Indiana Off The Beaten Path

Tired of the same old tourist traps? Whether you’re a visitor or a local looking for something different, Indiana Off the Beaten Path shows you the Hoosier State with new perspectives on timeless destinations and introduces you to those you never knew existed. Experience pioneer life at Connor Prairie's authentic 1800s settlement, one of the nation's top living museums. Visit a replica of the Batcave inside Elkhart's Hall of Heroes Superhero Museum, which chronicles the history of these comic book characters from 1930s to present day. Hikes the trails through Portland Arch State Nature Preserve and marvel at the natural bridge that gave this national landmark its name. So if you’ve “been there, done that” one too many times, forget the main road and venture Off the Beaten Path. Jackie Sheckler Finch is the author of several guidebooks. An award-winning journalist and photographer, she was named Travel Writer of the Year a record four times by Midwest Travel Writers Association. She lives in Bloomington, Indiana.

Tired of the same old tourist traps? Whether you’re a visitor or a local looking for something different, let Indiana Off the Beaten Path show you the Hoosier State you never knew existed. Check out the world’s largest ball of paint in Alexandria, crunch through dozens of tasty flavored pickles at Sechler’s Pickle Factory in St. Joe, or get up close and personal with more than a dozen vintage and military aircraft at the Hoosier Air Museum near Auburn. So if you’ve “been there, done that” one too many times, get off the main road and venture Off the Beaten Path.

Cafe Indiana is both a guide to Indiana’s hometown mom-and-pop restaurants and a reclamation and celebration of small-town Midwest culture. The hungry diner looking for adventure and authenticity can use Cafe Indiana simply as a guide to the state’s quintessential eats: the best fiddlers, macaroni and cheese, soup beans, and beef Manhattan. But Stuttgen also captures the spirit of the locals, bringing to life the people whose stories give the book—and the food—its soul. Over plates of chicken and noodles, fried bologna sandwiches, and sugar cream pie, folks are crafting community at the Main Street eatery. In Cafe Indiana, Hoosiers and out-of-staters alike are invited to pull out a chair and sit a spell.

Whatever you do when you travel, get off the highway. Who needs more bland rest stops and fast food? Get into the heart of things with Globe Pequot's Off the Beaten Path series. Devoted to travelers with a taste for the unique, this easy-to-use guide will help you discover the hidden places in the Indiana that most tourists miss - unsung, unspoiled, and out-of-the-way finds that liven up a week's vacation, a day trip, or an afternoon. Native or newcomer, use this guide to find historical and cultural information, detailed maps and driving directions, admission fees and hours of operation, restaurants, places to stay and much more. (5 1/2 x 8 1/2, 256 pages, maps, illustrations)

Indiana often calls itself the Crossroads of the Nation. It's not also perhaps the very nexus of US weirdness. Armed with Oddball Indiana, you'll soon discover the strange underbelly of the Hoosier State, from brain sandwiches to square donuts. Indiana has monuments to Michael Jackson, the comic strip character Joe Palooka, and the World's Largest Egg. It's where Alka-Seltzer and Wonder Bread were invented, where A Christmas Story actually took place, and where the good but angry citizens of Plainfield conspired to dump President Martin Van Buren in a mud puddle. Along with humorous histories and offbeat observations, Oddball Indiana provides addresses, websites, hours, fees, and driving directions for each of its 350+ entries.