Metropolitan Library System

Tired of the same old tourist traps? Whether you're a visitor or a local looking for something different, let Kansas Off the Beaten Path show you the Sunflower State you never knew existed. Attend a "twine party" in Cawker City to make the world's largest ball of twine (almost nine tons) even larger; go on a retreat to the Dominican Sisters' Heartland Farm and try your hand at organic gardening and holistic healing; and sample some of the twenty-eight...

“Twin Cities Uncovered” takes you from restored barns to fragrant apple orchards to the "Mighty Mississippi Bicycle Adventure" that runs from Minneapolis to cities far across America. Ride the antique, hand-carved carousel at the Minnesota State Fair, or stroll the "Mississippi Mile" along the cobblestone Main Street to a row of quaint shops, charming restaurants, and coffee houses on the water's edge. Recall the romance of Longfellow's "Hiawatha"...

A first edition, “Insiders' Guide to Des Moines” is the essential source for in-depth travel and relocation information to Iowa's capital. Written by a local (and true insider), this guide offers a personal and practical perspective of Des Moines and its surrounding environs.

Whether you enjoy skiing, antiquing, camping, or simply taking in the fall colors, the St. Croix Valley is a popular and affordable day trip or vacation destination for thousands of visitors every year. The quaint towns that dot the Minnesota and Wisconsin sides of this scenic 130-mile stretch of river offer many modern-day attractions but also are a window into this region's storied past. Let Deborah Morse-Kahn and her new book The Historic St. Croix...

In the early 20th century, dreamers would have the grand idea of making an American version of the Great Sphinx. It would see artists and politicians collude and plan a unique American monument. Known as Mt Rushmore, it would consist of four sculpted heads of American presidents who most shaped America. It would take years and be championed by the great artist, Gutzon Borglum. It would be built and go on to be an epic monument treasured by all America....

Tired of the same old tourist traps? Whether you're a visitor or a local looking for something different, let The Dakotas Off the Beaten Path show you a side of North and South Dakota you never knew existed. See the house Pa built during the annual Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant in De Smet, South Dakota. Excavate mammoth bones in the Black Hills or spelunk in some of the world's largest caves. Dance to Norwegian fiddles at North America's largest Scandinavian...

“Insiders' Guide to Oklahoma City” is the essential source for in-depth travel and relocation information to Oklahoma's captial city. Written by a local (and true insider), it offers a personal and practical perspective of Oklahoma City and its surrounding environs.

A first edition, “Insiders' Guide to Omaha & Lincoln” is the essential source for in-depth travel and relocation information to Lincoln and the Omaha-Council Bluffs metro areas. Written by a local (and true insider), this guide offers a personal and practical perspective of the Omaha, NE, Lincoln, NE, Council Bluffs, IA, and its surrounding environs.

Most Minnesotans have a lost town. Everywhere Rhonda traveled throughout the state, people shared their stories and their towns with her. Each new discovery led to more tales of northern Minnesota's lost towns. Join us as we journey to northern Minnesota's past once again. Covering all new towns and communities, nearly 130 of them, the book is filled with photos and tales that once again prove history is in our own backyards. Historians, tourists,...

Written by a local author, this guide is filled to the brim with insider information on everything from the top fishing sites to seasonal festivals and the best places to eat, sleep, and play.