Looking to go somewhere off the beaten path or take the road less traveled by? The following five oddball places to visit will either entice you to plan your next trip to these destinations, or make you wonder, “What other weird places are out there?” Keep in mind, these oddball listings are just a start: for those serious about going on their next adventure, additional research is always necessary.
We encourage you to reach out to our Superior Cruise & Travel agents for ideas, tips, and even layaway vacation packages. Without further ado, here are five strange places you should visit:
Chicken, Alaska
In the 1800s, settlers in the area only survived Arctic winters thanks to the abundance of chicken. This community was founded on gold mining and is one of the last remaining communities of its kind. Chicken’s log cabins are surrounded by wilderness, and the lifestyle is certainly peculiar. There’s a small saloon filled with oddities and eccentricities, including a cannon that shoots underwear across the room.
Many visitors have considered Chicken to be “raw” Alaska: here, many traditional Alaskan rituals remain, like dog sledding, gold mining, and old-style camping. Mostly, though, people come to try their luck at gold panning.
Once upon a time, Chicken had a whooping population of 400. Today, it boasts 50 people during peak season and as low as six during harsh winters. If you visit, be sure to stock up on your chicken gear: get everything from t-shirts to mugs in this unique town. Guided tours through the Historic Town of Chicken take visitors through a living museum of Alaskan Frontier history and the Gold Rush age.
Caicos Conch Farm, Turks & Caicos
To make your Turks & Caicos vacation truly unique, we highly suggest stopping at the Caicos Conch Farm. This is the world’s first farm dedicated to the growth of sea snails, and it certainly sets the standard. A visit to this place will show you more than just different sizes and varieties of sea snails — it will also teach you quite a bit about how conch is integrated into the Caribbean menu. For animal lovers and culinary aficionados alike, this is the perfect place to dive into the culture and leave with a unique experience under your belt.
Kolmanskop, Namibia
This place definitely stands out from the list — it’s completely abandoned, and it’s this eeriness that attracts tourists to its site. In the early 1900s, it was once the Consolidated Diamond Mines’ headquarters. Located in the Namib Desert, this ghost town has since been consumed by sandunes after it was abandoned in 1956. Picture beautiful (albeit dilapidated) buildings, with each room overrun by sand. It is the combination of haunted beauty and cinematic scenery.
Chernobyl Exclusion Zone
In the Chernobly Exclusion Zone, radiation is ten times higher than the normal rate. Pripyat, the small once-thriving town, was the victim of a failed safety-system test at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Its 50,000 residents were evacuated with no time to grab their belongings, and today, it spearheads the wave of “disaster tourism” in the travel industry.
Tourists visit Pripyat to see a town essentially frozen in time, and to learn of the disastrous effects of chemicals. Surprisingly, nature thrives here and is integrated wildly with Pripyat’s remains. Even more surprisingly, there are still people who live here, namely “grandmothers” of the area, who returned to reclaim their homes. Oddly enough, today it’s even become a site for major events and parties.
Haw Par Villa, Singapore
The Haw Par Villa theme park celebrates Chinese mythology and folklore, and it’s certainly one you’ll never forget. It contains more than 1,000 statues, each one inherently bold and mystifying. It was designed in 1937 by the founders of Tiger Balm, and since then it’s been described by many as “nightmarish.” But it’s this nightmarish whimsy that continues to attract visitors. This eccentric sculpture garden is considered one of the world’s most surreal tourist attractions, and there’s plenty to see. Some examples include: a girl with a snail’s body, a grab with a woman’s head, and humans impaled on spikes.
