A hiker crouches at the edge of Rhyolite’s old Bottle House, camera on, one hand hovering over a shard of green glass poking out of the sand. It looks like litter. Federal law calls it evidence of a vanished mining boom. Slipping it into your pocket can turn a day trip into a felony case….
Feed a wild alligator in a Florida state park, and it’s not a slap on the wrist. It’s a criminal charge, up to a $500 fine, and a possible night in jail. Regulars know that rule cold, along with a handful of others that many tourists never notice. These are the Florida state park rules…
Census data up and down the Grand Strand and Lowcountry show entire blocks of houses sitting vacant much of the year. They were built for one-week renters instead of full-time residents. These are the South Carolina beach towns that empty out the week after Labor Day. 1. North Myrtle Beach North Myrtle Beach counts 62.6%…
Fletcher’s fries something close to 550,000 corny dogs at the State Fair of Texas over one 24-day run, and the same family has run that batter since 1942. That’s three generations at the fryer. These are the Texas State Fair foods locals build their whole day around, regardless of what new dish wins this year’s…
Sperryville has one road in, two blocks of Main Street, and 302 year-round neighbors. For 51 weeks a year, that’s plenty. Then the ridge behind town starts turning red and gold, and every car headed for Skyline Drive funnels straight through it. These are the Virginia mountain towns that fill up the moment the leaves…
Think an Illinois road trip means Chicago, then a straight shot down I-55 to St. Louis? It shouldn’t, if you ask us. Illinoisans keep their own list of places worth the extra exit, and many of them sit less than an hour off the interstate. These are the Illinois road trip stops worth pulling off…
Isle of Palms hands out a flat fine for parking against traffic, even on a public street with no meter in sight. That’s just one of several rules that catch visitors who assume a free street means no rules. These are the parking mistakes visitors in South Carolina keep making, and the price changes with…
Southern hospitality has a shelf life in Georgia, whatever the postcards from Savannah promise. Twenty-two percent of hosts admit they’ll flat-out tell a houseguest it’s time to go, according to a survey of 2,000 Americans conducted last fall. That same discomfort shows up in guest rooms across the country, not just in Georgia. So, how…
A waterfall in New York’s Finger Lakes region drops 215 feet, over 30 feet taller than Niagara Falls. Many New Yorkers have never heard of it. These are the upstate towns that New Yorkers, from the city and country alike, forget or never knew existed. Hammondsport Hammondsport is easy to miss if you don’t already…
There’s buying in bulk, and then there’s knowing how to milk Costco for all its worth. Longtime Costco members have picked up several tricks that newer shoppers usually learn the expensive or inconvenient way. These habits separate the seasoned Virginians from the rookies. 1. Costco Skips an Entire Department in Virginia Costco stocks beer and…
