7 Quirkiest Towns In The Southern United States To Visit In 2026

Quirky small towns across the Southern United States are home to such oddities as giant frogs, wild white squirrels, haunted hotels, and even a 40-foot catfish. Early sightings of the mythical Mothman bring believers to Point Pleasant year after year. Mysterious, multicolored glowing orbs appear above the horizon in Marfa. A bench in Cassadaga is said to summon an unwanted visitor at the stroke of midnight. These might sound like something out of a sci-fi movie, but make no mistake: they are real towns with genuine character and a great sense of humor.

Rayne, Louisiana

In 1970, two bullfrogs from Rayne made one small step for frogs and one giant leap for frogkind when NASA launched them into space. Consequently, Rayne bills itself as the frog capital of the world. Dozens of frog statues are scattered across town, including Monsieur Jacques, a giant metal frog tipping its hat to visitors at the entrance of town. Two dozen frog murals are painted on the sides of buildings. The town celebrates its frog heritage annually on the second weekend in May with the Rayne Frog Festival, which holds frog racing and jumping competitions, frog cook-offs, and a parade. Outside of festival times, visitors can taste frog legs and other local delicacies year-round at Chef Roy's Frog City Café, while Candyland Cottage and Ice Cream Shoppe sells what it bills as the world's largest gummy bears.

Eureka Springs, Arkansas

Eureka Springs was named after the many local mineral springs discovered and believed to have powerful healing properties. Basin Spring Park, in downtown Eureka Springs, was even built atop the natural spring that founded the town. But not all the springs are quite so wholesome. The 1886 Crescent Hotel and Spa is billed as the most haunted hotel in America, and its nightly ghost tours trace the building's history and end in its former morgue. In the hills high above town, the Christ of the Ozarks statue stands about 65 feet tall, overlooking the town and offering panoramic views of the surrounding Ozark Mountains. In the woods west of town, Thorncrown Chapel is composed of timber and glass, helping it blend into the surrounding trees. It is free to enter and open daily from March through December.

Brevard, North Carolina

Some of Brevard's inhabitants have been known to turn heads. No, they are not circus performers like Gibsonton. They are a very large population of wild white squirrels. They are distinguished from albinos by their dark eyes and occasional gray streaks in their fur. They are so beloved that they are protected within the town and have even been adopted as the town's mascot. Like all wild animals, they roam freely, but are often seen at Silvermont Mansion and Park, where signs and cutouts of white squirrels can be found throughout the grounds. Each year on Memorial Day weekend, Brevard holds the three-day-long White Squirrel Festival to celebrate its unique residents through squirrel-themed events, like a music festival, photo contest, and derby. Many local establishments have even endorsed the town's mascots, such as the White Squirrel Arcade, an entertainment center featuring both retro and modern arcade games.

Point Pleasant, West Virginia

It is a large, winged, humanoid creature. It has huge glowing red eyes. Relax, it is just the Mothman Statue in Point Pleasant, a stainless-steel sculpture. It stands about 12 feet tall, though reported sightings estimated the creature to be only six or seven feet tall. The Mothman Museum houses the world's largest collection of Mothman souvenirs and memorabilia, including press clippings and other documents. Every year on the third weekend in September, the Mothman Festival lures thousands of believers and curious visitors to the streets of Point Pleasant to listen to guest speakers, get their picture taken with the Mothman Statue, and tour the location of the first reported sighting. The TNT Area, a former World War II munitions complex, can be visited while hearing stories and sightings of the infamous Mothman.

Cassadaga, Florida

The Devil's Chair, a brick bench in the Lake Helen-Cassadaga Cemetery, is said to summon the Devil himself for anyone who sits on it at the stroke of midnight. Some people may scoff at such a story, but not the mediums, healers, and spiritualists who made Cassadaga the Psychic Capital of the World. The Spiritualist Camp's bookstore and welcome center hold one of the largest collections of books on spiritualism in the area, as well as other occult objects, such as divination cards, crystals, and stones. Around each corner of the Fairy Trail in Horseshoe Park, visitors will walk into a wonderland filled with fairy houses crafted by local artists, miniature gardens, and sculptures. And of course, there is a haunted building in Cassadaga. Hotel Cassadaga offers guests Tarot readings, Reiki sessions, and palm readings.

Belzoni, Mississippi

Belzoni's history is deeply ingrained in catfish, earning it the title of Catfish Capital of the World. Several fiberglass catfish sculptures are scattered across town. This includes King Cat, a 40-foot catfish sculpture positioned in a man-made pond. It is fitted with pipes that pump water from the pond out of the catfish's skin, creating a mist effect. The Catfish Museum and Visitors Center features ceramic, metal, and wood carvings of catfish, educational videos on catfish farming, and even hatching tanks for visitors to view live catfish. The World Catfish Festival takes place each April and hosts over 100 arts and crafts vendors. Of course, Belzoni would not be the catfish capital of the world without places to eat catfish, and its downtown kitchens serve it fried in a cornmeal crust.

Marfa, Texas

An unexplained phenomenon occurs in the sky above the desert of West Texas. They attract as many people as they have possible explanations. Static electricity, flying saucers, and Apache folklore have all been offered. No one knows. The Marfa Lights appear as multicolored glowing orbs that appear randomly along the horizon in Marfa, with a viewing area east of town. Prada Marfa sits about 26 miles northwest of town, near Valentine, along US 90. The permanent sculpture installation looks like a luxury boutique store, but it never opens. The Wrong Store is housed inside a former church that now operates as an art gallery and shop selling handcrafted work by independent artists. By its own admission, Planet Marfa is a quirky little outdoor bar, where patrons can enjoy a beverage inside a vintage school bus.

Keeping it Quirky in the South

The quirks in these towns are far from gimmicks meant to lure visitors. They are how each town celebrates its uniqueness and preserves the heritage that shaped it. Cassadaga isn't just one spiritual attraction; the whole town embodies spiritualism. Rayne doesn't just have a couple of frog statues and a mural downtown, but the town's history is rooted in exporting frogs to countries like France. Point Pleasant, with its Mothman, does not hide what makes it stick out. These towns embrace their peculiarities, and they invite curious visitors to do the same.