18 Wonderfully Weird Roadside Attractions In Nevada You Need To See To Believe
Strange wonders rise from the desert like secrets half-buried in sand, inviting curious travelers to slow down and look twice.
Nevada leans into the unexpected with a flair that feels both whimsical and a little wild. Alien figures stare across empty highways.
Neon colors burst from barren landscapes. Roadside oddities turn quiet stretches into memories that linger long after the dust settles.
In Nevada, every mile holds the possibility of stumbling upon something wonderfully weird, and the journey becomes just as thrilling as the discoveries along the way.
1. Seven Magic Mountains
Neon boulders rise from the desert floor like a rainbow mirage, each stack towering between 30 and 35 feet into the bright Nevada sky.
Artist Ugo Rondinone created this stunning installation about 10 miles south of Las Vegas, and it sits at S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89054.
Originally planned as a temporary exhibit, public enthusiasm kept these painted rocks standing, and they’ll remain through 2027.
Visitors pull off the highway to snap photos beneath the glowing towers, where desert meets bold contemporary art.
Early morning and late afternoon offer the best lighting for photography.
The contrast between natural landscape and human-made color creates an almost surreal experience that photographers and families both adore.
2. Alien Research Center
A giant silver alien stands guard over a building packed with extraterrestrial memorabilia and UFO lore, welcoming believers and curious travelers alike.
This center sits near Hiko at 100 NV-375, Hiko, NV 89017, serving as a gathering spot for anyone fascinated by the mysteries of Area 51 and beyond.
Inside, shelves overflow with alien-themed souvenirs, books, and local stories about strange lights in the sky.
The 25-foot metallic sculpture out front makes for a perfect photo opportunity, especially against the stark desert backdrop.
Staff members often share tales of nearby sightings and government secrecy.
Whether skeptic or true believer, the quirky atmosphere and dedicated displays make this stop memorable for road trippers exploring Nevada’s Extraterrestrial Highway.
3. Clown Motel
Over 2,000 clown figurines fill every corner of this motel, creating an experience that’s equal parts whimsical and spine-tingling.
Located at 521 N Main St, Tonopah, NV 89049, the Clown Motel claims the title of world’s largest clown collection, with grinning faces watching from shelves, walls, and display cases.
Right next door sits the historic Tonopah Cemetery, adding an extra layer of eerie charm to overnight stays.
Guests book rooms knowing they’ll sleep surrounded by painted smiles and circus nostalgia.
Some find the atmosphere delightfully quirky, while others appreciate the motel’s embrace of its unusual theme.
The owners maintain the collection with pride, and the motel has become a must-see for anyone traveling through central Nevada seeking something truly different.
4. Shoe Tree
Hundreds of shoes dangle from the branches of a lone cottonwood tree, creating a bizarre spectacle along one of America’s most isolated highways.
This quirky landmark stands at 41763 Lincoln Hwy, Fallon, NV 89406, earning its place on the “Loneliest Road in America” with footwear of every style and size.
Travelers have been tossing shoes into the branches for years, turning an ordinary tree into a symbol of passing through this remote stretch of Nevada.
Some say tossing shoes brings good luck, while others simply enjoy adding to the growing collection.
The tree has become a photo stop and conversation starter for road trippers.
Though weather and time take their toll, new shoes appear regularly, keeping the tradition alive and the branches heavy with stories.
5. Extraterrestrial Highway Sign
A green highway marker officially designates a 98-mile stretch of Nevada State Route 375 as the Extraterrestrial Highway, celebrating the region’s UFO lore.
The sign sits in Hiko, NV 89017, marking a route that runs close to the mysterious Area 51 military base.
Travelers pull over to photograph the unique signage, which features alien imagery alongside standard highway information.
The surrounding desert feels appropriately otherworldly, especially under the star-filled night sky that attracted UFO watchers for decades.
Small towns along the route embrace the alien theme with themed businesses and memorabilia.
Road trippers often combine this photo stop with visits to nearby attractions like the Alien Research Center, making it part of a larger extraterrestrial-themed adventure through central Nevada’s remote landscape.
6. Container Park Praying Mantis
A massive metal mantis towers over an outdoor shopping area, its segmented body crafted from steel and its antennae ready to shoot flames into the night sky.
This fire-breathing sculpture sits at 707 Fremont St, Las Vegas, NV 89101, serving as the centerpiece of Downtown Container Park’s unique retail space.
Built from shipping containers, the park combines shopping, dining, and art in an urban playground.
The mantis performs regular flame shows that draw crowds, especially after dark when the fire illuminates downtown Las Vegas.
Kids climb on a nearby playground while adults browse boutiques and grab food from local vendors.
