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I-70 road-trip field guide

Weird Stores Near I-70

20 unusual stores worth leaving I-70 for.

Curated stops
20
States represented
6
Direction
East → West

The interstate idea

Twenty ways to break up a very long drive

This east-to-west I-70 guide follows 20 unusual stores from Maryland to Colorado, beginning with Baltimore salvage and oddities, crossing through hobby tracks, candle and candy landmarks, a historic country store, and a working marble shop, then finishing among Colorado towers, curiosities, art, and hands-on science. It is a long road, and these stops give the route a more memorable rhythm.

Every destination already appears in OddStopsUSA and sits within five straight-line miles of I-70. The guide represents six states, with the largest cluster in Colorado. Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Illinois, and Utah do not currently have an OddStopsUSA entry that fits this guide, so the sequence has a few long gaps. This is a curated road-trip list, not a complete inventory of everything near the interstate.

Mileage on each card is straight-line proximity, not driving distance, ramp distance, detour time, or a promise of simple access. When a useful exit is supported, the card names it; otherwise the access note describes the local approach without forcing a recommendation. Use current navigation, and check construction, opening hours, event schedules, and admission details before committing to a stop.

01 · East to west

Maryland

4 OddStops

At I-70’s eastern end, the route begins with three Baltimore stops and an Ellicott City fantasy shop. The highway stops west of Baltimore, so Bazaar, Housewerks, and Second Chance require a city-street continuation; Forget-Me-Not Factory sits closer to the corridor in historic Ellicott City.

Baltimore · 3 stops

  1. Oddities displays inside Bazaar in Baltimore, Maryland

    Baltimore, MD

    Bazaar

    Bazaar compresses a natural-history cabinet and local art market into a Hampden rowhouse storefront. Taxidermy, articulated skeletons, pinned insects, jewelry, candles, and small-batch artwork share the shelves, with new pieces arriving often enough to change the hunt. Baltimore lies beyond I-70’s eastern terminus, so this is a city detour rather than a quick ramp-side pause.

    View OddStopBrowse Maryland OddStops
    4.681 mistraight-line from I-70

    I-70 ACCESS

    Highway proximity

    Bazaar is in Baltimore’s Hampden neighborhood, east of I-70’s terminus; use current navigation for the city-street approach.

    I-70 Details & SourcesVerified

    Evidence notes

    Federal highway geometry supports the 4.681-mile result. The first-party site confirms the current Hampden shop, while the evidence does not justify naming one preferred exit from I-70.

    Public sources

  2. Exterior of Housewerks Salvage in Baltimore, Maryland

    Baltimore, MD

    Housewerks Salvage

    Housewerks fills an 1885 gasworks valve house and its grounds with architectural and industrial salvage. Doors, ironwork, lighting, signs, stone, hardware, and large mechanical remnants make the building feel like both a showroom and an excavation. The southwest Baltimore setting is east of I-70’s end, so allow for ordinary city traffic after the interstate stops.

    View OddStopBrowse Maryland OddStops
    4.327 mistraight-line from I-70

    I-70 ACCESS

    Highway proximity

    The Bayard Station property is east of I-70’s terminus in southwest Baltimore, with the final approach entirely on local streets.

    I-70 Details & SourcesVerified

    Evidence notes

    The store coordinate is 4.327 straight-line miles from the retained I-70 endpoint. First-party material confirms Bayard Station, but no exact useful I-70 exit was sufficiently supported.

    Public sources

  3. Warehouse interior at Second Chance in Baltimore, Maryland

    Baltimore, MD

    Second Chance

    Second Chance turns a vast former warehouse into a reuse ecosystem for salvaged building materials, furniture, lighting, doors, fixtures, and one-off architectural pieces. The nonprofit also connects deconstruction work with job training, giving every aisle a second story beyond the objects themselves. Like the other Baltimore entries, it requires a local-street continuation beyond I-70’s eastern end.

