These Oversized Oddities In Ohio Stop People In Their Tracks Every Time
Ohio hides some seriously strange secrets along its highways and tucked into its small towns. Giant baskets, enormous drumsticks, and towering statues pop up in the most unexpected places, turning ordinary road trips into treasure hunts for the weird and wonderful.
These oversized oddities celebrate everything from local industries to famous musicians, and each one tells a story about the community that built it.
Pack your camera, fuel up the car, and get ready to chase down some of the most entertaining roadside attractions the Buckeye State has to offer.
1. Field of Corn, Dublin
The first time I saw a cornfield made of concrete, I honestly thought I had taken a wrong turn into an art student’s dream.
Row after row of towering white corn cobs fills a grassy field in Dublin, each one about six feet tall and lined up like they are quietly waiting for harvest.
The installation, officially called Field of Corn (with Osage Oranges), was created to honor the area’s agricultural past on land that once grew real corn.
Today, you can wander between 109 statues, listen to the traffic in the distance, and feel that weird mix of peaceful and surreal that only a concrete crop can deliver.
You will find this odd little landmark right across from an office park, which makes the whole scene even more unexpected and fun for photos.
If you want to stretch your legs during a Columbus-area day trip or show visitors that Ohio does quirky very well, this is a perfect stop that never fails to spark conversation in the car afterward.
Address: Field of Corn, 4995 Rings Rd, Dublin, OH 43016
2. Longaberger Basket Building, Newark
Rolling up to the Longaberger Basket Building for the first time felt like driving into a magic trick.
The seven-story office building outside Newark is shaped exactly like the company’s signature maple picnic basket, complete with giant handles arching over the roof and little brass tags on the side.
This is not just themed decor, either.
It is 192 feet long and 126 feet wide at the base, and for years, employees actually worked inside this enormous basket as the headquarters of the Longaberger Company.
Even now, with new owners and changing plans, the exterior still looks like the world’s most determined ode to woven wood.
I remember pulling into the parking lot and catching myself grinning because it is impossible to treat this building as something ordinary.
You walk around, look up at those handles, and start thinking about all the regular office tasks that used to happen inside something that looks ready for a picnic.
While interior access can vary as redevelopment continues, the building remains a memorable drive-by stop and a very easy addition to any east-of-Columbus road trip loop.
Address: Longaberger Basket Building, 1500 E Main St, Newark, OH 43055
3. World’s Largest Basket, Dresden
Small towns love a good superlative, and Dresden embraced that idea with a basket so big it looks ready to hold a family of very confused giants.
This World’s Largest Basket sits at the corner of Main and Fifth Streets, rising out of neatly trimmed shrubs like a massive Longaberger pattern frozen in mid-weave.
It was built as a large-scale symbol of the town’s basket-making history and has become a quiet little celebrity in its own right.
When I first stepped out of the car, I realized just how large it really is, especially when you stand by the rope barrier, and your head barely reaches mid-basket.
The surrounding neighborhood feels calm and residential, which makes this oversized structure look even more playful.
It is the kind of stop where you take a few photos, read the nearby sign, and suddenly find yourself unexpectedly charmed.
If you are already in the area to explore Muskingum County or following the basket trail between Dresden and Newark, this corner might be small on time commitment but big on did we really just see that energy.
Address: World’s Largest Basket, corner of Main St and E 5th St, Dresden, OH 43821
4. Free Stamp, Cleveland
Downtown Cleveland is full of serious buildings and lake views, so stumbling across a gigantic rubber stamp casually tipped on its side feels like finding the city’s inside joke.
Free Stamp sits in Willard Park near City Hall, its bright red letters spelling the word FREE in a way that makes you want to walk around it from every possible angle.
The sculpture was designed by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen and eventually installed here after some debate about where it should live.
Now it rests on the grass like a forgotten office supply from a gigantic desk, and the surrounding towers make the whole thing look even more dramatic.
On my first visit, I watched people slowly approach it, pause for a second, then suddenly rush in for photos as if the scale only truly lands when you stand right under the handle.
It is a short walk from other downtown attractions, which makes it a perfect leg-stretching stop on a city day trip.
