Iowa Attractions and Oddities
All the weird attractions, hidden sights, and unusual places in Iowa. Visitor Tips, news, stories, field reports.
Also see: Gone But Not Forgotten - Closed classic attractions
-
Ackley: 1920s Bull Durham Painted Wall - Ackley: Large Ice Cream Cone
- Ackley: Raging Thunder the Bull
- Adair: Jesse James - First Train Robbery in the West
- Adair: Smiley Face Water Tower
- Akron: Painted Stegosaurus
- Albia: Welcome Home Soldier Monument
- Algona: Camp Algona POW Museum
- Altoona: Freddy: Big Frog Head
- Altoona: Moai Dude: Laid-Back Easter Island Head
- Altoona: Retro Rocket Ship
- Ames: Metal Woman's Head
- Ames: Stainless Steel Turkey
- Ames: World's Largest Concrete Gnome
- Anamosa: Giant American Gothic Statue
- Arcadia: Missouri-Mississippi Divide
- Arnolds Park: Amusement Park with Ancient Coaster
- Arnolds Park: Spirit Lake Massacre Monument and Graves
- Audubon: Albert the Bull
- Aurelia: 12-Foot-Tall Metal Mammoth
- Avery: Great Pyramids of Avery
- Avoca: Volkswagen Beetle Spider
- Bagley: Partridge Family Bus Replica
- Belle Plaine: George Preston Gas Station Remains
- Bentonsport: Indian Artifact Museum
- Bloomfield: Confederate Invasion of Iowa Monument
- Bloomfield: Mars Hill Church: Haunted Bridge, UFOs
- Boone: Tallest Double-Track Railroad Bridge in America
- Boxholm: Boxholm Museum
- Brandon: Iowa's Largest Frying Pan
- Brayton: Tree in the Middle of the Road
- Britt: Hobo Museum
- Brooklyn: Community of Flags
- Brooklyn: John Wayne's Boyhood Home
- Burlington: Snake Alley: A Very Crooked Street
- Cascade: Mom's Christmas Cookies Tombstone
- Casey: Behold the Mighty Wind Turbine Blade
- Cedar Falls: Ice House Museum
- Cedar Rapids: African American Museum of Iowa
- Cedar Rapids: Awkward Airport Sculptures
- Cedar Rapids: Flying Wienie Plane
- Cedar Rapids: Last Slabs of the Seedling Mile
- Cedar Rapids: Logo Tree of the City
- Cedar Rapids: Our Mother of Sorrows Grotto
- Cedar Rapids: Scrap Metal Plow Horse
- Centerville: Pancake Day, World's Largest Town Square
- Charles City: World's First Tractor
- Chillicothe: Grave of the Oldest Soldier in the Civil War
- Clarion: Birthplace of the 4-H Emblem
- Clarion: Heartland Museum
- Clear Lake: Buddy Holly Crash Site
- Clear Lake: Ice Cream Cone Building
- Clear Lake: Iowa Trolley Park - Private Rail for Kids
- Clear Lake: Pyramid House
- Clear Lake: Surf Ballroom: Buddy Holly's Last Gig
- Clear Lake: Tiny Church: Guardian Angel Roadside Chapel
- Clinton: The Sawmill Museum
- Colo: Niland's Cafe and Colo Motel
- Columbus Junction: Large Cattails
- Columbus Junction: Lover's Leap Swinging Bridge
- Coon Rapids: 10-Foot-Tall Rotating Ear of Corn
- Coralville: Firefighter and 9/11 Memorial
- Corning: Johnny Carson Birthplace
- Correctionville: Fighter Plane Park
- Corydon: Dinosaur Skeletons
- Council Bluffs: 33-Foot-Tall Humanoid
- Council Bluffs: Black Angel of Iowa #2
- Council Bluffs: Black Squirrels and Purple Martins
- Council Bluffs: Coffee Pot Water Tower
- Council Bluffs: Giant Golden Spike
- Council Bluffs: Little People: The Bregant House
- Council Bluffs: Odyssey: Iowa's Spiky Towers
- Council Bluffs: Spiky Viaduct
