Everyone harbors fears, whether it’s spiders, flying, or anatidaephobia (the fear that a duck is observing you).
Confronting a phobia directly can help individuals alleviate the anxiety associated with it, as some discover.
If clowns give you the creeps, you’re not alone. A study by psychologists revealed that 53.5% of 987 adults surveyed had some level of fear of clowns, with extreme cases leading to coulrophobia, causing anxiety and panic attacks even at the mere mention of clowns.
It’s safe to assume that most individuals worldwide, whether coulrophobic or not, would opt to avoid The Clown Motel. Nevertheless, for a niche group of clown enthusiasts, horror movie aficionados, and those intrigued by haunted and eccentric places, it’s a dream destination.
The Clown Motel is unmistakable along the desert road in Tonopah, Nevada. With a prominent sign featuring a grinning cartoon and a building adorned with multicolored polka dots, the exterior is adorned with clown cartoons ranging from cheerful and child-friendly to outright eerie, reminiscent of the character from IT that triggers many clown phobias.
The clown theme pervades the interior as well. Upon entering, visitors encounter shelves filled with colorful clown dolls sporting fixed grins and various kitschy clown paintings. For the brave souls who remain unfazed, a visit to the lobby’s clown museum showcases items from around the globe, with a gift shop available for those keen on replicating the décor at home. As one reviewer expressed: “This place is clean, but it’s still kooky and strange.”
The motel boasts rooms with diverse themes, some featuring standard decor with subtle clown accents, while others offer a vibrant, at times terrifying, nocturnal ambiance. Room themes range from movie-inspired ones like Friday the 13th and Halloween to the Fear Unlimited room, complete with eerie clown murals and bedsheets mimicking fake blood stains.
Reports of haunting experiences at the motel abound, with numerous guests sharing peculiar encounters. One recounted: “At 3am, we heard loud scratching noises and what seemed like a child crying.” Another mentioned: “Around 4am, we heard strange sounds like ticking, scratching, and muffled voices.”
Adjacent to the hotel lies an even spookier location—the Old Tonopah Cemetery, established in 1901 and serving as the final resting place for various Old West personalities. Local lore suggests that the site is haunted by victims of a mine fire, with some claiming to have glimpsed the ghost of a young girl.
Tonopah, about a three-hour drive from Las Vegas, serves as an ideal stop on a desert road trip. Visitors can explore the Tonopah Historic Mining Park to delve into the town’s rich silver mining heritage or visit the Central Nevada Museum for insights into everyday life in the Old West.