1. Salvation Mountain, California
Salvation Mountain is a giant, colorful hill covered in religious messages made from adobe, straw, and paint. Locals often bring friends from out of town just to see their reaction to something so over-the-top and vivid. It’s an eccentric labor of love by one man, Leonard Knight, and the scale of it is genuinely impressive. Americans love watching outsiders try to process the combination of art, faith, and whimsy.
The mountain looks like it jumped out of a fairytale or a Dr. Seuss book. Visitors can walk around, take pictures, and marvel at the intricate details. The joke is partly in the extremity—how anyone could dedicate their life to something so colorful and odd. For many locals, it’s also a proud emblem of the quirky creativity of the California desert.
2. Wall Drug, South Dakota
Wall Drug is basically a mirage in the middle of nowhere. Locals love taking outsiders there, mostly to marvel at the endless advertising signs stretching for miles. It started as a tiny pharmacy but became a roadside spectacle full of kitschy souvenirs. Americans enjoy watching visitors’ reactions to things like a giant jackalope statue or free ice water.
It’s a combination of bizarre Americana and relentless marketing. The attraction itself isn’t terrible, but it’s funny to see someone get excited over billboards that practically scream “tourist trap.” Everyone knows you can find the same souvenirs elsewhere, yet the experience of the hype is part of the joke. Visiting Wall Drug is like a test: can you enjoy the absurdity without rolling your eyes?
3. Carhenge, Nebraska
Carhenge is exactly what it sounds like: a replica of England’s Stonehenge built out of old cars. Americans often take outsiders here just to see their faces when they realize it’s not made of stone at all. The humor comes from the absurdity of its creation, and the photos are always a hit. It’s kitschy, ridiculous, and totally unexpected in the middle of Nebraska farmland.
Locals enjoy bragging that it’s “America’s automotive monument,” knowing full well the outsider will struggle to wrap their head around it. It’s an ironic take on public art and roadside attractions. The joke lands perfectly because people expect a historical site but get rusting automobiles instead. For Americans, it’s all about sharing that weird, proudly nerdy humor.
4. South of the Border, South Carolina
South of the Border is a kitschy roadside stop that’s been around for decades. Americans love taking tourists here to see its towering sombrero and countless tacky signs. It’s not really Mexican culture, just an over-the-top theme built purely to attract attention. Visitors often leave amused and slightly bewildered at the sheer commitment to bad taste.
Inside, you’ll find mini-golf, carnival rides, and countless photo ops. It’s the kind of place that seems designed to make Americans laugh at the ridiculousness, while outsiders wonder if it’s serious. People joke about the cheesy statues, weird mascot Pedro, and endless billboards. It’s a perfect snapshot of mid-century American roadside excess.
5. The Corn Palace, South Dakota
The Corn Palace is exactly what it sounds like—a building decorated entirely with corn and other grains. Americans take outsiders here because it’s weirdly impressive yet absurd. Every year the murals are redesigned, making it a living monument to agricultural creativity. Visitors are often caught off guard by the level of effort put into something so fundamentally odd.
Locals love watching outsiders’ eyes widen at the intricacy of corn art. The Palace hosts concerts and festivals, but most tourists are there just to gape. It’s a classic example of Americans celebrating their quirks in ways that make perfect sense to locals but bewilder visitors. The Corn Palace is absurd, colorful, and totally photogenic.
6. Spam Museum, Minnesota
The Spam Museum is a tribute to the canned meat that became a pop culture icon. Outsiders are often taken here to see just how seriously Americans can treat something so, well, questionable. Exhibits cover Spam’s history, its use during wartime, and its role in pop culture. The humor comes from the fact that this museum exists at all.
Visitors can taste Spam in various forms, from sliders to jerky. Americans find it hilarious to watch tourists try a bite while making faces. It’s kitschy, slightly gross, and oddly educational. The whole experience is about celebrating something everyone recognizes but few take seriously.
7. Graceland, Tennessee
Graceland is Elvis Presley’s mansion, and it’s as extravagant as you’d expect. Americans love taking outsiders here, partly to marvel at the kitschy decorations and partly to gauge their reaction to Elvis fandom. The gold records, velvet furniture, and jungle room are simultaneously impressive and bizarre. Tourists are often caught off guard by how over-the-top it all is.
