America's Best Roadside Attractions 2021 - The Ultimate Guide
Updated: Aug 17, 2021
The American road trip is back and better than ever for 2021 and we’re giving you the ultimate guide to eye-catching attractions, unique experiences & photo ops across all 50 states.
We personally can’t wait to visit as many of these attractions as we can!
ALABAMA
Although Hurricane Sally damaged this giant lady who used to bathe herself in the Bayou La Launch, this sculpture made our list because she was a unique, must-see attraction while in Alabama.
Repairs to Lady in the Lake are TBD according to roadsideamerica.com & the sculpture is currently in storage.
ALASKA
Located in, you guessed it, the North Pole.
Well North Pole, Alaska that is. At this Santa Claus House it’s Christmas everyday & guests can browse Christmas decor & ornaments, keepsakes & unique toys. Visitors can also enjoy delicious holiday favorites such as fudge, cookies & candy.
There’s no shortage of photo ops here! Sit in Santa's sleigh, or take a picture in front of the world's largest Santa.
Their hours are located on their website (including Santas hours!) https://www.santaclaushouse.com/visit.asp
ARIZONA
This monument allows you to be in 4 places at once!
This is the only place in the United States where visitors are able to stand in 4 states at the same time including Arizona, New Mexico, Utah & Colorado.
Flintstones Bedrock City (Now Bedrock City & Raptor Ranch)
One of Route 66’s many tourist destinations (including Route 66 itself) is Bedrock City. Located just 25 miles south of the Grand Canyon, travelers will find the nostalgic cartoon character Fred Flintstone waving to them.
Inside the city, you can expect a nostalgic experience with bright colored Paleolithic creatures, buildings & the shows classic cars with rocks as wheels.
ARKANSAS
A lover of Budweiser, David McMahon Sr, commissioned Earl Harris to paint one of the silos on his farm to resemble a giant Budweiser can.
Fun fact: On the label, it's stated that this “can” of beer holds 8,734,902 fluid ounces of Budweiser.
CALIFORNIA
A classic roadside attraction in America, you may remember the world's largest dinosaurs from the cult classic: The Wizard.
These larger than life Dinos are a site to definitely stop and see while in Cabazon, CA. If you want to go inside the dinosaurs you can! There is a small fee to enter the T-Rex while the Apatosaurus (formerly known as the brontosaurus) is free.
One of the more colorful attractions on our list, this man-made mountain is also one of the most unique stops for travelers.
There is a theme of love & religion here which the artist, Leonard Knight, meant as a tribute to God.
Another unique addition to our list, Bubblegum alley is a living & ever-changing attraction.
We don’t want to think about how gross this amount of chewed gum kind of is but instead focus on how cool it looks & how unique it is.
COLORADO
Passing through or going to Colorado? Don’t leave Herkimer, the World's Largest Beetle, off of your site-seeing list!
Terrifying? Maybe. But we think Herkimer is cool and we’d go to Colorado just to see him.
A monument to following your dreams, Jim Bishop has been constructing this castle for nearly 60 years.
The three story castle includes a grand ballroom, towers & bridges but most importantly, a fire-breathing dragon.
Want your chance at seeing an alien? This roadside attraction in Colorado allows travelers to try and spot one.
The location of this attraction has been a hotspot for UFO sightings throughout the years.
You may be wondering: Is this the same 4 Corners Monument mentioned 3 states ago?
Well you’d be right.
Just a reminder that this is the only place in the United States where visitors are able to stand in 4 states at the same time (hence why you’re seeing it again).
The states include Arizona, New Mexico, Utah & Colorado so be prepared to see this 2 more times.
CONNECTICUT
Officially known as the Thread City Crossing, this bridge connects Routes 66 & 32.
The ornamental frogs reside on the bridge because of the city of Windham's famous Frog Fight (Fright) in June of 1954.
Summed up, this “Fright” happened during a drought, residents could hear a loud scream-like noise and in the morning they realized that instead of their worst fears, the noise was actually frogs fighting for the last bit of water available.
Read more about the Frog Fight here: https://connecticuthistory.org/bridge-ornaments-help-tell-the-legend-of-the-windham-frog-fight/
DELAWARE
Dover International Speedway, home of “The Monster Mile”, is also home to their mascot Miles the Monster. Miles can be seen coming out of a circular base with a racecar in hand.
Fun fact: the racecar is real & the monster's base is lined with plaques of the winners of every Dover NASCAR race.
