Great American Road Trips Hidden Gems

First-person accounts and gorgeous landscape photos paired with practical information and tips to help travelers make the most of their journeys through 39 special hidden gems found across the country. Discover the most beautiful places in America that you might never have heard of before. Hidden Gems features: engaging first-hand travel accounts; helpful advice about must-see spots, rest stops, and other ways to get the most out of your trip; and stunning images taken by many of America’s best scenic photographers. Some spots offer activities for the more adventurous, such as rafting or mountain biking; others include suggestions for the more leisurely traveler who wants to stop and take in the views by the roadside. The small towns and people you encounter along the way will certainly be memorable. This book will help you set the agenda for your next getaway. So, get ready to jump in the car or RV and share these experiences with the ones you love! From the Organ Pipe Cactus in Arizona and Sleeping Bear Dunes in Michigan to Gullah Geechee in South Carolina and Litchfield Hills in Connecticut, these lesser-known scenic spots are definitely worth exploring! List of locations: WEST -Chugach National Forest, Alaska -Channel Islands National Park, California -Devils Postpile National Monument, California -Shasta-Trinity National Forest, California -Camas Prairie Centennial Marsh, Idaho -Lost River Range and Lemhi Mountain Range, Idaho -Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Idaho -Valley of the Fire State Park, Nevada -Wallowa Lake State Park, Oregon -Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah -Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Washington -Bighorn Mountains, Wyoming SOUTHWEST -Chiricahua National Monument, Arizona -Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona -Verde Valley, Arizona -Northern Rio Grande, New Mexico -Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Texas MIDWEST -Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area, Iowa -Flint Hills (Flint Hills Scenic Byway), Kansas -Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan -Arrowhead Region, Minnesota -Pipestone National Monument, Minnesota -Door County, Wisconsin -Iron and Ashland Counties, Wisconsin SOUTHEAST -Alabama's Coastal Connection Scenic Byway, Alabama -Newton County, Arkansas -Wakulla Springs, Florida -Red River Gorge Geological Area, Kentucky -Atchafalaya Basin, Louisiana -Cataloochee Valley, North Carolina -Linville Gorge Wilderness, North Carolina -Gullah Geechee, South Carolina -Burke's Garden, Virginia -Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area, West Virginia and Maryland NORTHEAST -Litchfield Hills, Connecticut -Birch Hill State Wildlife Area, Massachusetts -Tully Lake Recreation Area, Massachusetts -The Great Swamp, New York -Pine Creek Gorge, Pennsylvania

Fuel your wanderlust with America’s best travel destinations and get inspired to explore the natural beauty and rich history of all 50 states. The title says it all: Get the top road trip vacations the United States has to offer, all in one book. From small-town pit stops and off-the-beaten-path adventures to renowned historical sites and breathtaking parks, the destinations highlighted in this volume emphasize the unique beauty and history that each state has to offer. Whether you are a nature lover, history buff, or veteran road warrior, the incredible photography in this volume, along with the included recommendations for nearby attractions, lodging, recreation, and more, will inspire you to get packing. Jump in the car or RV and share these experiences with the ones you love! WEST Road Trips from Anchorage, Alaska Pacific Coast Highway, California Peak-to-Peak Scenic Byway, Colorado Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii City of Rocks, Idaho Glacier National Park, Montana Lamoille Canyon, Nevada John Day Fossil Beds, Oregon Scenic Byway 12, Utah San Juan Islands, Washington Yellowstone, Wyoming SOUTHWEST Catalina Highway, Arizona Mesilla, New Mexico Elk City, Oklahoma Piney Woods, Texas MIDWEST Shawnee National Forest, Illinois Nashville, Indiana Northeast Region, Iowa Elk Falls, Kansas Tunnel of Trees, Michigan Caledonia, Minnesota Hannibal, Missouri Sandhills, Nebraska Casselton, North Dakota Ashtabula County, Ohio Black Hills, South Dakota Amish Country, Wisconsin SOUTHEAST Appalachian Highlands, Alabama MONAH, Arkansas Sanibel and Beyond, Florida Savannah, Georgia Horse Country, Kentucky Cane River, Louisiana Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, Delaware Neshoba County Fair, Mississippi Flat Rock, North Carolina Hunting Island, South Carolina Cocke County, Tennessee Chincoteague, Virginia New River Gorge, West Virginia NORTHEAST Mystic Country, Connecticut Bayshore Byway, Delaware Highlands, Maine Quabbin Reservoir, Massachusetts White Mountains, New Hampshire Millbrook Village, New Jersey Finger Lakes, New York Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Trustom Pond Wildlife Refuge, Rhode Island Mad River Valley, Vermont NATIONAL PARKS Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska* Lake Clark National Park, Alaska* Denali National Park, Alaska* Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii Glacier National Park, Montana Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming Everglades National Park, Florida* Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee* New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, West Virginia *mentioned within a wider story