It’s more than a house—it’s a shrine to a very specific brand of American pop culture. Locals enjoy the mix of awe and amusement on newcomers’ faces. The guided tours give the full context, but the real joke is the sheer scale of obsession. Visiting Graceland is part pilgrimage, part comedy.
8. Cadillac Ranch, Texas
Cadillac Ranch is a public art installation of half-buried, spray-painted Cadillacs. Outsiders are taken here because it’s both strange and interactive—you can add your own graffiti. Americans get a kick out of watching people hesitate before tagging the cars. It’s a perfect mix of rebellious art and roadside Americana.
The site is in the middle of a field along Route 66, which adds to its surreal charm. Locals enjoy pointing out that visitors often overthink the “rules” of participation. Spray paint cans are provided, and many first-timers approach cautiously. By the end, everyone leaves with photos and a new appreciation for quirky Texas creativity.
9. Lucy the Elephant, New Jersey
Lucy the Elephant is a giant six-story elephant-shaped building built in 1881. Americans enjoy taking outsiders here because it’s hard to believe a building could be shaped like an animal that big. Visitors can climb inside and explore multiple levels, including a lookout tower. The humor lies in the sheer audacity of constructing a real estate gimmick as a massive elephant.
Lucy has been restored and preserved, making it both whimsical and historic. Tourists often can’t resist taking photos from every angle. Locals love watching reactions, from amazement to outright laughter. It’s quirky, charming, and just plain weird in the best way.
10. Mystery Spot, California
The Mystery Spot is a gravity-defying tourist attraction near Santa Cruz. Outsiders are often dragged here to experience tilted rooms and strange visual illusions. The guides play up the mystery, making it seem like the laws of physics might be bending. Americans delight in watching visitors try to rationalize what they’re seeing.
The attraction has been around since 1939, and it’s a classic example of kitsch mixed with curiosity. Tourists are usually bewildered and giggling by the end of the tour. It’s part science trick, part pure fun. Locals love sharing the joy of controlled confusion.
11. Foamhenge, Virginia
Foamhenge is a full-scale replica of Stonehenge, made entirely of Styrofoam. Americans take outsiders here because it’s both hilarious and surprisingly convincing from a distance. The absurdity of making a historic monument out of foam is part of the charm. Visitors usually laugh before they even approach it.
The replica was created by an eccentric artist with a sense of humor. It’s lightweight, low-maintenance, and intentionally ridiculous. Locals love the reactions, especially when tourists take it seriously at first. Foamhenge is a perfect example of American whimsy and roadside oddities.
12. House on the Rock, Wisconsin
The House on the Rock is a sprawling, bizarre architectural attraction filled with eccentric collections. Outsiders are taken here to experience everything from a giant carousel to rooms crammed with dolls. Americans enjoy watching people try to process the sheer scale and randomness of it. The humor is in the overwhelming sensory overload.
The House on the Rock has been evolving since the 1940s, accumulating oddities along the way. Every room tells a different story, often nonsensical. Visitors are usually amazed and slightly disoriented. Locals find joy in watching outsiders’ “what is happening?” moments.
13. Southwick’s Zoo, Massachusetts
Southwick’s Zoo isn’t inherently strange, but locals often take tourists here as a lighthearted joke about “classic small-town attractions.” The zoo is perfectly normal but has an oddly charming, kitschy feel that feels very American. Outsiders often expect something more glamorous, so the down-to-earth vibe is amusing. It’s the kind of place that feels like stepping into a local secret.
The zoo is well-kept and educational, with a focus on family-friendly exhibits. Visitors are usually delighted once they let go of expectations. Americans enjoy seeing the contrast between expectation and reality. The joke is gentle, affectionate, and a little nostalgic.
14. The Big Texan Steak Ranch, Texas
The Big Texan is famous for its 72-ounce steak challenge, which is equal parts daring and ridiculous. Locals often take outsiders here to watch their reaction to the enormity of the meal. It’s a mix of showmanship, absurdity, and classic Texan bravado. Watching someone attempt the challenge—or back out—is half the entertainment.
The restaurant itself is full of Western-themed kitsch, from cowboy statues to neon signs. Even if you don’t try the steak, the atmosphere is over-the-top and hilarious. Americans love seeing outsiders’ faces when they realize the “challenge” is real. It’s quintessential roadside spectacle combined with good-natured humor.
This post 14 Tourist Traps Americans Only Take Outsiders to as a Joke was first published on American Charm.
