Unique, Fascinating, and Off-the-Beaten Path Attractions…Part 2

A continuation of my exploration of all that is quirky and weird. As I travel throughout the US, I always make it a point to explore strange, historic, roadside, and eclectic places, and really anything else unusual that catches my eye. Sometimes, these are roadside attractions that require a detour, other times they are located within an easy daytrip from wherever I am living at the time. In my 13+ years on the road, I have encountered some strange places. Below is a collection of oddball off-the-beaten path attractions to add to your bucket list. Also visit my original guide to unique attractions!

Bicycle Heaven

Location: Pittsburgh, PA

The place where all bicycle go to die…well at least 6000 of them! The world’s largest bicycle museum
and shop was started in 2011 by Craig and Mindy Morrow of Pittsburgh. What started as just one bike from a junkyard turned into a massive collection of vintage (any many super rare) bikes which we all get to enjoy today. This place is anything but boring. I love the old-school retro theme and quirky old time memorabilia.

Highlights include 17 Bowen Space Landers (only 445 were made), Pee-Wee Herman’s iconic red bike from Big Adventure, The Monkees bike, and a large collection of themed bikes including a really groovy Beatles Yellow submarine model. A must for anyone who loves quirky TV and movie nostalgia!

Take a look at Bicycle Heaven collection

World’s Fanciest McDonalds

Location: Asheville, NC

Many have heard of the famed Biltmore Estate, the largest home in America at 175,000 square feet. A grand house also has to have a grand village. Biltmore Village is a charming old-world neighborhood which once housed employees of the Biltmore. Today, you can shop, dine, and enjoy the historic charm in this old neighborhood. While many great local establishments dot the district, you will also find several familiar chains including a McDonald’s which is a bit fancier than usual.

Here you can feast on a Big Mac, French fries, and a milkshake, only in the company of chandeliers, a fireplace, and a self playing piano. Whether or not your are a fan of fast food (Asheville has so many wonderful local restaurants), you may just want to stop in for a coffee or hot chocolate. I recommend going the healthy route and ordering a salad or simply enjoying a cup of coffee. Not a fan of McDonalds personally, but this was cool to see as I did enjoy many a trip to Mickey D’s while growing up in the 80’s.

River Arts District

Location: Asheville, NC

Popular arts district along the French Broad River in Asheville was once home to industrial buildings. What once was old and outdated is now a bustling tourist attraction. Over 270 artists have taken up residence here since the district opened to the public in 1994. Today visitors can watch artists in action via numerous studio tours and art walks. Eclectic breweries and coffeeshops offer a place to refuel in between exploring the eclectic galleries. Most notably, the area is known for its’ many colorful graffiti art murals.

Read more about Asheville’s art scene

Aluminum Tree Museum

Location: Brevard, NC

In a small town named Brevard in Western North Carolina, you will come across a tiny quirky seasonal museum exhibit dedicated to aluminum Christmas trees! For anyone who grew up during the heyday of aluminum Christmas trees (the 60’s and 70’s), visiting this museum should really be a nostalgic treat. These “Space Age” trees are becoming popular once again, with many selling for hundreds of dollars online!

At this funky museum, you can view dozens of these sparky trees, of all different sizes and colors. Some of the displays are also themed after popular media of the 60’s i.e. The Beatles, Barbie, Elvis etc. How did this crazy ideal come about? In 1991, owner Steven Jackson was given a tree found in a dump as a joke. He received another a few years later and continued to collect trees from garage sales and flea markets until his collection became too large. Today, we all get to enjoy a collection of tinsel trees from long ago.

See more vintage aluminum classics at this great museum

Gasparilla Parade

Location: Tampa, FL

Every year since 1904, more than 100 floats and pirates make their way down beautiful Bayshore Blvd. in Tampa, Florida. This eclectic annual festival, known as “Gasparilla Pirate Fest” claims the title of largest pirate parade. More than 300,000 visitors brave the heat and humidity to attend this event each January. The event is named in honor of Jose Gaspar, a pirate of late 18th and early 19th century.

There’s lots to look forward to here including street festivals, live entertainment, races, and the iconic Gasparilla invasion featuring 750 pirates arriving by ship.