First-person accounts and gorgeous landscape photos paired with practical information and tips to help travelers make the most of their journeys through more than 40 national parks. National parks are America’s most-beloved treasures. The editors of Reader’s Digest magazine reveal first-person accounts and gorgeous landscape photos paired with practical information and tips to help travelers make the most of their journeys through these unique areas. Included you’ll find information on more than 40 national parks and incredible images from readers. Plus: • A historical introduction along with a national park timeline. • An illustrated map of each state for each national park story, pointing out the location of the park within the state with a marker. • Inspirational and gorgeous photos in gallery sections for each region to make this a terrific coffee table book or gift for travelers. • Then and now comparison photos of national parks. • Helpful added information, including possible rest stops, can’t-miss area hot spots, fun facts, handy advice for planning ahead, possible side trips and nearby attractions. Whether you’re an armchair traveler or ready to pack and roll, Great American Road Trips: National Parks has everything that you are looking for. List of parks covered: WEST Denali National Park, Alaska Joshua Tree National Park, California Lassen Volcanic National Park, California Pinnacles National Park, California Redwood National Park, California Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon National Park, California Yosemite National Park, California Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Colorado Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii Glacier National Park, Montana Great Basin National Park, Nevada Crater Lake National Park, Oregon Canyonlands National Park, Utah Zion National Park, Utah Mount Rainier National Park, Washington North Cascades National Park, Washington Olympic National Park, Washington Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana SOUTHWEST Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona Saguaro National Park, Arizona Big Bend National Park, Texas Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas MIDWEST Indiana Dunes National Park, Indiana Isle Royale National Park, Michigan Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota Badlands National Park, South Dakota Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Wisconsin EAST Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas Canaveral National Seashore, Florida Everglades National Park, Florida Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky Acadia National Park, Maine Congaree National Park, South Carolina Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee Shenandoah Valley and Shenandoah National Park, Virginia Virgin Islands National Park

First-person accounts and gorgeous landscape photos paired with practical information and tips to help travelers make the most of their journeys through 39 special hidden gems found across the country. Discover the most beautiful places in America that you might never have heard of before. Hidden Gems features: engaging first-hand travel accounts; helpful advice about must-see spots, rest stops, and other ways to get the most out of your trip; and stunning images taken by many of America’s best scenic photographers. Some spots offer activities for the more adventurous, such as rafting or mountain biking; others include suggestions for the more leisurely traveler who wants to stop and take in the views by the roadside. The small towns and people you encounter along the way will certainly be memorable. This book will help you set the agenda for your next getaway. So, get ready to jump in the car or RV and share these experiences with the ones you love! From the Organ Pipe Cactus in Arizona and Sleeping Bear Dunes in Michigan to Gullah Geechee in South Carolina and Litchfield Hills in Connecticut, these lesser-known scenic spots are definitely worth exploring! List of locations: WEST -Chugach National Forest, Alaska -Channel Islands National Park, California -Devils Postpile National Monument, California -Shasta-Trinity National Forest, California -Camas Prairie Centennial Marsh, Idaho -Lost River Range and Lemhi Mountain Range, Idaho -Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Idaho -Valley of the Fire State Park, Nevada -Wallowa Lake State Park, Oregon -Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah -Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, Washington -Bighorn Mountains, Wyoming SOUTHWEST -Chiricahua National Monument, Arizona -Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona -Verde Valley, Arizona -Northern Rio Grande, New Mexico -Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Texas MIDWEST -Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area, Iowa -Flint Hills (Flint Hills Scenic Byway), Kansas -Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan -Arrowhead Region, Minnesota -Pipestone National Monument, Minnesota -Door County, Wisconsin -Iron and Ashland Counties, Wisconsin SOUTHEAST -Alabama's Coastal Connection Scenic Byway, Alabama -Newton County, Arkansas -Wakulla Springs, Florida -Red River Gorge Geological Area, Kentucky -Atchafalaya Basin, Louisiana -Cataloochee Valley, North Carolina -Linville Gorge Wilderness, North Carolina -Gullah Geechee, South Carolina -Burke's Garden, Virginia -Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area, West Virginia and Maryland NORTHEAST -Litchfield Hills, Connecticut -Birch Hill State Wildlife Area, Massachusetts -Tully Lake Recreation Area, Massachusetts -The Great Swamp, New York -Pine Creek Gorge, Pennsylvania

