Top Five Strangest Attractions in the U.S

Some travelers want to lay out on a beach in the Grand Caymans, some want to see Mardi Gras in New Orleans, the rest of us day dream about seeking out the strangest sights the U.S. has to offer. If Clark Griswold can pack his family in the car and head towards the world's largest ball of twine, then so can we. And the eccentric side of America has plenty to offer.

Five of the Strangest Attractions in the U.S.

The Mystery House at the Oregon Vortex

Whether you chalk it up to science or the paranormal, the Oregon Vortex has something strange going on. The Mystery House, sitting smack dab inside the Oregon Vortex, defies the laws of physics. Inside the house, brooms stand up on their own, people seem to get shorter and items move about. Tour guides host shows displaying all of the unusual happenings inside the Mystery House. The Oregon Vortex and Mystery House holds tours everyday of the week from March through October.

Old Sparky

Texas has its share of unusual attractions, but the Capital Punishment Exhibit inside the Texas Prison Museum wins the blue ribbon for eccentric sites. The exhibit itself seems morbid but tame - visitors bone up on the history of the death penalty in Texas and its opposition - until they find themselves face to face with capital punishment. The Texas Prison Museum has a decommissioned electric chair on display. Old Sparky executed 361 inmates between 1924 and 1964, according to the Texas Prison Museum. The Texas Prison Museum sits in Huntsville, Texas - not far from the state prison.

Lucy the Elephant

A developer built Lucy, the 65-foot high wooden elephant, in 1881 - proving that American's attraction to strange sights isn't just a fad. Originally, the builder planned on using Lucy as a ploy to draw in land buyers. When that failed, Lucy became a hotel, private mansion and then a bar. Today, Lucy the Elephant is a museum. Visitors can tour the elephant shaped piece of history all summer long, just outside of Atlantic City, New Jersey.

The Munster Mansion

Sandra and Charles McKee had a vision when they purchased the lot at 1313 Mockingbird Lane in Waxahachie, Texas - to recreate the home of their favorite TV characters. Today, the house stands as a perfect recreation of the home on "The Munsters". From outside to inside, the McKee family did the house up right. The house isn't open for tours year round, but the McKee family hosts an open house every year on Halloween and all the proceeds go to charity.

The World's Largest Ball of Twine

While it may not be the most interesting on the list of strangest U.S. attractions - you have to wonder about a site that calls itself The World's Largest Ball of Twine. The ball comes in at 9-tons and the creator had to use special equipment to finish it. The ball of twine actually sits inside a glass gazebo, made especially to protect the treasured monument. And when you're done staring at the strangeness, you can visit the museum dedicated to twine. The World's Largest Ball of Twine lives in Darwin, Minnesota.

Visiting Information, Oregon Vortex.
Location & Hours, Texas Prison Museum.
Mansion Tours, The Munster Mansion.
Top 10 Strange Roadside Attractions in America, Get In Travel.