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All the United States Florida Islamorada Betsy the Lobster

Betsy the Lobster

This spiny beast guards an artist's village while vying for the title of largest lobster in the world.

Islamorada, Florida

Added By
Eric Grundhauser
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CAPTION
Betsy the Lobster   Matt Kiefer on Flickr
Betsy the Lobster   delascabezas on Flickr
Betsy the Lobster   delascabezas on Flickr
Betsy’s figure   mosherhmh / Atlas Obscura User
Betsy’s face   mosherhmh / Atlas Obscura User
  jlord7 / Atlas Obscura User
  wisemand / Atlas Obscura User
  wisemand / Atlas Obscura User
  calvinsehrt / Atlas Obscura User
Posing in front of Betsy is our Thing… creepier still is the red shack selling amazing lobster rolls, about 100 yards away from Betsy’s butt.   kellykarsnerclarke / Atlas Obscura User
  Runawaydc / Atlas Obscura User
Betsy the Lobster looms over the parking lot.   Linda Seid Frembes
  Runawaydc / Atlas Obscura User
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Because nothing is too terrifying to create a giant novelty version of, the Rain Barrel artist's village in Islamorada, Florida is home to "Betsy," a massive roadside lobster statue the is a serious contender for the title of the world's largest lobster.

Modeled in eerily life-like detail, Betsy is a huge spiny lobster that was originally created in the 1980s to celebrate the species which is native to the Florida Keys. Unlike many of its brethren, spiny lobster do not have claws, but as Betsy shows in massive detail, they don't need them to be alien and frightening. The lobsters' carapace is covered in sharp spikes and it features a handful of long antennae which are probably not used as whips... but could be.

Betsy's original home was in the south Florida Keys in front of a different shopping center where she became a popular photo destination rivaled only by the tip soft the Keys themselves. In 2009, the old shopping center wall was converted to a Montessori school and so the monster crustacean was moved to a new location in front of the Rain Barrel Artisans' Village in Islamorada.

At around 40 feet long and nearly 30 feet tall, Betsy is not just a living nightmare, but may also be the largest lobster in the world despite some vocal opposition from a fiberglass creature in Canada.       

Related Tags

Animals World's Largest Roadside Attractions

Community Contributors

Added By

EricGrundhauser

Edited By

Martin, Blindcolour, victoriaccon, mosherhmh...

  • Martin
  • Blindcolour
  • victoriaccon
  • mosherhmh
  • PitbullMama
  • kellykarsnerclarke
  • calvinsehrt
  • wisemand
  • jlord7
  • pamelawiltfong
  • Runawaydc
  • Zadigmathafack

Published

March 26, 2015

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Sources
  • http://www.examiner.com/article/betsy-the-lobster-spawns-more-great-art-the-keys
  • http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/251
  • http://www.fla-keys.com/news/news.cfm?sid=7383
  • http://www.floridarambler.com/florida-getaways/florida-keys-roadtrip-mile-marker-guide/attachment/lobster-in-keys/
Betsy the Lobster
86700 Overseas Highway
Islamorada, Florida
United States
24.959352, -80.571269
Get Directions

Nearby Places

History of Diving Museum

Islamorada, Florida

miles away

Florida Keys Memorial

Islamorada, Florida

miles away

Aquarius Reef Base

United States

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Islamorada

Islamorada

Florida

Places 4

Nearby Places

History of Diving Museum

Islamorada, Florida

miles away

Florida Keys Memorial

Islamorada, Florida

miles away

Aquarius Reef Base

United States

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Islamorada

Islamorada

Florida

Places 4

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8 Roadside Attractions Vying to Be the World's Biggest

list

By Eric Grundhauser

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