Here are 11 of the weirdest roadside attractions in Tennessee that are truly worth a stop, offering folk art, odd museums, and photo ops that reflect the Volunteer State’s quirky personality:
Tennessee’s Weirdest Roadside Attractions
Backyard Terrors Dinosaur Park (Bluff City): More than 70 hand-built, life-sized dinosaur replicas sprawl across a backyard—complete with haunted trails and detailed paleo info.
Musica Statue (Nashville): The state’s most controversial public art—nine nude bronze figures dancing in Music Row’s roundabout, often “dressed up” for holidays by locals.
The Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum (Gatlinburg): Over 20,000 shakers and pepper mills from every era and style—guaranteed to make you rethink tabletop kitsch.
Parthenon Replica (Nashville): A full-size recreation of Greece’s Parthenon complete with a 42-foot Athena statue, built for the 1897 Tennessee Centennial.
Crystal Shrine Grotto (Memphis): A bizarre, glowing quartz-lined cave beneath a cemetery, decorated by artist Dionicio Rodriguez with faux trees and surreal atmosphere.
The World’s Largest Cedar Bucket (Murfreesboro): Towering at over six feet tall, this giant wooden bucket is a beloved local oddity.
Pink Palace Museum (Memphis): A sprawling mansion originally built from pink marble and intended as a home; now hosts quirky local and natural history exhibits.
Pyramid Arena (Memphis): A glass-walled pyramid by the Mississippi, now a giant Bass Pro shop with bowling, archery, and an indoor swamp.
The Airplane Service Station (Knoxville): A gas station shaped like a vintage airplane built in 1930—find it at 6829 Clinton Highway.
The Old Mill (Pigeon Forge): Not just a historic landmark, but also a magnet for photo-takers curious about its unique water wheel and southern charm.
Miniature Graceland (Counce): Elvis fans flock to this lovingly recreated, dollhouse-sized replica of the King’s Memphis estate in a local yard.
These offbeat stops prove Tennessee loves its eccentricities, whether it’s massive sculptures, folk art, or museums dedicated to life’s small oddities.
SOURCES
(https://the-line-up.com/weird-roadside-attractions)
(https://baselocal.com/tn/a/tennessees-weirdest-roadside-attractions-2025-complete-guide)(https://www.fiftygrande.com/50-weirdest-roadside-attractions/)
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKsP-_G7l2U)
(https://www.guptonmotors.com/2017/06/15/tennessee-strangest-roadside-attractions/)
