The heightened stress of traveling by air these days has encouraged more and more families to pack up the minivan and hit the road. Ramble along America’s highways and byways with ROAD TRIP AMERICA, a tour of our nation’s long-loved roadside attractions and oddities. Featuring the coolest and weirdest destinations of yesterday and today—like the Boll Weevil Monument in Enterprise, Alabama; Carhenge (a Stonehenge made of cars) in Alliance, Nebraska; and the world’s largest teapot in Chester, West Virginia—this handy guide provides cover-to-cover entertainment for both armchair and on-the-road travelers. With classic photographs, postcards, pennants, matchbook covers, and other cheap souvenirs, this state-by-state travel destination book helps you relive your travels of yesterday and plan your trips of tomorrow.
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About the Author
ANDREW WOOD teaches in the communication studies department at San Jose State University and coauthored Online Communication. A noted scholar and public speaker, Dr. Wood’s work has been recognized in media outlets including CNN, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, and NPR’s Morning Edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
43 of 46 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Nothing of interest....,
By Linda Lu (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Road Trip America: A State-By-State Tour Guide to Offbeat Destinations (Paperback)
I just received this book. When I saw it my heart sank. I'd like to take my kids on the kind of road trips I enjoyed when I was their age. My parents always found the scenic, as well as the fun places to take us. This book struck out big time. It doesn't give out useful info for planning a fun road trip. I thought one of the previous reviewers was exaggerating when they said each state gets only two pages. How can you learn what a state has to offer in a tiny amount of space? 2 pages it is.
On the bright side, I also ordered United States on the Road. WOW. Now that book is definitely a guide to planning a very cool road trip. Beautiful photos and descriptions of plenty of places to visit (scenic as well as fun), history, directions, mileage, email addresses, phone numbers, price guides, etc. I can't wait to start planning our trip!!
20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointed,
By
This review is from: Road Trip America: A State-By-State Tour Guide to Offbeat Destinations (Paperback)
I wish I had read some of the reviews of this book before making my purchase. I would have passed on it. I was hoping for something a little more detailed, more definitive. Instead I see a smattering of questionable entries on locations that were easily accessed on his itinerary, whether they were the best the state has to offer or not. As many would, I first looked at a state I know well (Kansas), to see Wood's recommendations. Gulp - he was way off! If P.J. Dinsmoore's "Garden of Eden" in Lucas is not even mentioned, or the world's largest ball of twine in Cawker City, this guy has not done his homework.
27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A FUN, KITSCHY TRIP!,
This review is from: Road Trip America: A State-By-State Tour Guide to Offbeat Destinations (Paperback)
One thing I'm sorry I missed out on by not being born about 10 years earlier is the fun and excitement of the family road trip and the wonderful, strange, and Kitschy roadside attractions so popular in the 50's and 60's. In this small but fun book, author Andrew F. Wood takes readers on a state-by-state journey to some of the weirdest and wackiest attractions one can find traveling the highways of America. As Wood points out, many of these are kept alive only by the love of their owners, long after their heyday has passed. The book is arranged in alphabetical order by state and in addition to noting some of these attractions, each state also has a "Did you know" fun little fact or bit of trivia about it.
Wood's book is not meant to be a complete guide to all roadside attractions, but rather a nation-wide sampling of some of the zanier things to see as you visit each state. Some notable stops along the way include: Holbrook, AZ where you can find one of the last remaining teepee motels called the Wigwam Motel, along the famous Route 66. Giant statues have long been popular attractions for motorists and this book lists many interesting ones to see including one of comic strip hero Steve Canyon along I-70 in Colorado. Or in Collinsville, Illinois, you can see the world's largest Catsup bottle. In Dyersville, Iowa, you can visit the baseball field made famous in the film, "Field of Dreams" or visit the home of Bufford Pusser in Adamsville, TN, who was immortalized in the 1970's cult classic, "Walking Tall". For those who like their attractions a bit spookier, there is the Voodoo Museum in New Orleans' famous French Quarter, and you can get your picture taken in an authentic gas chamber at the Wyoming Frontier Prison Museum. Michigan features Marvin's Marvelous Mechanical Museum and Cawker City Minnesota is home to the world's largest ball of twine, at a massive 40' feet tall. The book is loaded with fast food firsts, such as the locations of the first KFC, Wendy's, White Castle, and more as well as numerous tiny towns...even a tiny world...that can be visited. This is a fun, fascinating trip through America that many of us never see and that is quickly disappearing from the landscape. It's obvious that Andrew Wood has a tremendous passion for the subject matter. Get out on the road before it's too late! Reviewed by Tim Janson
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