World’s Largest Ball of Paint & 13 Other Indiana Roadside Attractions
Did you know that Indiana is home to the world’s largest ball of paint? Well, now you do! And, this isn’t the only unusual Indiana tourist attraction. There are dozens of Indiana roadside attractions!
If you are the type of person who sees a sign for something unusual while driving along the road and immediately pulls over, you are my type of person! I get a huge kick out of finding the best roadside attractions when I travel.
Ready to discover the world’s largest ball of paint and 13 other Indiana tourist attractions?
Central Indiana Roadside Attractions
We have some pretty fun places to check out in Central Indiana, so if you are looking for unique Indiana tourist attractions, start in the middle!
1. World’s Largest Ball of Paint
Located in Alexandria, Indiana you’ll find the world’s largest ball of paint. If that isn’t an odd roadside stop, I don’t know what is, and trust it to be located in Indiana!
This attraction is really fun because you can ADD to it! Call ahead and make an appointment (765-724-4088) and you can go see the world’s largest ball of paint, then you can add a layer of paint – pretty cool, right?
10696 N 200 W, Alexandria, IN
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2. Pirate Cat Memorial
Unlike the creepy pet cemetery that Stephen King wrote about, in Carmel, Indiana you’ll find a memorial along the Monon Trail to the well-loved feline named Pirate Cat that wandered along the Monon and nearby neighborhoods.
The Pirate Cat Memorial shares Pirate Cat’s story, houses some of his ashes, and is topped with a life-size statue of him.
1310 E. 96th Street, Carmel, IN
3. Martini-drinking Pink Elephant
In front of a liquor store in Fortville, Indiana is a pink elephant – drinking a martini. It definitely grabs the attention of anyone driving along the highway!
Although he spends most of his time with his martini outside the liquor store, this tipsy fellow has been known to leave his spot and join a local parade from time to time.
Elite Beverages, 308 W Broadway St, Fortville, IN
4. Uranus Fudge Factory
Anderson, Indiana is home to several Indiana oddities, but the one that cracks me up the most is Uranus Fudge Factory. Jokes aside (and they take full advantage of the name to create plenty of tongue-in-cheek advertisements), it’s actually a really delicious candy store.
We used to visit the location often when it was Good’s Candy Store, and luckily the quality of candy hasn’t changed. If you are looking for a fun afternoon adventure, head over to Uranus for some quality treats!
1423 W. 53rd Street, Anderson, IN
5. Bobb Ross Exhibit
Bob Ross had a bit of a resurgence over the pandemic when we were all stuck at home looking for something to do. With his soothing voice and crazy hair, watching YouTube videos, and old Bob Ross Joy of Painting episodes, painting alongside Bob Ross was (and is) a lovely escape.
For those of us with fond memories of Bob Ross – in his heydey or more recently, a trip to Minnetrista in Muncie, Indiana is a must! The museum is currently housing the Bob Ross Experience – an interactive exhibit with a recreated studio, dozens of Bob Ross paintings, and Bob Ross history galore. The exhibit is located in the actual house where the Joy of Painting was produced.
1200 North Minnetrista Parkway, Muncie, IN
Muncie itself is a great Midwest day trip – if you want to plan an entire day enjoying the city (including the Bob Ross exhibit), be sure to check out A Day Trip to Muncie.
6. Rotary Jail
A very unique Indiana roadside attraction can be found in Crawfordsville, Indiana. The Rotary Jail Museum houses one of only 5 remaining working rotary jails in the United States. If you enjoy one-of-a-kind museums, this is well worth a stop off the interstate to check it out.
When you visit you’ll learn a lot about the history of rotary jails as well as get to see one in action. It’s quite interesting and be sure to ask lots of questions as you’ll end up hearing some really fascinating stories.
225 N Washington Street, Crawfordsville, IN
👉 Learn more about the Rotary Jail Museum and Crawfordsville in the post Day Trips in Indiana – Crawfordsville.
Northern Indiana Roadside Attractions
Head North of Indianapolis for more unique Indiana road trip attractions.
7. Old Ben, World’s Largest Steer
We encountered Old Ben, the World’s Largest Steer one fall break when we spent several days exploring Kokomo, Indiana.
Less than an hour north of Indianapolis, Kokomo is a really wonderful day trip from Indianapolis, and full of interesting things to do. Visiting Old Ben is just one of them.
Old Ben is located in Highland Park (which is actually a really nice little city park), and weighed over 2.5 tons! You’ll have to see him yourself to get a feel for how big he really was.
1402 Defenbaugh St, Kokomo, IN
8. KokoMantis
While you are visiting Old Ben in Kokomo, take a detour and head downtown to check out the KokoMantis.
