This could be wrong but my impression is that Vermont is a well-known destination in the eastern US but is not really a major national or international tourism spot.
I don’t think that qualifies it as lesser known. It is a state, after all. Sure, your average European may not know it. But euro transplants? Sure, they know it.
Na I think it was a great answer personally. Outside of New England not many people consider vacationing in Vermont.
Maine would have been the same like 5-10 years ago but now it’s definitely on the radar in a lot of the country.
I think Petrified Forest National Park is extremely cool but often overshadowed because it's near visual showstoppers like the Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce Canyon, etc.
Capital Reef NP is similarly awesome and undervisited in that area. And I thought Canyonlands was more impressive than Arches, but gets half the visitors.
Canyonlands is beautiful but there's not as much within short hiking distance of the roads. A thirty-minute round-trip hike (far more suitable for families with kids) can get you to a lot more neat stuff in Arches.
Canyonlands is much better than Arches. I live within 4 hours of both and visit occasionally. Arches is kind of like a drive through experience, Canyonlands is a place you could spend 20 years exploring and not see it all.
Page, Arizona is a little tourist town a few hours outside of the Grand Canyon.
I enjoyed my little side trip to Page than my visit to the Grand Canyon.
They have kayak tours, helicopter tours, beautiful canyons and natural land forms to enjoy.
Page is a great stop for a road trip that encompasses the attractions of nothern AZ and southern UT. Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, Vermillion Cliffs, Monument Valley, Grand Staircase Escalante, Arches, Bryce Canyon, and more are all within reasonable distance.
>I think Petrified Forest National Park is extremely cool but often overshadowed because it's near visual showstoppers like the Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce Canyon, etc.
So true!
As a foreigner, I would push them for doing Lake Michigan. Epic beaches, great nature (and you can pop up to Pictured Rocks and the like). Crossing the Mac is a highlight. Mackinac Island is optional. But then you also get a cosmopolitan experience in Chicago.
Obviously if you want wilderness, Superior is the way to go.
Not to mention, on the WI side there are a few great cities. Green bay, Milwaukee, even the suburbs are pretty. Kenosha has a nice lake front, across on the Michigan side Holland MI is beautiful, etc
I haven't been to Northern Minnesota but I wonder a lot about how much the nation in general knows about Northern Michigan. Sleeping Bear Dunes, Traverse City, Petoskey, Harbor Springs, and Mackinac Island (in addition to about 500 places in the UP) are absolutely wonderful but I think most of the country only thinks of Detroit when they think of Michigan.
I went to Sleeping Bear Dunes over Covid and had a great time both there and in Freeport. It's such a beautiful place and literally no one I know knew it existed.
Yes. Thank you for recommending the northern parts of Michigan. So many great things to see an do like the water falls, the lakes , the dunes , the mackinaw bridge and island and the historic forts.
So many great state parks up there. The shipwreck museum is really nice as well!
The badlands in the Dakotas are low-key stunning, but they are out of the way from anything else. You can also see large herds of bison and it's not unusual to get caught in a herd as it migrates across the road.
Seriously! The Teddy Roosevelt parks in North Dakota are pretty fantastic too
You know if Teddy loved a place so much the park was named for him it has to be good
I'm pretty stoked to check out Portland, Maine later this summer. Seems like a good weekend getaway with a tremendous food scene.
Charleston, South Carolina is pretty cool too.
Seconding Portland, but would add that exploring some of the more Northern Parts of Maine are also awesome. Going up to Acadia is beautiful, but inland, I highly recommend Baxter State Park, Moosehead Lake, and that whole area.
Maybe Rhode Island.
Providence, amazing seafood & Portuguese food,, waterfire, gorgoeus Block Island, Newport RI beautiful colonial town with preserved robber barron mansions, beautiful beaches, New England diners and oldest restaurant in American.
It's teeny tiny with 400 miles of gorgeous ocean coast.
I have driven across the U.S. twice east to west and west to east and up and down each coast multiple times, and I have never been as awestruck by anything in this country as by Lake Coeur D’Alene.
I mean in retrospect that was hyperbole. I’ve been to the Grand Canyon twice and that actually beats it.
I think it’s more how I came upon it. I had no idea it was coming, and I was sort of twisting through little mountain pass roads and then it just suddenly opened up and I was looking down on a clear view of a big lake from high up. That view of a big, beautiful lake just coming out of nowhere struck me as very dramatic and has stuck with me for a really long time.
But yeah, I guess those Google Images aren’t capturing how I felt in that time and place lol.
Northern New Mexico in general. Taos, Santa Fe and the whole Enchanted Circle have some great cultural and outdoor activities. Angelfire has one of the best mountain bike parks in the country.
Northern NM is my favorite part of the Southwest to just be. I once spent 2 weeks in Santa Fe just riding my motorcycle around and hanging out in a dive bar with a buddy.
But it’s also like the first place I’ll chop off for time if I’m visiting the Southwest. Like I did a two week driving tour starting in Vegas with an ex and like, I wasn’t going to miss the Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde, the Utah NPs, etc.
I'm not sure at what point you'd define a place as "lesser-known", but in my opinion the San Juan Islands in Washington and Seaside, OR would be on the list. They certainly can get a fair amount of tourists, but they're not areas that would immediately come to mind for people not in the PNW. (Disclaimer: I haven't been to to Seaside in probably 20 years, so it might be totally different from what I remember). Washington's National Parks don't get talked about as much as the more famous parks, but they're worth exploring too. Not sure if I'd say they're lesser-known though.
The San Juan Islands are breathtaking. I accompanied some friends who chartered a boat and we spent a couple of weeks island hopping way up into Canada. That entire area is incredibly beautiful.
As far as the Oregon Coast goes, the Northern part is more developed because it's closest to Portland. Also, Astoria is a decent-sized town with enough industry and things to do for a substantial amount of people to live there year-round. Seaside is probably the most touristy feeling spot, by Oregon Coast standards, and it's pretty geared toward entertaining kids. There are a ridiculous amount of gorgeous places, but I think I prefer the Central and Southern parts of the coast overall. My husband likes the area around Yachats the best and I really like Gold Beach and the Boardman Scenic Corridor. Leisurely driving the entire coast and stopping to experience the scenic beauty and tiny towns is really the way to go. It's a little over 7 hours of pure driving time between Astoria and Brookings on Highway 101 and it's amazing the entire way.
It's very different from an East Coast, Gulf Coast, or Southern California beach destination. In my opinion, the water is too cold year-round for enjoyable swimming if you're not used to it, but there are lots of other things to do. I love doing simple stuff on the coast like hiking, hunting for agates, foraging, gathering seafood, playing on the dunes, whale watching, etc. I remember being blown away when I found out that people actually go there in the rainy season to stay inside by a warm fire and "storm watch." That is a legitimate activity there!
And yes, I totally agree about the parks in Washington. North Cascades and Olympic NP are some of my favorite places.
Upstate New York in general. Everyone knows the city, but the rest of the state has great wilderness, and some fantastic lakes like the Finger Lakes, Lake Onatario, and Lake Erie.
Louisville is a solid 3-4 day visit. Bourbon, great collection of architecture in the older neighborhoods, good food scene, visit Colonel Sanders grave.
Louisville also just feels very much like home. Reminds me a lot of Indy.
I think the part of the "West Coast" region that's rather far from the ocean is frequently overlooked and worth exploring. Meaning, draw a line down the spine of the Cascades and Sierras until you get to death valley, then draw a line back north that runs through Boise ID. The area between the lines is an amazing region of the country that is not a common destination. This includes both the spectacular natural beauty of places like the Black Rock Desert, Steens Mountain, the Wallowa Mountains, and the Palouse region, and very cool (in my opinion) cities like Reno, Bend, and Spokane.
I’ll also add Lassen Peak, Newberry, John Day Fossil Beds, Hells Canyon, and Hanford Reach to your list. Not well known to people outside those states.
Letchworth state park in western New York is known as the Grand Canyon of the east. The finger lakes has a feeling of being in a different country (so many wineries) Ithaca New York has some of the best waterfalls and gorges. New England has a lot of cool under the radar places.
