10 Most Eccentric, Off-The-Beaten Path Places To Explore In Georgia
By Marisa Roman|Published November 14, 2016
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Marisa Roman
Author
A New Jersey native with over 15 years of writing experience, Marisa has studied at both New York University and Florida International University. She has lived all over the country, including a decade stint in South Florida. Marisa is well-versed in exploration as she travels a good majority of the year in her self-converted Sprinter van. Her articles have been featured in various notable publications over the years, she has a published collection of short stories, and three completed screenplays under her belt.
It is always fun to come across a quirky, eccentric place in your state and just marvel at the fact that you had no idea it existed in the first place. Or those off-the-beaten-path roadside attractions which you’ve always heard about but never really sought out, on a mission, to find and explore. The truth is, Georgia has a ton of odd, bizarre places across the state just waiting to be adventured through—and these are just a few of them.
1. The Paris Market & Brocante—36 W Broughton St, Savannah, GA 31401
This quaint market started by a world-travelling duo is filled with oddities and quirky finds, rivaling some of the best cultural bizarres. Whether you want a new taxidermy piece, or a charming throw pillow, you'll find an eclectic mix of treasures here.
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2. Doll's Head Trail—Constitution Lakes Park
1305 S. River Industrial Blvd, SE,
Atlanta, Georgia, 30316
One of the most unique trails in the country, a quick jaunt through this quirky place will have you doing a double-take. Random doll parts and other broken toy trash have wound up along this trail, thanks to an artist who decided to turn trash into treasure.
3. Expedition: Bigfoot! (Sasquatch Museum)—1934 Hwy 515, Near Blue Ridge, GA, Cherry Log, GA 30522
Located in Cherry Log, you'll find one of the only Big Foot museums on this side of the Mississippi. The owners take Bigfoot very seriously, so if you enter a skeptic, you may just exit a believer. Packed with exhibits and artifacts, get your Sasquatch fill at this quirky spot.
4. Cabbage Patch Kids Babyland General Hospital—300 N.O.K. Dr, Cleveland, GA 30528
This is not your average hospital. It is a cabbage patch hospital, and it is sprawling with intricacies of how those lovable Cabbage Patch kids are born. There are doctors and nurses like a real hospital, plus a museum of original dolls from decades ago.
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5. Lunch Box Museum—River Market Antiques and Art Center, Columbus, GA
This strange, bizarre place is filled with over 2,000 lunchboxes, all from different times, representing a variety of points in history. It is easy to become nostalgic when touring the museum, not to mention kids enjoy the colorful lunchboxes, too.
6. Tank Town USA—10408 Appalachian Hwy, Morganton, GA 30560
This off-the-beaten-path roadside attraction allows you to take our all your aggression in a primal way—crushing cars in an Army tank, of course. It's a unique experience for the whole family, and may just cross a strange item off your bucket list.
7. Statue of the World's Strongest Man—E. Tugalo St., Toccoa, GA
Paul Anderson grew up in the neighborhood of Toccoa, Georgia, just a few blocks from where his bronze, life-size statue remains today. Paul won the super-heavyweight weightlifting gold medal in the 1956 Olympics, and easily became dubbed the "Strongest Man in the World".
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8. Tiny Doors ATL—Eastside Beltline Trail and various locations
Atlanta, Georgia, 30312
If ever you walked down the streets of Atlanta and saw a tiny door in a curb, or at the base of a tree, your eyes were not playing tricks on you. The #TinyDoorsATL project was started by artist Karen Anderson and has quickly taken a life of its own. It is quirky, charming, and definitely a unique oddity to the state of Georgia.
9. Rabbittown Rabbit—2415 Old Cornelia Hwy, Gainesville, GA 30507
Most likely the biggest concrete rabbit you'll ever see in your lifetime, the Rabbittown Rabbit stands at nearly 20-feet-high. You won't realize just how big that is until you're standing next to it.
10. Lapham-Patterson House—626 N Dawson St
=, Thomasville, Georgia
From the outside, this house looks like another old Victorian-style place. But upon further investigation, you'll see that it's quite a bizarre place. Built between 1884-85 for businessman C.W. Lapham of Chicago, you'll notice there at at least 50 exits throughout the house, ranging from various doors to windows. Lapham became fearful in his life of being trapped in a burning building, and needed quite a few exit strategies.