    View OddStopBrowse Maryland OddStops
    4.599 mistraight-line from I-70

    I-70 ACCESS

    Highway proximity

    The Ridgely Street warehouse lies beyond I-70’s eastern terminus in southwest Baltimore; current routing should guide the local-street continuation.

    I-70 Details & SourcesVerified

    Evidence notes

    The retained endpoint calculation gives 4.599 straight-line miles. The destination site confirms the Baltimore warehouse; an exact preferred I-70 exit is not claimed.

    Public sources

Ellicott City · 1 stop

  1. Storefront of Forget-Me-Not Factory in Ellicott City, Maryland

    Ellicott City, MD

    Forget-Me-Not Factory

    Forget-Me-Not Factory stacks several floors of Ellicott City fantasy into one exuberant shop. Bubbles drift past fairies, Alice in Wonderland figures, toys, miniatures, ornaments, and elaborate seasonal village displays, while narrow rooms keep revealing another themed corner. Holiday displays can reshape the rooms, so the experience changes with the season.

    View OddStopBrowse Maryland OddStops
    2.133 mistraight-line from I-70

    I-70 ACCESS

    Verified highway access

    Verified exit
    Exit 87 — US 29 toward Columbia and Ellicott City

    US 29 leads south from I-70 toward Historic Ellicott City, followed by the local approach to Main Street.

    I-70 Details & SourcesVerified

    Evidence notes

    Federal geometry supports the 2.133-mile figure. Maryland transportation material identifies Exit 87 at US 29, and the first-party contact page confirms the Ellicott City destination.

    Public sources

02 · East to west

Ohio

3 OddStops

Across central and western Ohio, the sequence moves from two Columbus storefronts—indoor RC racing at EN Hobbies and preserved curios at Afterlife—to The Secret Chamber’s macabre Fairborn gallery. Each is close to the corridor, but Columbus traffic can make the short map distance feel longer.

  1. EN Hobbies radio-control racing destination in Columbus, OH

    Columbus, OH

    EN Hobbies

    EN Hobbies gives radio-control racing a full indoor home, pairing a specialized hobby counter with on-road and off-road tracks. The course layouts, pit benches, tuning activity, and race-day energy are the draw even before a visitor considers parts or a new vehicle. Public practice and competition follow the venue calendar, so confirm the day’s program before turning off.

    View OddStopBrowse Ohio OddStops
    0.58 mistraight-line from I-70

    I-70 ACCESS

    Highway proximity

    The East Main Street venue sits just south of I-70 in east Columbus; use current navigation for the final city-street approach.

    I-70 Details & SourcesVerified

    Evidence notes

    The current coordinate is 0.580 straight-line mile from I-70. The first-party site confirms the venue, while available evidence did not support one preferred exit strongly enough to name it.

    Public sources

  2. Interior of Afterlife Oddities & Tattoos in Columbus, Ohio

    Columbus, OH

    Afterlife Oddities & Tattoos

    Afterlife joins a walk-in oddities shop to an appointment-based tattoo studio. Taxidermy, wet specimens, antique books, bones, preserved natural objects, and dark decorative pieces create the browsing side, while tattoo work follows separate booking rules. The storefront is very close to I-70 in Columbus, though the best practical approach can vary with direction and current traffic.

    View OddStopBrowse Ohio OddStops
    0.284 mistraight-line from I-70

    I-70 ACCESS

    Highway proximity

    The Parsons Avenue storefront is close to central Columbus interchanges; use live navigation for the direction-dependent urban approach.

    I-70 Details & SourcesVerified

    Evidence notes

    The retained measurement is 0.284 straight-line mile. First-party evidence confirms the Parsons Avenue destination, but no single urban interchange is presented as the universally useful exit.

    Public sources

  3. Interior of The Secret Chamber in Fairborn, Ohio

    Fairborn, OH

    The Secret Chamber House of Oddities and Artwork

    The Secret Chamber leans into theatrical darkness with macabre art, horror memorabilia, curious objects, and items presented as haunted. A separate dungeon-style room pushes the visit beyond a standard gallery shop, while the rotating inventory keeps details unpredictable. The Fairborn storefront sits south of I-70, with the last few miles running through the local street grid.

