Conde Nast Traveler’s Marisa LaScala tracked down some of the world’s wackiest tourist attractions, and they’re so interestingly unusual that we want to spread the word about them.
-Carhenge: Artist Jim Reinders’ homage to Stonehenge in Alliance, Nebraska (pictured), incorporates 38 classic cars, all painted gray and arranged similarly to the original stone structure in England. In a spiritual nod, Carhenge was dedicated on the summer solstice in 1987.
-Gnome Reserve: Fans of kitschy lawn decorations will want to check out more than 1,000 gnomes and pixies on display at the outdoor Gnome Reserve in Devon, England. Fun-loving guests don normal-sized pointed hats and fishing rods provided by the site to get in on the act. The attraction also features a museum with a collection of antique statues.
-Upside-Down House: Those who visit China Folk Painting Village in Shanghai’s Fengjing Ancient Town can dance on the ceiling—literally. The quirky, two-story structure was purposely built upside down. It features a child’s bedroom, as well as a gravity-defying kitchen table, fully set for dinner.
-Hell Garden: Tourists get a taste of hell at Wang Saen Suk in Thailand, outside of Bangkok. Hell Garden features garish sculptures that depict the horrible afterlife awaiting sinners. Angry and often bloody, life-sized human statues mix with contorted demons and animals in a garden that isn’t quite meant for relaxation.
-Giant Lobster: The biggest lobsters aren’t necessarily from Maine. A 56-foot-tall lobster in Kingston SE, in South Australia, delights fans of giant animal sculptures. The 4-ton steel and fiberglass structure, nicknamed Larry, was built in 1979 to promote the region’s seafood. The base features a restaurant and gift shop.
-Ramen Museums: The Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum in Osaka, Japan, along with a sister museum in Yokohama, devote themselves to instant noodles. Guests at both venues learn all about the history of this inexpensive and versatile food and can put together unusual flavorings.
-Phallus Museum: The Icelandic Phallological Museum in Reykjavík, Iceland, boasts a collection of more than 215 phallic specimens, representing almost every mammal in the European country. You don’t have to be a member in order to examine the jarred whale, polar bear, seal and walrus penises on display at this unusual museum.