Whether you see it as a political statement, a playful piece of pop art, or simply a massive stamp in the grass, it definitely refuses to blend into the background.
Address: Free Stamp, Willard Park, 601 Lakeside Ave E, Cleveland, OH 44114
5. World’s Largest Cuckoo Clock, Sugarcreek
There is something wildly satisfying about standing in the center of Sugarcreek and watching an entire building come to life on the half hour.
The World’s Largest Cuckoo Clock looks like a storybook chalet dropped into Ohio’s Little Switzerland, complete with carved musicians, dancers, and a little bird that pops out to mark the time.
The wooden facade is covered with flowers, painted trim, and that unmistakable old-world charm.
According to record keepers, the clock stands about 23 feet tall and 24 feet wide, and it sits right at the corner of Main Street and Broadway, making it impossible to miss when you arrive downtown.
When I visited, families were already gathering on benches a few minutes before the show, kids craning their necks and adults pretending they were not just as excited.
Then the music started, the doors opened, and the little mechanical band began its routine.
It feels delightfully old-fashioned in the best way.
Combine it with a stroll through local shops and Amish-country bakeries, and you have a day trip that leans all the way into the is this really Ohio feeling.
Address: World’s Largest Cuckoo Clock, Main St & N Broadway St, Sugarcreek, OH 44681
6. Big Muskie’s Bucket, Miners’ Memorial Park
Some roadside giants are whimsical.
Big Muskie’s Bucket is impressive in a more jaw-dropping, heavy-industry kind of way.
This enormous metal scoop is all that remains of Big Muskie, once the largest dragline excavator in the world, and it now rests in Miners’ Memorial Park as a tribute to the coal workers who powered this part of Ohio for decades.
Standing next to the bucket, you realize it could swallow a house without much effort.
Visitors are allowed to walk inside, which turns every person instantly into a tiny scale marker in family photos.
I remember climbing the small steps into the bucket and feeling that strange mix of awe and quiet reflection.
This was once a moving part of a machine that reshaped entire landscapes, and now it serves as a static monument on reclaimed land dotted with lakes and wildlife.
Pairing a stop here with a drive through Jesse Owens State Park and nearby ReCreation Land makes for a day trip that blends history, outdoor scenery, and just the right amount of you have to see this thing in person.
Address: Big Muskie’s Bucket, Miners’ Memorial Park, 4470 OH-78, McConnelsville, OH 43756
7. Ohio’s Biggest Bigfoot, Celina
Nothing quite says road trip conversation starter like turning into a county fairgrounds and being greeted by a 30-foot wooden Bigfoot named Nelson.
Ohio’s Biggest Bigfoot stands at the Mercer County Fairgrounds in Celina, carved by Bear Hollow Wood Carvers and towering above the lawn with one massive wooden stride.
The statue looks both friendly and a little mysterious, which feels exactly right for a creature famous for being spotted and doubted in equal measure.
I first saw Nelson on a gray afternoon, and the contrast between the cloudy sky and the warm color of the wood made the sculpture pop even more.
People walked up to the huge feet and posed as if they were about to be scooped up by a polite giant.
The fairgrounds also host events, including a Bigfoot-themed festival, so it is easy to bundle this stop into a larger day out with food, vendors, and plenty of cryptid conversation.
Address: Ohio’s Biggest Bigfoot, Mercer County Fairgrounds, 1001 W Market St, Celina, OH 45822
8. World’s Largest Drumsticks, Dave Grohl Alley, Warren
Some alleys just collect trash cans.
Dave Grohl Alley in Warren collected murals, music history, and the World’s Largest Drumsticks instead.
Tucked behind buildings near downtown, this narrow stretch of pavement celebrates the hometown of rock musician Dave Grohl with colorful street art and a pair of wooden drumsticks, each about 23 feet long and weighing around 900 pounds.
They rest along a brick wall like someone dropped their practice sticks and forgot to pick them back up.
When I wandered through the alley, I felt like I had stepped into a fan-made open-air gallery, complete with references to Foo Fighters, Nirvana, and Grohl’s career.
The drumsticks steal the show, of course, but the whole space rewards a slow walk and a good look at each mural.