    View OddStopBrowse Ohio OddStops
    2.948 mistraight-line from I-70

    I-70 ACCESS

    Highway proximity

    The West Main Street shop sits south of I-70 in Fairborn, reached through the local street grid.

    I-70 Details & SourcesVerified

    Evidence notes

    The retained road point places the store 2.948 straight-line miles from I-70. The first-party site confirms the shop; no exact preferred exit is asserted.

    Public sources

03 · East to west

Indiana

2 OddStops

Just over the Ohio line, two oversized roadside stores arrive in quick succession: Uranus Fudge Factory at Richmond, then Warm Glow’s giant-candle complex at Centerville. Both sit within a quarter-mile straight-line of I-70 and work as highly visible, easy-to-understand breaks.

  1. Uranus Fudge Factory exterior in Richmond with the large Uranus Fudge Factory sign above the entrance

    Richmond, IN

    Uranus Fudge Factory & General Store

    Uranus Fudge Factory turns a relentlessly silly roadside premise into a 15,000-square-foot candy and novelty destination. Fresh fudge anchors the operation, but ice cream, souvenirs, dinosaurs, a biplane, a vortex tunnel, and a shooting gallery stretch the stop well beyond dessert. The attraction advertises its interstate relationship directly, making this one of the corridor’s easiest spectacles to identify.

    View OddStopBrowse Indiana OddStops
    0.195 mistraight-line from I-70

    I-70 ACCESS

    Verified highway access

    Verified exit
    Exit 156B — US 40 / Richmond

    The Richmond attraction sits beside US 40 at the interchange, immediately south of I-70.

    I-70 Details & SourcesVerified

    Evidence notes

    Federal geometry yields 0.195 straight-line mile. INDOT documents the interchange, and the destination specifically directs visitors to Exit 156B at Richmond.

    Public sources

  2. Warm Glow Candle Outlet entrance sign in front of the giant candle sculpture in Centerville

    Centerville, IN

    Warm Glow Candle Outlet

    Warm Glow announces itself with a giant candle, then unfolds into a much larger shopping complex than the roadside icon suggests. Handmade candles lead to home décor, pantry goods, bath products, clothing, gifts, and regional wine and beer. The scale invites a longer wander, while the Centerville interchange keeps the destination exceptionally close to the highway.

    View OddStopBrowse Indiana OddStops
    0.252 mistraight-line from I-70

    I-70 ACCESS

    Verified highway access

    Verified exit
    Exit 145 — Centerville Road

    Centerville Road leads directly to the complex and its landmark giant candle beside I-70.

    I-70 Details & SourcesVerified

    Evidence notes

    The outlet is 0.252 straight-line mile from I-70. INDOT identifies Exit 145 at Centerville Road, and Visit Richmond confirms the current destination.

    Public sources

04 · East to west

Missouri

2 OddStops

West of St. Louis, Crane’s Country Store brings deli sandwiches, workwear, hardware, and family history near Williamsburg. Farther west in Blue Springs, Fastlane Raceway swaps country-store aisles for an indoor RC circuit whose best visiting times follow the racing calendar.

  1. Wide interior of Crane’s Country Store in Williamsburg with pantry foods, general supplies, tools and workwear filling the old-store aisles

    Williamsburg, MO

    Crane’s Country Store

    Crane’s Country Store carries more than a century of family-store history into a still-useful Missouri stop. Groceries, deli sandwiches, workwear, boots, hardware, farm necessities, and outdoor gear coexist in a way that resists modern department boundaries. The building dates to 1926, and the store’s practical inventory keeps the historic atmosphere from becoming a staged museum piece.

