1

Carhenge

Image: sarahehauge

The gray megaliths of Stonehenge , in contrast with the bright green of the surrounding plains, create an image familiar to most of us. The ancient monument in the south of England inspired artist Jim Reinders to design this roadside attraction near Alliance, Nebraska, along Highway 87.

He and his family built it in 1987 on his late father’s farm as a memorial. Thirty-nine cars were buried and welded in place, then spray-painted gray to form a structure imitating the original. Carhenge remains open 24/7, and anyone is welcome to visit anytime, but it looks particularly epic against the setting sun.

2

Prada Marfa

Image: Mizzu Cho

"Wait, what was that?" Imagine driving along U.S. Route 90 and catching a flashing glimpse of this lone-standing, one-story, deserted Prada store , just feet away from the road. Located 26 miles northwest of Marfa, Texas, this storefront is a land art installation built in 2005 by the architects and artists Elmgreen & Dragset.

It wasn’t meant to be an advertisement for the brand, although the shoes and handbags displayed in the interior of the shop were provided by designer Miuccia Prada herself. The location was carefully chosen so that the white shop would stand out against the barren landscape.

3

"Giant" Marfa Mural

Image: Robert Harkness

Remember Giant (1956), the film starring Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, and James Dean? This classic about a wealthy Texan family was shot around the town of Marfa, Texas, and parts of it were filmed right at this spot. That means Marfa became the site of yet another car-stopping roadside attraction.

Right off the road on U.S. ​​Highway 90, just like the Prada Marfa, stand these colorful plywood murals that depict the characters and the Little Reata Ranch , which served as the backdrop of the movie. Artist John Cerney erected these figures in 2018, and visitors also mention that one can hear music at the site: it comes from speakers cleverly concealed between rocks and was composed by Michael Nesmith from The Monkees.

4

Galleta Meadows Sculptures

Image: Stephen Leonardi

You would have to take a 14-mile detour from California State Route 78 to see them, but it would be worth it. Galleta Meadows is a privately owned, open-to-the-public estate that has been home to over 130 giant metal sculptures created by Ricardo Breceda since 2007.

Breceda first built a giant metal dinosaur for his daughter after watching Jurassic Park III with her. When the owner of this estate saw his art, he commissioned all the sculptures that now adorn the land. The figures emerging from the ground vary. Beyond the mythological serpent dragon, some represent animals that once roamed the same land, such as the Columbian mammoth, the sabertooth tiger, and dinosaurs. A scorpion, a grasshopper, and a bighorn sheep can also be found.

5

Seven Magic Mountains

Image: Samuel Branch

The hoodoos that characterize the Western landscape inspired this pop-art image in the mind of Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone. Located on Las Vegas Boulevard ten miles south of Las Vegas, Nevada, these stacks of boulders were painted with fluorescent pigments that are activated by the sun.

The installation, built in 2016, was funded by the Nevada Museum of Art and the Art Production Fund . It was originally intended to remain for two years, but the fascination with this highly photogenic landscape was such that it was decided to keep it in place and open to the public. The Seven Magic Mountains receive around 325,000 visitors every year.

6

Cabazon Dinosaurs

Image: Marius Christensen

One of the most famous roadside attractions in the U.S. is the Cabazon Dinosaurs, located just west of Palm Springs in California. These are two steel-and-concrete figures, about 20 feet tall, that have their own names: the Brontosaurus Dinny the Dinosaur and the T-Rex, Mr. Rex.

Dinny and Mr. Rex are repainted frequently to show varying colors and suits. A nearby museum gift shop houses over 100 dinosaur figures and animatronics. The stop became even more famous after being featured in Tim Burton’s Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985), but they had been standing at Cabazon since artist Claude Bell began building them in 1964.

7

Salvation Mountain

Image: Nitro ‎

In the California Desert, not far from State Route 111, stands an artificial hill that was created in 1984 and has been repeatedly modified over the years to become a colorful folk site. Local resident Leonard Knight started building the hill in the 1980s, with the vision that it would forever hold a message of "unconditional love to humankind ."

Adobe bricks, straw, discarded tires and car parts, and tons of paint were all used in the production of this 150-foot-wide art project.

