Sightseeing Sunday: Weird Things to Do in California
Looking for weird things to do in California? We’ve been collecting roadside oddities, oversized objects, offbeat attractions, and stops that make you wonder who decided a donut needed to be visible from the freeway.
Fun Facts About California
The first message ever sent over the internet was transmitted in 1969 from UCLA to Stanford.
California is the only U.S. state to have hosted both the Summer and Winter Olympics.
Death Valley, in the California desert, is the lowest point in the United States at 282 feet below sea level.
California’s name comes from a 1510 Spanish novel about a mythical island ruled by Queen Calafia.
California delivers oversized everything — giant dinosaurs, the world’s largest thermometer, and a donut you can see from the freeway. Some of these we’ve visited, others are still on our radar. When we’ve been somewhere, the link takes you to our photo page with details and snark. Otherwise, you’ll head to their official site — assuming one exists, since sometimes that’s half the adventure.
Unique Attractions & Weird Things to Do in California
Weird Roadside & Oddities
Baker
World’s Largest Thermometer – 134-foot desert landmark.
Beverly Hills
Hymn Of Life: Tulips – Temporarily closed for restoration. Located in Beverly Gardens Park, N. Santa Monica Blvd.
Cabazon
World’s Largest Dinosaurs – Massive roadside dino sculptures.
Castroville
World’s Largest Artichoke – Giant Artichoke Restaurant, 11261 Merritt St.
Chico
World’s Largest Yo-Yo – National Yo-Yo Museum display.
Eureka
World’s Largest Hammer – Giant tool sculpture.
Hillsborough
World’s Largest Monk – Sculpture visible from I-280. Coordinates: 37.53845, -122.36347.
Inglewood
World’s Largest Donut – Located on top of Randy’s Donuts, 805 W Manchester Blvd.
Joshua Tree
World’s Largest Desert Tortoise – Murtle the Turtle, 61597 29 Palms Hwy.
Kingsburg
World’s Largest Raisin Box – Located at 13501-13999 S Bethel Ave.
Klamath
World’s Largest Paul Bunyan and Babe – Massive roadside statues at Trees of Mystery.
Riverside
World’s Largest Paper Cup – Located at 800 E Citrus St.
San Jose
Winchester Mystery House – Bizarre mansion with staircases to nowhere.
Sierra Madre
World’s Largest Blossoming Plant – Historic wisteria vine.
Factory Tours & Behind-the-Scenes
Anaheim
Angels Stadium Ballpark Tours – Behind-the-scenes baseball stadium experience.
Eastvale
Amazon Fulfillment Center Tour – Warehouse operations tour.
Fairfield
Jelly Belly Factory Tour – Candy factory tours and samples.
Los Angeles
Warner Bros. Studio Tour – Behind-the-scenes Hollywood experience.
Oracle Park
San Francisco Giants Ballpark Tours – Baseball stadium tours.
St Helena
Beringer Vineyards Tours & Tastings – Historic winery tours.
Santa Clara
Intel Museum & Tour – Tech company museum and facility tours.
Tracy
Amazon Fulfillment Center Tour – Warehouse operations tour.
Valley Center
Bates Nut Farm Tours – Farm tours and seasonal activities.
Parks, Trails & Waterfalls
Fort Bragg
Glass Beach – Beach covered in sea glass from decades of dumping.
Mt Baldy
The Bridge to Nowhere – Abandoned bridge accessible by hike.
Plan Your California Road Trip
We’re always adding new weird things to do in California to this list, so check back for more roadside attractions, quirky museums, oversized oddities, and future road trip discoveries.
Where to next? Check out our Nevada roadside attractions guide for more out West weirdness, browse our complete roadside attractions by state guide, get tips for traveling with pets, or head back to the Right At The Light homepage.
Interactive Map: Weird Roadside Stops We’re Tracking
This map includes weird roadside attractions, big-rig friendly stops, and places still on our running road trip list across the country.