Finding These 21 Most Bizarre Bathrooms Should Be On Any Traveler's Bucket List

Tourists travel for many reasons. For instance, to interact with people from other cultures, relish natural scenery, or follow their favorite bands. Then there is that subgroup of people who will go out of their way to find the world's craziest bathrooms. A surprising number of these bathrooms are well-known art installations, and they are displayed in cities where they receive heavy traffic. Others are more off-the-beaten-path, tucked away in small villages or the depths of nature. Apps like Flush Toilet Finder help travelers find and rate the nearest bathrooms, but it requires extra research to locate eccentric gems. That's why we have put together this list of the most bizarre bathrooms that should be on any traveler's bucket list.

In addition to polishing up on your toilet humor, make sure to research cultural and logistical norms before traveling abroad, including the unexpected toilet info you need to know before visiting Europe. Many of the bathrooms on this list are located in the United States, and a handful of them are so famous that they have earned the America's Best Restroom award sponsored by Cintas. However, several of the most intriguing ones will require you to board an international flight. Make it a point to learn how to ask for directions to the bathroom and familiarize yourself with the unique ways certain toilets flush. After all, the last thing you want while on vacation is to be caught with your pants down.

Imagine using the restroom while watching pedestrians walk a few feet in front of you. As you turn around to flush the toilet, you see a car pull into a parking spot a couple of yards away, the driver completely oblivious to your presence. Finally, as you exit the toilet, you give a bashful grin to the folks nearby playing a game of giant chess. This brave concept is by Sulphur Springs, Texas, a town a little over an hour's drive from Dallas. It is made possible by one-way glass that allows toilet users to see outside, but those on the other side merely view their reflections.

Jungle Jim's International Market, located in Fairfield, Ohio, is the place to be if you are on the hunt for a wide selection of wines, beers, seafood, hot sauces, produce, cheeses, and pretty much anything else imaginable in the world of food. However, the megastore is also home to fabulous bathroom facilities, which won the America's Best Restroom award in 2007. 

Upon first glance, an unknowing customer might hesitate to enter the portable toilets. They would likely wonder why a sign on the door says, "No carts, please." Take a peek inside, and you'll find that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover or a bathroom by its door. The portable toilets are just façades for much larger, fully functioning bathrooms, which can be accessed via hidden hallways.

While roaming the streets of the 8th arrondissement in Paris, don't just look up; look down, too. An unpretentious yet exquisite bathroom can be found just beside the Church of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine. And because of a historic respect for religion, it is underground. Fans of Art Nouveau, a decorative and architectural style that peaked in popularity between 1890 and 1910, will be mesmerized by the tiles, stained glass, and leaf motifs that adorn this bathroom facility originally built in 1905. Lavatory Madeleine is open daily from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m., so make sure to time your water intake accordingly.

While we don't necessarily recommend using the restroom at a subway station in New York City, we think the subway-themed restroom at Two Cities Pizza in Cincinnati, Ohio, is worth a visit. While the entire restaurant pays homage to the two major American pizza cities (Chicago and New York City), the bathroom is particularly outstanding. Designed to look like a train car resting on a platform, you'll hear stops being called out over the speakers as you do your business. Tastefully constructed and not at all kitschy, this bathroom won the America's Best Restroom award in 2021.

Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto is known for emphasizing how structures can complement the natural environment. One of the best examples is "Toilet in Nature," an art installation located at Itabu Station, Chiba Prefecture, which debuted in 2012. Even if you don't have a first-class seat on your train journey here from Tokyo, your curiosity will be rewarded with a first-class seat in this glass-walled toilet for women. 

It is surrounded by a garden that is particularly serene during the springtime when the cherry trees blossom. While this cubicle is not constructed with one-way glass like other toilets on this list, there is a curtain for added privacy, and a cedar fence encircles the entire area.