8

Enchanted Highway

Image: Carol Highsmith's America

The Enchanted Highway stretches for 32 miles in the southwest of North Dakota. It has been decorated with some of the world’s largest scrap metal sculptures, all made by local artist Gary Greff, who began the project in 1989. He started the project as a way to revive his town, Regent , while it was in economic decline.

Fish, pheasants, bugs, and even a "Tin Family" of humans adorn the landscape near the city of Dickinson. Nine sites with sculptures are built along County Highway 21, most of them featuring parking areas to allow visitors to wander near the sculptures and take plenty of pictures.

9

Peachoid

Image: Jp Valery

The Peachoid water tower stands in Gaffney, South Carolina, and is shaped like, well, a peach . The tank holds one million gallons and is visible from miles around the point at Interstate 85 where it stands.

It was built for the city of Gaffney in 1981, resembling the fruit for which they were best known. It was commissioned by the Gaffney Board of Public Works, which also wanted to make the statement that Cherokee County, at one point in history, was a bigger peach producer than the entire "Peach State," Georgia.

10

Garden of One Thousand Buddas

Image: Kirsten Ann

Would you count them? There’s a peaceful garden in a valley near Glacier National Park in Montana. In it live one thousand white statues of sitting Buddhas lining a public park and botanical garden.

The construction of the site, nestled by the Mission Mountains , began in 2000. It wasn’t until 2015, however, that the 1,000th Buddha was finally placed, reaching the original goal of the founder, a Tibetan master. Hundreds of visitors arrive each week to walk the garden and wander around the 10 acres it spreads over.

1

Hell, Michigan

Image: Chris Barbalis

About 15 miles northwest of Ann Arbor, Michigan, you'll find the town of Hell. While the name might not sound particularly welcoming, it's actually a playful little community that fully embraces its identity, offering tourists a range of devilish attractions. It's just that it might not be the ideal city to mention when someone asks where you're from.

2

Chicken, Alaska

Image: Sacha Bois

In the vast state of Alaska sits the peculiar town of Chicken, best known for its gold mining history. In 1902, the town needed an official name to submit to the Post Office. They originally chose "Ptarmigan," after a local bird, but couldn't agree on how to spell it. Frustrated, they settled on the much simpler "Chicken."

3

Truth or Consequences, New Mexico

Image: Maddy Baker

Located in Sierra County, along the Rio Grande River in New Mexico, you'll find the town of Truth or Consequences. Sometimes called "T or C," the town was founded in the mid-1800s and originally named "Hot Springs." But everything changed in 1950, when Ralph Edwards—popular radio and TV host—announced that he would broadcast his show, Truth or Consequences , from the first town to rename itself after the program. And that’s exactly what happened!

4

Rough and Ready, California

Image: Nicole Cavelli

Rough and Ready, California, is a town with a distinctive name and history. And in case you're wondering—the answer is yes! It’s named after General Zachary Taylor’s nickname, "Old Rough and Ready," honoring his tough reputation.

5

Ding Dong, Texas

Image: Tarun Tandon

Ding Dong, Texas, is real! It's a tiny community in Central Texas, founded in the 1930s by Zulis and Bert Bell, who ran a local store. A sign on their shop featured two bells labeled with their names and the words "Ding Dong" underneath. The name stuck, and the town was humorously named after the store.

6

Why, Arizona

Image: TALHA KHAN

There's actually a place called "Why," an unincorporated community in southwestern Arizona. The name comes from a Y-shaped intersection where State Routes 85 and 86 once met, right where the town was settled. Have you ever heard of it?

7

Whynot, North Carolina

Image: Markus Winkler

While one town in Arizona is called "Why," another in North Carolina is named "Whynot." That's right! Whynot is an unincorporated community in Randolph County. According to local stories, its name comes from a humorous moment: as townspeople debated possible names, everyone kept saying, "Why not this one?" "Why not that one?" After much debate, someone finally said, "Why not just Whynot?"—and the name stuck.

8

Accident, Maryland

Image: Noah Smith

The charming small town of Accident, Maryland, has a unique history. In the 18th century, two surveyors unknowingly worked on the same land at the same time—and accidentally ended up with identical results. That’s how the area came to be known as "The Accident Tract," which was later shortened to simply Accident .