    View OddStopBrowse Missouri OddStops
    0.469 mistraight-line from I-70

    I-70 ACCESS

    Verified highway access

    Verified exit
    Exit 161 — Route D / Route YY toward Williamsburg

    Route D and Route YY lead north from the interchange into Williamsburg and the country store.

    I-70 Details & SourcesVerified

    Evidence notes

    The retained calculation is 0.469 straight-line mile. Missouri transportation evidence supports the Route D and YY interchange, while store material confirms the Williamsburg location.

    Public sources

  2. Fastlane Raceway radio-control racing destination in Blue Springs, MO

    Blue Springs, MO

    Fastlane Raceway

    Fastlane Raceway centers an indoor RC track inside a specialist hobby operation, where timing systems, pit work, tuning, and organized competition matter as much as the merchandise. Track configurations and events create a different experience from a conventional model shop. Consult the racing calendar before arriving, since the most interesting activity depends on practice and race schedules.

    View OddStopBrowse Missouri OddStops
    1.598 mistraight-line from I-70

    I-70 ACCESS

    Verified highway access

    Verified exit
    Exit 18 — Woods Chapel Road

    Woods Chapel Road leads south from I-70 into Blue Springs, followed by local streets to the raceway.

    I-70 Details & SourcesVerified

    Evidence notes

    The track measures 1.598 straight-line miles from I-70. MoDOT identifies Woods Chapel Road as Exit 18, and the venue site confirms current racing activity.

    Public sources

05 · East to west

Kansas

1 OddStop

On the Kansas side of the Kansas City area, Bonner Springs supplies a single focused stop. Moon Marble Company combines handmade marbles, classic toys, and scheduled glassworking demonstrations, reached from direction-specific I-70 exits through K-7 and K-32.

  1. Busy Moon Marble Company interior with marble bins, traditional toys and customers browsing

    Bonner Springs, KS

    Moon Marble Company

    Moon Marble Company is part toy store, part glass studio, and part memory machine. Handmade marbles sit beside classic games, puzzles, tin toys, and other playful objects, while scheduled demonstrations reveal how molten glass becomes a finished sphere. The live craft is the defining feature, so check demonstration timing if watching a marble maker is central to the visit.

    View OddStopBrowse Kansas OddStops
    2.589 mistraight-line from I-70

    I-70 ACCESS

    Verified highway access

    Verified exit 1
    Exit 224 — K-7Westbound approach.
    Verified exit 2
    Exit 224A — K-7Eastbound approach.

    Direction-specific exits lead to K-7; the store’s directions continue south on K-7 and west on K-32.

    I-70 Details & SourcesVerified

    Evidence notes

    Federal geometry supports 2.589 straight-line miles. KDOT maps the interchange, and first-party directions distinguish westbound Exit 224 from eastbound Exit 224A.

    Public sources

06 · East to west

Colorado

8 OddStops

The Colorado run begins far out on the plains at Genoa’s restored 1926 tower, then gathers pace through Aurora, Denver, Lakewood, and Golden. The eight stops shift from RC racing and vintage finds to taxidermy, fantasy retail, nature art, and hands-on science.

Genoa · 1 stop

  1. Restored World's Wonder View Tower illuminated at dusk on the eastern Colorado plains

    Genoa, CO

    World's Wonder View Tower

    World’s Wonder View Tower revives a 1926 plains landmark where the view has always been the headline. The restored tower reopened in 2026 with its climb, a small museum, art, surviving curios, and a gift shop, returning a nearly century-old roadside promise to travelers. Weather and operating dates matter at this exposed eastern Colorado stop, so verify access before relying on the climb.

    View OddStopBrowse Colorado OddStops
    0.205 mistraight-line from I-70

    I-70 ACCESS

    Verified highway access

    Verified exit
    Exit 371 — Genoa

    The tower stands immediately beside I-70 on the high plains at Genoa.

    I-70 Details & SourcesVerified

    Evidence notes

    The tower sits 0.205 straight-line mile from the retained I-70 line. CDOT identifies Exit 371, and the current tower site supports its reopened visitor operation.

