Completely revised and updated, this third edition of the modern-day travel classic contains more than 200 new listings and even more practical information about the amenities that each site offers, including whether or not the site is pet-friendly, handicap-accessible and has wi-fi access.

Once again, the book has been specifically written for people who are looking for something beyond the assembly line experience that seems to prevail at many of the country’s more crowded sites. Reader’s Digest editors have combed through thousands of national and state parks, historic homes and villages, zoos and wildlife preserves, ghost towns, museums of special interest, collections of Americana, lighthouses, wineries, and culinary delights in order to bring people the most appealing places to visit. Readers of Off the Beaten Path will discover:

• The odd: including The Insectarium in New Orleans, Louisiana, The Barbed Wire Museum in La Crosse, Kansas and The Mutter Museum in Philadelphia, PA, which features medical anomalies and displays such as a plaster cast of Siamese twins and a tumor of Grover Cleveland.
• The old: including skeletal remains at the Dinosaur Journey in Fruita, Colorado and a 900 year-old Joshua tree at Joshua Tree National Park in California.
• The old-school: including candy kitchens in Iowa straight out of The Music Man and how to tour Airy, North Carolina (the inspiration for The Andy Griffith Show’s Mayberry) in a Sheriff’s car.
• The off-hours: a stunning “earthwork” called The Spiral Jetty (considered an icon of late-20th century art) at Utah’s Golden Spike National Historic Site had been submerged for years and is now only visible when the sea level is low enough to allow it to emerge.

Venturing beyond the practical, this book is a browser’s delight with over 300 full-color photos and detailed state maps pinpointing each site. There’s truly something inside for everyone—from the motorcycle or sports enthusiast, to the epicurean, historian, birder, hiker, etc.

New to this third edition is a listing of seasonal events for every state, which includes historical re-enactments, food festivals, fairs, sporting events, and concerts. The eclectic list features a midnight sun baseball game in Fairbanks, Alaska; the Annual Lilac Festival on beautiful Mackinac Island, Michigan, a candlelight pilgrimage through the historic homes of Natchitoches, Louisiana, a Boston Tea Party re-enactment in the Bay State capital—and even a watermelon seed-spitting contest in Bill Clinton’s hometown of Hope, Arkansas.

Whether you’re planning ahead or rushing around to find a last-minute inspiration, Off the Beaten Path is filled with great ideas—and everything you need to know to make them happen.

Available everywhere books are sold!