Checking in at the Creepiest Motel in America – The Clown Motel
If you’ve ever wondered what nightmares are made of, let me introduce you to a little gem in Tonopah, Nevada: The Clown Motel. Yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like—a motel filled to the brim with clowns. Hundreds of them. Everywhere you turn, they’re watching you with their painted smiles and glassy eyes.
The motel first opened in 1985, when siblings Leona and Leroy David built the motel next to the Tonopah Cemetery to honor their father, Clarence David, and to display his clown collection. The motel was adorned with hundreds of clown figurines and paintingss and has since gained a reputation as “America’s Scariest Motel.” With good reason. The lobby is basically a clown museum—walls lined with clown paintings, glass cases full of porcelain clowns, giant clown mannequins just waiting to make you scream a little. If you’re afraid of clowns, this is either your worst nightmare…or the perfect place to face your fears.
But it gets creepier. Right next door is Tonopah’s old pioneer cemetery, where miners, residents, and even plague victims were laid to rest in the early 1900s. So, if the clowns don’t spook you, the thought of sleeping a few feet away from a haunted graveyard might. Guests often report strange noises, footsteps in the night, and the occasional clown doll mysteriously “moving” from one place to another.
We travel to and from Las Vegas to Washington state, we have done this more times than we can count on all three of our hands. It is one of our favorite parts of the long pretty boring stretch of the desert lined Highway. B has been enamored with it from the first time we drove past, he was only around 2 the first time he waved and pointed wanting to stop, the obsession has only grown.
We have only done the views of the rooms and walked around the parking lot and office, also walking around the graveyard. But next summer B and I will be staying one night! Here are the rooms we were allowed to peak at. We met Bob at the time, and he was a wealth of information having had lived on the Hotel grounds, having generations of family history, his grandparents were one of the first settlers of this once booming mining town. The history of Tonopah is rich and celebrated, but the towns people till this day, the love and dedication all of the residents carry with them, to live in a place that is a step back in time in the old wild west, with the buildings crumbling around it selves in some parts the restoration projects in others, it is a real treat to have met Bob and have him be so kind to B, and all his questions, he is just an added gem to this town and helps I am sure keep people wanting more. 
Even more than just a dare to stay, most people don’t realize that this hotel is both budget-friendly and unforgettable! The Clown Motel in Tonopah is one of the best-priced options in town, offering simple, cozy rooms that come stocked with all the essentials—microwave, refrigerator, Wi-Fi, and cable TV. The real charm, though, is in the details. Inside each room, the clown theme is dialed down to just two quirky portraits, a nod to the motel’s spooky reputation. Not a fan of clowns? No worries—the manager will happily whisk them away so you can sleep a little easier. And here’s the best part: a stay here comes with built-in bragging rights. After all, how many people can say they’ve spent the night at America’s creepiest motel?
When we stay we are hoping for Room 214, where Howard Hughes, the eccentric Texas billionaire of the 1970s, had a close associate named Melvin Dummar. Legend has it that Dummar checked into this very room for an overnight stay… and didn’t leave for nearly three years. The story goes that a spirit took a particular liking to the unsuspecting Mr. Dummar, and to this day, still lingers in Room 214 hoping for his return. Guests say that when the spirit realizes its old friend is gone, it becomes restless—taunting visitors by flickering lights on and off through the night. Many have reported their belongings mysteriously disappearing or being found in strange places, as though the ghost enjoys playing tricks on anyone who dares to stay here.
Of course, B loves to watch Ghost adventures, so this made his interest more peaked when we watched his and in June when we drove through again, he was told about the “Chucky room!” Room 217 is now themed from the horror movie franchise; there is also the Friday the 13th themed room that F would want to stay in if he would ever stay in the hotel. The Chucky themed room was recently made up in 2025! The funniest part about this is that my mom hates Chucky and all things clown related, we had to park across the street at the gas station and walk across the busy road so she wouldn’t have a extra passenger when we got back on the road.
Despite all the creepiness, there’s something oddly charming about the Clown Motel. It’s kitschy, weird, and totally unforgettable. You don’t come here for luxury—you come for the story. And trust me, you’ll leave with one.
So, would you dare to spend the night at the Clown Motel? Or would you just stop in the lobby, snap a few pictures with the creepy clown army, and then run for your life? If so here is the information you will need!
The Clown Motel is located at 521 N Main St, Tonopah, Nevada. They do not have an official website but you can book a room ahead of time by calling them at (775) 482-5920. If you want a place to stay in Tonopah that may really be haunted,
