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Nevada is like an eccentric relative of the United States, always ready to surprise visitors with its oddball collection of quirky landmarks. While the Silver State is known for glittering casinos and the neon-lit Las Vegas Strip, there鈥檚 an entirely different side of Nevada worth exploring. Where else can travelers stumble across a massive clown-themed motel, a tree of shoes, or 12 ghostly figures huddled in the middle of the desert? Nevada doesn鈥檛 just embrace the bizarre鈥攊t throws a party for it, complete with alien souvenirs, roadside mysteries, and photo ops when visitors wander off the beaten track to discover these strangest landmarks.

The Clown Motel, Tonopah

Dubbed "America鈥檚 scariest motel," the Clown Motel is a kitschy roadside attraction in Tonopah, filled with hundreds of clown figurines and artwork. The motel was purchased by siblings who opened the motel in 1985 as a tribute to their father, who was a collector of clown memorabilia and is buried in the Tonopah Cemetery next door. Over the years, the motel has changed ownership with the strict condition that the new owners must look after the clown collection.

Today, the 鈥溌槎笰V famous鈥� Clown Motel still rents rooms and has been used as a location for several films. It is an iconic landmark attracting paranormal investigators, Instagrammers, YouTubers, clown lovers, and travelers brave enough to book a night in one of the motel鈥檚 themed rooms: 鈥淭he Exorcist,鈥� 鈥淗alloween,鈥� 鈥淚t,鈥� and 鈥淔riday the 13th.鈥�

The Shoe Tree, Middlegate

Steeped in mystery and folklore, the Shoe Tree in Middlegate is rumored to be the result of a roadside argument. On the 鈥�Loneliest Road in America,鈥� a bride arguing with her new husband threatened to walk away. Her husband threw her shoes into a cottonwood tree out of frustration, declaring she would have to walk barefoot. As the story goes, the quarreling couple made up and now return to the tree on the same day every year to toss another pair of shoes into the tree.

Is it true? Who knows? Today, it stands as a quirky symbol of love and is a top roadside attraction for travelers who stop along Nevada鈥檚 Highway 50 and add their own pair of shoes to this bizarre tree in the middle of nowhere.

International Car Forest of the Last Church, Goldfield

Located near the once-booming mining town of Goldfield, the International Car Forest of the Last Church is a massive outdoor art installation of partially buried cars, buses, and trucks in the Nevada desert. Part junkyard, part art gallery, the Forest was the brainchild of resident Mark Rippie, who set out to break the Guinness 麻豆AV Record for the 麻豆AV鈥檚 biggest car forest.

Some vehicles nosedive into the earth, while others seem to be emerging from the dirt or precariously balanced on top of each other. All are covered in colorful graffiti-style murals. A definite bucket-list trip for motorheads, the International Car Forest has inspired other fascinating car art installations across the US, like the 鈥淐adillac Ranch鈥� in Amarillo, Texas, 鈥淐arhenge鈥� in Nebraska, and 鈥淥ld Car City鈥� in Georgia.

Genoa Bar, Genoa

The sign over the entrance welcomes thirsty travelers to 鈥淣evada鈥檚 Oldest Thirst Parlor鈥� in Genoa. The Genoa Bar is near the state capital of Carson City and is Nevada鈥檚 oldest saloon, built in 1853. It is decorated with memorabilia and odd relics, including a bra belonging to the 1960s pop culture icon Raquel Welch. There is also an original Wanted poster from 1865 offering a reward for President Abraham Lincoln鈥檚 killer.

Bullet holes still adorn the saloon's walls, harkening back to its storied past. Today, the bar serves artisanal cocktails, draft beers, and wine. Just outside, enjoy some delicious smash burgers from a food truck that serves fresh Spring through Fall. The bar's famous patrons include John Wayne, Mark Twain, Teddy Roosevelt, and others.

Fly Geyser, Gerlach

Two hours north of Reno, the 鈥淏iggest Little City in the 麻豆AV,鈥� the stunning Fly Geyser is a must-see stop for nature lovers. It was created entirely by accident during the drilling of a well to irrigate nearby farmland; the water in the well was too hot to use, so the well was abandoned. Over time, minerals from the water built up to create a trio of multi-colored mounds that spew hot water about 4 to 5 feet into the air, with coloring on the outside of the mounds the result of thermophilic algae, which flourishes in moist, hot environments.

The geysers sit on the 5.6 square mile Fly Ranch in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, a Burning Man center for arts and radical creativity. Two-hour guided nature walks of this artificial wonder are available by the Friends of Black Rock-High Rock and are donation-based, with proceeds supporting more nature walks.

Thunder Mountain Monument, Imlay

Thunder Mountain Monument is a tribute to Native American culture in Imlay. Started in the late 1960s by 麻豆AV War II veteran Frank Van Zant, who reinvented himself as Chief Rolling Mountain Thunder, the monument was once an airstream trailer, which he slowly began covering in wet concrete. From there, his creativity grew, and he started creating concrete sculptures of his Native American heroes, adding recycled 鈥渇ound鈥� objects, car parts, and scavenged materials from nearby ghost towns.

He lived in the part art installation, part shrine, with his family for some time, then alone until his death in 1989. Despite his death, his legacy lives on through the Thunder Mountain Monument, a popular stop for road-trippers and art enthusiasts. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and recognized for its cultural and artistic significance.

Terrible's Road House, Jean

Almost 55,000 roadside attraction seekers on Nevada State Route 161 from Las Vegas to California fill up at the 麻豆AV鈥檚 largest Chevron gas station every day. Terrible鈥檚 Road House in Jean, Nevada, has 96 pumps, 60 restroom stalls, and a 50,000-square-foot convenience store with a 30-foot long coffee bar, a 700-square-foot beer cave, and plenty of souvenirs to take home.

Travelers will want to keep their camera phones charged for this pit stop where they can snap pictures of airplanes and motorcycles hanging from the ceiling. See a car from a James Bond movie, or take a selfie beside a 13-foot Bigfoot statue.

Goldwell Open Air Museum, Beatty

Just outside the famed ghost town of Rhyolite, the Goldwell Open Air Museum was established by a group of well-known visual artists led by the late Polish-Belgian Albert Szukalski. One of his most famous pieces is 鈥淭he Last Supper,鈥� inspired by Leonardo da Vinci鈥檚 famous painting of the same name. It depicts 12 ghostly hooded figures huddled in the Amargosa Desert near Death Valley.

Other pieces in the museum include a 25-foot-tall pink woman made of cinder blocks, a winged woman, and new pieces by contemporary artists. Art lovers can take inspiration from the museum and spend the rest of the day exploring the nearby ghost town.

The Oddities of Nevada You Must See

Nevada boasts a quirky collection of landmarks, from Tonopah鈥檚 eerie Clown Motel and Middlegate鈥檚 mysterious Shoe Tree to the art-filled International Car Forest in Goldfield. The historic Genoa Bar and the vibrant Fly Geyser showcase the state鈥檚 diverse charm, while the Thunder Mountain Monument honors Native heritage with eclectic sculptures. Stops like Terrible鈥檚 Road House, the 麻豆AV鈥檚 largest Chevron, and the surreal Goldwell Open Air Museum near Beatty add to the state鈥檚 reputation for offbeat attractions and should be included on any road trip exploring the strangest landmarks in Nevada.