18 Unique And Bizarre Places In The US Everyone Should Visit Once In Their Lifetime

You want bizarre? How’s a museum featuring jewelry and wreaths made of human hair? This truly one-of-a-kind spot is owned by Leila Cohoon — who is, of course, a hairstylist — and showcases human hair “art” that dates back to the Victorian era.

There are plenty of strange things to do and see in LA, but nowhere is as fascinating at the Time Travel Mart on Sunset Boulevard (at least in my opinion). In this shop you’ll find everything you need to travel in time — forward or backward. You can pick up all the essentials, like some dinosaur eggs, mammoth chunks (which are rich in essential proteins), or a new toupee for your robot. And, to sweeten the deal, proceeds go to 826LA, a non-profit creative writing organization supporting LA students.

From the outside, The Paper House looks pretty normal, but everything changes once you go inside. Aside from the wooden framework, floor, and roof, the house is pretty much made entirely out of newspaper — I’m talking the walls, doors, furniture, and even the clock. The still-intact creation was built in 1922 by Elis F. Stenman, the man who created the machines that produce paper clips, and makes use of thousands of varnished newspapers.

Curious artifacts, from the bizarre to the mundane, all sit within a freight elevator in an alleyway near New York City’s Chinatown. The Mmuseumm uses “object journalism” to tell the big, impactful stories of small, often overlooked items — think Trump’s discarded napkin and the credit card used to fund the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting. The items vary depending on the exhibit’s current theme; past topics include “Personal Possessions Found in the Pacific” and “Homemade Weapons of Defense.”

Natural hot water bubbling up from the earth is a novelty on its own, but the clothing-optional policy at Valley View Hot Springs takes it up a notch. You can soak in one of the handful of pools, hike on the 2,200 acres, and visit Colorado’s largest bat colony…in the nude.

If you’re up for a scare, head to the Vent Haven Museum, the world’s only museum dedicated to ventriloquism. Inside, the blank stares of over 900 dummies will bore into you as you peruse the memorabilia and dolls used by ventriloquists all over the world in the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries.

If you’ve ever wondered where neon signs end up after their glory days have passed, wonder no more. In the HQ of neon signs — Las Vegas — The Neon Museum gives discarded and long-forgotten signs their due. At their Neon Boneyard, over 200 unrestored signs (including the original Aladdin’s lamp from the old Aladdin Hotel & Casino) live out their final years in a truly picturesque fashion. You’ll want to visit at sunset, when ground lighting returns the signs to their former glory.

If the name doesn’t scare you off, venture cautiously into this museum, which warns visitors that it is “Not for the faint of heart!” Inside NOLA’s Museum of Death, you’ll find a skull collection; photos of the Manson family; graphic crime, morgue, and car accident photos; and art and letters from infamous serial killers. And that’s just the beginning…

Sitting just off Washington DC’s Dupont Circle is one building that doesn’t quite fit in. Heurich House Museum, better known as The Brewmaster’s Castle, is a true 1890s gothic castle built by European brewer Christian Heurich. If you ask me, it’s probably one of the coolest place in the US to enjoy a beer — you can kick back in the garden or enjoy your drink while taking a tour of the grand palace.