I wish I had a better picture, but it was a COLD day when we visited so I hopped out of the car quickly to take the photo – I’ll have to update it next time we are in Kokomo.
KokoMantis is a 17-foot-tall sculpture of a praying mantis. It’s located on the corner of Washington and Sycamore, right outside a Subway. Definitely picture-worthy!
NorthEast Corner of Washington St. and Sycamore St. Kokomo, IN
👉 If you make the drive to Kokomo to see Old Ben and KokoMantis, be sure to check out A Full Day of Fun in Kokomo!
9. Giant Swiss Clock Tower
Over on the Eastern side of the state, take a detour off of I-69 to visit the charming town of Berne, Indiana. Berne was founded by Swiss Mennonite immigrants in 1852 and still retains much of its Swiss heritage in architecture and art.
In the middle of town is a 160-foot tall clock tower. It is fairly new (built in 2010), and can play over 1000 songs. The Muensterberg Plaza where the clock tower is located is a lovely place to walk and enjoy a beautiful day.
Corner of U.S. 27 and State Road 218, Berne, IN
10. Johnny Appleseed Gravesite
Fort Wayne, Indiana is one of my favorite Indiana weekend getaways! For years, we would enjoy the Johnny Appleseed Festival every fall and on that trip, we always visited the Johnny Appleseed gravesite.
Born in Massachusetts, Johnny Chapman was a pioneer nurseryman who traveled great distances on foot (often barefoot). Unlike the Disney cartoons, he did not randomly scatter apple seeds, but he did partner with pioneers to plant and plot apple orchards. He died in Fort Wayne in 1845 from complications with pneumonia.
3800 Parnell Ave. Fort Wayne, IN
Southern Indiana Road Trip Attractions
Out of the dozens of Indiana oddities in the southern portion of the state, here are a few interesting ones to add to your list of places to visit.
11. Big Brain
The largest anatomically correct brain sculpture in the world (standing 7 feet high!), called The Human Brain, was commissioned in 2013. Amy Brier (a Bloomington artist) was the sculpture and it was carved by Michael Donham.
It sits outside of the Psychology building at Indiana University in Bloomington. Although it’s interesting to view during the day, it’s definitely worth adding a nighttime stroll to your IU visit as the lighting was added in 2015. The lights change as people walk by the statue. Very cool!
1101 E. 10th St. Bloomington, IN
12. World’s Largest Toilet
Less than an hour from Indiana University, in the town of Columbus, you can visit (and even get inside) the world’s largest toilet!
Located in the Kidscommon children’s museum in downtown Columbus, this toilet is part of the ExploraHouse! exhibit. It’s definitely the highlight of the exhibit, and pretty much everyone who has visited has a “toilet” picture! Your kids will love it.
309 Washington St. Columbus, IN
👉 Columbus, Indiana is another fantastic day trip from Indianapolis. With world-class architecture, delicious food, breweries, and more, it’s perfect for a day trip or even a weekend getaway. Check out 18 Best Things to do in Columbus Indiana and plan your visit!
13. America’s Longest Railroad Trestle
The Tulip Railroad Trestle is 2295 feet long and 157 feet tall, making it the longest trestle bridge still in use in the United States. It was built in 1906 and is supported by 18 towers.
Although it’s a bit of a windy drive to get to it, if you are a railroad aficianado I’m sure you’ll want to add this stop to your list of unique things to do in Indiana.
County Road 480 East, Bloomfield, IN
14. Sculpture Trail
If you take the time to visit the Tulip Railroad Trestle, don’t miss out on the nearby sculpture trails outdoor museum. If you love art and love to hike, this is a don’t-miss Indiana attraction!
I really enjoyed this out-of-the-way outdoor art experience. There are so many beautiful and interesting sculptures just out there in the woods. We hiked several trails and didn’t even begin to see them all!
6764 North Tree Farm Road, Solsberry, IN
Need a place to stay when you visit the best Indiana roadside attractions?
If you are in the Indianapolis area, I recommend booking a hotel in downtown Indianapolis. It would make an easy base for taking day trips to visit many of the nearby Indiana roadside attractions on this list!
👉 Enjoy a little luxury with a room at the JW Marriott or The Conrad in downtown Indianapolis
For some of the northern and southern spots, use Booking.com to find a great hotel option located close to the city you’d like to visit.
Conclusion: World’s Largest Ball of Paint & 13 other Indiana Roadside Attractions
What a fun list of unique things to do and see in Indiana, right? Luckily this is just the TIP of the iceberg. There are actually dozens of Indiana oddities, roadside attractions and fun to be had when visiting the Hoosier state – but I hope this gets you started!
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