Someone once said that “joy is found not in finishing an activity, but in doing it.” This adage seems to apply to the following travel guide, which sets out to visit some of the most unusual attractions in the Buckeye State, and a few just beyond—all in the name of good fun.
With no specific route or ending point in mind, this guide is a chance to wander the back roads of Ohio (and a few beyond) participating in a giant scavenger hunt that will take you to such sights as: The World’s Largest Apple Basket (and many other “World’s Largest” attractions in Ohio), an abandoned highway that has two mountain tunnels to explore, the only “geyser” in the eastern United States, a Hollow Earth Monument that dates back more than a century, a somber Temple of Tolerance and inspiring Hartman’s Rock Garden, a bridge to nowhere in the middle of the woods, and many other completely unique places that are open to the public and almost all of which are free to visit, minus the fuel to get there.
In between these attractions, travelers can explore amazing small towns and large cities, mountain roads and forest paths and an endless number of other unique sights that always seem to pop up when you choose to travel off-the-beaten path in search of the odd and unusual.
With that said, here are 20 places to visit. Happy hunting, be careful and drive safely!
How to Use this Guide
Addresses for each attraction have been provided. Simply plug the address in your phone/car, choose your preferred route (we recommend the scenic route) and hit the road with a relaxed attitude and a willingness to stop often! Click on the MAP IT buttons to view the location on Google Maps...
The Longaberger “Big Basket” Building
1500 E. Main St., Newark - MAP IT
At its peak in 2000, the Longaberger Basket Co. employed more than 8,200 people and had $1 billion in sales. It was flying high! It was during this height that the company built its famous Big Basket headquarters building in Newark, as well as factories in nearby Frazeyburg (see next location). Although the company is now gone and the headquarters empty, people still enjoy driving past the unique structure on Ohio Route 16, or getting off the highway for a closer look. It is considered the World’s Largest Basket Building, and will probably hold that title for a long time to come.
But wait! Just up the road from here are two more of the world’s largest baskets, both related to the Longaberger Basket Co…
World’s Largest Apple Basket
5563 Raiders Rd., Frazeysburg - MAP IT
Just a little further up Ohio Route 16 from Newark is the former Longaberger Homestead (more like a Disneyesque industrial park), home to the World’s Largest Apple Basket.
The former Homestead campus is private property and should not be entered. However, the basket can be seen up-close by using an unnamed side street located between Eco Parkway and Raiders Road. The whole area is industrial, but not very busy. Other than that, Frazeysburg is a quiet, rural community.
The World’s Largest Basket
E 5th & Main Streets, Dresden - MAP IT
Again, just a few more miles up the road on Ohio Route 16 is the third and final World’s Largest Basket in Ohio. This time, the basket is located at a park in the middle of the quaint town of Dresden. The basket measures 48 feet long, 11 feet wide and 23 feet high. It was made with 10 hardwood maple trees and required 2,000 employee hours of work to complete. It is a giant-sized model of the popular Longaberger Market Basket with two swinging handles.
Even though Longaberger is long gone, visitors can still shop for hand-made baskets in Dresden, including at The Baskets N More gift shop, Stacey’s Baskets, Humble Heart gift shop and the Smore Christmas store, among others. The town also hosts a basket-themed festival in July.
The World’s Largest Horseshoe Crab Sculpture
7592 St. Rt. 124, Hillsboro - MAP IT
This manmade horseshoe crab measures 67 feet long, 28 feet wide and 12 feet high and holds the world record for being the largest horseshoe crab sculpture.
Located off of St. Rt. 124, just east of Hillsboro, this roadside attraction is free to visit and has an interesting history. In fact, this is actually the fourth home for the sculpture. It was originally created in 1995 for the Baltimore Maritime Museum (in Baltimore, Maryland), where it was used as the location of a multimedia exhibit on sharks! It was later acquired by the Creation Museum in Hebron, Kentucky. However, the museum found the piece too large for its needs, so it was donated to a church in Blanchester, Ohio where it became a public attraction. In 2015, it was purchased and brought to its current home in Hillsboro, where it continues to attract sightseers.
The World’s Largest Gavel
65 S. Front St., Columbus - MAP IT
Located outside of the Ohio Supreme Court in the heart of downtown Columbus (and Ohio), The World’s Largest Gavel is part of a fountain that overlooks East Bank Park and the Scioto River. It can be visited 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The World’s Largest Loaf of Bread Sculpture
& a Hidden Gem Museum
493 E. Water St., Urbana - MAP IT
You’ll have to view this attraction from the road, as the sculpture is on private property. Or, you can visit the Bundy Baking Solutions Museum on the property and explore the headquarters of this world-famous bread company. The museum hosts vintage and modern signage (lots of neon!), vehicles, advertising, and turn-of-the-century baking equipment. It is considered a very exceptional, one-of-a-kind museum. The sculpture is considered the World’s Largest Loaf of Bread Sculpture! Click HERE to learn more about the museum.
The World’s Largest Bobblehead
810 Ohio 97, Bellville - MAP IT
This place is the definition of a roadside attraction and located next to Interstate 71, south of Mansfield. Not only does it contain The World’s Largest Bobblehead (a chef holding two cheeseburgers), but also the Buckeye Express Diner, where guests can dine in a stationary rail car and even stay the night in a vintage train car! The restaurant is known, of course, for its cheeseburgers.
Nearby is a Der Dutchman restaurant—popular for its buffets.
The World’s Largest Cuckoo Clock
100 N. Broadway St., Sugarcreek - MAP IT
Featured on the cover of the Guinness Book of World Records in 1977, the World’s Largest Cuckoo Clock can be found in the heart of the Swiss Village of Sugarcreek. The working clock is over 23 feet tall and 24 feet wide. Every half hour between 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, April through November (weather permitting), a cuckoo bird pops out, followed by a miniature Swiss polka band that performs music while a couple dances. It is free to see and can be part of a visit to Ohio’s Amish Country, or just to Sugarcreek itself.
The World’s Largest Pumpkin Sculpture
440 Town St., Circleville - MAP IT
A one-million gallon water tower painted like a pumpkin in Circleville is considered the “World’s Largest Pumpkin Sculpture.” Circleville, of course, is home to the famous Pumpkin Show, which is consistently one of the top-10 largest festivals in the United States, often attracting more than 300,000 guests!
Up next, Monuments, Memorials & Sculptures in Ohio...
