Sometimes the most memorable adventures are hiding just down the road.

World travelers Al and Sunny Lockwood were accustomed to exploring far-flung destinations. But when COVID-19 suddenly brought international travel to a halt, they turned their curiosity closer to home, and discovered a remarkable world waiting in the small towns of North Carolina's beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains.

Leaving the freeways behind, they uncovered wonderfully unexpected places: a Brevard antiques store called MANtiques, an innovative community of artists whose studios are powered by methane from an old landfill, Andy Griffith's childhood home, and plenty of surprises in between.

Blending fascinating local history, quirky discoveries, personal memories, and the pleasures of taking the road less traveled, Al and Sunny reveal the character of communities that are all too easy to drive past.

Warm, entertaining, and filled with curiosity, this is a travel memoir for anyone who loves back roads, mountain towns, local history, and discovering extraordinary stories in ordinary places.