"The Tokyo Toilet" is another project created by Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto. It is located in Nishisando, a shopping street in Tokyo. It is a reminder that everyone must wash their hands, as using the restroom requires stepping into a structure shaped like a giant washbasin. The faucets are at various heights to accommodate people of all sizes. The bathroom is wheelchair accessible and complete with an ostomy facility and a baby care room. There is even a baby chair, a common feature in Japanese bathrooms that allows parents to set down their babies when using the loo.

If the name of this bathroom and art installation sounds familiar, it is probably because you once learned the word "Canistrum" in Latin class. Translating to "wicker basket," the Canistrum Toilets of Kenilworth, Australia, are well worth a side trip if you are visiting the Sunshine Coast. The structure incorporates elements of Aboriginal basket weaving, and its intentionally unfinished top will leave you with something to ponder as you use the restroom. Of course, at 13 feet high, you will also be well situated to admire the surrounding scenery of Isaac Moore Park.

Located atop Seoul's Namsan Mountain, N Seoul Tower is a popular destination for sightseers to lap up panoramic views of the city while dining on gourmet food and maybe even getting a bit of retail therapy. Aside from the observation deck and restaurants, there is another way to enjoy the spectacular views: The famous Sky Restroom. 

Located one level underneath the observation deck, this bathroom gives users a bird's eye view of Seoul that is particularly stunning at night. Although there is no fee for using the toilets, visitors should note the tower has an entrance fee.

There is nothing quite like a zoo reminding us we are all animals at the end of the day. This realization will be driven home when you step foot in one of the restrooms at the Nashville Zoo in Tennessee. The men's and women's restrooms won Cintas' America's Best Restroom contest in 2019. If you identify as female, head to the section of the park with the Andean bear exhibit; the women's restroom there offers a view of cotton-top tamarins. If you identify as male, go to the Entry Village; the men's restroom has a prime view of a Boelen's python over the urinals.

First introduced in December 2003, "Don't Miss a Sec" is a public toilet and an art installation. The sink and toilet inside the cubicle was destined for a prison. But Monica Bonvicini, the Italian artist behind the masterpiece, purchased them so pedestrians and sightseers could enjoy people-watching in London instead. 

That's right: The cubicle is constructed of one-way glass that allows toilet users to see out but nobody else to see in. Most recently, "Don't Miss a Sec" was on display at Museo MAXXI in Rome. That exhibition ended in November 2024, so keep your eyes out for its next appearance.

OdySea Aquarium is located in Scottsdale, a city within Arizona's Phoenix Metropolitan Area. Billed as the American Southwest's largest aquarium, it is a fun and informative stop to add to vacation itineraries heading to places like Sedona and Lake Havasu. Indeed, you might want to stop by just for the bathrooms; a few of them are so novel that they won "America's Best Restroom" in 2017. Just don't blame us for any nightmares you might have from watching lemon sharks swim past as you wash your hands. There's nothing to fear; they are separated from the basins by a thick layer of acrylic window.

With a name like "Madonna Inn," you can reasonably expect extravagant facilities, and that's what you get at this hotel located between Los Angeles and San Francisco. The bathrooms are decorated to the nines in warm hues, cushy red leather, glistening clamshell sinks, and holographic fuchsia wallpaper. However, the main attraction can be found in the men's restroom, where a motion-activated rock waterfall serves as the urinal. In addition to the bathrooms, take advantage of the hotel's spa, delightful bakery, and shopping opportunities.

The Matakana Toilets can be found on New Zealand's North Island, not far from Auckland. This art installation debuted in 2009 and has since been captivating visitors with its tranquil atmosphere. The front entrance consists of two gracefully carved stone statues facing one another, between which a gap invites visitors to step into a courtyard. Behind the faces are two boat hulls pointing vertically into the air, where the toilets are located. This installation is a nod to the area's boat-building culture, which is famous for its use of kauri trees from the Mahurangi River.

