25 Weird Ohio Roadside Attractions to Visit, From the World's Largest Basket of Apples to "Hug Me Jesus"

By Scene Staff on Sun, Apr 30, 2023 at 7:48 am

From the world's largest basket, drumsticks and horseshoe crab to a field of giant corn cobs and flying saucer houses, Ohio is full of bizarre roadside attractions that make you say, "Why?" But also, "Cool!" If you're looking for a roadtrip stop full of lasting (and weird) memories, these are the spots you won't want to miss to snap a memorable pic.

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World’s Largest Horseshoe Crab/Facebook

World’s Largest Horseshoe Crab

7529 OH-124, Hillsboro

At the Freedom Worship Church in Blanchester, the World’s Largest Horseshoe Crab was built in 1995. In 2015, the crab sold and was reassembled in Hillsboro, 25 miles from its original location. The crab, known as Crabbie, is 28 feet wide, 67 feet long, and 12 feet high.

Dublin, Ohio/Facebook

Giant Dancing Rabbits

6350 Woerner Temple Rd., Dublin

In the Columbus suburb of Dublin, you’ll find the Ballantrae Giant Dancing Hares which were made by English artist Sophie Ryder in 2001. The trio of rabbits are 24-feet tall.

Marada/Flickr

Vase in Place

768 W. Main St., Zanesville

This stunning display in Zanesville, the “Clay Capital of the World'' features 100 vases. The project began in 2005 and features contributions from 1,500 workers.

Lisa Ann Remick/Facebook

Dave Grohl Alley, World’s Largest Drumsticks

Warren

Dave Grohl, drummer of Nirvana and frontman of the Foo Fighters was born in Warren before moving to Virginia at a young age. In 2007, Warren resident Joe O’Grady convinced city council to dedicate a dilapidated alley to the rocker, which now features murals of Grohl, along with the world’s largest drumsticks, carved by Warren-based artist Joel Eggert.

Photo via NTT72USA/Wikimedia

"Hug Me Jesus"

903 Union Road, Lebanon

After a lightning fire destroyed a giant Jesus statue known as "Touchdown Jesus" that brought national attention to the Solid Rock Church in Monroe in 2010, the church couldn’t go without and replaced the monument in 2012. The giant Lux Mundi statue designed by Tom Tsuchiya, affectionately nicknamed "Hug Me Jesus," is visible from I-75.