Let the natural beauty of America’s most scenic drives inspire the travel bug within you and get you exploring the wide-open spaces and breathtaking vistas in our country. Absorb the best America has to offer from the slow lane! This collection of scenic drives, broken out by region, features breathtaking road trips, both long and short. Highlighted by over 140 gorgeous photos, each trip also includes helpful info to help you plan your trip. Inspirational photos showcase why these well known drives are worth the drive. Many of the drives are described in the first person by people who have made the trip, taken the photos and visited the cool places along the way.

Backroads of the Great American West describes and details with full-color photos and maps the most scenic routes in the Rocky Mountains, Texas, Desert Southwest, California, and Pacific Northwest.

This book offers a lively and entertaining read for world- and armchair travelers alike. Consider such roadside treasures as the Cabazon Dinosaurs, Lucy the Elephant, Igloo City, and the world's largest killer bee. You just have to see them. If you're planning a fun trip on the open road, read this first . . . or better yet, bring it along. There are plenty of colorful (and weird) places that you wouldn't want to miss. Gorgeous photography and tongue-in-cheek text will steer you to some of the most garish, inelegant, and unbelievable sights in the United States!

In the 1930s, the Federal Writers' Project sent mostly anonymous writers, but also Zora Neale Hurston and Stetson Kennedy, into the depths of Florida to reveal its splendor to the world. The FWP and the State of Florida jointly published the results as Florida: A Guide to the Southernmost State, which included twenty-two driving tours of the state's main roads. Eventually, after Eisenhower built the interstates, drivers bypassed the small towns that thrived along these roads in favor of making better time. Those main roads are now the state's backroads—forgotten by all but local residents, a few commuters, and dedicated road-trippers. Retracing the original routes in the Guide, Cathy Salustri rekindles our notions of paradise by bringing a modern eye to the historic travelogues. Salustri's 5,000-mile road trip reveals a patchwork quilt of Florida cultures: startling pockets of history and environmental bliss stitched against the blight of strip malls and franchise restaurants. The journey begins on US 98, heading west toward the Florida/Alabama state line, where coastal towns dot the roadway. Here, locals depend on the tourism industry, spurred by sugar sand beaches, as well as the abundance of local seafood. On US 41, Salustri takes us past the state's only whitewater rapids, a retired carnie town, and a dazzling array of springs, swamps, and rivers interspersed with farms that produce a bounty of fruit. Along US 17, she stops for milkshakes and hamburgers at Florida's oldest diner and visits a collection of springs interconnected by underwater mazes tumbling through white spongy limestone, before stopping in Arcadia, where men still bring cattle to auction. Desperately searching for skunk apes, the Sunshine State's version of Bigfoot, she encounters more than one gator on her way through the Everglades, Ochopee, and the Skunk Ape Research Headquarters. Following the original Guide, Salustri crisscrosses the state from the panhandle to the Keys. She guides readers through forgotten and unknown corners of the state--nude beaches, a rattlesnake cannery, Devil's Millhopper in Gainesville--as well as more familiar haunts--Kennedy Space Center and The Villages, "Florida’s Friendliest Retirement Hometown." Woven through these journeys are nuggets of history, environmental debates about Florida's future, and a narrative that combines humor with a strong affection for an oft-maligned state. Today, Salustri urges, tourists need a new nudge to get off the interstates or away from Disney in order to discover the real Florida. Her travel narrative, following what are now backroads and scenic routes, guides armchair travelers and road warriors alike to historic sites, natural wonders, and notable man-made attractions--comparing the past views with the present landscape and commenting on the changes, some barely noticeable, others extreme, along the way.