Choosing a travel destination is one of the most exciting parts of taking an RV trip, and also one of the most personal. We all have different priorities and interests when it comes to deciding which places in the world we simply can’t miss.
For many adventurers, that means seeking out the picturesque and beautiful. But for some of us, it means going on a quest for the unique, odd, one-of-a-kind, and downright weird.
While the other members of your party wander around NOLA’s French Quarter, you’ll be busy checking out Nicolas Cage’s pyramid tomb. A town called Chicken, Alaska (population 7) that holds an annual music festival called Chickenstock? Totally on your list. And let’s not even get started on your spreadsheet of strange roadside attractions.
What? Normalcy is totally overrated.
Unique Travel Destinations
If you’re an RVer who thinks weird is wonderful, you’re in luck… because there are some pretty darn unusual vacations and destinations out there to discover across the USA.
One of the best parts of living on such a huge continent is the insane variety of things to see and do here. And since everything’s so well-connected by our highway system, it’s simple — if time-consuming — to get to all the weird sites and unique things to see that you’re hankering for. All you’ve gotta do is get behind the wheel and drive!
So if you’re looking to visit some of the world’s strangest places, here are a few of our suggestions right here in the USA.
Best Strange Places in the World
Talk about unusual holiday destinations!
1. Roswell, New Mexico
This northeastern New Mexico town is well-known for its history of extraterrestrial activity.
And whether you’re a doubter or a firm believer, the truth is out there — and there’s no better way to find out first hand than to visit!
2. White Sands National Monument – New Mexico
A strange site leftover from the days when the continent was under water, White Sands, New Mexico is the largest field of pure-white gypsum sand on the planet — and a missile testing range, too. (Don’t worry, they don’t let anyone in the park when they’re testing!)
3. Meteor Crater – Winslow, Arizona
After you pass through the tiny town of Winslow (belting the lyrics to that Eagles tune at the top of your lungs, of course), keep heading west on historic Route 66 — now I40 — and follow the signs for this genuine meteor crater, out in the middle of nowhere.
It’s privately owned and maintained, so you’ll have to pay for a ticket… but it’s surreal enough to be 100% worth it.
4. Eternal Flame Falls – Orchard Park, New York
Nestled just south of Buffalo, this strange geological formation brings a little bit of warmth to the cold of upstate New York. The alcove under these waterfalls emits natural gas, which can be lit to produce a flame that sits as if by magic right under the cascading flow.
5. St. Augustine, Florida
Although it may just seem like another Florida beachside, St. Augustine is actually one of the most unique towns in America… because it’s the oldest!
That leads many to believe it’s also the most haunted, and there are plenty of tour guides ready to tell you all the creepy tales you can handle. And if you survive your supernatural encounter, there’s plenty of great seafood, art, and live music to enjoy in the daylight.
Mysterious Places on Earth
There are some crazy places on this earth of ours, and many strange phenomena we’ve yet to unravel.
Curious enough to visit the abandoned and mysterious places in the world first hand? Here are a few you can reach in your rig.
6. Death Valley National Park – California
Not only is Death Valley the hottest (and lowest) spot in the country, but it’s also home to the strange phenomenon of the Sailing Rocks. Huge boulders, sometimes weighing as much as 700 pounds, would “sail” across the landscape as if by magic, leaving dusty tracks in their wake.
Although the mystery was blamed on everything from aliens to mischievous teenagers, science recently came up with a new explanation to the puzzle… but that doesn’t make it any less crazy!
7. Roanoke Island, North Carolina
If you think back to your high school history class, you probably remember the story of this colony, which mysteriously disappeared. And although archaeologists are constantly unearthing new evidence, we still don’t know exactly how it happened.
8. Disney World’s “Discovery Island” – Kissimmee, Florida
Although open to tourists as an attraction between 1974 and 1999, no one’s set foot on Disney’s Discovery Island since — and people have all sorts of theories as to why that might be. You can easily view the island from the park’s monorail system or Contemporary Hotel.
Unusual Places to Visit
Although they might not seem unusual at first glance, quite a few popular tourist attractions are actually pretty darn strange.
Here are some surprisingly weird places to visit in the US that may have already been on your travel bucket list.
9. Crater Lake National Park – Oregon
This stunning lake is one of the deepest and bluest you’ll ever see… and that’s because it’s not really a natural lake. It’s actually the mouth of a collapsed volcano that collected rainwater and snowmelt over years and years.
Be sure to keep an eye out for the Old Man of the Lake — a tree stump that’s been floating in the waters, vertically, for over a hundred years.
10. Yellowstone National Park – Wyoming
Although this uber-popular destination might not seem at first like it has any place on a list of unique vacation spots, there’s a reason it’s the oldest National Park in our system. Yellowstone’s landscape truly is unique and remarkable… because it all sits atop a giant volcanic caldera!
That means you’ll see steam and boiling-hot water escaping the ground and pools with colors so bright and pure they don’t even look natural. And for the really adventurous, rumors are circulating about a strange loophole that leaves 50 square miles of the park out of the law’s purview — some call it the “Zone of Death.”
Hey, you wanted your vacation to be exciting, right?
