This Arizona observatory is famous for investigations into Martian life, and as the place humans first spotted Pluto.

The first of the iconic American roadside attractions lives on as a college mascot.

One of the world's tallest Ferris wheels takes visitors high above Las Vegas in a spinning party room.

Formerly the world's largest, this Willy Wonka-esque contraption runs 24/7.

Brightly colored 30-foot-tall totems light up the desert sky just outside Las Vegas.

Finally the worlds of UFO enthusiasts and beef jerky lovers have come together in this roadside shop.

This giant temperature attraction created some giant electric bills.

The set location for a 1987 cult classic draws international film buffs to the middle of the Mojave Desert.

The ghost town that ended up on Ebay.

A pair of large white marble lions guard this stretch of the Mojave Desert, and it is utterly mysterious how they got there.

Artist Jack Pierson made this surreal sculpture in honor of Wonder Valley, a countercultural community on edge of civilization.

In California, colorful roadside signs remind us all that love transcends borders.

An eerie natural formation that looks right back at you.

An old California photo stand has been turned into a shrine to the cozy art of crochet.

A giant knight, sex education, date shakes, and Jesus coexist happily in this Coachella Valley desert oasis.

A giant desert bird that once swung music fans at Coachella now has a home in a nearby traffic circle.

Explore the wide world of desert plants at this unique Palm Springs botanical garden.

Instead of faces, these sculptures have barcodes—statements on societal dehumanization.

The so-called "Bridge of Thighs" in Palm Springs allows nudists to discreetly cross the road.

This giant spider sculpture made from the iconic car is one giant visual pun.

The Hopi-style structure was built by the man who discovered Desert Hot Springs' famous mineral water.

The "world's biggest dinosaur" once housed a creationist museum in its abdomen.

A 19th-century shipwreck turned thriving coral reef.

On this Puerto Rican island, many abandoned naval ammunition bunkers sit open while a few have been padlocked by locals as personal storage.