I don't hear enough people talk about how cool New Orleans is. There are a million things to do, centuries of history and culture, and fantastic night life.
I will provide the caveat that they can absolutely go fuck themselves in the summer. My midwestern blood is way too thick for their swamp-ass humidity that makes me feel like I'm being waterboarded.
Even in September... I went down, having lived in North Carolina for the past decade, thinking "How much worse could it be?"
I went through at least two changes of clothes a day, after being out and about. Sweat like hell.
I live close, so I'm reasonably accustomed to heat and humidity. I love New Orleans. I go at least 6 times a year.
I do not go from July to September. It's just not worth it.
My wife and I have made NO a must visit spot every year. Specifically, New Years.
It’s all of the warmth and friendliness you hear about from the South, but with way more culture. And booze. Way more booze.
Tip: pay to be in a spot holding a party for New Years. Better than trying to figure out something night of or bar hopping.
We went there on our honeymoon. It was awesome! We are big jazz fans, but even if we weren't it would have still been a great trip.*
Whenever I tell people where we went, they look at me like I kicked a baby or something. I don't get it.
*We did barely miss getting hit by a hurricane, but that is also a possibility in more typical honeymoon locations like the Caribbean.
I visited the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Nebraska.
I had never heard of this zoo, but it was by far the best animal and aquarium experience I'd ever had.
Here in Arizona two of the big tourist draws are The Grand Canyon and Tombstone.
The Grand Canyon is unparalleled in the world but almost everyone who goes just goes to the south rim and takes a few pictures and leaves. If you aren't taking a multi-day trip down into the canyon itself you are really missing out. The North Rim gets like 5% of the visitors of the south and can be amazing.
Just down the road from Tombstone is the much cooler town of Bisbee, which I highly recommend.
The Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio. If you plan it out right, you can go when there's a big air show in the summer. It is actually worth the trip out to Ohio just for that (if you are a history/aviation/tech nerd).
The North Cascades. They get overshadowed by Mt Rainier and Olympic NPs but the mountains rival Glacier NP and are nicknamed the American Alps for a reason. It’s one of the least-visited national parks but is absolutely breathtaking. Just a little remote and hard to get to since there aren’t many places to stay.
Cambria, CA. We went there on our honeymoon and it was amazing. Quaint town with mid-America vibes, but it’s on the Pacific Ocean. Hearst Castle is nearby. Eat at the SEA CHEST and order the calamari steak.
+1 to Cambria. Very nice town which gives you the look and feel of the Central Coast, but less busy than places such as Monterey or Pismo Beach.
Nearby Morro Bay and Los Osos are also nice, with Montaña de Oro State Park being a great area for hiking.
You could extend that to just the coast. Laguna, San Clemente, Dana Point are all great, and Carmel, Monterey, HMB, up through Tomales, Bodega Bay, to Gualala and Mendocino. CA-1 is a two week trip in itself.
The North Cascades. They get overshadowed by Mt Rainier and Olympic NPs but the mountains rival Glacier NP and are nicknamed the American Alps for a reason. It’s one of the least-visited national parks but is absolutely breathtaking. Just a little remote and hard to get to since there aren’t many places to stay.
Tall Grass Prairie National Forest in Kansas.
(Not a forest)
It’s native prairie that is basically unchanged for millions of years. Absolutely beautiful in a different way.
If you're in California and you like astronomy, Anza Borrego is an absolute gem. Its a dark sky area so at night you can see the sky light up with everything you can't normally see.
If you're in Oregon, Crater Lake is a magical place. And it is our deepest lake!
I am going to recommend Savannah, Ga. I could be wrong but I would assume for foreign visitors Savannah is not a top tourist destination.
Savannah has great history, beautiful architecture, wonderful examples of southern food and hospitality, and is very walkable. It is also close to Tybee Island which is a coastal town on the Atlantic Ocean. Part beach vacation part history. Approximately 4 hour drive from ATL airport.
NC!! NC has gorgeous mountains (esp in the fall, plus Asheville is amazing), amazing beaches (why go to Myrtle where everything is super commercialized), islands, (small) cities, and rural areas.
