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Unique America strange, unusual, and just plain fun: A trip through America
Did someone say "road trip?" Get ready to explore the weird and the wonderful! You'll be amazed by this collection of quirky roadside history and cool Americana. Basically if it's predictable, typical, or mundane, you won't find it in these pages. With visits to such attractions as the Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast Museum in Massachusetts and The Radon Health mines (yes, it sounds like an oxymoron to us too) in Montana, this journey is tinged with equal parts discovery and bewilderment. You may wonder why someone decided to assemble the world's largest ball of twine (the quick answer is he had some time on his hands), but the absurdity of it won't fail to astound and amuse. With unique America you're in for a wonderful trip.
- GenresTravelNonfiction
320 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 2009
3 people are currently reading
51 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 27, 2021
Covering all 50 states, the book highlights roughly 300 attractions and events that are as the title of the book says “strange, unusual, and just plain fun.” Each chapter covers a different region of the country with each page dedicated to a destination—sometimes two if a location has a lot to show—beginning in one state of the region and then systematically going through each state until getting to the other end of the region. Whether looking for interesting destinations to sightsee or stay at, or just taking a trip through reading and using your own imagination, this is a nice resource to reference.
March 26, 2024
This is one of those millions of types of books that are out there to try to capture the traveler's whimsy with some travel stops that may be a bit out of the unusual whether food-related, hotel-related, sight-related or even history-related. As a result instead of it focusing on any one given subject it is rather eclectic and all over the place.
The book basically breaks the United States into different regions starting with the Northeast and then finishing up with the West as most of these geographical-situated books do. Furthermore geographically Oklahoma is considered a part of the Southwest and the Great Lakes region has been lumped in with the Midwest, which isn't how we were raised.
Each section has an Introduction that explores a general idea of that geographic location and what can be found in it before diving int the entries. Each page has either one to three entries with the one entry taking up the whole spread that it is included on. The entry starts off with the name of the stop and its location before providing the reader with some more information, which is basically the history about how that came to be and what important achievement it may reach. Further insert bubbles provide the reader with more information about other similar sites or additional information that wasn't included in the entry.
A part that was niggling at me while I was reading this was the fact about how many of these stops may now be obsolete or not even really interesting when you stop. Take for example Douglas, WY, which is the home of the jackalope. Although they do have the jackalope around including two statues for photo opportunities and you can get hunting licenses there is very little else that provides information about the creature in the town itself or even really souvenirs for those who are into collecting that type of trinket.
Meanwhile the book does provide the reader with some colored photographs for illustrations but these were rather basic and in most cases didn't provide the reader with a general idea of what they might see such as in the case of the Jules' Undersea Lodge, which only provided a photograph of a port.
All in all it was a decent read and one that may provide the curiosity-traveler some ideas for adding additional side stops if they need something additional to do as they drive. Technically, though, you would be much better off researching the area you are traveling to for even more choices than what can be provided in a book this size and subject.
The book basically breaks the United States into different regions starting with the Northeast and then finishing up with the West as most of these geographical-situated books do. Furthermore geographically Oklahoma is considered a part of the Southwest and the Great Lakes region has been lumped in with the Midwest, which isn't how we were raised.
Each section has an Introduction that explores a general idea of that geographic location and what can be found in it before diving int the entries. Each page has either one to three entries with the one entry taking up the whole spread that it is included on. The entry starts off with the name of the stop and its location before providing the reader with some more information, which is basically the history about how that came to be and what important achievement it may reach. Further insert bubbles provide the reader with more information about other similar sites or additional information that wasn't included in the entry.
A part that was niggling at me while I was reading this was the fact about how many of these stops may now be obsolete or not even really interesting when you stop. Take for example Douglas, WY, which is the home of the jackalope. Although they do have the jackalope around including two statues for photo opportunities and you can get hunting licenses there is very little else that provides information about the creature in the town itself or even really souvenirs for those who are into collecting that type of trinket.
Meanwhile the book does provide the reader with some colored photographs for illustrations but these were rather basic and in most cases didn't provide the reader with a general idea of what they might see such as in the case of the Jules' Undersea Lodge, which only provided a photograph of a port.
All in all it was a decent read and one that may provide the curiosity-traveler some ideas for adding additional side stops if they need something additional to do as they drive. Technically, though, you would be much better off researching the area you are traveling to for even more choices than what can be provided in a book this size and subject.
October 31, 2019
This book is chock full of the kinds of places that my family visits when we take road trips. We've driven cross country multiple times and have visited far too many of these attractions including the Corn Palace, the Concrete U.S.S. South Dakota, Salem Sue the World's Largest Holstein Cow, the House on the Rock, American Celebration on Parade and so on.
I was surprised that a few of my favorites didn't make the cut such as the City Museum in St.Louis, Big Betsy the Giant Lobster in Key Largo and The Thing in Arizona.
I do wish that so many "festivals" and events were not included as main attractions. Not everyone is going to visit San Antonio during October. I prefer sites that can be visited (weather permitting) any day of the year unless closed for holidays such as Christmas.
I was surprised that a few of my favorites didn't make the cut such as the City Museum in St.Louis, Big Betsy the Giant Lobster in Key Largo and The Thing in Arizona.
I do wish that so many "festivals" and events were not included as main attractions. Not everyone is going to visit San Antonio during October. I prefer sites that can be visited (weather permitting) any day of the year unless closed for holidays such as Christmas.
September 28, 2019
This was pure fluff and a lot of fun. I enjoyed the pictures and descriptions of these unusual places all around the country (although the writing could be pretty cheesy and awful at times). It was especially fun to read about the places where we've actually been. I'm not exactly proud that we've been to the Lizzie Borden home in Fall River, Massachusetts, but yep, we took a tour a few years ago--absolutely fascinating, historically enlightening, but incredibly creepy. However, never in a million years would we want to spend the night at that type of bed and breakfast! There are limits to our tourism!
July 25, 2025
This is a fun little book. I did add all the places to my bucket list but I double checked to make sure if the places still existed. There was like 5 or so places that dont exist anymore which is ashamed because I thought those places were cool. However because of this book I got places in all 50 states if I ever decide on going on a random road trip. So in this regard I think the book is one of my favs.
December 15, 2018
Another volume that tries to answer the age old question, where is the largest ball of twine. Pack up the family in the station wagon, get out the map and head out for a road trip.
May 23, 2019
This was a great book and very informative. I'm hoping to see a lot of things from this book in my travels!
July 24, 2020
It was ok. A big book of usa's off the beaten path touristy locations to visit. It was full of good info which I liked and really cheesy puns, which were cringe worthy. Overall interesting read.
May 1, 2021
An awesomely fun read!
October 12, 2023
More sites than insights, but still fun.
December 16, 2023
I'm a big fan of roadside attractions. This book gave me plenty of good places to go to with nice descriptions and pictures.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews