There are a few things that Texans are almost guaranteed to love, and objects that can claim to be the biggest of their kind and quirky Texas roadside attractions are definitely two of them!
What do a giant fire hydrant, the (so-called) world’s largest cowboy boots, and an Eiffel Tower wearing a cowboy hat all have in common?
You can find all of them in Texas!
From famous Route 66 kitsch to offbeat, small-town treasures, there are always more funky photo ops to discover along Texas highways and interstates.
This is one of my favorite blog posts to update, simply because it’s hard to take a Texas road trip without finding yet another whimsical stop to add to the list!
If you’re looking for quick, easy road trip stops and photo ops, you can’t go wrong with these weird Texas roadside attractions.
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Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo
Of course, we have to start with the most famous roadside attraction in Texas: the bizarre and delightful Cadillac Ranch!
Here, just off of Route 66, you’ll find 10 Cadillacs lined up in a row in the desert with their front ends buried in the ground and thousands upon thousands of layers of spray paint covering every inch of them.
To make the most of your stop, consider spray painting a bit of artwork yourself.
Be sure to snap photos of your masterpiece, though–your paint will probably be covered by the next day.
North Star Mall Cowboy Boots, San Antonio
We originally discovered these 35-foot-tall cowboy boots completely by accident, shortly after moving to San Antonio years ago, and they’re definitely attention-grabbing!
As the self-proclaimed largest cowboy boots in the world (spoiler: they’re not), the boots have stood in front of the mall for the last 40 years and are a classic roadside attraction in San Antonio.
And, while their claim to being the world’s biggest cowboy boots may very well might not be true, they are often touted as the world’s largest cowboy boots.
Leonard J. DeFrancisci, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia CommonsStonehenge II, Ingram
Located in the small town of Ingram, not far from the beautiful Lost Maples State Natural Area, sits one of the weirdest roadside attractions: a modern rebuilding of England’s Stonehenge.
Built in the late 1980s/early 1990s, Stonehenge II is 90% as wide as England’s original, and 60% as tall.
It’s free to visit, and inexplicably also includes replicas of the famous Easter Island heads.
The Smallest Prada Store in the World, Marfa
While technically not a store at all, but rather an art installation set up just outside of quirky, artsy Marfa, this Prada storefront is one of the most beloved roadside photo ops in West Texas!
Technically located in Valentine, Texas, this tiny Prada store is a fun stop during a Big Bend Country road trip.
Eiffel Tower, Paris
Paris, Texas, may not have much in common with the capital of France, but it does boast its own Eiffel Tower!
Since this is Texas, naturally this Eiffel Tower wears a bright red cowboy hat.
You’ll find it easier to snap a photo with, too–the Paris, Texas Eiffel Tower is 1/10th the height of the original.
Paisano Pete, Fort Stockton
Standing at 11-feet tall, Paisano Pete is the world’s second-largest roadrunner.
In true Texas form, Paisano Pete was the world’s largest roadrunner at the time of his installation in 1980.
Fast forward 13 years, and a statue in New Mexico beat him out for the title.
Pete remains one of the most popular roadside attractions in Texas, though, and is a must-see when passing through Fort Stockton!
Beer Can House, Houston
Started by John Milkovisch in 1968, the Houston Beer Can House is one of the most famous roadside attractions in East Texas!
This house is positively covered in what is estimated to be 50,000 flattened beer cans, as well as other beer-themed items, and it is truly a sight like no other.
If you’re looking for a strange photo op in Houston, you can’t beat the Beer Can House located at 222 Malone Street.
Andrew Wiseman, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia CommonsOatmeal Canister Water Tower, Oatmeal
Blink and you’ll miss Oatmeal, Texas, located just outside of Bertram and not too far from Burnet.
Each year, though, Oatmeal makes it onto the map thanks to its Oatmeal Festival held each Labor Day weekend, complete with plenty of oatmeal tossed into the air!
This whimsical water tower operates as a year-round advertisement for the festival, and it makes a fun photo op on a Hill Country road trip, too!
Brick Chess Knight, Gainesville
Located right off the I-35 feeder road in Gainseville, Texas, lies this eye-catching knight rendered in brick.
The “castle” next to it may not look exactly like a rook, but it’s certainly close enough that I (and many others) have always conceptualized these statues as chess pieces!
If you’d like to visit, plan on doing so when heading north on I-35!
The statues are much more cumbersome to access if you’re headed southbound.
World’s Largest Shovel, Creedmoor
Officially designated the World’s Largest Garden Spade by the Guinness Book of World Records, this 40-foot spade was built with recycled materials from the nearby landfill.
Located at Garden-Ville, just to the north of FM 1327, you can easily visit this Texas roadside stop by taking the back roads from Austin to Lockhart.
World’s Largest Teapot, Navasota
Located outside of Martha’s Bloomers, a combination nursery/restaurant/antique store, this flower-accented teapot immediately catches your eye when driving down Highway 6!
Visiting is also a great excuse to check out more of the fun things to do in Navasota.
Leaning Water Tower, Groom
The first couple of times we drove past Groom’s leaning water tower, I assumed it was a result of age–but no.
