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Rand McNally's 2004 Best of The Road Awards Includes Savannah

Drop in on any Saturday afternoon for a free country music jam session at Acorn Supply feed store in Council Bluffs, Iowa. That's what the locals have been doing for the past 17 years. Take a seat on an old church pew and one of the regulars is sure to stop by with a warm welcome. The jam session sums up the down-to-earth hospitality of the Midwestern United States and is definitely worth a stop.

The Acorn Supply Saturday Jam Session was named one of 27 winners in the annual Rand McNally 2004 Best of the Road awards program. Each year Rand McNally editors hit the road to uncover local dining spots, unique shopping, special events, and new takes on well-known attractions along five scenic road trips across North America. The award winners appear in the new 2004 Rand McNally Road Atlas, announced today.

"We congratulate the 2004 Best of the Road winners," said Robert S. Apatoff, CEO of Rand McNally. "These are the unique places that make memorable road trips. Rand McNally's goal is to find and recommend these top spots so travelers can explore these American travel treasures right here in their own backyard."

The 2004 Rand McNally Best of the Road trips and winners:

Pennsylvania: Philly to the Poconos
Art lovers, antique collectors and outdoor enthusiasts can indulge in their passions in peaceful harmony.
- Wharton Esherick Museum, Paoli
- The Log Cabin Restaurant, Leola
- Yuengling Brewery, Pottsville
- Blue Mountain Sports & Wear, Jim Thorpe
- Visual Mixology home decor shop, Stroudsburg

Georgia to Florida: Historic Waterfront
Follow the Intracoastal Waterway from saucy Savannah, Ga. to St. Augustine, Fla. and discover treasures found only off the interstate.
- Telfair Museum of Art, Savannah, Ga.
- Cafe GelatOhhh!, Savannah, Ga.
- Mary Miller Doll Museum, Brunswick, Ga.
- Jekyll Island, Ga.
- The Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens, Jacksonville, Fla.
- Alligator Farm, St. Augustine, Fla.

Iowa/Kansas/Missouri/Nebraska: The Explorers' River Trail
Follow the steps of Lewis and Clark along the river route the explorers forged 200 years ago, and explore small town America along the way.
- Puppetry Arts Institute, Independence, Mo.
- American Jazz Museum, Kansas City, Mo.
- Moon Marble Company, Bonner Springs, Kan.
- Lied Conference Center Dining Room, Nebraska City, Neb.
- Acorn Supply Saturday Jam Session, Council Bluffs, Iowa

New Mexico: Southwestern Sojourn
Witness picturesque points of interest including regional art and cooking.
- Rio Grande Nature Center, Albuquerque
- Painter's Alley, Santa Fe
- Hacienda de los Martinez restored home, Taos
- Tierra Wools textile weavers, Los Ojos
- El Farolito restaurant, El Rito

Oregon: Pacific Northwest Passage
Take a turn on the curvy roads along the Pacific Coast and the Columbia River and glimpse the natural wonders found on the route.
- American Advertising Museum, Portland
- Blue Heron Herbary, Sauvie Island
- Columbia River Maritime Museum, Astoria
- Alder House III glassblowing studio, Lincoln City
- Whale Cove Inn Restaurant, Depoe Bay
- Heceta Head Light Keeper's House, Yachats

Each trip is about 150 to 300 miles long, can be driven in two to five days, and enjoyed at least three seasons of the year.

Descriptions and details of each 2004 Rand McNally Best of the Road trip appear in the new 2004 Rand McNally Road Atlas, on sale this month at major retailers nationwide and online at randmcnally.com. Complete trip descriptions and routes are also available on randmcnally.com.

This is the third year of the Rand McNally Best of the Road awards program, which made its debut in the 2002 Road Atlas.

About Rand McNally
Rand McNally & Company, founded in 1856, provides mapping, routing and trip planning tools for the consumer, business, education and commercial transportation markets. The company produces print and electronic products featuring national and local maps for the United States and Canada, including the Rand McNally Road Atlas and The Thomas Guide®. Rand McNally offers trip planning on randmcnally.com and operates retail stores across the United States. For more information, call (800) 333-0136 or visit randmcnally.com.