9

Peculiar, Missouri

Image: MATHEW RUPP

Covering just about 4 square miles, the city of Peculiar is located in Missouri. While there's no single agreed-upon origin for its name, many believe it came from the frustration of those tasked with naming the town. They submitted several names to the post office, but each one was rejected as already taken. Frustrated, someone finally suggested they pick a "peculiar" name—and that’s exactly what they did!

10

No Name, Colorado

Image: Heyzeus Escribo

Maybe creativity wasn't the strongest point for the founders of No Name, Colorado. Yes, there really is a small community called No Name, located just off Interstate 70. The story goes that while the interstate was being built, the area was already settled but didn't have an official name, so they simply called it "No Name."

1

The MapQuest printout ritual

For many travelers, the trip really began here: sitting at the computer just minutes before leaving and printing turn-by-turn directions from MapQuest. The printed pages listed every step of the route, including the distance between each turn. This method was probably the one that marked the transition from traditional paper navigation to modern GPS systems.

2

Free maps at gas stations

Back in the 1920s, advertising executive William Akin came up with an idea to promote the new Gulf Refining Company gas stations. At the time, drivers still had to buy gasoline in five-gallon containers because service stations were uncommon. Akin proposed distributing free local maps in each area where these Gulf stations were located.

The idea spread quickly, and other gas companies soon adopted the same strategy. Over time, gas stations became natural stops for travelers, and many stations eventually began selling maps instead of giving them away.

3

The American Automobile Association Trip Triks

No way you forgot this one! If you were a member of the American Automobile Association, you had access to Trip Triks: spiral-bound booklets customized for each traveler’s route. AAA staff highlighted the exact path on the map, marking gas stations, hotels, and attractions along the way.

4

Lost? Find a phone booth

Lost in the big city? Step into a phone booth. Back then, many phone booths had maps inside showing nearby streets and landmarks. If you were lost, all you had to do was step inside, and within a few minutes, the problem was solved. The good news was that big cities had a phone booth on almost every major corner and intersection, so if the one you stopped by was already taken, you only had to walk a few steps to find another.

5

The thick book that lived in every car

The city street atlas. One of the best companions for drivers, if not the very best. These thick books showed detailed maps of entire cities, page by page. If you spotted a street sign but had no idea where you were, you could look up that street in the atlas index. It would point you to the exact page and grid where the street appeared, helping you figure out your next move. Do you remember flipping through a street atlas to find your way across a city?

6

Asking locals for directions

Following directions back then required a bit of blind faith. You might hear something like, "Drive a few miles and turn left when you see the church," or "After the green restaurant, take the second road on the right." In rural areas, where road signs were scarce, a local’s guidance was often the best map you could get. Sometimes those directions were the only way to find a place that didn’t appear on any map. Have you ever followed directions like these and hoped for the best?

7

The co-pilot seat

This trick required teamwork. If you weren’t traveling alone, one passenger was usually designated as the "navigator." Their role? Reading the map, watching for road signs, and warning the driver about upcoming turns. A good navigator also had to learn the driver’s rhythm: when to speak up, when to stay quiet, and how quickly directions needed to be given. The best driver–navigator pairs worked together almost like Batman and Robin.

8

The Rand McNally Road Atlas

The Rand McNally Road Atlas is one of the most iconic travel tools in American road trip history. The atlas includes detailed maps of every state, showing highways, towns, and points of interest across the United States. For decades, it was a common sight in glove compartments and truck cabins, guiding travelers from city to city. Unlike digital navigation, the atlas allowed drivers to see the entire route and explore alternative roads along the way. Even today, many travelers still keep one as a backup option when cell service or GPS fails.

9

Following highway numbers

During the era of long road trips, drivers didn’t worry much about street names. Instead, they followed highway numbers. If you got on the right road, like Route 66 or U.S. Route 1, you could relax and stay on it for miles and miles, sometimes across several states. As long as the number on the signs stayed the same, you knew you were still on the right path. This approach later helped inspire the Interstate Highway System, which made traveling across the country even easier.

10

The church, the bridge, the water tower

Here's one of the classic road trip tricks: remembering landmarks along the road. This method required both memory and self-trust. Instead of coordinates or exact addresses, travelers remembered particular spots. They learned to look for things that stood out, like churches, bridges, water towers, or unusual buildings. When you reached the right one, you knew when it was time to turn. What landmarks did you rely on the most?