    Public sources

Aurora · 1 stop

  1. MHOR R/C Raceway radio-control racing destination in Aurora, CO

    Aurora, CO

    MHOR R/C Raceway

    MHOR R/C Raceway has spent decades giving Denver-area drivers a purpose-built indoor place to race. Multiple track surfaces, organized events, pit space, and a supporting hobby counter make the course itself the destination. Practice and race days show the venue at its best, so consult the current schedule before turning off.

    View OddStopBrowse Colorado OddStops
    1.817 mistraight-line from I-70

    I-70 ACCESS

    Verified highway access

    Verified exit
    Exit 283 — Chambers Road

    Chambers Road leads into the Aurora street grid serving the East Colfax Avenue raceway.

    I-70 Details & SourcesVerified

    Evidence notes

    The current coordinate is 1.817 straight-line miles from I-70. CDOT documents Chambers Road as Exit 283, and the raceway contact page confirms the Aurora location.

    Public sources

Denver · 4 stops

  1. Exterior of Scavenged Goods at 3229 East Colfax Avenue with the owner at the entrance

    Denver, CO

    Scavenged Goods

    Scavenged Goods embraces the thrill of inventory with no stable category. Vintage band shirts, vinyl, VHS tapes, comics, toys, taxidermy, storage-unit finds, and a dedicated clown room can all appear under one roof. The mix shifts with every haul, making uncertainty part of the appeal and ensuring that one visitor’s report can never fully predict the next visit.

    View OddStopBrowse Colorado OddStops
    2.747 mistraight-line from I-70

    I-70 ACCESS

    Verified highway access

    Verified exit
    Exit 276B — Colorado Boulevard

    Colorado Boulevard leads south from I-70 toward the East Colfax Avenue storefront.

    I-70 Details & SourcesVerified

    Evidence notes

    The destination measures 2.747 straight-line miles from I-70. CDOT identifies Exit 276B at Colorado Boulevard, and current local coverage confirms the store’s operation and inventory.

    Public sources

  2. Wide street-level view of The Learned Lemur's colorful Colfax storefront and mural

    Denver, CO

    The Learned Lemur

    The Learned Lemur approaches oddities through craft and natural history. Skeletons, teeth, taxidermy, pinned insects, vintage medical pieces, circus material, local artwork, and classes share a carefully arranged shop that encourages close inspection. Classes and locally made work bring a studio character to the collection, with workshop schedules worth checking in advance.

    View OddStopBrowse Colorado OddStops
    2.774 mistraight-line from I-70

    I-70 ACCESS

    Verified highway access

    Verified exit
    Exit 276B — Colorado Boulevard

    Colorado Boulevard leads south from I-70 toward the East Colfax Avenue shop and its surrounding blocks.

    I-70 Details & SourcesVerified

    Evidence notes

    The retained result is 2.774 straight-line miles. CDOT supports the Colorado Boulevard exit relationship, while the shop site confirms the current destination and offerings.

    Public sources

  3. Wide interior of The Wizard's Chest showing its colorful fantasy-themed retail environment

    Denver, CO

    The Wizard's Chest

    The Wizard’s Chest hides a 16,000-square-foot fantasy world behind a castle façade. Magic supplies, costumes, theatrical makeup, toys, games, science kits, juggling gear, and an escape room spread the visit across several kinds of play. The size and elaborate setting distinguish it from an ordinary game shop, and separate activities can keep different schedules from the retail floor.

    View OddStopBrowse Colorado OddStops
    3.889 mistraight-line from I-70

    I-70 ACCESS

    Verified highway access

    Verified exit
    Exit 275A — Washington Street

    Washington Street leads south from I-70 toward Broadway and the castle-fronted store.

    I-70 Details & SourcesVerified

    Evidence notes

    The store falls 3.889 straight-line miles from I-70. CDOT identifies Exit 275A at Washington Street, and the first-party site confirms the Broadway destination.

