Pull up a chair and sit back to admire The Yearling* – an enormous red seat with a life-sized pinto pony perched on top of it. Nicknamed Scout, the gorgeous gelding offers an impressive sense of scale to the piece as he peers wistfully over the vast plains of downtown Denver. I’ve got a nagging suspicion he’s going to gallop his way into your heart! … Continue reading The Yearling, Denver, Colorado
The hills above Fruita, Colorado, are full of dinosaur bones, but it’s in the centre of town that visitors can get up close and personal with Grrrreta, a bombastic, bright-green tyrannosaurus. Radiating with a pleasant retro zeal, Grrrreta has served as the symbol of this quirky outpost for more than 80 years. From her spot in Circle Park, she watches over Fruita’s laidback coffee shops … Continue reading Grrrreta the Grrrreat Big Dinosaur, Fruita, Colorado
At Red Iguana 2, a festively-painted cantina on Salt Lake City’s eclectic Temple Street, diners come for Xochitónal, the 33ft-long lizard in the carpark. But they stay for the authentic Mexican cuisine, competitively-priced drinks, attentive service and irresistible party atmosphere. Red Iguana‘s signature mole coloradito – a luscious blend of chocolate, pine nuts and guajillo chiles, blended with fresh poblano and served with carnitas – … Continue reading The Red Iguana, Salt Lake City, Utah
Strike it rich with The Giant Prospector Twins! These 12-foot golddiggers have spent the last 70 years criss-crossing southern Nevada in search of the one treasure that’s always eluded them – a place to call home. And now, moving with times, they’re preparing to dig their way into the hearts of Fallout: New Vegas fans. The dynamic duo were first installed atop the Lucky Strike … Continue reading Giant Prospectors, Goodsprings, Nevada
For a HOLE lotta fun, pop along to Randy’s Donuts in Inglewood, Los Angeles. A pastiche of 1950s counter-culture, Randy’s is one of the most beloved restaurants in America, offering a plethora of pungent pastries. And bake sure to save room for the main course – the iconic, 32.6ft-wide donut on the roof! Randy’s enormous donut is the first thing many people see as they … Continue reading Randy’s Donut, Inglewood, California
Moab, Utah, is most certain to pleaseA desert oasis that’s best served with cheeseWith mountains and shrubs and Arches and quilkAnd quaint restaurants that serve bumdoozlers with milk I felt a great leaping of joy in my heartAs I swaggered along, seeking oversized art In no time at all, my stroll turned to a hopI’d spotted a Big Thing outside of a shopAnd with great … Continue reading The Great Gonzo, Moab, Utah
If you can’t handle me at my worst, then you sure as heck don’t deserve me at my BIGGEST! Marilyn Monroe may have sashayed off this mortal coil six decades ago, but her spirit lives on in downtown Palm Springs, California. There you’ll find Forever Marilyn, a 26ft tribute that perfectly captures the sensuality of the bosomy Hollywood starlet. The statue’s voluptuous curves and golden … Continue reading Forever Marilyn, Palm Springs, California
Heading to Las Vegas to gamble away your life savings and admire a few Big Things? Then make sure you swing by California’s SWEETEST holiday destination – EddieWorld! You can’t miss it, just look out for the 65-foot ice cream out the front. Rising like a lurid mirage just outside Yermo, The Big Sundae’s euphoric hues – pink and blue and canary yellow – lure … Continue reading EddieWorld, Yermo, California
Feeling famished after a long morning spent searching for Colorado’s Big Things? Then pop into one of Grand Junction’s world-class cafés for a sumptuous plate of jalapeño eggs benedict! But if you’re hungry for a thought-provoking art piece that will touch your soul, head to the corner of Main and 7th. There you’ll find Breakfast, a delicious effigy of an apple that shall satiate any … Continue reading Breakfast, Grand Junction, Colorado
Oh give me a home, where a Big Buffalo roams. Where a Big Lego Man and Big Ant like to plaaaaaaaaay. Well, pardner, it looks like your new home is Grand Junction, Colorado, a leafy oasis that’s just bursting with beautiful Bigs. It’s right there in the name – they don’t call it Small Junction, after all! Mosey on down the quirky main street, past … Continue reading Chrome on the Range 2, Grand Junction, CO
Have you been running round like a headless chicken in search of roadside attractions? Then strut over to Fruita, Colorado, where you’ll find a bonkers statue dedicated to Mike the Headless Chicken! The bizarre story of a chook who lived for 18 months after having his noggin lopped off – and went on to become a national celebrity – has long enthralled locals and visitors … Continue reading Mike the Headless Chicken, Fruita, CO