It is an easy detour if you are exploring Warren’s downtown, and the story of how a police officer helped turn an ordinary alley into this tribute gives the visit an extra layer of local pride.
Address: Dave Grohl Alley and World’s Largest Drumsticks, 9 Dave Grohl Alley, Warren, OH 44481
9. World’s Largest Loaf of Bread, Urbana
Driving into Urbana and suddenly spotting an enormous loaf of white bread glowing by the roadside feels like discovering the world’s strangest bakery sign.
The World’s Largest Loaf of Bread sits in front of Bundy Baking Solutions’ headquarters, a fiberglass and steel sculpture that stretches about 33 feet long and stands around eight feet tall.
At night, it can even be lit from below, giving it a slightly surreal glow that makes you do a double-take as you pass.
On my first visit, I parked in the visitor area and walked over just to appreciate the ridiculous scale of something so ordinary turned monumental.
You can see the texture of the bag, the printed design, and the twist-tie details that make it look like someone simply enlarged a grocery-store loaf.
It is a quick and easy stop, but it fits perfectly into a day of checking off Ohio’s world’s largest list and provides one more story to tell when people ask what on earth you did all weekend.
Address: World’s Largest Loaf of Bread, 417 E Water St, Urbana, OH 43078
10. World’s Largest Pumpkin Water Tower, Circleville
If you ever wanted a water tower that looks ready to be carved into a jack-o-lantern, Circleville has you covered.
The World’s Largest Pumpkin Water Tower rises above town like a bright orange gourd with a green stem, celebrating the famous Circleville Pumpkin Show and the community’s long-running obsession with all things pumpkin.
The million-gallon tower may be pure infrastructure on the inside, but from a distance, it looks more like a cartoon fruit hovering over the neighborhoods below.
I remember catching my first glimpse of it from the road and instantly feeling like I was driving into some themed holiday park.
You can get reasonably close on nearby streets for good photos and appreciate just how much paint it took to turn a plain tower into this seasonal symbol.
Visit during the Pumpkin Show for extra atmosphere, or swing by on an ordinary day for a dose of cheerful weirdness on an otherwise normal commute.
Address: World’s Largest Pumpkin Water Tower, 440 Town St, Circleville, OH 43113
11. World’s Largest Ping Pong Paddle, Columbus
There is already something playful about a bar filled with duckpin bowling and arcade games, but Pins Mechanical Company in downtown Columbus went a step further and added the World’s Largest Ping Pong Paddle to the mix.
Mounted on the wall above the indoor tables, this wooden and rubber paddle measures over 11 feet long and about six feet wide, which makes any regular-sized ball look like it belongs in a miniature set.
The whole thing leans perfectly into the retro-game vibe of the space.
When I walked in and finally spotted it, I felt that little burst of amusement that only happens when something familiar is suddenly comically out of proportion.
You can play on the nearby tables, glance up between volleys, and imagine what kind of arm strength it would take to actually swing that monster.
Since Pins is right in the heart of downtown, this oddity doubles as both a giant photo prop and the starting point for a full evening of games and city exploring.
Address: World’s Largest Ping Pong Paddle, Pins Mechanical Co., 141 N 4th St, Columbus, OH 43215
12. World’s Largest Washboard, Logan
Hidden in the Hocking Hills gateway town of Logan, the Columbus Washboard Company decided that if they were going to advertise their craft, they might as well do it with a sign you can see from way down the street.
The World’s Largest Washboard hangs on the side of their brick factory building, a giant board complete with corrugated metal ribs and a painted design that stretches several stories tall.
It looks like someone plucked a regular washboard out of a laundry room and hit the enlarge button far too many times.
When I stopped here on the way to Hocking Hills trails, I loved how this huge throwback piece of laundry equipment contrasted with the busy modern road out front.
The company offers tours at certain times, so you can pair your photo stop with a peek inside and see smaller, usable washboards being made on historic equipment.
Even if you only pause long enough for pictures, this towering relic of sudsy history turns an ordinary drive through Logan into something much more memorable.
Address: World’s Largest Washboard, Columbus Washboard Company, 14 Gallagher Ave, Logan, OH 43138