Order a “cabinet” at an ice cream counter outside New England, and the kid behind the register just stares. So does the line behind you. These are the signs someone was raised in Rhode Island, no matter where they live now. 1. Coffee Milk Devotion Rhode Island named coffee milk its official state drink in…
Every Friday night of football season, Marfa’s Martin Field fills up the way NPR’s cameras caught it doing last September. Fans have kept packing those bleachers generation after generation, no matter how much the town around them changes. Other small Texas towns do the same. These are the small Texas towns that empty out on…
By 11 a.m. one fall Sunday, Dolly Sods’ Bear Rocks parking lot was already full. Another 129 vehicles lined Forest Road 75 behind it, with license plates from New Mexico to Maine. It’s easy to give up and turn around. These are the West Virginia overlooks that aren’t worth the leaf season traffic. 1. Long…
A 1947 newspaper ad for the brand-new Florence Drive-In made one promise louder than any other: Nobody had to dress up. Kids fell asleep in their pajamas in the back seat before the second movie even started. That drive-in is gone, along with plenty of Kentucky habits that went with it. These are the Kentucky…
Minnesota’s Department of Natural Resources lists 11,842 lakes of at least 10 acres inside the state’s borders. Many of them ring small towns that lean on one short tourist season for almost everything. That season has a hard stop. These are the Minnesota lake towns that shut down the day after Labor Day. Cass Lake…
Renting a storage unit is simple: Pick a size, sign the paperwork, and start unloading. But while you’re sizing up the unit, the person behind the counter is sizing you up. These are the things Arizona storage managers judge about a renter. Note: This is general information, not legal advice. Arizona’s self-storage lien and auction…
Harveysburg, Ohio has about 600 year-round residents. One weekend every fall, its streets disappear under an out-of-town crowd. The village pushed back, and it’s far from the only Ohio town with mixed feelings about its festival crowds. These are the Ohio festivals locals wish out-of-staters hadn’t found. 1. Circleville Pumpkin Show The Circleville Pumpkin Show,…
Some of the food Idaho serves makes out-of-state visitors set their fork down mid-bite, while locals ask for seconds without a moment’s hesitation. These are the Idaho foods that horrify everyone from out of state. 1. Rocky Mountain Oysters Idaho’s Rocky Mountain oysters aren’t seafood. They’re deep-fried bull testicles, breaded and served as a starter…
A New York day trip to Niagara Falls can end at the Canadian border with the wrong ID in your hand. Travelers who’ve driven every bridge and tunnel in New York State still trip over rules that changed since their last visit. These are the New York travel mistakes even seasoned vacationers still make. Note:…
Connecticut’s covered bridges look peaceful enough to belong on a postcard. Spend a few minutes talking to the Nutmeggers who know them, though, and the quiet New England charm gives way to disagreements that have lasted for years. These are the Connecticut covered bridges Nutmeggers still argue about. 1. West Cornwall Covered Bridge West Cornwall…
