PA Road Trips

The Best Roadside Attractions in Northwestern PA Road Trip

Who’s up for a road trip to visit nine of the best roadside attractions in northwestern Pennsylvania?!

This 358 mile driving tour hits nine of the best roadside oddities in northwestern PA, and is sure to appeal to those with a sense of adventure and an appreciation of the quirky.

The Mars Flying Saucer is a popular roadside attraction in Butler County Pennsylvania. — The Mars Flying Saucer is a popular roadside attraction in Butler County.

Along the way you’ll pass through miles of beautiful countryside and some of the coolest little towns in this part of the state.

Punxsutawney, PA is the "Weather Capital of the World". — Punxsutawney, PA is the “Weather Capital of the World”.

And the best part is I’ve done the legwork for you – simply click on the button below to open/download a copy of the route map for yourself.

Download the Best Roadside Attractions in Northwestern PA Road Trip Map

I’m starting my description of this road trip at the Snowman in Portersville (Butler County), but because I’ve plotted this route as a loop, you can start/end anywhere you choose!

The Snowman sits on a plot of land next to the owner's home and horse pasture. — The Snowman is a great roadside attraction in northwestern PA.

Simply click on the blue text links in the descriptions of each destination listed below to view a more in-depth article about that attraction.

The United States flag flying proudly in front of the Sherman Memorial Lighthouse in Tionesta PA. — The Sherman Memorial Lighthouse in Tionesta is PA’s tallest lighthouse and one of northwestern PA’s most popular roadside attractions.

1. The Snowman

Stop number one on this “Best Roadside Attractions Northwestern PA” adventure is The Snowman near Portersville in Butler County, a one-of-a-kind, 13 foot-tall concession stand that dispenses delicious frozen treats from his round white belly!

The Snowman is believed to have been constructed in New Mexico in the 1970s.

The Snowman currently serves 24 flavors of shave ice, sundaes (the biggest seller), milkshakes, ice cream, and frappuccinos.

The Snowman is a unique roadside attraction and family-owned business in Butler County.

Even if you’re not a fan of ice cream and/or shave ice, the Snowman is certainly a sight to behold and a throwback to the 1970s when he was first built in New Mexico.

Visitors to the Snowman in Butler County can enjoy outdoor seating and free Wi-Fi.

2. The PennDOT Road Sign Sculpture Garden

The PennDOT Road Sign Sculpture Garden is a 1200-foot long art installation along Smock Highway outside PennDOT’s Crawford County maintenance building.

A collage of four whimsical sculptures from the PennDOT Road Sign Sculpture Garden in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. The top-left image shows a blue locomotive on tracks made from repurposed road signs, with oil derricks in the background. The top-right image features two figures paddling a canoe, constructed from colorful road signs. The bottom-left image depicts a red barn and silo made from stop signs and directional signs. The bottom-right image shows a cowboy playing a guitar, crafted from railroad crossing and directional signs, accompanied by additional figures in a playful scene. These artworks are part of the 1200-foot-long public art piece made entirely from recycled Pennsylvania Department of Transportation signs. — The PennDOT Road Sign Sculpture Garden is a 1200-foot long art installation along Smock Highway outside PennDOT’s Crawford County maintenance building.

Officially known as “Read Between the Signs,” this art installation is constructed of old road signs and was built between 2000 and 2010.

A colorful scene at the PennDOT Road Sign Sculpture Garden in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, featuring a large rainbow arching over a vibrant landscape made entirely from repurposed road signs. The scene includes a red barn on a hill made from yellow and green road signs, a flowing blue river with swirling patterns, and raindrops falling from storm clouds made from metal signs. Lightning bolts extend from the clouds, and the artwork transitions to a tree and a red building in the background. This creative display is part of the 1200-foot-long public art piece made entirely from recycled Pennsylvania Department of Transportation signs. — The PennDOT Road Sign Sculpture Garden is constructed of old road signs and was built between 2000 and 2010.

The PennDOT Road Sign Sculpture Garden is free to visit and is located just outside of Meadville, PA.