- Council Bluffs: Squirrel Cage Jail
- Council Bluffs: Union Pacific Railroad Museum
- Creston: Restored Phillips 66 Gas Station
- Crystal Lake: Fish - World's Largest Bullhead
- Davenport: Abe Lincoln Saves a Bridge
- Davenport: Big Mother Goose
- Davenport: Famous Chiropractor Cracks Your Back
- Davenport: Giant Fiberglass Bull
- Davenport: Sunday in the Park Sculptures
- Decorah: Ice Cave - Frozen in Summer
- Decorah: Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum
- Decorah: Viking with Pie
- Denison: Big Bull Statue
- Des Moines: Big City Cow and Calf
- Des Moines: Big Hands And Wrenches of the Plumbers and Steamfitters
- Des Moines: Crazy Sculpture Park
- Des Moines: Family Grave Bed
- Des Moines: Giant Garden Trowel
- Des Moines: Iowa's Most Scandalous Statue
- Des Moines: Landmark Bridge - Glass Bottom
- Des Moines: Mini Statue of Liberty
- Des Moines: Tom Jones Tribute Toilet
- Dexter: Bonnie and Clyde Dexfield Park Shootout
- Dexter: Bonnie and Clyde Shootout Souvenirs
- Diagonal: Freedom Rock
- Dubuque: Crystal Lake Cave
- Dubuque: Dubuque Shot Tower
- Dubuque: Fenelon Place Elevator
- Dubuque: Gas Station Jesus
- Dubuque: Holy Family Grotto
- Dubuque: Miniature Replica of the Statue of Liberty
- Dubuque: Miniature Statue Of Liberty
- Dubuque: Miniature Statue of Liberty
- Dubuque: Walk-Thru Catfish
- Dunlap: Big Dalmatian and Girl Holding Teddy Bear
- Dyersville: Field of Dreams
- Dyersville: Ghost Players Mural
- Dyersville: National Farm Toy Museum
- Dysart: Main Street Gorge
- East Peru: Home of the Original Delicious Apple Tree
- Eldon: American Gothic House
- Eldora: Twister Movie House
- Elk Horn: Only Working Danish Windmill In America
- Elk Horn: Tiny Church: Morning Star Chapel
- Emmetsburg: A&W Teen Burger and Rooty the Bear
- Emmetsburg: Scrap Metal African Animals
- Estherville: Estherville Meteorite Fell Here
- Exira: Plow in the Oak
- Fairfield: Golden Dome of Pure Knowledge
- Festina: Tiny Church
- Forest City: Bicycle Creatures
- Forest City: Big Blue Steer and Totem Pole
- Fort Dodge: Floyd of Rosedale: Famous Pig
- Fort Dodge: Replica Cardiff Giant
- Fort Dodge: Silo Mural: Largest In Iowa
- Fredericksburg: Hawkeye Buffalo Ranch
- Fredonia: Drive A 1914 Road Built by Convicts
- Froelich: Froelich Museum: First Tractor
- Gladbrook: Matchstick Marvels Museum
- Goose Lake: Rooster on a Pole
- Grinnell: Bank Golden Lions by Louis Sullivan
- Griswold: Cabbage Patch Fantasy Land
- Hamburg: Stoner Drug Store and Soda Fountain
- Harris: The Miniature Grotto
- Hospers: Hospers Memorial Statues
- Humboldt: Fay Hessain Fountain
- Humboldt: Frank Gotch, Wrestling Superstar
- Ida Grove: Castles of Ida Grove
- Indianola: National Balloon Museum
- Iowa City: Devonian Fossil Gorge
- Iowa City: Hamburg Inn: Booths of Reagan and Clinton
- Iowa City: Medical Museum
- Iowa City: Metal Corn Cob
- Iowa City: Steel Hawk Mascot Statue
- Iowa City: The Black Angel
- Iowa City: The Sitting Man
- Iowa City: U.S. Air Force Jet
- Iowa City: World's Largest Wooden Nickel
- Iowa Falls: Peter Toth Big Indian Head
- Jefferson: Furniture Shop and Theater
- Jefferson: Mahanay Memorial Carillon Tower
- Jewell: In God We Trust Menagerie
