King Gambrinus
La Crosse, WI
Photo courtesy Dave Pophal

Downtown, in front of a closed old-style brewery on Highway 35 is Gambrinus, the King of Beer. Much more elaborate than J.J. the King of Beepers out west.

Standing outside the old brewery, King Gambrinus has been raising a toast to travelers for generations. With a golden goblet in one hand and one foot resting on a beer barrel, the colorful "King of Beer" has become one of La Crosse's best-known roadside landmarks.

The statue's story goes back even farther than the brewery itself. Originally created in 1890 for a brewery in New Orleans, Gambrinus made his way to La Crosse in 1939 after the G. Heileman Brewing Company purchased the giant figure. He's been greeting visitors along Highway 35 ever since.

The original concrete statue survived for well over a century before being damaged by vandals in 2015. Rather than retire the old king, an exact fiberglass replica was created using the original as a model. Today, he looks much as he did decades ago, still proudly lifting a glass to everyone passing by.

UPDATE: King Gambrinus continues to stand outside the former Heileman brewery, which now operates as City Brewing Company. Thanks to his restoration, the King of Beer is still ready to welcome visitors to La Crosse. 07-26

Sunny the Giant Sunfish
Onalaska, WI
Photo courtesy Dave Pophal

What a catch! Sunny the Giant Sunfish has been making anglers smile since 1998. Standing 15 feet tall and stretching 25 feet long, this colorful bluegill overlooks Lake Onalaska from a bluff along Highway 35. You don't need a fishing license to land this one.

Onalaska proudly calls itself the "Sunfish Capital of the World," and Sunny was created to celebrate that title. Painted in bright greens, blues, and oranges, the giant fish is impossible to miss and has become one of the area's favorite roadside photo stops.

The statue overlooks Lake Onalaska, making it a fitting place for a fish of this size. There's even a picnic area nearby, so it's an easy place to take a break, enjoy the view, and snap a few pictures before getting back on the road.

UPDATE: Sunny is still watching over Lake Onalaska and welcoming visitors to town. If you're traveling the Great River Road, this oversized catch is well worth reeling in for a photo. 07-26

Sinclair Dino
Wisconsin Dells, WI
Photo courtesy Tony Craig

Sinclair has been known for its dinosaur logo since the 1930s, but this Sinclair Gas Station takes things to another level. Instead of standing beside the gas pumps, this enormous green dinosaur actually bursts out of the front of the building. It's one of those roadside sights that's almost guaranteed to make you look twice. 03-06

Built into the convenience store itself, the giant dinosaur has been welcoming travelers to the Wisconsin Dells area for years. Even after the station switched from Sinclair to Citgo, the dinosaur stayed put. Fortunately, the new owners realized it was far too much fun to get rid of.

The Wisconsin Dells has never been shy about oversized attractions, and this one fits right in. Whether you're stopping for gas or just driving by, it's hard to resist pulling over for a picture with a dinosaur that's bigger than the building.

UPDATE: The giant dinosaur still greets visitors at the former Sinclair station, now operating as a Citgo convenience store. Thankfully, the big green dino survived the name change and is still one of the area's most memorable roadside attractions. 07-26

Chatty Belle
Neillsville, WI
Photo courtesy Tony Craig

Here's one cow that always has something to say. Chatty Belle has been greeting travelers along Highway 10 in Neillsville for years, and if you're willing to drop a quarter in the box at her feet, she'll happily tell you all about Wisconsin's dairy industry. 03-06

Standing 16 feet tall and 20 feet long, Chatty Belle originally made her debut at the 1964-65 New York World's Fair as part of Wisconsin's exhibit. After the fair ended, she was brought back home to Wisconsin instead of being scrapped, eventually finding a permanent home in Neillsville.

The giant Holstein shares the grounds with Wisconsin's former World's Fair Pavilion, making this one of the more unusual roadside stops in the state. Between the futuristic building and a talking cow, there's plenty to keep travelers entertained.