A vibrant sculpture at the PennDOT Road Sign Sculpture Garden in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, depicting a Ferris wheel made from repurposed road signs. The Ferris wheel features yellow directional chevron signs as seats, with a red and yellow center and black and white stripes radiating outward. The background is made from green "Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful" signs, and a whimsical horse, along with other roadside figures, are visible on the right side of the image. This artwork is part of the 1200-foot-long public display created from old Pennsylvania Department of Transportation signs. — The PennDOT Road Sign Sculpture Garden is located just outside of Meadville, PA.

3. Schaefer’s Auto Art

Schaefer’s Auto Art has been a roadside attraction in Erie for over 25 years, and contains nearly a dozen large sculptures created from repurposed car parts.

Schaefer’s Auto Art has been in Erie for over 25 years, and contains nearly a dozen large sculptures created from repurposed car parts.

Located on a private lawn (but open to the public), you’ll find industrial-looking versions of spiders, bees, dinosaurs, and more, all built out of recycled metal and automotive parts.

Schaefer's Auto Art in Erie is home to a variety of sculptures made from recycled metal & automotive parts — Schaefer’s Auto Art in Erie is home to a number of sculptures made from recycled metal & automotive parts.

Schaefer’s Auto Art in Erie is free to visit and parking is alongside Hershey Road.

4. Sherman Memorial Lighthouse

The Sherman Memorial Lighthouse, sometimes referred to as the Tionesta Lighthouse (as it is located in Tionesta, the county seat of Forest County), is the tallest lighthouse in Pennsylvania!

Standing in front of the Sherman Memorial Lighthouse in Tionesta PA — Standing in front of the Sherman Memorial Lighthouse in Tionesta.

Not only is the Sherman Memorial Lighthouse beautiful in its own right, but the wonderful Peace Park that surrounds the lighthouse allows you to take a leisurely stroll around “Lighthouse Island” and view other patriotic sculptures, statues, and historic replicas.

Replica of the Liberty Bell at Peace Park in Tionesta.

Installed in 2020, a beautiful replica of the Statue of Liberty is one of many statues and sculptures surrounding the Sherman Memorial Lighthouse.

Statue of Liberty replica at Peace Park in Tionesta Pennsylvania. — Statue of Liberty replica at Peace Park in Tionesta.

5. Decker Chapel

Stop number five on this “Best Roadside Attractions Northwestern PA” road trip is Decker’s Chapel in Elk County, the smallest church in Pennsylvania, and one of the smallest churches in the entire United States!

Deckers Chapel, the smallest church in Pennsylvania, is prominently featured with its white wooden exterior, steep gabled roof, and small belfry topped with a cross. The chapel’s red door, decorated with a seasonal wreath, is flanked by two black metal railings leading up the stone steps. A well-manicured lawn and landscaping surround the building, including a blooming pink hydrangea bush. In the foreground, a large sign reading "Deckers Chapel Est. 1856" is displayed, highlighting the chapel's historic significance. The scene is set under a bright blue sky with fluffy white clouds, emphasizing the peaceful and inviting atmosphere of this quaint religious site. — Decker’s Chapel in Saint Marys was built in 1856.

The one-room chapel measures 12 feet by 18 feet, and features 4 “kneelers” and an altar surrounded by various religious artifacts.

Inside Decker's Chapel, the smallest church in Pennsylvania. — Inside Decker’s Chapel, the smallest church in Pennsylvania.

The Elk County Historical Society has owned the chapel since 1990, and it is open to visitors every day.

Visitors Welcome sign above the door to Decker's Chapel in Saint Marys, Pennsylvania. — “Visitors Welcome” sign above the door to Decker’s Chapel in Saint Marys, Pennsylvania.

6. Doolittle’s Dinosaurs

Doolittle’s Dinosaurs is an animatronic dinosaur museum, open on the weekends for a $5.00 admission fee.

Exterior of Doolittle's Dinosaurs in DuBois, just off Interstate 80 in Clearfield County PA. — Exterior of Doolittle’s Dinosaurs in DuBois, just off Interstate 80 in Clearfield County.

And if robotic dinosaurs aren’t your thing (or if they freak you/your kids out), you can walk around the outside of the museum and see plenty of stationary dinosaurs and dragons for free.

Dragon on a train car at Doolittle's Dinosaurs in DuBois Pennsylvania. — Dragon caged in a railroad car at Doolittle’s Dinosaurs in DuBois.