FLORIDA
The search for eternal youth has been talked about all throughout history.
The Fountain of Youth in St. Augustine, FL can be traced back to 1513 and since then has attracted those in search of living forever.
Well actually between 1513 and the early 1900s people came to look at the flowers growing there. But after Luella Day McConnell acquired the land and placed a gazebo over the well which is said to be The Fountain of Youth, tourists come from near and far in hopes of staying young forever.
Was the castle built by someone with supernatural powers? We may never know!
But whether or not Ed Leedskalnin was a secret superhero or not it’s safe to say that the castle he built has a supernatural effect on its visitors.
The Coral Castle is a mystery but a beautiful one, this site is definitely a must-see.
GEORGIA
Some say that this 13-foot tall peanut was the reason Jimmy Carter won the 1976 presidential election. While it may not have won him the entire election, there’s no doubt that it helped him win his home state of Georgia where peanuts are popular.
Georgia Guidestones
If you find yourself on a post-apocalypse road trip and you need to know how to conserve mankind or if you just need to know the date, the Georgia Guidestones is the roadside attraction for you. Also known as America’s Stonehenge, these Guidestones stand 19 feet high and include a how-to on conserving humanity for future generations in 12 different languages (just in case). Fun fact: Every day at noon you can see that day's date when the sun shines through a hole in the stones.
HAWAII (Off the Mainland)
The world's largest maze stretching over 3 acres and one of the only botanical mazes in America. While in the maze try to find the 8 secret checkpoints to complete the challenge and finish the fastest to win a prize & have your name recorded at the maze's entrance.
IDAHO
If you’re a dog lover you’ll love this stop along your road-trip. Affectionately dubbed “Sweet Willy” the 30 foot beagle-house was created after the 12-foot beagle attraction brought more visitors than expected to the artists studio.
Need a place to stay for the night? The world's largest beagle also serves as the world's largest beagle bed & breakfast! You can stay at the Dog Bark Park Inn in Cottonwood, Idaho starting January 10th 2022.
Shoshone Falls - Niagara of the West
The Niagara of the West sits at the edge of Twin Falls in Idaho. A truly breathtaking site at 212 feet (higher than the Niagara Falls). If you’re looking for a scenic stop on your road trip this summer, this is your sign to stop at Shoshone.
ILLINOIS
Get a picture of yourself holding up the Tower of Pisa without leaving America? Maybe too good to be true but Illinois has an alternative for your photo op! Built as a cover-up for Ilgair Parks’ water tank, the Leaning Tower of Niles is half the size of the Leaning Tower of Pisa (94 feet tall and 28 feet in diameter) and is a great alternative for those who haven’t made it to Pisa, Italy yet.
Fun fact: The village of Niles began a sister city pact with Pisa, Italy in 1991.
Largest Catsup (Ketchup) Bottle
Whether you refer to it as catsup or ketchup, this ode to Americana stands 170 feet tall and was originally built as a water tower for a catsup bottling plant. Visiting this roadside attraction is almost guaranteed to make you crave a burger & fries.
INDIANA
Hanging from an industrial hook in Alexandria, Indiana is the world's largest ball of paint. In the center of the 2.5 ton paintball is a baseball that was painted by the artist's son. The ball has over 25,000 layers of paint and is protected in the Ball House.
IOWA
Future Birthplace of James T. Kirk
Fans of StarTrek may be familiar with this roadside attraction. The captain of the Starship Enterprise is to be born in Riverside, Iowa 207 years in the future on March 22nd, 2228.
A fan of the series brought this fact to his town council meeting in 1985 and from there the town of Riverside, Iowa declared itself the future birthplace of James T. Kirk and changed their town slogan to: “Where the Trek begins”.
KANSAS
The World's Largest Collection of the Worlds Smallest Versions of the World’s Largest Things
Want a one-stop shop to see all the world's largest things? If you’re passing through Lucas, Kansas you can see the world’s largest collection of the world's smallest versions of the world’s largest things. We don’t know for a fact if this is the world's longest name for a roadside attraction but we think it could be.
The World’s Largest Ball of Twine
Want to be a part of the world's largest ball of twine? If you’re passing through Cawker City, Kansas make sure to make arrangements ahead of time to add your twine to the ever-growing ball!
This ball of twine has been growing since 1953 and now weighs over 13 tons.
KENTUCKY