As you embark upon a magical journey exploring the many facets of Wallingford, be sure to stop at Wide World Books & Maps. At the very least you'll get a kick out of this bizarre bookstore, which seems to attract a variety of clientele with an affinity for pairing socks with sandals, wearing goofy hats and sporting denim shorts with plenty of pockets.

While there is the usual variety of liberal literature, such as books by Al Gore and novels about war-torn and third world countries, this place specializes in its travel literature. Rick Steves seems to have a book written about every country in the world, and you will find his name smattered throughout the store.

The section on Asia is especially in-depth and has some rather interesting literature in which to immerse oneself, and the staff is very helpful in consistently asking about the customers' needs.

The funniest section of the store consists of all of its travel gear. There is a wide variety of fanny packs, which seem to make an attempt at being stylish, although it feels similar to trying to make Crocs a lucrative fashion accessory. There are also plenty of goofy binoculars, bug sprays and compasses that will make you the prefect stand-out tourist.

— Guy Keltner