USA 101: A Guide to America's Iconic Places, Events, and Festivals

by Gary McKechnie

Countless travel books display some aspect or region of America, but USA 101 stitches together a whole crazy quilt of iconic places, events, fairs, and festivals that celebrates our country in all its quirky diversity.

Whoever you are, wherever you’re going, whatever you like to do, it’s here somewhere. And if you just stay home and travel armchair-style you’ll still find this guide a vivid, often humorous, always fascinating blend of world-famous and distinctly local places and events that add up to a national portrait.

Here are fivescore and one indelibly American destinations, from the Statue of Liberty to the Golden Gate Bridge, from Graceland to Disneyland; perennial sporting rituals like the Army-Navy football game, the Indy 500, the Soap Box Derby, and the Little League World Series; plus dozens more favorite institutions old and new, from Native American powwows to the Miss America Pageant and monster truck rallies.

USA 101 features entertaining descriptive narratives—concise, lively sketches that capture each selection’s history and special appeal—as well as detailed practical advice and essential information for visiting. Well seasoned by eclectic, irresistible sidebars, this guide is a panorama of treasured traditions, favorite pastimes, and beloved national possessions that will surprise, amuse, and inform even the most sophisticated traveler.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Reference

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent travelogue, despite its lack of pictures. Mr. McKechnie gave me more information about places I'd visited, places I knew about but haven't yet visited, and a few places (and things) I had never heard of. At times, his sense of humor had me literally laughing out loud.

** HIGHLY RECOMMENDED **

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like it and recommend it. It's divided by region and includes a map and an index. It's a pretty good list with lots of variety, but I wish several of the honorable mentions had made it into the list. I would have preferred a book of just 101 places. Events and Festivals could have been a separate volume. Especially the Across America entries could have been covered better elsewhere. I wanted destinations not quilting bees and square dancing.

[Shruts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of these "must sees" are obvious: Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone, Key West, our own Arch here is STL. About 2/3 of the listings are really destinations in my book, the balance sentimental oldies like Drive In movies (heard of Netflix?).

C'mon! Branson Missouri?? Seriously??

But Gary McKechnie has a humor about him that makes reading even the lame spots entertaining.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. McKechnie has a great sense of humor, and I appreciated the diversity of places and events that he had on his "must-do" list.

[Joanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

McKechnie does a good job of narrowing down the iconic places in the regional US, although I might have chosen some others. I was left with a hankering to drive across the country.