    Public sources

  4. Exterior of The Terrorium Shop at 4416 Yates Street with its storefront sign visible

    Denver, CO

    The Terrorium Shop

    The Terrorium Shop places living plants beside skulls, bones, mounted insects, wet specimens, crystals, preserved flowers, and handmade art. A separate classroom extends the store into taxidermy, entomology, botany, and related workshops, many of which require advance registration. Its Berkeley location lies close to I-70, but direction changes which nearby interchange makes the cleanest approach.

    View OddStopBrowse Colorado OddStops
    0.474 mistraight-line from I-70

    I-70 ACCESS

    Verified highway access

    Verified exit 1
    Exit 271A — Sheridan BoulevardWestbound off-ramp.
    Verified exit 2
    Exit 270 — Harlan StreetEastbound approach.

    The practical approach varies by direction: Sheridan Boulevard is useful westbound, while Harlan Street serves the eastbound side.

    I-70 Details & SourcesVerified

    Evidence notes

    The shop is 0.474 straight-line mile from I-70. CDOT’s exit inventory supports the direction-dependent Sheridan and Harlan approaches, and the first-party site confirms the destination.

    Public sources

Lakewood · 1 stop

  1. Exterior of Rocky Mountain Punk at its current 305 South Kipling Parkway location in Lakewood

    Lakewood, CO

    Rocky Mountain Punk Nature Art & Oddities

    Rocky Mountain Punk is an artist-run shop where bones, insects, plants, crystals, vintage pieces, vinyl, jewelry, and handmade nature art overlap. The work feels personal because the studio practice is visible in the inventory, rather than separated from it. Lakewood’s street grid adds several turns from I-70, so the straight-line figure should not be mistaken for driving mileage.

    View OddStopBrowse Colorado OddStops
    3.276 mistraight-line from I-70

    I-70 ACCESS

    Verified highway access

    Verified exit
    Exit 267 — Kipling Street

    Kipling Street provides the north–south connection from I-70 into Lakewood’s local street grid.

    I-70 Details & SourcesVerified

    Evidence notes

    The Lakewood store measures 3.276 straight-line miles from I-70. CDOT supports Exit 267 at Kipling, while the first-party shop confirms current identity and inventory.

    Public sources

Golden · 1 stop

  1. Interior of the new downtown Golden Curiosity Shop with natural-history displays and a Van de Graaff demonstration

    Golden, CO

    Golden Curiosity Shop

    Golden Curiosity Shop combines a science store, curiosity cabinet, and compact independent museum. Taxidermy, skulls, fossils, meteorites, insects, minerals, books, and science toys surround live axolotls, a T. rex display, and owner-built demonstrations including a Van de Graaff generator. The downtown shop marks the guide’s western end and merits time beyond a quick purchase.

    View OddStopBrowse Colorado OddStops
    3.016 mistraight-line from I-70

    I-70 ACCESS

    Verified highway access

    Verified exit
    Exit 265 — CO 58 toward Golden

    CO 58 leads from I-70 toward downtown Golden; follow current navigation to Washington Avenue.

    I-70 Details & SourcesVerified

    Evidence notes

    The current downtown coordinate falls 3.016 straight-line miles from I-70. CDOT supports Exit 265 and the CO 58 connection, while the store site confirms its current Golden location.

    Public sources

How We Built This Guide

We checked all 319 published OddStopsUSA stores against the current path of I-70. The 20 stops in this guide are each within five straight-line miles of the interstate. Stores farther away were left out, so the same five-mile rule applies from Maryland to Colorado.

Straight-line mileage gives every stop the same point of comparison, but it is not driving distance, ramp distance, or travel time. Exit and access details were checked separately against transportation-agency, tourism, or destination sources. When a useful exit was supported, it appears on the card; otherwise the card gives the local approach.

Interchanges, construction, local traffic, addresses, schedules, and visitor access can change. Use this guide to plan possibilities, then confirm current navigation and business details before leaving I-70.

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