Take This Quirky Road Trip To Visit New York’s Most Unique Roadside Attractions

Now hanging on the side of the Birkett Mills Factory, in 1987 the enormous pancake griddle that you see hanging here today was used to create the World's Largest Pancake! Almost 30-feet in diameter, you've never quite seen a kitchenware item that's as large as this one. A quirky piece of the town's history, Penn Yan is a fun place to kick off a road trip with amazing restaurants and hiking trails right in town.

To read more about the World's Largest Pancake Griddle and Penn Yan, click here.

Out in Syracuse in the neighborhood of Tipperary Hill, there's an unusual traffic light that's unlike all the others in the world. Right across from the Tipperary Hill Memorial Park, also known as Stone Throwers Park, you'll find that this traffic light is situated upside down! Wondering how this came to be? Well, during the mid-1920's our Irish residents that lived in the area refused to allow the British Red to hang over the Irish Green - so their solution was to throw rocks at the light and break it until the town decided to set up an upside-down light! The little park on the corner was set up to honor the persistent Irish folks of New York who created the need for this light.

To read more about the story of Tipperary Hill's Upside-Down Traffic Light, click here.

A church that looks like its fit for dolls, Oneida's Cross Island Chapel is actually the smallest church in the whole world. Only accessible by rowboat, the small chapel is able to fit inside three people - making it the perfect wedding destination for anyone who's not interested in inviting their friends and family along for this special moment or want to share close quarters with their loved one during their romantic ceremony. Built in 1989, the chapel is less than 30-square-feet and makes for one cozy place to get hitched.

To read more about the World's Smallest Chapel, click here.

The signs alone for Secret Caverns are enough of a roadside attraction that will make you want to drive out to Schoharie County to see them for yourself. All along Caverns Road and leading up to the destination, you'll find eye-catching billboards that direct you in the way of Secret Caverns. A lesser-known cave to explore that's right near Howe Caverns, Secret Caverns has more funky flare than any other natural attraction that you'll find in our state. From the billboards to the outside of the building, to the shop's electric decor inside and even in the bathrooms, this is one roadside stop you'll want to make! Did we also forget to mention that this place comes equipped with an underground waterfall?

To read more about Secret Caverns, click here.

One of our most favorite roadside attractions to visit, The Tepee out in Cherry Valley is everything that it sounds like. A souvenir shop that's been set up along Route 20 since 1950, The Tepee has everything from charming little trinkets inside to a Chow Wagon outdoors where you can find some delicious roadside food to try out!

To read more about The Tepee, click here.

There are lots of reasons to pull off of the road and stop in Cooperstown, but one of the most unusual roadside attractions isn't one that's hiding in plain sight. Tucked away in the Farmers' Museum, New York's Cardiff Giant is the result of an elaborate hoax that was played on New Yorkers. Trying to convince people that Giants were real, a man by the name of George Hull bought a block of Iowa gypsum, shipped it to Chicago in secret, and had an over 10-foot tall statue created to try and fool people. Now on display for all to see in Cooperstown, people once believed the Cardiff Giant was actually real and would pay to see it for themselves.

To read more about the Cardiff Giant, click here.

Last but not least, grab a bite to eat at one of New York's most quaint little family restaurants. Right in Oneonta where you'll find plenty of amazing eateries, Morey's Family Restaurant stands out amongst the rest with its unique interior decor which consists of miniature dollhouses! Open now for 40 years, the restaurant has become a Dollhouse Miniatures Exhibit, with displays decorated all over the walls inside the restaurant. A great place to end your road trip, you'll be able to enjoy homecooked food while you gaze at the glory of this roadside attraction.

To read more about Morey's Family Restaurant, click here.