| Don't fall into the trap of rushing madly down the road | | | | other music festivals abound. Every hobby association |
| to reach your vacation destination. The country is full | | | | has its annual convention somewhere. If you find one |
| of places that might not be worth a whole trip by | | | | on your route, check it out even if it isn't your hobby. |
| themselves, but are certainly worth a stop on the way | | | | Figure on spending a couple hours for an evening |
| to someplace else. These stops make the trip itself | | | | concert or a sportsmen's show. Or a bobbin lace and |
| enjoyable, not just the destination. | | | | tatting fair. |
| First, here's how to find these spots: | | | | Places to Eat |
| | | | You gotta eat anyway, and rest stop fast food is |
| 1. Plot the route of your trip on something like Google | | | | pretty similar wherever you go. Drive a few miles into |
| Maps. | | | | the countryside until you hit a town with a main street. |
| 2. Zoom in and look for small towns, geographical | | | | Stop anywhere and ask a native where's the best |
| features, and parks along the way. | | | | place to eat. Drive a block or two and ask someone |
| 3. Do a search on interesting- (or boring)-sounding | | | | else. Pretty soon you'll get two votes for the same |
| items and see what you find. Every town has a web | | | | place. Eat there. |
| site nowadays, sometimes more than one. These local | | | | Historic sites |
| sites tell you their town's most interesting features and | | | | These are easier to find the farther east you go, but |
| events. After all, they want you to visit. | | | | even the West has its share. Sometimes a drive-by |
| Museums | | | | and a stop to read a sign while you're on your way to |
| Lots of small towns have a municipal museum. The | | | | that off-the-beaten-path lunch is all you need to do. |
| one in Detroit Lakes, MN, for example, has a nice | | | | You'll pick up a bit of trivia that makes you into a |
| collection of ball and chain shackles--and an interesting | | | | broader person. On the other hand, some places, like |
| story to go with it. (They were a decoy.) Not worth a | | | | Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia, are worth a couple |
| whole trip by itself, but certainly something to kid the | | | | days. |
| kids about if you're going through northwestern | | | | Dams |
| Minnesota. Some towns have world-famous | | | | Try to route your trip over a dam. Many dams have |
| museums, such as the Baseball hall of Fame in | | | | roads across the top, and the view downstream is |
| Cooperstown, NY. | | | | always great. Sometimes the power plant offers tours, |
| Civic Events | | | | and both ends of the dam usually have interesting |
| Every small town in the country seems to have an | | | | places to stop and explore. Well worth killing an hour, a |
| annual celebration. These are often named after part | | | | nice break on a long trip. |
| of a major local industry, especially agriculture. Pea Pod | | | | Tourist Traps |
| Days, Corn Boil, Pumpkin Festival, you name it. These | | | | These places are actually pretty interesting, especially |
| events are a good way to spend a day. The food is | | | | to kids. Some of them are "real" places, too, such as |
| great, the music is good--sometimes big-name music | | | | the Drugstore in Wall, South Dakota, which is |
| (see the next topic), you learn all sorts of interesting | | | | deservedly world famous, and sometimes they're real |
| things about the area, and maybe get to watch a nice | | | | places in a strong ethnic area like Amana colonies in |
| fireworks display in the evening. | | | | the Midwest. Kill an hour looking around, get a bite to |
| Special-interest Events | | | | eat, buy a cheap souvenir and you're ready to go, no |
| If you have a hobby, check the web for events | | | | pun intended. |
| related to your special interest. Pennsylvania has a | | | | Add some of these locations to your next trip and the |
| Cow Pie Blues Festival. That would be interesting if | | | | kids won't be asking, "Are we there yet?" They won't |
| you're into blues. (Or was that bluegrass?) Folk and | | | | have time. |