Wander through the Nevada desert long enough and you shall come across Claim Your Destiny, a colossal beer can that just might hold the answer to all life’s mysteries. Or just take the Ely exit as you’re driving out of Vegas, trundle along Las Vegas Blvd North for six miles, head up the dirt track on the right as far as you can go, swagger … Continue reading Claim Your Destiny, Dry Lake, Nevada
SlotZilla! SlotZilla! Follow the joyful screaming to downtown Las Vegas, where you’ll find the world’s largest slot machine. A dazzling display of bright lights that overwhelms the senses, SlotZilla rises 12 storeys above Fremont Street and is home to one of the world’s most incredible thrill rides. The wondrous one armed bandit opened to much fanfare in the summer of 2014 and was designed to … Continue reading SlotZilla, Las Vegas, Nevada
Look at me and my big, black friend! Of course, as a progressive gentleman I’m proud to have many friends of colour, including Larry Fishburne, Halle Berry, and that dude who sings in Counting Crows. Wait, maybe he’s not black. But he does have a great set of dreadlocks, so I’ll count him anyway. Anyway, back to Big John, the 18-foot-tall coal-black miner who stands … Continue reading Big John, Helper, Utah
I wanna rock ‘n’ roll all night, and visit St George every day! That’s because this leafy Utah town is home to a big, bad and bombastic scrap metal guitar known as Ready to Play. Melding small-town sensibilities with snarling city swagger, the incredible instrument has really struck a chord with the locals. At 21 feet from titanic tuners to behemoth bridge, this Big Guitar … Continue reading Ready to Play, St George, Utah
Leave it to Beaver to create a couple of the cutest, cuddliest critters you’ve ever seen! The handsome rodents call the local Shell gas station home, and the good people of Beaver – an eccentric village nestled high in the Mineral Mountains of Southern Utah – are just as proud as punch of them. Nicknamed Justin and Sigourney by besotted locals, The Big Beavers sit … Continue reading The Big Beavers, Beaver, Utah
Dogs love chasing cars, but this pooch actually caught one. Of course, it helps that she’s 38 feet tall! Spot the Dalmatian is the pet project of roguish sculptor Donald Lipski, and can be found loyally guarding the Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital in Manhattan. Playful, joyous and large enough to stand out amongst the chaos of the city, Spot’s not only man’s best friend – she’s … Continue reading Spot the Dalmatian, Manhattan, New York
New Yorkers, I’m sad to say, are a pack of perverts. Adam here simply wants to live a peaceful, naturist lifestyle amidst the hustle and bustle of The Shops at Columbus Circle. With his robust physique and cheerful disposition, even his lack of genitallic girth can’t wipe the optimistic smile from his dial. But it seems the locals can’t stop molesting him. Adam, 15 feet … Continue reading Adam (and Eve), New York, New York
Ayy, I’m drinkin’ here! Grab a slice o’ pie and raise a zesty glass of cab sav as we toast Private Passage, a bottle of wine so massive it’s sure to arouse even the most grizzled New Yawker. I’m your sommelier, the irrepressible Bigs von Bubbles; effervescent Upper East Side socialite, lifelong substance abuser, and self-indulgent wine snob. But then you already knew that, ya … Continue reading Private Passage, New York
Beg, borrow or peel, because the time is ripe to orange a visit to the sweet seaside village of Dania Beach, where The Big Orange is open all year rind. Squeeze be advised that this mandarin-credible roadside attraction can be found round the side of Alex’s Flamingo Groves & Gift Shop. Pre-pear for a bargain, as prices have been rejuiced! You might find my jokes … Continue reading The Big Orange, Dania Beach, Florida
Fort you’d seen everything Lauderdale has to offer? Then allow Thrive to cement your decision to return to this tropical paradise. This 27-foot-tall bombshell, designed by delightful South African artiste Daniel Popper, can be found begging for attention on a dank street corner beneath an apartment block – but she’s certainly no street walker. Well, she doesn’t have any legs, does she? What Thrive does … Continue reading Thrive, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Once upon a time there were three Biggie Goats Gruff, who lived inside a giant pineapple in the magical Kingdom of Australia. There was a handsome Biggy Goat Gruff, an even handsomer Biggie Goat Gruff, and a third Biggie Goat Gruff who was so super handsome that women – and even some of the more emotionally-resilient men – would weep at his feet as he … Continue reading The Fremont Troll, Fremont, Washington
