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Unusual Travel Destinations for Adventurous Travelers

So, you want to break out of the ordinary and visit some unusual travel destinations but don't know where to start. While there are a host of unusual destinations you could visit, here are eight unusual travel spots that will get you off of the beaten path and into less-than-touristy territory.

Unusual Travel Spots in the U.S.
Here are four unusual destinations for people traveling in the U.S.:

Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum
Andrea Ludden's love for salt and pepper shakers sparked her desire to create a salt and pepper shaker museum in Gatlinburg, Tenn. Ludden's collection includes more than 17,000 salt and pepper shakers, which she has collected over 22 years. She has big, cute, small and quirky shakers made out of the following materials:

• glass
• plastic
• wood.

These shakers come from all over the world.

The museum offers a gift shop for visitors who either want to start their own salt and pepper collection or who have one to which they want to add.

Ludden doesn't charge admission to her museum, but she does accept donations.

Nitt Witt Ridge
Art Beal was an unusual builder. He constructed a home in Cambria, Calif., from a variety of materials, including:

• abalone shells
• broken down cars
• glass bottles
• old tires
• scrap metal.

The result was a combination of terraced gardens, stone arches and walkways covering a two-and-a-half-acre hillside.

Beal built his home over a 51-year period and vacated it in 1989. However, Michael and Stacy O'Malley restored the home in the late 1990s. Today, Nitt Witt Ridge is a California state historical landmark.

Nevada's Extraterrestrial Highway
People fascinated by the idea of UFOs might want to travel Nevada State Route 375, which has been dubbed the Extraterrestrial Highway.

People have seen strange things in the sky along Route 375. Back in the 1950s, mushroom clouds from aboveground nuclear tests appeared, and people have seen weird-shaped aircraft speeding across the highway and then disappearing over the hills. Unlike some people, who believe the area is spooky, others simply see it as a place where the military secretly produces new aircraft.

Rachel, Nev., home to approximately 100 people, is the only town off of the Extraterrestrial Highway. Here, you will find the following:

• a bar
• a café
• a motel
• a UFO information center.

You can look at flying object pictures on the walls of the UFO information center or examine a 150-volume library on UFOs. You might also wish to check out all the UFO souvenirs.

Tiny Trailer of Tragedy
If you are an Elvis Presley fan, then you should visit the Tiny Trailer of Tragedy at the city museum in St. Louis, Mo.

According to reports, this 1967 Aristocrat Land Cruiser was given to Elvis and Priscilla from colonel Tim Parker as a wedding gift. This trailer was supposed to serve as an escape for the celebrities. Priscilla decorated the trailer with incense, beaded curtains and black-light posters, which Elvis apparently didn't appreciate.

Maria Atchison now tells fortunes in the trailer. It also houses Elvis memorabilia and period bric-a-brac.

Unusual Destinations Around the World
Here are some unusual travel destinations located around the globe:

Iceland
Don't let the name fool you: While you can experience a winter wonderland in Iceland, you can also enjoy a green summer. While in Iceland, try river rafting or view a glacier on a snow scooter. How about visiting the Gullfoss Waterfall or Geyser Springs?

Let your mind and muscles unwind in the Blue Lagoon waters or go into the mountains at night to catch the winter sky, complete with the beautiful Northern Lights.

India
India provides a wealth of diversity. In the winter, you may want to sample cultural feasts of music and dance. In good weather, check out romantic cities complete with medieval forts and palaces. Enjoy beaches and wildlife sanctuaries featuring great flora and fauna. Eat great Indian food and buy some:

• carpets
• jewelry
• paintings
• silks.

Budapest
Budapest, Hungry, features not only great monuments of its 100-year history but also relics from the Roman and Turkish settlers. While in Budapest, you can roam many museums, churches and historical buildings.

Consider sampling one of Budapest's spas or pools, many of which are supported by natural springs. You can also watch people at one of the city's many restaurants, which serve both Hungarian and international food.

Antarctica
Just mention the word "Antarctica," and many people will shiver. However, Antarctica is full of adventure, and tourism is a growing industry on the continent. To enjoy Antarctica, you can:

• fly to a blue ice airfield and climb a mountain
• ski to the South Pole
• skydive
• take a cruise.

Many tourists also enjoy the scenery of the Antarctic Peninsula and its offshore islands.