Offbeat North America

In the introduction to this guide, journalist Anita Isalska emphasizes the dangers from excessive tourism to the sustainability of national parks specifically and to the environment at large. As an effort to illuminate that issue, the book presents a selection of 100 destinations in North America that offer scenic beauty, recreational opportunities, or cultural attractions free of the crowds and traffic commonplace at more popular vacation spots. Highlighting unique activities, local cuisine, and quirky folk art, this guide provides advice for reaching each location and the best seasons for visiting, travel and safety tips, and plenty of enticing photos. The descriptions of each destination urge readers to think more creatively about the opportunities these off-the-beaten-path locales offer: the low-on-light-pollution Grasslands National Park in Saskatchewan, for example, makes for stellar stargazing, whereas Alaska’s Dalton Highway gives adventure seekers a route to the Arctic Circle.