I love road trips. My parents loved road trips and I learned this love of travel from them. Sometimes we'd get in the car with camping gear, a week, and no set plans. We'd trust serendipity to take us where we needed to go. Now we call these trips "Family Adventures." This is a list of some of my favorite places, places I want to visit, and resources that make the trip more fun.
Norwegian handknits : heirloom designs from Vesterheim Museum
Sue Flanders
746.432 /Flanders
Art / Art History, Crafts
Norwegian handknits collects thirty paterns for colorful folk mittens, socks, scarves, hats, wristers, handbags, knapsacks, and sweaters -- all inspirted by traditional knits housed in Vesterheim Museum in Decorah, Iowa.
NPR road trips collection.
COMPACT DISC 791.4475 NPR
With frequent stops at pop culture meccas, and unforgettable encounters with humans of singular interest, the NPR Road Trips series introduces listeners not only to far-off locations and unusual destinations, but to the people who inhabit them, and seek them out. Each story focuses on real locations, real people, and real history in the thought-provoking, imaginative and entertaining way listeners have come to expect from NPR.
A good road trip requires good listening. Whether it's a book on disc, music or something downloaded from the Library's Overdrive eAudio or Local Music collection, good listens are a must. One of my favorite parts of a good road trip is planning what we'll listen to.
- Kara
Colorado excursions with history, hikes and hops
Ed Sealover
917.8804 /Sealover/2016
Travel
Colorado is replete with natural beauty, award-winning breweries and a history that reflects its wild and rugged character. Author Ed Sealover offers this detailed guide to ten three-day excursions full of nature, history and unique watering holes. Discover sprawling parks and celebrated landmarks throughout the state. Visit oddball destinations like the trail of America's favorite cannibal and the renowned ghost town of Saint Elmo. Work up a thirst on the hiking trails of Rocky Mountain National Park and unwind on the single block in the state that is home to a brewery, a winery and a distillery. Uncover the craft, creative and cultural gems that make the Centennial State a curious wanderers dream.
We love exploring Colorado. The hiking is beautiful and the breweries are fun. In Denver we enjoy renting B-Cycles and cycling between breweries. Last summer we discovered Buena Vista and would love to return there for more exploration. This is a great book for finding new places to visit.
- Kara
Best hikes near Minneapolis and Saint Paul
David Baur
917.76579 /Falcon/2016
Travel
We want to spend more time in the Minneapolis area. It's an easy drive from Iowa City and there's a lot to do in the area. This is a great book for learning how to navigate the city and find some great hiking within the City and nearby.
- Kara
Scat
Carl Hiaasen
eAUDIO
Early Chapter Books
When imposing biology teacher Mrs. Bunny Starch goes missing, Nick and Marta suspect foul play.
This is one of the best road trip books ever. Ed Asner's narration is excellent, the story is great, and it's sure to please everyone in the car - young and old.
- Kara
Complete national parks of the United States : featuring 400+ parks, monuments, battlefields, historic sites, scenic trails, recreation areas, and seashores
Mel White
917.352 /White
Travel
From New England to Alaska, this 544 page resource is filled with helpful advice, historical background, and practical facts on how to reach scores of park system properties, when to go, and what to do there.
I want to visit all of the National Parks in the United States. I have a good start, but there are so many to see. This book is a great checklist of places we've visited and places we want to go.
- Kara
Tip of the iceberg : my 3,000-mile journey around wild Alaska, the last great American frontier
Mark Adams
917.9804/Adams
Travel
I dream of driving to Alaska and then spending time there. I'm not sure about 3,000 miles, but this sounds like a grand adventure and an opportunity for vicarious travel.
- Kara
Best hikes near Denver and Boulder.
917.8804 /Falcon
Travel
This is a great resource for finding hikes in and around Denver and Boulder. The photo from my profile was taken on a hike we found in this book. There were beautiful views of Boulder and other scenic vistas.
- Kara
The great Iowa touring book : 27 spectacular auto tours
Mike Whye
917.7704 /Whye/2004
Travel
This has been a great resource for finding weekend getaways and day trips.
- Kara
The Grand Circle tour : a travel and reference guide to the American Southwest and the ancestral Puebloans
Michael Royea
917.9204 /Royea/2014
Travel
The Grand Circle Tour is a circuit around a ring of National Parks and Native American sites in the Four Corners Region of the Southwest. It encompasses some of the most significant ancient history in North America: remnants of the Anasazi civilization. From the well-known sites like Zion and Bryce to the little known and well-preserved areas, Royea provides the kind of detailed guidance never before available in guidebook form. The Grand Circle Tour consists of two parts: Part 1 is divided into 14 days and visits 21 different sites, with an additional 20 sites covered that are nearby. The second part of the book has a timeline for the Anasazi. It's a history of Native American occupation of the Southwest from 10,000 BC to the present day. The book can be used as a general travel guide or as the basis for an in-depth, historical tour. It is so filled with historical and cultural detail (complimented by photos, maps, and site plans) that it can even provide a satisfying armchair "tour" of the region.
We've done parts of this tour on a couple different road trips. Some of my favorite places are the Petrified Forest National Park, Mesa Verde National Park, North Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park, and Arches National Park. Unfortunately we didn't leave enough time for exploring Utah so hope to go back to spend more time in Bryce Canyon, Zion and Arches.
- Kara
Diners, drive-ins, dives : an All-American road trip-- with recipes!
Guy Fieri
917.3764 /Fieri
Cookbooks, Travel
I really enjoy Guy Fieri's television show. I think it would be fun to take a road trip and visit the restaurants he features on his show. I think I'd have to mix it up with a lot of exercise and moderation, though. The food looks yummy but I'm not sure how healthy it is!
- Kara
Decorah is one of my favorite road trips. There are many great hikes in the Decorah area and many choices for yummy food. A trip to Decorah always includes Toppling Goliath (Rover Truck, please) and a Mabe's Pizza. We often visit the Vesterheim Museum when we are in Decorah and have enjoyed sharing the museum with many family members and friends.
- Kara