wandermore in America blog

Travel Guides, Small-Town Stories & Hidden Gems

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Discover hidden gems, local history, roadside attractions, and unforgettable destinations with Wandermore Publishing.

America’s Small Towns Have Big Stories!

Where to Eat in McHenry County, Illinois: 12 Restaurants, Breweries & Distilleries We Loved

From deep-dish pizza and Thai food to local breweries and craft whiskey, discover 12 restaurants, breweries, and distilleries we experienced during our visit to McHenry County, Illinois.

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McCook, Nebraska: The Railroad Hub of Southwest Nebraska

Founded in June 1882, the City of McCook has long served as the economic and cultural center of southwest Nebraska. The town is home to historic gems, including a Frank Lloyd Wright House, the Museum of the High Plains, and the locally famous Mac’s Drive In!

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Alexandria, Minnesota: GIANT Vikings, Lakes, and One of Minnesota's Greatest Mysteries

No attraction has brought Alexandria more international attention than the Kensington Runestone. In 1898, Swedish immigrant Olof Ohman claimed to have discovered a 202-pound greywacke stone covered in ancient Nordic runes while clearing land near Kensington, Minnesota. According to Ohman, the stone was found intertwined among the roots of a tree…

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Hawley, Minnesota: The Town of Many Names and the Birthplace of the Hjemkomst

From Scandinavian pioneers and English colonists to railroad expansion and Viking ship construction, Hawley's story is one of perseverance, reinvention, and an enduring connection to its immigrant roots.

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Medora, North Dakota: How a Tiny Cow Town Became North Dakota's Top Tourist Destination

Medora proudly markets itself as "North Dakota's #1 Destination," a title well deserved by a community that transformed itself from a struggling frontier settlement into one of the Midwest's premier tourism destinations.

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Moorhead, Minnesota History: From Lake Agassiz to the Birthplace of the Dilly Bar

Today, Moorhead, Minnesota, is best known as one-half of the Fargo-Moorhead metropolitan area, a thriving regional hub along the Red River of the North. Yet the city's story—which includes the invention of Dairy Queen’s famous Dilly Bar—begins thousands of years before its first settlers arrived, when a massive prehistoric lake covered much of the northern Great Plains.

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Alpine Inn Omaha: Fried Chicken, Raccoons, and Nebraska's Most Unique Restaurant

Welcome to Alpine Inn, "Home of the Wildlife," one of the most distinctive dining experiences not only in Nebraska but arguably anywhere in the United States. Nestled on the northern outskirts of Omaha, this legendary restaurant has delighted customers for decades with hand-dipped fried chicken, live entertainment, and a nightly gathering of very hungry furry visitors.

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Angle Inlet, Minnesota: Visiting the Northernmost Point in the Lower 48 States

Few places in America are as geographically unique—or as challenging to reach—as Angle Inlet, Minnesota. Located within the Northwest Angle, this remote community is home to the Northernmost Point of the Contiguous United States, making it the only portion of the lower 48 states situated north of the 49th parallel.

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Fargo, North Dakota: From Frontier Railroad Town to the Heart of the Red River Valley

As North Dakota's largest city and one of the most influential communities in the Upper Midwest, Fargo has come a long way from its humble beginnings as a frontier settlement along the Red River of the North. Today, Fargo serves as North Dakota's cultural, educational, economic, and transportation hub.

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Thomas Dambo Trolls in Clinton, Iowa: Meet Marvin, Warren, Helmut, and the Mystery Troll

We met some of Iowa’s newest residents the other day whilst “wandering more” in Visit Clinton, Iowa…the Dambo trolls Marvin, Warren, and Helmut! And a fourth “mystery” troll that we can help you discover if you read on 👀🌳

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