is not tolerated in order preserve Kahlo’s historic space.

A ticket for the Blue House also includes admission to its sister museum, the Anahuacalli, which was built by Rivera to house his collection of more than 45,000 pieces of pre-Columbian artifacts. A round-trip bus between the two museums is available.

After exploring the Blue House, take time to wander through the charming Coyoacan neighborhood. The Coyoacan Market, Frida Kahlo Park, and Leon Trotsky Museum are other attractions worth checking out nearby — they’re not only landmarks on their own, but together, they enhance the immersive Frida Kahlo experience of Mexico City.