The sculpture embodies Las Vegas’s love of spectacle and surprises, offering a family-friendly attraction that’s equal parts art installation and entertainment in the heart of the Fremont East district.
7. Longstreet Inn Casino Slot Car
An actual automobile transformed into a working slot machine sits outside a small desert casino, inviting travelers to try their luck before heading into Death Valley.
This automotive oddity greets visitors at 8750 NV-373, Amargosa Valley, NV 89020, where the Longstreet Inn Casino embraces roadside kitsch with enthusiasm.
The car-turned-slot-machine features spinning reels and flashing lights, functioning just like any casino game.
Travelers heading to or from Death Valley often stop here for gas, food, and a quick photo with the unusual gambling machine.
The casino itself maintains a classic Nevada roadside feel, complete with friendly staff and basic amenities.
The slot car represents the state’s playful approach to gaming and its willingness to turn almost anything into a chance to win a few dollars.
8. Atomic Liquors Sign
Neon atoms glow above the oldest freestanding bar in Las Vegas, a place where patrons once climbed to the roof to watch nuclear tests light up the desert horizon.
The bar operates at 917 Fremont St, Las Vegas, NV 89101, maintaining its vintage sign and atomic-era charm since opening in 1952.
During the 1950s, mushroom clouds visible from downtown became part of the city’s strange appeal, and this bar embraced the atomic theme completely.
Today’s visitors enjoy craft cocktails and local beers beneath the historic signage, surrounded by memorabilia from Nevada’s nuclear testing days.
The interior preserves mid-century details while serving a modern crowd.
The glowing sign remains a landmark for anyone exploring downtown’s Fremont Street area, representing a uniquely Nevada chapter of Cold War history and roadside nostalgia.
9. Pioneer Saloon Bullet Holes
Bullet holes still mark the walls of Nevada’s oldest saloon, each one telling a story from the rough-and-tumble mining days of the early 1900s.
The Pioneer Saloon serves drinks at 310 NV-161, Goodsprings, NV 89019, maintaining its authentic Old West atmosphere with original woodwork and period furnishings.
Legend says actor Clark Gable waited here for news when Carole Lombard’s plane crashed nearby in 1942.
Visitors order cold beers and examine the genuine bullet holes preserved in the walls and ceiling.
The saloon’s creaky floors and vintage bar create an atmosphere that feels genuinely historical rather than themed.
Weekend crowds enjoy live music and hearty food, but the building’s age and stories remain the main attraction for anyone seeking authentic Nevada history along a backroad.
10. Fly Geyser
Brilliant colors stream from a man-made geyser accident, creating terraced formations that look more like alien landscape than Nevada desert.
Fly Geyser sits on private property near Gerlach at Fly Ranch Rd, Gerlach, NV 89412, accessible only through guided tours offered by the Burning Man Project, which now owns the land.
The geyser formed in 1964 when a geothermal test well wasn’t properly capped, allowing mineral-rich water to escape and build colorful calcium carbonate cones.
Red and green algae thrive in the hot water, painting the formations in otherworldly hues.
Tours book quickly, as visitor numbers stay limited to protect the delicate site.
The surrounding wetlands attract birds and wildlife, creating an oasis ecosystem.
This accidental wonder proves that even human mistakes can create stunning natural beauty under the right conditions.
11. Tonopah Historic Mining Park’s Giant Headframe
Steel and timber rise from the hillside in a massive mining headframe, standing as a monument to the silver boom that built this desert town.
The park preserves mining history at 110 Burro Ave, Tonopah, NV 89049, where visitors explore equipment, buildings, and tunnels from Tonopah’s glory days as a major silver producer.
The giant headframe dominates the skyline, visible from miles away across the flat desert.
Walking tours lead through mining offices, equipment yards, and even some underground spaces where miners once worked in dim light and danger.
Interpretive signs explain the extraction process and the boom-bust cycle that shaped Nevada communities.
The site offers a tangible connection to the hard labor and big dreams that drove Western expansion, making history feel immediate rather than distant for visitors of all ages.
12. Goldwell Open Air Museum
Life-sized ghost figures stand frozen in the desert, their white plaster forms creating an eerie tableau against the ruins of an old mining town.
The museum sits at 1 Golden St, Beatty, NV 89003, where artists installed outdoor sculptures that blend with the abandoned buildings and desert landscape.
Belgian artist Albert Szukalski created the famous “Last Supper” installation, featuring ghostly figures gathered around a table.
Other sculptures dot the area, each one weathering naturally under the Nevada sun.
Visitors walk freely among the art pieces, exploring the ghost town’s crumbling structures and imagining the boom-and-bust mining era.
The combination of art, history, and desolation creates a haunting beauty that photographers and history buffs find irresistible during daylight hours.
13. Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park Fossils
Ancient sea creatures lie fossilized in Nevada rock, their massive bones reminding visitors that this desert once sat beneath a prehistoric ocean.
The park protects these treasures at State Route 844, Austin, NV 89310, combining paleontology with ghost town exploration in one remote location.
Inside a protective shelter, visitors view North America’s most abundant concentration of ichthyosaur fossils, some measuring over 50 feet long.
These marine reptiles swam here millions of years ago when warm seas covered the region.
The nearby ghost town of Berlin offers a glimpse into mining history, with preserved buildings from the early 1900s.
The combination of deep time and recent history creates a unique educational experience.
The remote location means fewer crowds, allowing quiet contemplation of both prehistoric life and human ambition in Nevada’s backcountry.
14. International Car Forest Of The Last Church
More than 40 vehicles stand buried nose-first in the desert sand, each one transformed into a canvas for graffiti artists and travelers with spray paint.
This open-air installation sits at 1111 East, Crystal Ave, Goldfield, NV 89013, turning abandoned automobiles into unexpected desert art.
Visitors wander freely among the upended cars, reading messages, admiring designs, and adding their own creative touches to the evolving display.
The site feels like a post-apocalyptic playground where rust meets vibrant color.
Photographers love the contrast between weathered metal and bold paint against the endless Nevada sky.
No admission fee or gate restricts access, making it a spontaneous stop for anyone driving through Esmeralda County looking for something completely out of the ordinary.
15. Lehman Caves Shields
Rare shield formations decorate cave walls like natural sculptures, their circular disks projecting from limestone in ways that puzzle geologists and delight visitors.
Lehman Caves sits within Great Basin National Park at 5500 NV-488, Baker, NV 89311, offering guided tours through chambers filled with stalactites, stalagmites, and these unusual shield formations.
Only a few caves worldwide contain shields, making this site geologically significant.
Tours last about 90 minutes, leading through decorated rooms where mineral deposits create intricate patterns.
The temperature stays constant year-round, providing cool relief during summer visits.
Rangers explain how water, minerals, and time collaborated to build these underground features.
Reservations fill quickly during peak season, so advance booking helps secure spots.
The cave experience adds natural wonder to a park better known for its ancient bristlecone pines and high desert landscape.
16. Valley Of Fire Elephant Rock
Wind and water carved red sandstone into an uncanny elephant shape, complete with trunk and body that stop visitors in their tracks.
This natural sculpture sits in Valley of Fire State Park at Valley of Fire Hwy, Overton, NV 89040, where brilliant red rocks glow against the desert sky.
A short walk from the parking area leads to the formation, making it accessible for most fitness levels.
Photographers time visits for early morning or late afternoon when shadows emphasize the elephant’s features.
The surrounding park offers petroglyphs, hiking trails, and spectacular geology throughout its 40,000 acres.
Elephant Rock serves as a favorite stop for families, who pose for photos with the pachyderm-shaped stone.
The formation demonstrates nature’s artistic abilities, creating recognizable shapes through nothing but erosion and imagination.
17. Hoover Dam Winged Figures
Bronze giants with Art Deco wings stand sentinel at one of America’s greatest engineering achievements, their 30-foot forms honoring the dam workers who died during construction.
These sculptures guard the Nevada side of Hoover Dam at 81 Hoover Dam Access Rd, Boulder City, NV 89005, greeting millions of visitors who come to tour the massive concrete structure.
Artist Oskar Hansen designed the figures to represent “the immutable calm of intellectual resolution, and the enormous power of trained physical strength, equally enthroned in placid triumph of scientific accomplishment.”
The polished bronze contrasts beautifully with the dam’s concrete and the desert landscape beyond.
Tourists photograph the sculptures while learning about the 96 workers who perished building the dam during the Depression.
The figures embody 1930s optimism and artistic style, adding cultural significance to an already impressive technological landmark.
18. Goldfield Hotel’s Haunted Reputation
Empty windows stare from a four-story hotel that once hosted wealthy miners but now stands abandoned, its reputation for paranormal activity drawing ghost hunters from across the country.
The hotel looms over Goldfield at 69 Columbia Ave, Goldfield, NV 89013, its Edwardian architecture slowly succumbing to desert weather and time.
Built during the town’s 1908 boom, the hotel featured luxury amenities including an elevator, electric lights, and elegant furnishings.
Stories of ghostly encounters have multiplied over the decades, with visitors reporting unexplained sounds, shadows, and cold spots throughout the building.
Though currently closed to the public, the hotel’s exterior remains a popular photo subject for urban explorers and paranormal enthusiasts.
The building represents both the grand ambitions of Nevada’s mining era and the inevitable decline that followed when the ore ran out.
