10 of the Weirdest New Mexico Roadside Attractions Worth Stopping For

New Mexico’s highways are lined with oddities, art, and Americana that make any road trip unforgettable. Here are ten of the weirdest and most wonderful roadside attractions in the state, each offering a unique slice of New Mexico’s quirky spirit.

1. Recycled Roadrunner Statue (Las Cruces)

A nearly 20-foot-tall, 40-foot-long roadrunner made entirely from recycled junk—shoes, cell phones, bike parts, and more—overlooks I-10 at a scenic rest stop. The roadrunner, New Mexico’s state bird, is a striking symbol of sustainability and roadside creativity.

2. World’s Largest Chile Pepper Sculpture (Las Cruces)

Standing 47 feet tall, this massive chile pepper greets visitors at the Big Chile Inn. It’s a spicy tribute to New Mexico’s most famous crop and a must-snap photo op for fans of roadside kitsch.

3. Tee Pee Curios (Tucumcari)

A classic Route 66 stop, Tee Pee Curios is a souvenir shop housed in a building shaped like a giant teepee, complete with a glowing neon sign. It’s a nostalgic throwback to mid-century roadside architecture.

4. Route 66 Musical Highway (Near Tijeras)

A stretch of Route 66 where rumble strips are engineered to play “America the Beautiful” when you drive at exactly 45 mph. Though fading, it remains one of the world’s most unusual pieces of musical road engineering.

5. Fox Cave (Glencoe)

A quirky curio shop and museum built into a cave, Fox Cave is packed with oddities, legends of Billy the Kid, and photo ops with giant hands, dinosaurs, and aliens.

6. Meow Wolf’s House of Eternal Return (Santa Fe)

An immersive, 20,000-square-foot art installation in a converted bowling alley, Meow Wolf is a psychedelic maze of interactive rooms, glowing caves, and surreal environments—part art gallery, part theme park, all weird.

7. McGinn’s PistachioLand & World’s Largest Pistachio (Alamogordo)

A 30-foot-tall concrete pistachio nut marks the entrance to a working pistachio farm. Beyond the giant nut, visitors can tour orchards, taste pistachio wine, and shop for unique nutty treats.

8. Cowboy Ruckus (Vaughn/Corona)

Two 18-foot-tall cowboy statues locked in a mid-brawl stand by the highway, offering a dramatic and bizarre roadside photo op.

9. Connie’s Photo Park (Madrid)

A collection of whimsical face-in-hole boards lets travelers pose as everything from mermaids to astronauts, bringing a slice of carnival fun to a small New Mexico town.

10. VW Spider (Alamogordo)

A giant spider sculpture made from a Volkswagen Beetle sits atop a building, blending classic car culture with arachnid oddity for a truly unexpected roadside sight.

These attractions highlight New Mexico’s love for the offbeat and the artistic, making the state a haven for road trippers seeking the strange and memorable.

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