The Best And Weirdest Rest Stops Around The World, According To Seasoned Roadtrippers

Flying may be a fast and easy way to travel, but nothing beats a road trip. There are so many great things about hitting the road, from traveling at your own pace to soaking up the scenery and stopping whenever and wherever you please. And when you do make those much-needed rest stops, you may discover that some of the best sights aren't necessarily at your destination but waiting to be enjoyed along the way.

Rest stops are essential to any road trip, but who says they have to be bland and boring like a generic gas station or fast-food joint? Some rest stops around the world offer unique experiences that can turn a simple stop into a highlight of your journey. From architectural wonders to bizarre museums and quirky roadside attractions you need to see to believe, these weird and wonderful rest stops are some of the best in the world, according to roadtrippers on platforms like Tripadvisor, Reddit, and Yelp.

There aren't too many rest stops in the world where you can fuel up your car and see rhinos, elands, zebras, and buffalo grazing close by. Alzu Petroport is located halfway between Middelburg and Belfast on the N4 in South Africa, and it's a must-visit stop for any animal lover. The rest of the station looks like a typical gas station from the front, but head to the balcony out back, and you'll see a game enclosure with a watering hole where wild animals gather. You can also see the animals from huge glass windows in the restrooms.

Inside the rest stop, a Rhino Museum provides information about rhino conservation and displays animal skulls. There are also restaurants and cafes where you can grab coffee, sandwiches, and waffles. If you're heading to Kruger National Park or any other area where you'll spend a lot of time in nature, you can pick up gear at the Alzu Country & Outdoor Shop. Thanks to the game enclosure fence, you won't be able to get too close to the rhinos, but you can take a selfie with the life-size rhino statue outside the museum.

The Waikato region of New Zealand has some fascinating sites, including Rotorua with its gushing geysers and the Hobbiton Movie Set, just one of the sites where The Lord of the Rings was filmed. Close to these attractions is another lesser-known site that makes for an interesting rest stop. The small town of Tirau sits at the confluence of several major highways, and it is home to three colossal iron buildings shaped like a dog, sheep, and ram. The town has other smaller sculptures created from corrugated iron, including a cow pushing a shopping cart and a praying mantis.

Tirau got its first iron animal in the 1990s when John and Nancy Drake constructed the huge sheep as a shop where Nancy could sell her wool products. It was an instant hit with tourists. Soon after, the giant dog was built as a visitor's center to provide roadtrippers with information about the area and provide them with a place to use the restrooms. The ram was the final addition. If you have time to spare after visiting the gargantuan trio, stroll through the town to visit the unique shops, art galleries, and cafes.

One of the great things about driving in Japan is the plenty of rest stops along major highways and roads. Michi no Eki are roadside stations offering more than just gas and toilets. They typically include restaurants, shops, and local attractions. One particularly delightful example is in the small town of Nanbu in the Yamanashi prefecture. You'll recognize Michi no Eki Tomizawa for its giant replica of a bamboo shoot that rises to a height of over 44 feet.

The town of Nanbu is famous for its bamboo shoots, and the locals are proud to show it off. Weary travelers can rest inside the giant bamboo shoot replica or head into the main building for local dishes like burgers with bamboo shoots, noodles, and chestnut rice. There is also a market inside where you can buy fresh fruits and vegetables and locally produced wine. The roadside station typically closes at 6 p.m., but there is a free 24-hour parking area where you can rest and stretch your legs.

Iowa 80 is the largest truck stop in the world. It sits just outside of Walcott, Iowa, and has all the trappings of a small city. There are eight restaurants on site, a barber shop, a dentist, a movie theater, a chiropractor, and even a pet wash center. With over 900 parking spots, there is plenty of space to park your car, truck, or RV and rest for a while. Even better, many of the facilities are open 24 hours, so you can fuel up, eat, and take a break no matter what time you pass through.

This mammoth rest stop was designed with long-haul drivers in mind, so you'll find a ton of services that will help you on your journey. The service center can handle anything from extensive repairs to simple oil changes. There are Tesla and ChargePoint fast chargers for electric vehicle drivers. There are also private showers where you can freshen up after a long drive. While waiting for your car to charge, you can visit the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum to see antique trucks and a vast array of trucking memorabilia.

Head along the A12 highway in Lithuania just north of Šiauliai, and you'll pass Kryžių Kalnas (the Hill of Crosses). This unique landmark is covered in thousands of Christian religious icons like crosses, rosaries, and statues of the Virgin Mary. It dates back to the 19th century when many believe a vision of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus appeared on the hill. During the Soviet occupation, the crosses were razed to the ground several times. However, each time, locals rebuilt it. Today, it is an important pilgrimage site and a worthwhile rest stop.

It's easy to spot the hill on the side of the highway. It rises from the surrounding fields like a beacon in the relatively flat landscape. You can park on the side of the road and follow the path past a small chapel to the hill. Paths wind around its perimeter, with wooden and stone crosses rising on either side. A set of wooden stairs leads to the top of the mound, where you can view the crosses covered in rosaries from above. If you want to place a cross on the hill, you can bring your own or purchase one from nearby vendors.

It's hard not to stop and stare at the suggestive statues in the Parque de la Fertilidad (Fertility Park) just outside Moche, Peru. The statues in this roadside attraction include a grinning red man with a colossal phallus, a woman with an unusually large (and very visible) birth canal, and characters in various states of intercourse. The statues are not just there for shock value. They're actually larger-than-life representations of scenes from ancient Mochica ceramics called "sex pots." The park's goal is to pay homage to the Moche civilization that once thrived in this area of Peru from the first to the eighth century.

The statue that sparked the idea for the park was the aforementioned Red Man. It was placed on the road leading between Trujillo and the famous Temples of the Sun and Moon in 2022. People instantly took to it, stopping on the side of the road to take selfies next to its, erm, massive member. Although vandals did some damage to the statue and some people complained about its graphic nature, the Mayor of Moche stood his ground on the cultural significance of the statues and soon commissioned more. Today, the park is a quirky tourist attraction visited by locals and foreigners alike, and on any given day, you can find people of all ages perusing the park and posing for photos next to the statues.

For over half a century, artist Veijo Rönkkönen constructed concrete sculptures around his home outside Parikkala in Finland. He worked alone, crafting hundreds of figures engaged in various activities, including washing clothes, doing yoga, and hula-hooping. The figures include small children, soldiers, nuns, and even a few self-portraits. Rönkkönen passed away in 2010, but visitors can explore his life's work at the Parikkala Sculpture Park. Some people find the statues wonderfully whimsical, while others find them downright creepy.

The park is located along the side of Road 6 in Eastern Finland, a few miles from the Russian border, and it is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It's important to note that the park has no lights, so it can be a bit tricky to traverse the gardens and forest in the dark. Voluntary entrance fees are €2 for kids and €5 for adults. There is also a boutique shop that is open in the summer months. There is no restroom on site, but Parikkala is just five miles down the road.