Disappointing photos of roadside attractions in real life

Largest ball of twine, Kansas
The world's largest ball of twine in Kansas.
Nick Theissen / Flickr
  • If a road trip packed with roadside attractions is on your bucket list, be prepared for the occasional disappointment.
  • Overcrowded sites and underwhelming curiosities are often the reality.
  • The Mystery Spot, for example, isn't all that mysterious.
  • Lucy the Elephant, the oldest roadside attraction in the US, is essentially in a New Jersey parking lot.
  • Visit INSIDER's homepage for more stories.

Natural wonders and oversized objects enliven overseas travel and the great American road trip alike.

But the picturesque images you may have in your head don't always align with how things look in real life.

From drab landscapes out west to big crowds at Stonehenge, these photos show the disappointing reality of roadside attractions in the US and abroad.

Hawaii's steam vents create a dynamic landscape.

Hawaii steam vents
Steam vents on Hawaii's Big Island.
Matthew Dillon/Flickr

On Hawaii's Big Island, steam vents give the landscape an otherworldly look. Steam is released when ground water trickles down to hot volcanic rocks. 

But up close, they aren't so impressive.

hawaii steam vents
A roadside steam vent.
Flickr/Malcolm Manners

Without steam, it's just a hole in the ground.

Salvation Mountain in California beckons with its bright colors and psychedelic artwork.

salvation mountain
Salvation Mountain, California.

People from all over the country flock to the Colorado Desert in Southern California to explore this colorful religious shrine and work of art.

In reality, its just a little painted hill in the desert.

Salvation Mountain
Salvation Mountain, California, from a distance.
Chris M. Morris / Flickr

The site (a mere 150 feet wide by 50 feet tall) requires gallons of paint, and constant maintenance and upkeep due to the harsh desert environment it calls home.

You might feel like you're on a lunar expedition at Craters of the Moon in Idaho

Craters of the Moon Idaho
Craters of the Moon, Idaho.
Bureau of Land Management/Flickr

Idaho's Craters of the Moon are the product of lava eruptions that took place between 15,000 and 2,000 years ago.



Or not. In most lighting, the lava field looks pretty drab.

Craters of the Moon Idaho
The craters are kind of boring to look at.
Flickr/David Wilson

Without the aid of Photoshop or a professional camera, the lava field looks much more humdrum. 

Those seeking the elusive Fountain of Youth can find it in Florida.

Fountain of Youth plaque St Augustine Florida
A sign commemorating the Fountain of Youth in St. Augustine, Florida.
Jim Moore/Flickr

You'll find it (or a facsimile, at least) at Ponce de Leon's Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park in St. Augustine. The attraction is named for the eponymous Spanish conquistador who colonized Florida in the 16th century while allegedly searching for the fountain. 

But it's not much to look at.

Fountain of Youth St Augustine Florida
This fountain hardly looks magical.
Jim Moore/Flickr

This Fountain of Youth resembles a glorified storm drain — where's the water? 

Mystery Spot is billed as a gravitational anomaly.

Mystery Spot entrance Santa Cruz
The entrance to Mystery Spot, Santa Cruz, California.
Tshrinivasan/Wikimedia Commons

Described as a "gravitational anomaly," the Mystery Spot sits in California's Redwood Forest. The attraction challenges basic laws of gravity and physics; objects roll uphill and visitors lean over their toes without falling over.

But the "mystery" is actually based on optical illusions.

mystery spot house
The slanted house at Mystery Spot.
Yelp/Cristina P.

Like all of Mystery Spot's features, the "gravity-defying" house is based on an optical illusion. The source of the sleight is what's known as a gravity hill — an area of land in which a downhill slope appears to curve uphill.

Many stop by Blarney Castle in Ireland to kiss the infamous Blarney Stone.

Blarney Castle parapet
Blarney Castle, home of the Blarney Stone.

The hunk of Carboniferous limestone purportedly gives those who kiss it the gift of the gab.

But the stone is really just a germ-ridden wall.

Blarney Stone ireland kissing
A person kissing the Blarney Stone.
Wikimedia/Brian Rosner

In 2009, TripAdvisor named the Blarney Stone the most unhygienic attraction in the world. Forget about the power of eloquence — you might just ingest a Petri dish's worth of bacteria instead.


If you're driving through Kansas, you can see the world's largest ball of twine.

Largest ball of twine, Kansas
The world's largest ball of twine in Kansas.
Nick Theissen / Flickr

In Cawker City, Kansas, you'll find the world's largest ball of twine, which is comprised of at least 8 million feet of twine and weighs over 10 tonnes.  

Besides just being a ball of twine, it's also less impressive from farther away.

World's Largest Ball of Twine Kansas
It's just an orange mound.
Larry Porges/Shutterstock

Despite its impressive stats, the twine ball is really nothing more than a large, brownish orange mound. Over the years, the massive sphere has gradually lost its round shape

But it mostly looks like a depressing sand lot.

Desert of Maine Freeport
The so-called desert.
Daderot/Wikimedia Commons

Natural marvel or not, the Desert of Maine is basically a depressing beach with some greenery.



Stonehenge fascinates archaeologists and tourists alike.

Sunset at Stonehenge, Wiltshire, UK.

As one of the Wonders of the World, the prehistoric (and mysterious) group of stones known as Stonehenge — parts of which were built as early as 3,000 BC — fascinates archaeologists and tourists alike. 

In reality, you'll have to fight crowds to get close to the stones.

crowds stonehenge
Large crowds spoil the view at Stonehenge.
Flickr/Ann Wuyts

The iconic British monument attracts 800,000 tourists a year, which means that your view of the stones could be spoiled by hordes of people who are likewise trying to see the structure. Not to mention the fact that there's an entrance fee to see this ancient wonder.

It's Christmas all year round in North Pole, Alaska, where you'll find the world's largest Santa Claus.

North Pole Alaska
The Santa Claus House in North Pole, Alaska.

As the home of the world's largest Santa Claus, this charming Alaska town (which isn't actually located at the North Pole) is filled with Christmas cheer throughout the year. 

But Santa himself doesn't look so jolly.

worlds largest santa alaska
The world's largest Santa.

St. Nick stands 42 feet tall, but he's fenced in off the side of a road... like a reindeer at a petting zoo. 

Who doesn't want to take a detour off of the Atlantic City Expressway to climb inside a six-story elephant?

Lucy the Elephant
Lucy the Elephant, New Jersey.
wikipedia commons

Lucy the Elephant is a National Historic Landmark, and the oldest roadside attraction in the US, having been built in 1881.

In the middle of a parking lot is not the most scenic of stops.

Lucy the Elephant
Lucy the Elephant, New Jersey.
Cambodia 4 kids / Flickr

At least you don't have to get out of your car for an up-close look.

Many stop at Abbey Road to walk in the Beatles' footsteps.

Abbey Road
Abbey Road, London.
Claudio Divizia/Shutterstock

Beatles fans the world over make the pilgrimage to London's Abbey Road in order to recreate the band's iconic album cover.

But the street isn't just for pedestrians.

Abby Road traffic
Watch out for buses, cars, and motorcycles when crossing Abbey Road.
Flickr/Chris Wheal

Just because it's a tourist destination doesn't change the fact that Abbey Road is open to vehicles. You might risk getting run over when you pose like the Fab Four. 



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