Sometimes the most honest thing you can do is admit that you want to see something weird, or at least different enough to jolt you out of your day. Upstate New York gets this. It’s not just waterfalls and apple orchards; it’s full of giant dogs on rooftops, pancake griddles bigger than your first apartment, and even a church you can only reach by rowboat.
So, if you ever get tired of pretending every weekend is about “being productive,” let me show you the offbeat, iconic, and slightly chaotic side of Upstate; one monument at a time. You might laugh, you might roll your eyes, but you’ll never say it was boring.
1. Painted Pig Rock
There’s something rebellious about a rock that refuses to blend in. Painted Pig Rock, lounging beside Route 30 in Speculator, is a testament to small-town stubbornness; and a pig with more followers than your old high school nemesis.
Back in the 1950s, someone with a paintbrush and a sense of humor gave this boulder its famous snout and pink blush. The locals loved it so much that, decades later, they rallied to save the pig from construction crews who wanted to mow it down.
Every time you drive by, you can’t help but smile and wonder: why a pig? Why not? Sometimes joy is as simple as a roadside oddity you half-expect to oink at you. For generations, this rock has marked the start of summer and the kind of laughter that never apologizes for being silly.
Next time you’re cruising through the Adirondacks, roll down your window and wave. The pig’s still watching.
2. Nipper Dog
Albany’s skyline features an unlikely guardian: a 28-foot terrier named Nipper. He’s perched on top of an old warehouse, ears alert, scanning for the next vinyl enthusiast or lost tourist.
Nipper isn’t just any dog. He started as the RCA Victor mascot, immortalized for listening intently to “his master’s voice;” a literal icon for sound quality. He’s been there since 1958, outlasting most relationships and all cassette tapes.
There’s something comforting about Nipper’s unwavering vigilance. Maybe you’ve felt watched over on a late-night drive, or you’ve needed a reminder that loyalty can be larger than life. Either way, Nipper isn’t leaving anytime soon.
Fun fact: kids have been known to argue over whether Nipper is real. Trust me, you’ll want a selfie with the city’s biggest pup.
3. Gnome Chomsky
If you ever need proof that the Hudson Valley has a sense of humor, look no further than Gnome Chomsky. He’s 13.5 feet tall, charmingly awkward, and unapologetically out of place; like your favorite uncle at a TikTok dance party.
Artist Maria Reidelbach created him in the 1990s, and he’s been lording over the roadside in Kerhonkson ever since. Kids stare, adults take selfies, and everyone secretly wonders if gnomes are real.
Gnome Chomsky isn’t just a punny name (yes, named after the linguist). He’s a statement: whimsy matters. When life feels heavy, it’s okay to pause for a garden gnome the size of your fears. You walk away wondering what other small joys you’re missing by driving too fast.
Rumor has it, he’s the third-largest gnome in the world. Size matters, apparently.
4. World’s Smallest Church
Imagine planning your wedding and inviting only four people; because that’s all the pews you get. The World’s Smallest Church, or Cross Island Chapel in Oneida, sits on a tiny island, accessible only by rowboat.
Constructed in 1989, this 28-square-foot chapel has seen more vows and giggles than most cathedrals. It’s the opposite of grand gestures. Here, every detail feels intimate, every whisper echoes.
Some people say the place is magical, like a secret you get to keep. Others come for the novelty, snap a photo, and paddle back to reality. Either way, it’s proof that sometimes you need to shrink your world to feel something huge.
Before you visit, check the weather and your rowing skills; no pressure, but the altar isn’t going anywhere.
5. “Scary Lucy” Statue
The first time you see “Scary Lucy,” you might think you’ve stumbled into a funhouse nightmare. That’s the point. Lucille Ball’s hometown of Celoron unveiled this statue in 2009, but it wasn’t until 2015 that the outrage went viral and the world met “Scary Lucy.”
People gasped, kids laughed, and memes practically wrote themselves. Some called it a travesty, others called it art, but no one could look away. Eventually, the town installed a new (friendlier) Lucy, but the original still stands; because infamy is its own kind of fame.
“Scary Lucy” reminds us how risky it is to mess with icons. She’s unsettling, memorable, and oddly relatable. Who among us hasn’t tried to live up to impossible expectations, only to miss by a mile? Her grin says, “I tried.” And, honestly, same.
6. World’s Largest Pancake Griddle
On Main Street in Penn Yan, you’ll find a pancake griddle so big you might briefly consider moving in. The World’s Largest Pancake Griddle hangs from the Birkett Mills building, a monument to carbs and small-town bragging rights.
They used it just once in 1987, flipping a pancake roughly the size of your first apartment. People came from miles away to witness the spectacle, and the griddle’s legend only grew over time.
These days, it’s a selfie magnet and a reminder that, yes, breakfast can be historic. If you’re the type to measure life in brunches, this is your mecca. Sometimes the best traditions are one-offs that stick around forever.
The next time you crave pancakes, remember: you have options, but only one is record-breaking.
7. Shark Girl
You haven’t lived until you’ve posed with Shark Girl at Buffalo’s Canalside. Half girl, half shark, all attitude; she’s the art installation that dares you to get weird and maybe reconsider your high school yearbook photo.
Created by Casey Riordan Millard, Shark Girl appeared in 2013 and instantly became a beloved oddball. Kids climb on her lap, adults try to match her deadpan expression, and everyone debates what she’s really thinking.
Maybe she’s about transformation. Maybe she’s about not fitting in. Or maybe she’s just a fun place to sit and watch the world float by. No matter what, you’ll leave with a photo and a story that makes even the most jaded friend ask, “Wait, where is that?!”
8. Balanced Rock
Balanced Rock in North Salem is one of those things that shouldn’t exist, but does. A 60-ton granite boulder sits perched on tiny stones, like a stubborn toddler refusing to nap.
Geologists argue over how it got there: glacier, prank, aliens? No one knows for sure. What’s certain is that the rock has inspired more whispered bets and existential questions than any textbook ever could.
Standing under Balanced Rock, you feel equal parts awe and anxiety. If the universe can keep this thing upright for thousands of years, maybe your to-do list isn’t so daunting after all.
It’s a quiet reminder that sometimes, things balance out in ways you never see coming.
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