About The Clown Motel
On Tonopah’s north edge, a roadside motel has turned a childhood circus staple into an all-consuming theme. The Clown Motel’s lobby holds more than 6,500 clown figures, according to Travel Nevada, and even the guest rooms carry clown art. The décor is playful to some visitors and the stuff of nightmares to others.
The location adds one more twist: the historic Old Tonopah Cemetery is directly next door. Stories of hauntings have become part of the motel’s reputation, but the cemetery and the clown collection are strange enough without treating ghost tales as fact.
You do not have to book a room to see the spectacle. Travel Nevada suggests stopping by the lobby and gift shop; overnight guests can choose from the motel’s clown-decorated rooms. If you want to stay, reserve ahead—this is one Nevada oddity that doubles as working lodging.
Travel Nevada’s guide has additional background.