Where in Seattle can you get married in a shipping container? What about playing vintage pinball games, visiting a mummy, or renting an elephant? Is the Fremont neighborhood really the center of the Universe? Where can you research the occult, conspiracy theories, and other topics people don’t want to talk about? With Secret Seattle: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure in hand, you’ll discover the unique destinations, colorful history, and wacky legends that make the greater Seattle area such a popular destination in which to live and to visit. You’ll find out if the Seahawks really did cause an earthquake and what happened to the Bubbleator. Researched and written by travel writer Mary Jo Manzanares, this book serves as a guide to places you might never discover on your own. Whether you’re a local looking for something new or a visitor wanting to feel like a local, Secret Seattle lets you in on dozens of secrets around the Emerald City.

Did you know ...that a hidden room exists behind Abraham Lincoln s head on Mt. Rushmore? ...that North Carolina was almost accidentally destroyed in a nuclear holocaust? ...that the Mason-Dixon Line had nothing to do with dividing north from south? ...that Major League Baseball once hosted a single game between three different teams? ...that there is a designated state highway in Michigan where cars are not allowed? ...that 21 people were once killed by a 15-foot wave of molasses that devasted a Boston neighborhood? ...that the National Security Agency has a gift shop with logoed merchandise? Whether you want to visit the New York grave where Uncle Sam is buried, stop by the future hometown of Star Trek's Captain Kirk in Iowa or see the room in California where the Internet was created, Secret America: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful and Obscure is your ticket to some of the nation's least-known but most interesting spots. It is here where you can explore a historical marker dedicated to Barack and Michelle Obama's first kiss, find out how to acquire logoed merchandise at the National Security Agency's gift shop or examine why Case Western Reserve University has such an unusual name. Secret America is a look at the United States as you've never seen it before a tourist guide that gives you answers to the questions no tourist ever never knew they were supposed to ask. If you are tired of trying to enliven dull family roadtrips searching backroads for the World's Largest Ball of Twine, this is a handbook for truly interesting sites that can transform any cross-country adventure into a tour of the unique spots that make America the odd but fascinating nation that it is.

With a well-known nickname like the “Biggest Little City in the World,” you might think Reno has no secrets. But you shouldn’t bet on that. For example, What is Reno’s connection to Mount Rushmore? How can you participate in a real-life cattle drive, see a shrunken head, or sip a glass of Picon punch in the midst of poltergeists? Arm yourself instead with Secret Reno: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure, and you’ll soon discover these and many more of the city’s secrets and lesser-known adventures. How about a lazy day kayaking down the Truckee River? You might want to climb the world’s tallest artificial climbing wall, or take a stroll where the lynching of an innocent man occurred in 1892. But be warned—his angry ghost is said to haunt the location, occasionally harassing passersby. If you’ve donned your leathers and are all in for a bike ride, you might want to know that Reno has an annual motorcycle rally not to be missed. Local author Janice Oberding loves to find adventure off the beaten path and be your guide to unconventional, but worthwhile, exploration. All you’ll need is here in this book about the Biggest Little City’s secrets.

Pittsburgh, PA is affectionately known as The Steel City and The ‘Burgh to locals, but there’s so much more to the renaissance city than just nicknames—and that includes all of the weird, wonderful, and obscure locations that make it an ideal place to visit and call home. Where can you find a road paved solely with wood or public steps that have actual street names? Is there a place in The Golden Triangle where 1 + 1 = 1? And what about putting french fries on a sandwich or pancakes fit for a U.S. President? Filled with tales of culture, history, and, of course, the bizarre, readers will delve into what makes Pittsburgh unique including an official name for the color of its prominent bridges, an acorn from space, the story behind the Pittsburgh parking chair, and even a museum dedicated to the macabre. Secret Pittsburgh is all about the stuff you simply can’t make up but would make for amazing fiction if it wasn’t. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a true “Yinzer,” travel writer and Pittsburgh resident Karyn Locke will help you find truth behind the stories and tales that keep folks coming back—and staying put.

Who is buried under the runway at Savannah Airport? Was “Jingle Bells” really written in Savannah, despite a distinct lack of snow to dash through? And what is the source of that peculiar echo on River Street? Find the answers to these and many more questions in Secret Savannah: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure. While it may be renowned for its majestic moss-draped oaks and historic architecture, there are many more things to discover in this beguiling coastal city. Did you know that Football Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath once tried to turn one of Savannah’s most remarkable homes into a nightclub? Or that Martin Luther King Jr. gave an early version of his famous “I Have a Dream” speech in Savannah before he delivered it at the Lincoln Memorial? Local author Christopher Berinato has scoured the fringes of greater Savannah to dig up some deep cuts of history, legends, and maybe even a few ghosts. Let his eye-opening guide astound you with fascinating tales of the most charming city in the South.

Where in Albuquerque can you find accidentally dropped nuclear weapons, Microsoft's first office, or the remains of an amusement park dedicated to comic book character Red Ryder? Why does Albuquerque have a grave for a fictional character and where do people play in a "maggot pit"? Where can you sleep in a spy's former home, spot an "Arroyosaurus," or walk among monumental origami? And where exactly can you eat a seven-pound burrito? You'll find the answers to these questions, and many others, in this guide to the Duke City's overlooked, offbeat, and unknown. Secret Albuquerque profiles the city's best-kept restaurant secrets, most fascinating museums, and oddest works of art. It shines a light on little-known aspects of local culture and reveals the secrets behind beloved Albuquerque landmarks. You'll discover where the Mercury Astronauts received their pre-mission physicals (even female astronauts), learn how a former brothel became a bed-and-brew, and uncover the deed and misdeeds of a famed archaeologist. Written by Burquea and local author Ashley M. Biggers, Secret Albuquerque offers a new way to explore the Duke City. It's your guide to uncovering hidden histories of places you thought you knew and discovering off-the-beaten-path attractions you can visit today.

Did Sir Francis Drake really claim Monterey for Queen Elizabeth? What does it take to win the world’s worst car show? Why did the new nation of Argentina attack the port of Monterey? Monterey County is known nationwide for its agricultural bounty, a bay bursting with marine life, world-famous golf courses, annual displays of automobile extravagance, and Big Sur, one of the top ten scenic road trips in the nation, but what about the stories and places that don’t appear in traditional travel guides? Secret Monterey: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure reveals the unexpected and little-known stories behind major attractions, as well as numerous other spots replete with mystery and intrigue. Did General Sherman really jilt the beautiful Senorita Bonifacio? Why did activists decapitate a Catholic saint canonized in the US? When will the next “big one” strike along one of the world’s most closely observed earthquake faults? Local author, travel writer, and historian David Laws answers these questions and introduces you to the other side of Monterey County, a trove of unexpected and unique places just waiting to be explored.