Next time you’re in Seattle, make sure to catch The Mitt! At nine-foot-tall and 14-foot-wide, he’s very hand-some and stands outside the northern end zone of T-Mobile Park, home of the be-glove-d Mariners baseball squad. If you’re a sports lover, you should be dribbling in anticipation for this one! Needing an icon for their new baseballing facility when it opened in 1999, the Mariners scrimmaged … Continue reading The Mitt, Seattle, Washington
Little Bigs BardotSat in a meadowOn a lovely Seattle dayThere came a Big Spider,Who sat down beside herAnd frightened Bigs Bardot away Seattle’s monumental Big Spider is a load of rubbish – and I mean that in the kindest way possible! Your valiant reporter, the inimitable Bigs Bardot, was swaggering through the lively streets of Georgetown on my way to see Hat n’ Boots. Suddenly, … Continue reading The Big Spider, Seattle, Washington
There once was a Big Thing named DreamerWho was created by Patti WarashinaShe looked quite delishAdmiring her fishOh, what a positive demeanour! On the corner of Westlake and RepublicanDreamer tempts like no other canShe’s 18 feet longAnd great at ping pong!With tootsies larger than those of a pelican One day came a boy from AustraliaWhose hunt for Big Things was no failureBardot was his nameLarge … Continue reading Dreamer, Seattle, Washington
A visit to the World’s Largest Trophy Cup is always an awarding experience. The gleaming golden goblet rests atop Athletic Awards in downtown Seattle, and serves as a source of hope for this proud sporting city. The shop has been around in one form or another since 1949, but it wasn’t until they lifted the prodigious prize in 1983 that business started booming. Since then, … Continue reading World’s Largest Trophy Cup, Seattle, WA
Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Macklemore. Seattle has produced some of the world’s greatest musical acts, so it’s no surprise that even their Big Things love to sing. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Sonic Bloom onto the stage! Wander cautiously up to one of these 40-foot-tall flowers and he or she will regale you with a melodic ditty. Each of the five blossoms has a unique personality … Continue reading Sonic Bloom, Seattle, Washington
The picturesque Portland suburb of Fairview cutlery-cently welcomed an enormous fork that, at 37 feet from gleaming handle to quad-pronged bottom, is the very largest on Earth. Yes, Fairview has always been a knife town to visit, but now it’s the plates to be! It’s even larger than Australia’s most massive forks, so just imagine the size of the potatoes you could skewer with it. … Continue reading World’s Biggest Fork, Fairview, Oregon
As an admirer of all things Big and an ally of repressed minorities, I’m hesitant to present a roadside attraction that discriminates against those of us unable or unwilling to grow a full head of hair. My buzz cut is a fashion choice and I could boast a luxurious mane of amber curls at the click of a finger, but I stand in solidarity with … Continue reading The World’s Tallest Barber Pole, Forest Grove, Oregon
Meet Paul. He’s an outdoorsy, approachable fellow who enjoys artisanal pale ales, daring facial hair and the smell of fresh flannelette in the morning. Oh, and he’s also a 31-foot-tall giant who brandishes a monstrous axe with which to protect the good people of the Pacific North West. All together now; “Hi, Paul!” The mythical Mr Bunyan is a hero to people across America and … Continue reading Paul Bunyan, Portland, Oregon
Kamehameha the Great united the warring islands of Hawaii in 1810, bringing a new age of peace and prosperity to this tropical paradise. The inimitable Bigs Bardot united the world’s Big Things and roadside attractions under one website in 2021, bringing love and happiness and greater awareness of roadside attractions to every corner of the world (yes, even Нады́м, Россия – did you think I … Continue reading King Kamehameha, Hilo, Hawai’i
Many a tourist has left their heart in San Francisco, so of course there’s a Big Thing dedicated to love and romance right next to the Bay Bridge. Created by lovers Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen in 2002 and measuring an un-bow-lievable 18 metres from tip to amorous tip, Cupid’s Span quickly surpassed the Golden Gate Bridge as the bay city’s most photographed landmark. … Continue reading Cupid’s Span, San Francisco, California
Aloha, and greetings from the tropical wonderland of Hawai’i. Millions of people travel to this Pacific paradise for the golden beaches, bottomless drinks and topless women. But the most popular reason for visiting this alluring archipelago is the assortment of Big Things, with the Water Giver at the top of the list. Just look at his rippling muscles, square jaw and G-string that leaves little … Continue reading The Water Giver, Honolulu, Hawai’i
