12 Quirkiest Small Towns in America That Will Make You Do a Double Take

One of the best parts of the USA is going on a road trip, only to accidentally stumble upon a town with a prolific madman architect or a replica of the Titanic.

Route 66 may be legendary for this kind of pit stop, but many hidden gem destinations are scattered throughout the country. Whenever I see a sign for “The World’s Largest Anything” or windmills on the horizon, you can bet I will make a swift U-turn to see the peculiar wonders that lay ahead.

These are some of the quirkiest small towns in America for when you want a destination that offers something you can’t find just anywhere else. 

1. Solvang, California

A visit to Solvang, California, feels like stepping into a Hans Christian Andersen storybook. Settled in 1900 by a group of Danish immigrants, the town is lined with Danish-style architecture, including a large windmill towering over Main Street.

Just 45 minutes outside of Santa Barbara, it looks and smells like Christmas all year long, complete with twinkling lights. The smell of freshly baked traditional Danish treats fills the air, and the wine-tasting rooms, restaurants, and shops are filled with unique goods like wooden shoes and cuckoo clocks to bring home as souvenirs. 

2. Lucas, Kansas

Taking pride in the title “Grassroots Art Capital of Kansas,” you almost can’t get much quirkier than Lucas, Kansas. Its famed “Garden of Eden” attraction is a sculpture garden created with more than 113 tons of cement and a limestone cabin.

Walk down Main Street, and you’ll stumble across the Bowl Plaza, a public restroom with mosaics that are so elaborate that it’s won awards. You’ll also find the Grassroots Art Center and the World’s Largest Collection of the World’s Smallest Versions of the World’s Largest Things. 

3. Spring Green, Wisconsin

For such a fairly small community, Spring Green, Wisconsin, has two large and impressive claims to fame that people travel worldwide to see. Frank Lloyd Wright might have been onto something when he set up camp in Spring Green with Taliesin, his 800-acre architectural estate that’s now a National Historic Landmark.

The other is House on the Rock, one of the most elaborate attractions I have ever been to. Built on top of a chimney of rock by Alex Jordan, it is home to the world’s largest Carousel, the “Streets of Yesterday,” and galleries filled with a “collection of collections.” 

4. Santa Claus, Indiana

If you love the holidays, plan a visit to Santa Claus, Indiana, where it’s Christmas all year long! The town’s first name request was rejected in the 19th century, so the community selected Santa Claus as its second choice.

Visitors can explore Holiday World, which began as a Christmas-themed amusement park and now features other holidays and multiple award-winning roller coasters. At the Santa Claus Museum, you’ll find thousands of letters kids still mail to Santa every December, and yes, they do get replies.

Santa’s Candy Castle with old-fashioned and homemade treats, and the Santa Claus Museum and Village, home to the Santa Claus post office, also can’t be missed. 

5. Wall, South Dakota

With little more than 700 residents, you might be shocked to learn that this small South Dakota town attracts more than 2 million visitors every year!

Wall might be known for one thing, but it’s a big thing: Wall Drug. This “pharmacy” now stretches across 76,000 square feet of pure roadside attraction madness.

What started as a free ice-water stop during the Depression has ballooned into a tourist magnet with everything from a restaurant with famous homemade donut rolls, the Soda Fountain Ice Cream Shop, the Western Art Gallery Restaurant, the Wall Drug Mall, and the Wall Drug Backyard.

There’s also an 80-foot Brontosaurus statue welcoming you to town.

6. Tombstone, Arizona

Tombstone might be the only place in America where the Old West is still alive. Complete with board-walk-lined streets, bustling saloons, and even reenactments of the OK Corral shooting, Tombstone really is “the town too tough to die.”

Beyond the historic attractions, discover wonderful restaurants and the Tombstone Brewing Company, one of the best craft breweries in the state of Arizona. Tombstone is also home to the world’s largest rose tree. Planted in 1885, it now covers more than 5000 square feet of the courtyard at the Rose Tree Museum. 

7. Columbia Falls, Maine

Columbia Falls, Maine, is a small yet quirky town with less than 500 residents as of the 2020 census, but it is a giant producer of a superfruit we all know and love.

People from around the US flock here every year for their blueberries. You can find blueberry everything here: pies, teas, jams, and so much more. Pick your own if you visit during the ripe season from late July to early September.

Wild Blueberry Land teaches you more about these indigenous North American fruits (one of only four) and pick up some blueberry coffee, truffles, syrup, and so much more. 

8. Opa-Locka, Florida

Florida has a reputation for the bizarre, but Opa-Locka takes it to a new level with its Arabian Nights-inspired architecture, complete with minarets, domes, and mosaics.

This small town has one of the largest collections of Moorish Revival architecture in the Western Hemisphere. Although the Great Miami Hurricane of 1926 nearly wiped out the town, 20 Moorish-style buildings, including City Hall, remain today.

You should also visit the Opa-Locka indoor flea market, which attracts more than 100,000 visitors weekly. 

9. Littleton, New Hampshire

Littleton, New Hampshire, is a small, picturesque community with several claims to fame. A grist mill and covered bridge lead all the way to Main Street. The town also claims the world’s longest candy counter at Chutters, where you can fill a bag with more sweets than you’ll know what to do with.

Visit Lahout’s Ski Shop, the oldest ski shop in America, established in 1920. After a gorgeous hike through the White Mountains, grab a meal at the Littleton Diner, which has been serving classic New England meals with hearty portions and reasonable prices for nearly a century. 

10. Versailles, Kentucky

Not to be confused with the palace outside Paris, Versailles, Kentucky, is a small southern town with all the hospitality one would expect, and a few surprises, too, like the Kentucky Castle. This is the locals’ take on Louis XIV’s famous French palace, which currently operates as a bed and breakfast.

Versailles is known as “the horse capital of the world,” and Woodford Reserve is one of Kentucky’s oldest bourbon distilleries. Be sure to include downtown Versailles in your travel plans to small-town shops like Spotz Gelato and Spark Community Cafe, a pay-what-you-can farm-to-table restaurant. 

11. Leavenworth, Washington

You don’t have to travel all the way to Germany to experience the charm of a Bavarian town. You can go to Leavenworth, Washington, instead.

The town remodeled itself into a traditional German village in the 1960s to attract more visitors, and it worked! Now, this four-season destination offers outdoor adventures in warmer months, skiing, and a Christmas market in the winter to attract guests all year long. The town also celebrates Oktoberfest in full force.

12. Salem, Massachusetts

Everyone’s heard of Salem for its infamous witch trials in the late 17th century, but it is now a cute town that has really doubled down on its spooky attractions. Visitors can tour the Witch House, where one of the judges from the trials lived, or stop by the Salem Witch Museum to learn more about this dark period in American history.

Once you’re done with the Halloween part of town, visit historic homes and stroll through the scenic waterfront area.

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