It's not every day that you come across a town that enjoys making a complete ass of itself. In fact, I know of only one such place: Oatman, Arizona. In this old mining town that's hidden away on historic Route 66, you'll find lots of little shops selling wares worthy of The Dollar Tree, or a flea market, but that's not why people flock to this one street town. No, people flock here for the wildlife, notably the wild burros (donkeys) that wander through the streets.

I made a recent trip to Oatman and fell in love with the simplicity of the location and its offerings. Being just a stone's throw from Laughlin, Nevada (and a stone's catapult from Las Vegas), you won't see any casinos, amusement parks, or celebrity shows here. No, what you get are a bunch of begging, and somewhat smelly, burros. They wander down from the surrounding hills in the morning to begin their begging, and then head back to their desert homes in the evening. There is no admission cost to visit this wild petting zoo, and most stores sell bags of carrots (to feed the burros) for the bargain price of a single dollar. In fact, you'll find people selling kettle corn for a dollar as well. You would think they would jack up the cost of such necessities since this is their lone attraction, but this old town is more about the attraction than the profit.

For those that are interested in a look at the Old West, there is a gun show that is performed a few times a day. But be forewarned, the show is pretty hokey and not all that interesting (most gun shows fit the same mold, it seems). In fact, seeing the burros wander in the middle of the gun fight is often more entertaining. The town also offers a couple of restaurants, and all the stores that line both sides of the street feature wooden sidewalks. And while there are a couple interesting stores, the majority hawk wares that aren't worth purchasing other than the normal touristy items that are a must (a stuffed animal burro, or an Oatman shot glass being the must-haves). Again, the reason for visiting isn't to shop, it's to enjoy a little taste of the Old West and a bunch of hairy, smelly, wonderfully beautiful burros.