Have a Taste for the Unusual? Here Are Some Quirky Attractions at Unexpected Destinations Chris Caggiano April 17, 2023 Family Travel, general, Travel Tips Sometimes, you just want to go someplace different. Paris? London? Rome? Been there. Done that. Still have all the T shirts. Maybe you want to avoid the crowds in those admittedly wonderful destinations. Or maybe you’re someone who simply prefers the road less traveled, both literally and figuratively. Well, if you’re looking to let your freak flag fly, you’re in luck. Here we present our list of some of the unusual attractions in some of the most unexpected destinations. You can even fly direct, if you choose the right airline. Just promise to drop us a postcard from Tiny Town, or a selfie of you and your loved ones communing with the Grizzlies. World’s Largest Ball of Stamps – Omaha, Nebraska You’re driving down the road and you see a sign for the “World’s Largest Ball of Stamps.” How can you resist, right? You’ll find said ball in Omaha, Nebraska. The ball weighs more than 600 pounds, has a diameter of 32 inches, and consists of more than 4.5 million cancelled stamps that have been lovingly pasted together by the Boys Town organization. The ball was constructed over three years starting in the early 1950s as a way to raise awareness and funds for Boys Town and their mission of outreach to troubled youth. The ball is housed at the Boys Town Visitors Center in Omaha and is open to public view. Grizzly Encounter — Bozeman, Montana Some people like to come face to face with their greatest fears. If that sound like you, we may have the perfect place for you. The Montana Grizzly Encounter in Bozeman, Montana was founded in 2004 as a grizzly bear rescue and education sanctuary and serves as a spacious and natural habitat for grizzlies that have been rescued from various situations such as being orphaned, injured, or abandoned. The sanctuary provides care for the bears while also offering educational programs and opportunities to the visitors. Visitors to the sanctuary can view the bears in their natural habitat — from a safe distance, of course — and learn more about grizzly bears and their behaviors. The Grizzly Encounter gives you the chance to see thee majestic creatures up close and take some great photos. Bar Nunn – Casper, Wyoming I-25 US87 South – Barr Nunn 1 Mile by formulanone licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0 Bar Nunn is a town located near Casper, Wyoming, and it has the unusual distinction of being built on a former airport. The runways now serve as streets through the town. The town was constructed in the early 1980s over Casper’s original airport, which was later replaced by the Casper-Natrona County International Airport. The town is located in Natrona County with easy access to Casper, the county seat, just a few miles to the south. Although Bar Nunn is hardly a bustling metropolis in the conventional sense, it serves as a home for 2,000 people, and has a few small businesses and services, such as a gas station, a restaurant, a library, and an elementary school. Outdoor enthusiasts will find opportunities to hike, bike and camp in the nearby natural areas. Tiny Town – Greenville, South Carolina Tiny Town in Easley, South Carolina is a holiday attraction featuring a collection of miniature buildings and animatronic figures. The attraction was created by Perry and Ollie Jennings as a way to share their Christmas spirit with the community. The village includes a variety of buildings, such as a church, a general store, a post office, and a train station, all decorated with lights and other decorations. There are also animatronic figures such as Santa Claus and his reindeer, a nativity scene, and a winter village. Tiny Town is open to the public during the holiday season, typically from late November through early January. Cushing Brain Collection – New Haven, Connecticut The Cushing Brain collection has historical and scientific significance as it contains over 400 specimens of brains collected by renowned neurosurgeon Harvey Cushing in the early 20th century. The collection has been used for research purposes to better understand the brain and its various pathologies. Although the collection was once very important, today it has lost relevance among profusion of other brain registries. The collection is housed at the Cushing/Whitney Medical Library at Yale University and can be viewed by special request. Roanoke Pinball Museum – Roanoke, Virginia At the Roanoke Pinball Museum in Virginia, visitors can see and play over 65 pinball machines dating from 1932 to 2019. The museum features a wide range of pinball games, including Weird Al’s Museum of Natural Hilarity, Cosmic Cart Racing, Sorcerer’s Apprentice, and Ranger In The Ruins, which rotate on a regular basis. Admission to the museum provides unlimited play during your stay, so visitors can spend as much time as they like exploring the history and science behind the game of pinball. The museum also offers educational opportunities for students and teachers to reinforce their visit Cambodian Buddhist Temple – Stockton, California The Stockton Cambodian Buddhist Temple (also known as Wat Dhammararam) is an active Buddhist temple located in Stockton, California, USA. The temple features over 90 colorful and larger than life jewel-encrusted Buddha statues, which is the largest display of Buddha statues in California. The temple is situated within a nondescript neighborhood in east Stockton and visitors are welcome daily during daylight hours. The temple hosts many events and celebrations, including the Cambodian New Year festival. The temple has been featured on Huell Howser’s “Road Trip” to Stockton in 2007. Did we miss your favorite offbeat destination? Tell us about it in the comments below!
