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The Ultimate US Travel Itinerary for Lovers of the Odd and Unusual

If you’re the kind of traveler who’d pick a two-headed taxidermy display over a beach any day, you’re our kind of people. Forget cookie-cutter vacations—this one’s for the oddities lovers, the curators of the strange, and the seekers of all things delightfully bizarre. We’ve rounded up the most offbeat, strange, and wonderfully weird places across the US that promise a one-of-a-kind adventure. Bonus: we’ve included where to eat and sleep along the way, because even the quirkiest explorers need a good meal and a comfy bed.


🏠 Wisconsin: The House on the Rock (Spring Green, WI)

📍 What to See:
This is the crown jewel of strange. The House on the Rock is part home, part fantasy world, part fever dream. Wander through rooms filled with musical automatons, a massive indoor carousel, an infinity room that juts out over a cliff, and collections so odd you’ll wonder how they fit it all under one roof. Think dollhouses, armor, coin-operated everything, and a life-sized whale battling a squid suspended from the ceiling.

🍴 Where to Eat:
Stop by Freddy Valentine’s Public House for hearty, quirky pub fare in a restored historic bank. Bonus points for the cool vibe and creative cocktail menu.

🛏 Where to Stay:
Book a night at the Spring Valley Inn, just minutes away and built in Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie style—an appropriately eccentric choice for such a unique destination.


💀 Pennsylvania: The Mutter Museum (Philadelphia, PA)

📍 What to See:
Step into one of America’s most fascinating (and haunting) medical museums. The Mütter is packed with preserved specimens, antique surgical tools, and human oddities—including a wall of skulls, conjoined twins in jars, and Einstein’s brain.

🍴 Where to Eat:
Dine at A.Kitchen+Bar, a sleek spot with elevated small plates and craft cocktails that make the perfect contrast to your day of bone-chilling curiosities.

🛏 Where to Stay:
Check in at The Bellevue Hotel, where historic luxury meets modern flair—and if you’re lucky, a little ghost story or two of its own.


🕯️ Oregon: The Freakybuttrue Peculiarium (Portland, OR)

📍 What to See:
This art gallery-meets-oddity-shop celebrates the strange with interactive exhibits featuring aliens, Bigfoot, monsters, and more. It’s like a haunted house collided with a sci-fi comic book—and it’s absolutely fantastic.

🍴 Where to Eat:
Head to Le Bistro Montage Alpenglow, a funky Cajun-inspired restaurant known for its eclectic vibe and legendary mac & cheese.

🛏 Where to Stay:
Stay weird at Jupiter Hotel, Portland’s artsy, retro-chic boutique hotel complete with a courtyard and concert venue next door.


🧠 California: Museum of Death (Los Angeles, CA)

📍 What to See:
This isn’t for the faint of heart. The Museum of Death dives into the macabre—from serial killer letters and crime scene photos to antique mortician tools. It’s creepy, intense, and oddly educational.

🍴 Where to Eat:
Balance the darkness with something sweet: visit Milk Bar on Melrose for a whimsical dessert experience. Their cereal milk soft serve is iconic.

🛏 Where to Stay:
Crash at The Hollywood Roosevelt, a historic hotel known for its celebrity ghost sightings and Old Hollywood glamour with just the right amount of edge.


🐊 Louisiana: Abita Mystery House (Abita Springs, LA)

📍 What to See:
Also known as the UCM Museum, this roadside attraction is a collection of absurd inventions, homemade monsters, and dioramas filled with bottle caps, gators, and other junk-turned-art. It’s like walking through someone’s wild imagination—and we’re here for it.

🍴 Where to Eat:
Grab a bite at Abita Brew Pub, where you can enjoy locally brewed beers and Louisiana favorites like gumbo and po’boys.

🛏 Where to Stay:
Check into a quirky cottage at Abita Springs Hotel—a cozy, colorful inn that feels like it belongs in a storybook.


🧛 Texas: The Museum of the Weird (Austin, TX)

📍 What to See:
Located on famously eccentric Sixth Street, this museum is a tribute to the sideshows of yesteryear. See shrunken heads, mummies, and a “live” sideshow performer who might just freak you out (in the best way).

🍴 Where to Eat:
Walk a few steps down the street to Casino El Camino, a dive bar with legendary burgers and a spooky interior that fits the vibe perfectly.

🛏 Where to Stay:
Keep the weirdness going at The Driskill Hotel, a haunted historic hotel with just the right mix of luxury and ghost lore.


Bonus Stop: The Clown Motel (Tonopah, Nevada)

Because no list of oddities is complete without this one.

📍 What to See:
A motel decorated entirely in clown memorabilia—plus it’s next door to an old cemetery. Love clowns? You’ll be delighted. Hate clowns? Sweet dreams.

🍴 Where to Eat:
Grab a comforting meal at Tonopah Brewing Company to settle your nerves (and enjoy a solid brisket sandwich).

🛏 Where to Stay:
Obviously, stay at the Clown Motel. If you’re feeling extra brave, request one of the “haunted rooms.”


Whether you’re into preserved body parts, haunted hotels, or homemade monsters, there’s a wonderfully weird adventure out there waiting for you. So embrace the strange, follow the freaky, and let your curiosity be your compass.

July 2, 2025

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