Giant artichoke.

Giant Artichoke

The giant artichoke of Castroville bulges into the parking lot of a fruit stand and restaurant shopping strip. Like an immense leafy alien head, it seems to grin westward towards the Pacific Ocean and the world's less bountiful regions.

Don't just stop for the photo op; the adjacent Giant Artichoke Restaurant makes fine dishes out of this unsung hero of the garden.

Castroville holds an annual two-day Artichoke Festival; Marilyn Monroe was the first artichoke beauty pageant queen, crowned in 1948.

Salad of the Gods Map

Salad of the Gods: Find more like this in our roadside roundup map of Salad of the Gods

Also see: Salad of the Gods

Giant Artichoke

Address:: 11261 Merritt St., Castroville, CA
Directions:: Next to Highway 156 and Main St.
Phone:: 831-633-3501
RA Rates:: Worth a Detour

Nearby Offbeat Places

Nancy Russell Art House, Moss Landing, CA - 3 mi.

Scrap Art Motorcycles, Moss Landing, CA - 5 mi.

Hat in Three Stages of Landing, Salinas, CA - 7 mi.

In the region:

The Hillevator, Capitola, CA - 18 mi.

More Quirky Attractions in California

Stories, reports and tips on tourist attractions and odd sights in California.

Explore Thousands of Unique Roadside Landmarks!

Strange and amusing destinations in the US and Canada are our specialty. Start here.
Use RoadsideAmerica.com's Attraction Maps to plan your next road trip.