- Johnston: Giant Pitchfork
- Kelley: Phone Booth - Welcome to Kelley
- Kellogg: Historical Treasures of Kellogg
- Keokuk: Mississippi River Paddle Boat
- Keota: Hal Colliver's Acreage and Sign Extravaganza
- Kimballton: Little Mermaid
- Kingsley: Black Squirrel Town
- La Porte City: Auto Thrill Show Memorabilia
- Lake Mills: Promise of America Monument
- Laurens: Hometown of Lawnmower Man
- Le Claire: Birthplace of Buffalo Bill Cody
- Le Mars: Ice Cream Capital of the World Museum
- LeClaire: Antique Archaeology - Home of American Pickers
- LeClaire: Tug Fest - West Side of Mississippi River Tug-of-War
- Leclaire: Little Wayside Chapel and Schoolhouse
- Leon: Old Elephant Statue
- Lewis: Secret Passages for Enslaved People
- Lone Tree: Neon Tree
- Lynnville: L.J. Maasdam's Wheel Art
- Madrid: High Trestle Trail Bridge: Glows at Night
- Mallard: Big Mallard Duck
- Manning: German "House Barn" Built in 1660
- Manning: IOWA Reminder Letters
- Manson: Largest Crater in the U.S.
- Maquoketa: Two-Butted Lamb
- Marion: Corn Sculpture in Iowa Corn Field
- Marquette: Pinky the Elephant
- Marshalltown: Spritzing Elephants and Crocodile
- Mason City: Bank John Dillinger Robbed
- Mason City: Grave of The Music Man
- Mason City: Pink Can Poodle
- Mason City: Rancho Deluxe Z: Junk Art Lot
- Mason City: The Music Man Square
- McGregor: Spook Cave: Underground Boat Tour
- Menlo: Freedom Rock
- Menlo: Neon Gas Station Man
- Mount Pleasant: Statue Of Liberty
- Mt. Vernon: American Gothic Barn
- Muscatine: Fisher of Clams Statue
- Muscatine: National Pearl Button Museum
- Nashua: Little Brown Church in the Vale
- Nevada: Top Hat Lincoln from Tree Trunk
- Newton: Big Aluminum Bugs
- Newton: Joy, the Movie Theater Pig
- Newton: Maytag Repairman Statue
- Newton: Rocky Marciano Memorial Rock
- Nodaway: Nodaway Town Sign
- Okoboji: Higgins Museum of National Bank Notes
- Olds: Kylie the Gorilla
- Osceola: Seminole Chief Osceola Statue
- Oskaloosa: Graves of Two Civil War Mules
- Ottumwa: Birthplace of eSports Plaque
- Palo: Three Large Arrows
- Pella: Largest Dutch Windmill In the U.S.
- Pella: Museum of Traffic Control
- Percival: Sapp Bros Giant Coffee Pot
- Perry: 1940s Sinclair Station with Dino
- Perry: Giant Bicycle
- Perry: Molten Metal, Speed Train
- Pisgah: Old Home Fill-er Up And Keep On Truckin' Cafe
- Plainfield: Barrel Cows
- Plano: Tiny Church
- Pocahontas: Pocahontas, the Princess Giant
- Polk City: Virgin Mary in a Tree
- Prairie City: Metal Buffalo Statue
- Princeton: Rooster in a Top Hat
- Red Oak: Student Solar System Walk
- Riverside: Bronze Statue of James T. Kirk
- Riverside: Captain Kirk Conceived Here
- Riverside: Future Birthplace of James T. Kirk
- Riverside: Star Trek Voyage Home Museum
- Robins: Lebowski Bar and Grill
- Ryan: Happy Chef - Now an Umpire
- Ryan: Ryan Veterans Living Memorial
- Sac City: Barn Quilt Capital of the World
- Sac City: Sac County Freedom Rock - Tunnel Rat
- Sac City: World's Largest Popcorn Ball
- Shelby: 76-Foot-Tall Corn Stalk
- Sheldon: Elephant Bones and Dirt Collection
- Sibley: Highest Point in Iowa - Hawkeye Point
- Sioux City: Big Monument to Lewis and Clark's Only Fatality