Located off of the original Route 66, Groom’s leaning water tower was installed as-is by Ralph Britten in order to drum up business for his (now closer) truck stop.
It was a wild success, and the tower is still incredibly eye-catching today.
World’s Largest Bowie Knife, Bowie
Located right next door to the “Welcome to Bowie” sign in the small North Texas town of Bowie sits the largest bowie knife in the world!
The knife stands more than 14 feet tall and is a popular photo spot for road trippers passing through town.
Old Jarrell Gas Station, Jarrell
Located just off of I-35 between Georgetown and Temple, the Old Jarrell Gas Station has been converted into a bright and colorful vintage and antique store.
Whether you’re in the market for a vintage sign, an antique souvenir, or just a cool photo op, be sure to check out this stop in the small town of Jarrell, Texas!
World’s Largest Working Fire Hydrant, Beaumont
If this spotted black-and-white, 24-foot-tall fire hydrant in downtown Beaumont reminds you of 101 Dalmatians, there’s a very good reason for that.
This eye-catching fire hydrant was donated to Beaumont by the Walt Disney Company in 1999 in honor of the re-release of the 101 Dalmatians movie, and it has been a local photo op ever since!
While it was the largest fire hydrant in the world at the time, it now sits solidly at number 3.
However, it still retains the claim as the world’s largest working fire hydrant!
The Boot House + Cowboy Hat House, Huntsville
Tucked away in East Texas, the Boot House and Cowboy Hat house are located next door to each other and were constructed by the same architect.
Though the boot does have “Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe” vibes, both buildings definitely rank among any list of crazy things to see in Texas!
Glass Bathrooms, Sulphur Springs
Personally, I can’t help but think that these public restrooms are the absolute weirdest Texas roadside attraction of them all.
Located in the downtown square of the small town of Sulphur Springs (about 1.5 hours from Dallas), these restrooms are exactly what they sound like: operational public bathrooms made of glass.
They operate as one-way mirrors, so while someone using the restroom of course has their privacy protected, they can also see… the entire square, including people walking right up to the bathrooms to check them out.
This is definitely the strangest place to use the restroom in Texas!
Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia CommonsWorld’s Largest Gingerbread Man, Smithville
In 2006, the people of Smithville, Texas baked a 20-foot tall gingerbread cookie… and promptly ate him, of course.
In 2009, the feat was recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s largest gingerbread man, and the town turned the baking sheet used to create him into an art installation.
He’s now named Smitty, and stands happily next to Smithville’s railroad depot!
Regency Bridge, San Saba
As the last suspension bridge in Texas to allow vehicle traffic, the Regency Bridge isn’t so much a roadside attraction as an on the road attraction!
Located about 20 miles northwest of San Saba, the Regency Bridge gained notoriety starting in the 80s for being shown in the opening credits of the show Texas County Reporter, one of the most beloved Texas TV shows.
World’s Largest Spur, Lampasas
Located just off Highway 281, this gigantic brass spur stands 35-feet tall in the small town of Lampasas and is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records.
If you’re headed to Colorado Bend State Park, this is an easy photo op to add to your trip.
Consider also detouring to Storm’s Drive-In while you’re in town for an excellent burger!
Big Texan Steak Ranch, Amarillo
The sheer number of roadside attractions in and around Amarillo is incredible, and while we didn’t repeat ourselves by listing all of them here (you can find all of them in our guide to the best things to do in Amarillo), the classic Big Texan Steak Ranch deserves to be mentioned.
For the ultimate Texas roadside stop since 1960, consider hitting up the Big Texan Steak Ranch for their 72 oz. steak challenge.
If you take the challenge, you’ll need to sit on a small stage-like table at the front of the restaurant as you (try to) eat a 72 oz. steak, plus fixings, in less than an hour.
If you succeed, the meal is free. If not, prepare to cough up $72.
Either way, prepare for a stomachache!
Even if food challenges aren’t your thing, though, this utterly unmistakable and over-the-top restaurant/roadside attraction combination is well worth a stop while in Amarillo.
Giant Sam Houston, Huntsville
This 77-foot statue of Texas hero Sam Houston is utterly unmistakable when driving down I-45 through Sam Houston’s hometown of Huntsville!
While anyone driving by will be able to admire this Texas-sized roadside attraction, the city has set up a small visitor center that will allow you to get a closer look.
World’s Largest Killer Bee, Hidalgo
If there’s one thing Texans like, it’s declaring something the biggest version of itself.
This goes from the mundane to the bizarre, and the small town of Hidalgo follows tradition by boasting its status as the home of the “world’s largest killer bee“.
Coming in at 2000 pounds and built in a realistic style, this statue is quite the sight!
The bee was constructed in the 1990s, in honor–so to speak–of the town’s status as the first place that Africanized killer bees were discovered in the USA–a terrifying and much-reported news story at the time.
The new story may have faded from focus, but the bee lives on as one of the beloved and downright weird roadside attractions in Texas that you can visit.
I’d love to see a map of these weird roadside attractions. I’m not good with TX geography. But I’d like to see when I’m going somewhere if Maybe there’s a weird roadside attractions I can take a short detour to see. Instead of getting home and having someone say did you go look at?¿???