UPDATE: Chatty Belle is still chatting away in Neillsville and remains one of Wisconsin's most memorable roadside attractions. If you've ever wondered what a giant cow has to say, this is the place to find out. 07-26

Gilboa Bull
Gilboa, OH
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Check out this giant Gilboa Bull standing watch over the entrance to town. At 16 feet tall, this oversized Hereford has become such a familiar sight that locals often use him as a landmark when giving directions. "Turn at the bull" is all some people need to hear. 03-07

The bull wasn't built for Gilboa. He originally stood outside a tavern in Toledo before making the trip to northwest Ohio in the mid-1970s. Getting him there wasn't exactly easy, either. His towering height made for an interesting ride, and he even managed to bump into a traffic light along the way.

Since arriving in Gilboa, the giant bull has become one of the town's most recognizable landmarks. Whether you're looking for a photo or just trying to find your way downtown, he's hard to miss.

UPDATE: The Gilboa Bull is still standing along Route 224 and continues to welcome visitors to town. Fortunately, this big roadside landmark is still helping point people in the right direction. 07-26

Water Tower
Circleville, OH
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Here is the pumpkin painted water tower in Circleville, OH. Every autumn for almost 100 years they have held a pumpkin festival here called "The Pumpkin Show" so why not paint the water tower as a gigantic pumpkin, complete with stem? Check out the Circleville Pumpkin Tower as the cars park around it. Many thanks to Richard Weiss for info. 03-07

Circleville has been celebrating pumpkins for well over a century with its famous Pumpkin Show, so painting the town's water tower to match seems like the perfect fit. The bright orange tank has become one of the city's best-known landmarks and is almost as popular to photograph as the festival itself.

The tower even received a fresh look in 2021, when it was repainted and updated with a new leaf, curling vine, and the official Pumpkin Show logo. It's a nice example of a town proudly embracing what makes it unique.

UPDATE: The Pumpkin Water Tower is still serving the city while keeping watch over downtown Circleville. If you're in town during Pumpkin Show or any other time of year—it's hard to miss this oversized pumpkin. 07-26

Sterlena the Cow (Closed)
Wauseon, OH
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

This giant cow wasn't content staying in one place. Sterlena the Cow spent years traveling from one Sterling Milk location to another, making appearances at stores, fairs, and community events throughout northwest Ohio. When this photo was taken, she had stopped outside a Sterling station in Wauseon. 03-07

Standing 14 feet tall, Sterlena was built in the 1970s to help advertise Sterling Milk Company. Mounted on a trailer, she could easily be moved wherever she was needed. It was a clever way to grab attention, and she quickly became one of the company's best-known mascots.

When Sterling closed in 2007, many people worried that the giant cow would disappear as well. Fortunately, local residents stepped in to help save her, proving that she had become much more than just an advertising gimmick.

UPDATE: Sterlena survived the closure of Sterling Milk and now has a permanent home at the Fulton County Fairgrounds in Wauseon. She even got her original horns back during a 2025 restoration, so she's looking more like herself than ever. 07-26

Campbell's Soup
Napoleon, OH
Photo courtesy Richard Weiss

Napoleon is the location for the giant can of Campbell's Tomato Soup. This is where it is made and the entire area smells like, you guessed it, tomato soup. Many thanks to Richard Weiss for info. 06-07

The oversized can isn't just for looks. It's actually a 200,000-gallon water tank that's part of the plant's fire protection system, cleverly disguised as one of Campbell's most famous products. It's a fun example of how even industrial equipment can become a roadside attraction.

Campbell's has been part of Napoleon for decades, producing V8 juice and soup at the local facility. While the giant can sits inside the plant grounds, it's easy enough to enjoy from the road as you pass by.

UPDATE: The giant Campbell's Tomato Soup can is still standing over the Napoleon plant and remains one of Ohio's most unusual roadside sights. Just don't expect to find 2 million cans of soup inside. It only looks that way. 07-26