Doolittle’s Dinosaurs is part of Doolittle Station, an eclectic mix of restaurants, museums, a brewery, and a bed and breakfast, all housed in historic train cars!

Doolittle Station roadside sign along Route 219 in DuBois, Pennsylvania. — Doolittle Station along Route 219 in DuBois, Pennsylvania.

7. Punxsutawney Phil’s Burrow

Punxsutawney Phil, the most famous groundhog in Pennsylvania, lives in a deluxe man-made burrow attached to the Punxsutawney Library.

Punxsutawney Phil's burrow at the Punxsutawney library downtown. — The world’s most famous weather-predicted groundhog lives in a roadside burrow in Jefferson County.

You can peer into Phil’s burrow through viewing windows outside the library, where he lives the life of a rockstar rodent.

Punxsutawney Phil is one of Pennsylvania's oldest and most beloved residents. — Punxsutawney Phil is one of Pennsylvania’s oldest and most beloved residents.

Scattered around Punxsutawney you’ll find “Phantastic Phils”, statues of Phil in various costumes.

Punxsutawney Phil as the statue of liberty, one of the many versions of Phil statues you'll find scattered around Punxsutawney. — Punxsutawney Phil as the Statue of Liberty, one of the many versions of Phil statues you’ll find scattered around Punxsutawney.

8. Cowboy Sam at the Cadet Restaurant

Stop number eight on this “Best Roadside Attractions Northwestern PA” road trip is Cowboy Sam, a 30 foot-tall burger-wielding statue outside the Cadet Restaurant in Kittanning.

The 30 foot-tall Cowboy Sam outside the Cadet Restaurant in Kittanning Pennsylvania. — The 30 foot-tall Cowboy Sam outside the Cadet Restaurant in Kittanning.

Cowboy Sam was first installed outside the Cadet Restaurant in 1962

A throwback to the era of “roadside giants”, Cowboy Sam keeps a close watch over Route 422 in Armstrong County.

Cowboy Sam is a familiar roadside attraction along Route 422 in Kittanning.

9. Mars Flying Saucer

The Mars Flying Saucer is a spaceship-themed roadside attraction in the small town of Mars, Pennsylvania, 25 miles north of Pittsburgh.

The Flying Saucer is a tribute to the town's extraterrestrial name. — The Flying Saucer is a tribute to the town’s extraterrestrial name.

The town is believed to me named after the Red Planet, which in turn was named after the Roman god of war.

Mars Pennsylvania is named after the Red Planet, which in turn is named after the Roman god of war. — Mars, Pennsylvania is named after the Red Planet, which in turn is named after the Roman god of war.

The Mars Flying Saucer occupies a prominent spot in a downtown park, next to a ship’s bell from the USS Mars, a Vietnam War-era Navy ship named after the town.

The Mars Flying Saucer occupies a prominent position in a parklet in downtown.

So there you have it – 9 of the best roadside attractions in northwestern Pennsylvania!

Dinosaur outside Doolittle's Dinosaurs animatronic dinosaur exhibit at Doolittle Station in DuBois. — Doolittle’s Dinosaurs in DuBois.

The Kecksburg UFO is a roadside attraction in Westmoreland County, a fiberglass replica of a UFO reported to have crashed nearby in 1965.

The replica of the Kecksburg UFO is a popular photo-op during the Kecksburg UFO Festival in Westmoreland County PA. — The replica of the Kecksburg UFO is a popular photo-op during the Kecksburg UFO Festival.

The Bedford Coffee Pot in Bedford County is a unique 18 foot-tall “roadside giant” built along what was known at the time as the Lincoln Highway, America’s first coast-to-coast highway.

The Haines Shoe House, one of PA’s most recognizable roadside attractions, was constructed as a promotional gimmick by the owner of a shoe store chain, and has at various times been a honeymoon retreat, a museum, and an ice cream parlor.

Spending the night at the Haines Shoe House vacation rental near York Pennsylvania. — The Haines Shoe House in York County.

The abandoned Westinghouse Atom Smasher, an iconic relic from the dawn of the atomic age in the United States, is a roadside attraction in Allegheny County.

Rubble is all that remains of the base of the Westinghouse Atom Smasher in Forest Hills, PA. — The remains of the Westinghouse Atom Smasher in Forest Hills, Allegheny County.

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