- Sioux City: Death Spot of Booze-Hating Churchman (Moved)
- Sioux City: Flight 232 Memorial
- Sioux City: Grave of Sioux City's First Bride
- Sioux City: Steel Statue of War Eagle, Friend of White Man
- Sioux City: Tire Man
- Sioux City: Tire Man
- Sioux City: Trinity Heights: Giant Jesus and Mary
- South Amana: Henry Moore's Mini-Americana Barn Museum
- Spillville: Bily Clocks Museum
- St. Ansgar: Albino Deer
- Stanley: Stanley the Tin Man
- Stanton: Coffee Pot and Cup Water Towers
- Storm Lake: Grave of the Pilot Who Killed Music
- Storm Lake: Landlocked Lighthouse
- Strawberry Point: Wilder Museum - 900 Dolls
- Strawberry Point: World's Largest Strawberry
- Stuart: Bank Robbed by Bonnie and Clyde
- Sutliff: Sutliff Bridge
- Swedesburg: Swedesburg Museum, Dala Horse
- Swedesburg: Swedish Straw Goat
- Tama: Lincoln Highway Orphaned Bridge
- Templeton: Whiskey Barrel Tree, Distillery Tour
- Tiffin: Literary Rest Stop
- Tipton: Mini-Golf Burger Family
- Toledo: Butter Cow Statue
- Traer: World's 2nd Largest Collection of Salt and Pepper Shakers
- Urbandale: Sword in the Stone
- Vail: Restored Standard Oil Gas Station
- Van Meter: Bob Feller Museum (former)
- Villisca: Villisca Ax Murder House and Museum
- Villisca: Willard the Pig
- Vinton: Nathan's Miles Glow Trail
- Wadena: Squidward's House: Giant Tiki Head
- Walcott: Castle Hall
- Walcott: Museum at World's Largest Truck Stop
- Wall Lake: Birthplace of Andy Williams
- Walnut: Mini-Bomber: Crash Site
- Washington: Replica of Once Tallest Corn Stalk
- Waterloo: John Deere Tractor and Engine Museum
- Waterloo: National Wrestling Hall of Fame
- Waterloo: Replica World War I Trench
- Waukon: Muffler Man and Long Horn Steer
- Waverly: Big Red Mug
- West Bend: Grotto of the Redemption
- West Branch: Creepy Goddess of Life: Gift for Herbert Hoover
- West Des Moines: Folded Flags
- West Union: Boy and the Boot
- Westfield: Metal Farmer Driving Tractor
- Whittemore: Freedom Rock
- Williamsburg: First Pilot to Take Off and Land on a Ship
- Williamsburg: Totem Pole in Iowa
- Williamsburg: Tower of Grain Wagons
- Winterset: Bridges Of Madison County
- Winterset: Clark Tower - Castle
- Winterset: John Wayne Birthplace Museum
- Woodbine: Dinosaur Den
Gone But Not Forgotten
Closed and extinct places -- the classics and the quirky. A virtual revisit, even if it's just to milk them for one more chuckle...
- Algona: World's Largest Chee-to
- Amber: Hula Hoop Tree
- Avoca: Farmall-Land USA
- Battle Creek: Battle Hill Museum of Natural History
- Clear Lake: Fort Custer Maze
- Clear Lake: Large Chicken, Ice Cream Cone
- Council Bluffs: Boy and the Boot
- Council Bluffs: Oldest Dairy Queen
- Des Moines: Jack Pershing, Stuffed WWI Patriot Rooster
- Honey Creek: Scenic Overlook of Two States
- Iowa City: Giant Cow
- Logan: Museum of Religious Arts
- Muscatine: Fanta-Suite Motel - Theme Rooms
- Sioux City: First Corn Palace
- Ventura: Iowa's Largest Muskie
- Waterloo: Sistine Chapel in Spray Paint
- Waukon: Sweeney's House of Clocks
- West Amana: Large Indoor Rocking Chair
- West Burlington: Enormous Human Spine
- West Des Moines: Cemetery in a Traffic Circle
- Whiting: Gypsy Ride: Big Motorcycle
