Take a journey to explore hidden nooks and crannies, that you never knew existed in Cleveland, without leaving your home. Haunted locales, “World’s largest”, odd sights, noteworthy inventions, unique foods and more exist among the pages of Secret Cleveland: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful and Obscure. Discover where you can: •find a cure for your cravings •see a weeping angel •visit Lake Erie whales •walk in the footsteps of giants •take a bridge to nowhere•explore roadside attractions •visit the crypt of an ex-president •learn about a misplaced historical marker If you dare, take a leap down rabbit holes you never knew existed as you tour through ninety often overlooked gems in the greater Cleveland area. From bizarre to funny to surprising, you’ll learn what makes Cleveland such a diverse and interesting destination to visit or call home. Never a boring moment, Secret Cleveland is a literary trip that will keep you wondering what you’ll discover on the next page as it walks you through attractions in Greater Cleveland, Bay Village, Lorain, and Medina, to name a few.

There’s something about Cape Cod and the Islands that has long held fascination for fascinating people, whether it’s Kurt Vonnegut Jr., Tennessee Williams, Fred Rogers, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, or writers from the Harlem Renaissance. The region was the first landing place of the Mayflower pilgrims, the final resting place of John Belushi, and where Maria Mitchell discovered a comet from a rooftop on Nantucket. It’s where Bob Dylan gave an impromptu concert for middle-aged ladies competing in a mah-jongg tournament. It’s also the domain of ghosts and spirits lurking in the stacks of old bookshops and among the rafters of sea captains’ mansions. There are weird towers stuck in incongruous places; mysterious stones; and enchanting landscapes that inspired painters, playwrights, and the writers of children’s fairy tales. There are Gilded Age mansions, whaling-era Greek Revivals, modernist cottages, and rose-covered bungalows fashioned from antique fish shacks. Secret Cape Cod and Islands reveals the best and most unexpected aspects of the region and shows you how to experience them for yourself. Want to know where to find the best places for watching a sunset, swimming in hidden ponds, savoring a chef-prepared feast in a farm field, making your own jam, or seeing a play with Broadway-level talent? Veteran journalists Linda Humphrey and Maria Lenhart, aka the Hard News Travel Team, left no scone unturned while spending countless hours investigating the secret treasures of a region they have known and loved for many years.

Where in Indianapolis can you find a disappearing painting, a towering “ice tree,” or a giant pink elephant holding a martini? What caused the Great Squirrel Invasion of 1822, and why did Hollywood celebrities once flock to an Indianapolis cottage called Tuckaway? Where can you find a hidden museum dedicated to antique fire extinguishers? And what, exactly, is a Recordface? You’ll find the answers to these questions, and many others, in this guide to Indy’s overlooked, offbeat, and unknown. Secret Indianapolis profiles the city’s best-kept restaurant secrets, strangest parks and museums, creepiest urban legends, and weirdest works of art. It also tells the stories of forgotten local heroes, and it reveals the secrets behind beloved Indy landmarks. You’ll discover the only place in the world where it’s still possible to order Choc-Ola, explore the most haunted house in Indiana, and hear about the very dirty prank Hoosiers once pulled on a former president. Written by lifelong Hoosier and local author Ashley Petry, Secret Indianapolis offers a new way to explore the Circle City—from the quirks of local history to bizarre activities you can try today.

Did you know that there’s a Connecticut hotel room with a real helicopter inside? Can you guess who inspired the character of Indiana Jones, who was president before George Washington, and who flew before the Wright Brothers? Find the state’s most interesting and offbeat stories in Secret Connecticut: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure. Are you interested in taking a safari or racing a chariot? Had you ever heard that Martin Luther King Jr. spent two summers in Connecticut? Included are more than eighty engaging stories that provide insight into one of America’s oldest states. Inside are tales of pirates, an underground prison, and a possessed doll. Aren’t you curious about the spectacular stained glass church that was unknowingly built in the shape of a fish by a famous architect? From the world’s smallest Native American reservation to professionally coiffed cows and a replica of Marie Antoinette’s palace, you’ll find intrigue around every corner of this small but surprising state. Author Anastasia Mills Healy brings to life the long history of intriguing people, places, and events that will fascinate even life long residents of Connecticut.

Where in the landlocked state of Indiana can you sunbathe on a beach in the shadow of hulking steel mills, surf by an oil refinery, or scuba-dive to see old shipwrecks? A blend of Indiana and neighboring Chicago, Northwest Indiana is a one-of-a-kind place filled with wonders, like Frank Lloyd Wright-designed homes and a hike USA Today described as one of the country’s most scenic. And behind its unique “coastal” setting lie some equally intriguing hidden gems and untold stories. Secret Northwest Indiana: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure leads a whirlwind tour of the Calumet Region that extends from Chicago’s far South Side, through the south suburbs and Northwest Indiana, and into Southwest Michigan. Read about a submarine inventor who sailed under Lake Michigan and the free-spirited Diana of the Dunes, who inspired preservation efforts that led to the Indiana Dunes National Park. Explore hidden Nike missile silos, bygone ski jumps, secret spots to photograph the jets taking off for the Chicago Air and Water Show, and the infamous Marriage Mill, where celebrities flocked to get hitched. Prepare for singing porta-potties, tree graveyards, and other strangeness. Local author and journalist Joseph S. Pete gives you a look behind the curtain in a region you might think you already know well. With his stories and tips, you’ll find no shortage of new secret places to explore in Northwest Indiana.

What's the best place in Houston to watch ostrich racing? Is there really buried treasure in Hermann Park? Do you know where to catch live jazz on the site of the original Republic of Texas capitol, or enjoy world class Cajun food in a church cloister from the 1800s? You'll find the answers to these questions and more in Secret Houston, your guide to H-Town's offbeat, overlooked and unknown. This book will take native Houstonians and fresh-off-the-freeway Newstonians alike on a behind-the-scenes look at the funkiest bits of the nation's fourth-largest city. Did you know Memorial Park was once a World War I training camp? Or the original use of the Last Concert Café and why its front door was always kept locked? And what's up with that old, mysterious crypt built into the bank of the bayou or that weird golden dome out on the west side? Local writer and longtime Houstonian William Dylan Powell helps you unlock Bayou City's most intriguing, entertaining and arcane secrets in this guidebook to the obscure. Some of these secrets you can enjoy today, while others are merely ghosts, legends or shadows of our city's past. But they're all waiting for you to explore right now in Secret Houston.

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.