Here are 11 of the weirdest roadside attractions in Arizona that are genuinely worth a stop during your road trip through the desert state:
- The Thing – Dragoon
Perhaps the most famous “mystery in the desert,” The Thing sits along I‑10 near Dragoon. This bizarre museum of alien lore, historical oddities, and outlandish displays ends with a supposed “mummified creature.” It’s half curiosity shop, half sci‑fi fever dream. - Biosphere 2 – Oracle
This futuristic glass dome once housed scientists trying to live self‑sufficiently inside an artificial ecosystem in the early 1990s. Now operated by the University of Arizona, visitors can tour its rainforest, ocean, and desert environments that look straight out of a sci‑fi movie. - Jack Rabbit Trading Post – Joseph City
A classic Route 66 pit stop, this quirky trading post became famous for signs across hundreds of miles declaring “Here It Is.” It features a giant jackrabbit statue you can ride for a photo and plenty of nostalgic souvenirs. - World’s Largest Kokopelli – Camp Verde
Towering over the roadside, this huge flute‑playing Hopi deity statue celebrates Southwestern kitsch and remains one of Arizona’s most photographed oddities. - Longhorn Grill and Saloon – Amado
The front of this restaurant is shaped like a giant steer skull — a memorable photo opportunity and an example of desert eccentricity that refuses to blend in. - Flintstones Bedrock City – Williams
Once an amusement park themed around the Flintstones, this site lets you walk through cartoon‑style buildings and meet oversized replicas of Fred Flintstone and friends. It’s pure nostalgic weirdness along Route 66. - Tom Mix Monument – Florence
A lonely granite marker commemorates the death spot of silent‑film cowboy star Tom Mix, who died in a 1940 car crash. Fans still leave trinkets and cowboy hats by the roadside in his memory. - Hackberry General Store – Kingman
A time capsule of Route 66 Americana, filled with vintage signs, rusted gas pumps, and old cars — it’s both a convenience stop and a museum of roadside nostalgia. - Twin Arrows Trading Post Ruins – Flagstaff
Two massive wooden arrows mark the ruins of a once‑bustling Route 66 stop, now a haunting symbol of the highway’s golden age. - Wickenburg Jail Tree – Wickenburg
Local legend claims that early townsfolk chained prisoners to this massive mesquite tree before a real jail existed. Whether myth or fact, it draws curious visitors daily. - Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument – Flagstaff
Although a natural site, this thousand‑year‑old volcanic crater was once used by NASA to train Apollo astronauts for lunar conditions, giving it a quirky historical twist.
From fiberglass animals and alien mysteries to giant arrows and cartoon towns, Arizona has turned roadside eccentricity into an art form that keeps travelers guessing — and stopping.
SOURCES
[1](https://www.worldatlas.com/landmarks/8-of-the-most-bizarre-landmarks-in-arizona.html)
[2](https://www.atlasobscura.com/things-to-do/arizona/roadside-attractions)
[3](https://roadtrippers.com/magazine/americas-weirdest-roadside-attractions/)
[4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HS70pX554Fg)
[5](https://www.fiftygrande.com/50-weirdest-roadside-attractions/)