Who needs Cincinnati nightlife when you can have your own private show in rural Kentucky? If you find yourself driving through the town of Verona and the urge hits you to dance at a discothèque, there is no need to wait until the sun goes down to have a ball. Just make your way to the local HOP Shops bathroom, where the press of a big red button will set the mood. Get ready for a special lights display, fantastic music, and a spinning disco ball that will inspire you to show off your best moves.

The eccentric and otherworldly Pods are located inside Sketch, a concept-based art gallery, event space, and dining establishment in Mayfair, London. You can count on the fact that your toilet will be enclosed in an egg-shaped pod. However, the artwork surrounding the pods changes, warranting a return trip each time you are in the neighborhood. In addition to the funky toilets, plenty of other elements will draw you back to Sketch, including the music, world-class cuisine, afternoon tea, and innovative cocktails.

Knock out two birds with one stone by visiting UFO Restaurant in Bratislava, Slovakia. Not only will you get a great meal, but you might also enjoy views of the capital city from the men's urinals. Even if you are not a man, you can still sip on a cocktail from the UFO Bar as you try to pick out attractions like St. Martin's Cathedral and Bratislava Castle from the landscape below. If you are up for an adventure, you can even strap into a harness and circumnavigate the tower from the outside, but don't worry, nobody has ever reported being spied on while using the loo.

Minturn, Colorado, was once a booming railroad town. Incorporated in 1904, it supported the mining industry that was so vibrant at the turn of the 20th century. Today, Minturn is more popular among tourists for its farmers' market and bike park, but the town's heritage has been preserved through lovely attractions like these stunning public restrooms. Sculpted to portray an adit or the entrance to a mine, they won Cintas' America's Best Restroom award in 2015 for their clean, symbolic, and novel allure.

As most winter sports enthusiasts can attest, clomping one's way into the bathroom in heavy, cumbersome boots while shedding layers in an overly heated building is one of the least attractive aspects of a day spent on the mountain. The Madarao ski jump toilets in Restaurant Heidi make that better by distracting you with a pair of skis printed on the floor. When paired with the cubicle's panoramic imagery of a mountain slope, you can align your feet with the skis for the perfect picture you never knew you needed. 

Japanese toilets are one-of-a-kind and come with many comfort-enhancing features. Just make sure to exercise caution before pressing those buttons on the side handle. Not reading what they mean beforehand could result in an embarrassing bathroom mistake.

Have you ever been in a vibrant conversation with friends and felt the urgent and irresistible need to use the loo? At the Shoji Tabuchi Theatre in Branson, Missouri, you can simply invite them into the restrooms, where the conversation is sure to become much more interesting. After quickly doing your business, you can rejoin your friends in a game of billiards (if you are a man) or in a conversation beside the perfume cart (if you are a woman). Each restroom spans about 1,800 square feet and features a fireplace as well as several historic artifacts. It is easy to see why these bathrooms won the America's Best Restroom award in 2009.

The Longwood Gardens may have been named after a historic Quaker meeting house, but they also feature a very long wall of restrooms. These restrooms are located on one of the largest indoor green walls in North America. Artist Kim Wilkie brainstormed with Longwood Gardens staff to come up with the concept, which includes naturally lit stalls that are also energy-efficient. Their aesthetic won them the America's Best Bathroom award in 2014. Spend half a day at Longwood Gardens, where you can take a class, watch a performance, and appreciate indigenous and exotic plants. It is the perfect stop for nature enthusiasts on an East Coast road trip.

Friedensreich Hundertwasser was an Austrian architect famous for designing the Hundertwasserhaus in Vienna and the Hundertwasserschule in Wittenberg, an underrated university town that can be visited on a day trip from Berlin. However, he also finished projects outside Europe, including two in New Zealand. The Hundertwasser Toilets of Kawakawa offer excellent insight into his artistic style. They feature bold motifs, spirals, and colorful tiles that tie one back to the sensory appeal of nature. Indeed, Hundertwasser was a passionate environmentalist, and ecology is intricately intertwined with his work. Softly lit by stained glass, this restroom will provide you with the peace and quiet you need to do your business.