It is no wonder the ancient city of St. Augustine is steeped in secrets. St. Johns, the oldest continuously occupied county in America celebrated its 450th birthday on September 4, 2015. More like a European enclave than an urban landscape, it is a place of cannon fire, street parties, historical reenactments, concerts, and more. From admiring replicas of fine art at Ripley’s Believe or Not, to hunting haunts in restaurants and museums, to eating ice cream from a recipe originated by World War II bombardiers, St. Augustine has it all from beaches, gourmet dining, festivals, and attractions. A young and vibrant business community coexists with a rich history from the Spanish conquistadors, the British aristocracy, antebellum Americans, and Civil Rights leaders. There are stories behind the forts, old Spanish houses, a slave market, civil rights landmarks, museums, hotels, art galleries, a college that was once a luxury hotel, and more. These places all have secrets to tell and, since it’s St. Augustine, one or two ghost stories as well. Once you come to St. Augustine, you keep coming back. St. Augustine is one place, despite its status as the oldest city, whose secrets never get old.

Where in New Orleans can you can bathe in Napoleon’s bathtub, step through a time machine, or eat dinner with a ghost? What religion is even stranger than Voodoo? Why take your laundry to the birthplace of rock ‘n’ roll? What is the one (delicious!) drink that makes every bartender cringe? There is no denying that New Orleans is more than just another city . . . she is truly an enigma. New Orleans is a place where struggle gives way to decadence and revelry, moss-dripped southern oaks whisper tales of dueling and murder, and long-held traditions baffle—and even appall—outsiders. With this guide, readers can seek out Calas at Elizabeth’s Restaurant and learn how this simple sweet enabled enslaved women to buy their freedom, see how Hurricane Katrina ravaged a typical home at the Flooded House Museum, and discover how Josie Arlington, the city’s most famous madam, mocked her dissenters even in death while basking in the beauty of her ornate tomb in Metairie Cemetery. Secret New Orleans is an intriguing collection of obscure people, artifacts, places, and menu items that lifts the hazy veil of The Big Easy and unmasks some of its most amazingly true stories, proving to be valuable reading for visitors and locals alike!

Embark on a scavenger hunt to the unknown and unusual corners of Chicago. This endlessly interesting city is home to tales as tall as our skyscrapers and secrets as deep as our pizzas. Explore a side of Chicago you’ve never seen, from a grave in a junkyard to a pool under the Loop. Discover where you can picnic on a nuclear pylon or snorkel a Lake Michigan shipwreck. Visit the site of the Western Hemisphere’s largest mass grave or run away to the circus in a church. Do you know where to find the birthplace of gospel music and a final resting place for Cubs fans? Surprises are hiding everywhere in Chicago, from a chapel atop a Loop skyscraper to an art gallery in a Beverly fieldhouse. From an energy vortex in Fulton Market to a salt cave in Portage Park, follow Secret Chicago across the city’s neighborhoods and into its little-known history. Find oddities and inspiration in Chicago’s uncommon sites, including hidden attractions, haunted locales, and unique landmarks. This guide delivers answers to questions around town that you didn’t even know you had and proves that when it comes to secrets, Chicago is second to none.

You could call Jacksonville the secret city of Florida because even many natives have a tough time pinning down its defining features and best spots. But for anyone willing to dig beneath the surface, there’s no shortage of incredible sights, hidden histories and unusual relics just waiting to be discovered. Want to see the world’s largest Native American woodcarving, chart the roots of Southern rock, or eat curly fries at the barbecue joint that claims to have invented them? Secret Jacksonville: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure is dedicated to telling the stories behind forgotten, mysterious and just plain interesting spots across Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Fernandina Beach, and the surrounding communities. Here you’ll find out where you can see a long forgotten Florida waterfall with connections to Jacksonville’s founder, and learn why there’s a tombstone in the middle of a neighborhood sidewalk. You’ll hear the stories behind local delicacies like Jacksonville-style garlic crabs, datil peppers, Mayport shrimp, and camel rider sandwiches. And of course, you’ll learn what exactly is up with that orange roadside dinosaur everyone’s always talking about. Jacksonville writer Bill Delaney has a deep passion for his hometown and a keen interest in underrepresented stories. From folklore to history and everything in between, join him to explore a side of the Bold City you can only find by leaving the welltrodden path.

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.

History and hermits. Museums and murals. Graveyards and churches and plenty of cheesesteak. These are the secrets of Philadelphia. They reveal a city of curious contradiction, one with a rich history dating back to 1682 but also with an eye on the future. Come for the Liberty Bell­, but stay for the secrets uncovered in Secret Philadelphia: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful and Obscure. Journey to the places you've never heard of and back to those old haunts you thought you knew, but never like this. Discover where you can . . . Enter through a gate full of artistic hands, Peruse art between arrivals and departures, Throw a penny on a Founding Father's grave (and learn why you should), Sample a sandwich on both sides of the street, Learn how 19th-century surgeries were performed, Explore the cell where Al Capone paid his debt to society, Discover the cave of the first doomsday cult, Come face to face with the bird that inspired two famous authors, Follow the footsteps of famous boxers both real and fictional, Encounter the real heroes of the Revolution, Greet neighbors in the oldest neighborhood in the country, Roam through dinosaurs and walk away with a butterfly, See slides of Einstein's brain... From the festive fantasy of the Mummers to the disturbing reality of the Mütter, Philadelphia is a city with stories to tell. Uncover your own favorites in the pages of Secret Philadelphia.

Where can you join in a pirate parade, see live mermaids, and catch a flamenco dance performance at the oldest and largest Spanish restaurant in America? Where does the spirit of an ancient Tocobaga shaman allegedly continue to protect the area from the forces of nature? Where can you wander through secret gardens, listen to bagpipe music, take a class in fire spinning, and sample a seemingly endless variety of local craft beers, all on the same day? The answer, of course, is Tampa Bay. Secret Tampa Bay: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure provides a deeper dive into the local culture, history, art, and one-of-a-kind attractions as alternatives to the usual beaches and theme parks. Whether it’s an abandoned island fort from the Spanish-American War, a dolphin famous for its prosthetic tail, a love story captured on a tombstone, or a town of circus sideshow performers, whatever natural or unnatural wonder you’re seeking, you are sure to find it here. Join author Joshua Ginsberg as he explores Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and the surrounding areas in search of hidden history, strange monuments, museums, oddities, antiques, and the very best Cuban sandwich. From gangsters to gators to ghost stories, it’s sure to be a memorable experience.