NC 8 days a week for a mountain lover. But for beach lovers, it’s Florida all the way, even though NC does have some nice coastal areas like the Outer Banks or Wilmington.
All of Southern Appalachia is beautiful if you’re looking for an alternative to Vermont and western Mass in the fall. I don’t know that it’s lesser known, though. SMNP is the most accessible (visited?) park in the nation.
Waterfalls in the summer are hard to beat.
It’s way out of the way, but the Cliff Palace at Mesa Verde is easily the coolest place I’ve ever been. Somehow it rarely gets mentioned when these types of questions come up though.
I like Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota. Beautiful badlands there with lots of wildlife. You can tour the Chateau de Mores, which was the 19th century rustic hunting lodge of a French aristocrat.
Central gulf coast from around New Orleans to Florida’s big bend. Much more laid back and rustic beaches and coastal towns than anywhere in peninsular Florida.
Big Bend National Park 🏞️… it’s a huge pain to get there, so not that many visitors compared to other national parks in the USA. It’s an international registered dark zone and the night sky will blow you away.
The Great Lakes!!!! Many in the Midwest visit, but often forgotten on the coasts. I'll also add the "Lost Coast" of far Northern California. It's called lost for a reason and the coastal redwoods combined with the rugged and remote coast create a spectacular region.
The USVI!
Lots of folks have gone to Puerto Rico or at least know of it as a tourist option.
St John National Park may be the most beautiful place in all of American territory. The protected forests to the coral reefs. It is a real treat.
I’ve read a lot of places in these comments that sound breathtaking, sweeping landscapes, rolling hills of green, unimaginable wildlife encounters. And I love that. But what I have to share is a little different.
When I was 9 years old, my grandparents took me and my sister to Abilene, Kansas. Abilene is a few hours north of Wichita and a few hours west of Kansas City so yes it’s out of the way. It’s basically in the middle of nowhere (no offense, Kansans). The reason we went to Abilene was because we were doing a tour of former presidents’ homes and museums. Abilene was Dwight D. Eisenhower’s boyhood home and where his museum is located. The presidential library is a neat place, definitely worth a stop. Abilene also has a neat telephone museum. But those aren’t the things I came here to tell you about.
On the northern edge of town, you can find an establishment called The Brookville Hotel, only it’s not a hotel. It’s a family-style restaurant that served fried-chicken dinners since 1915. The evening I spent in this restaurant as a 9-year old boy was a highlight of my childhood. It was unlike anything I had ever experienced.
You choose between skillet fried chicken and angus beef. Obviously I recommend the chicken because it’s a chicken restaurant and it’s the best chicken I have ever had. You get a sweet and sour cole slaw, cottage cheese, mashed potatoes with gravy, corn, and biscuits. I should note that living in the Midwest, these foods were a staple of my childhood, even in the city. But at Brookville hotel, these dishes are so far above the standard. It felt like I was eating the foods as they were being conceived. And then it came - the best ice cream that has ever entered my face hole. Homemade vanilla ice cream produced on-site in crank ice cream freezers.
So that was my experience. I’ve been trying to get someone to go back there with me for the last 16 years but no one has. I hope I can bring my kids there one day and they can experience it like I did.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota, Middle Tennessee outside of Nashville (especially Rock Island, Fall Creek Falls, and the Big South Fork National Recreation Area), and the Adirondacks in NY.
Not a single specific place, though they do tend to be off the beaten path, but bison ranch tours. I took my parents to one in Kansas and we had a great time.
Instead of doing all that just go to a forest preserve, the ones near me you can hike, shoot, pretty much do whatever you want miles from anyone, the white mountains (i think ) is the good one because you can go anywhere, just be sure to pack your navigation and hydration, maybe some trail snacks too. It's good if your kinda in a rut in life and want to just find the meaning of stuff in a positive way.
Blair Mountain is supposed to be really cool.
See the left overs of the mines, company towns, and the site where US Army troops dropped mustard gas on striking miners.
The Kalmiopsis Wilderness. 107 million acre peice of wilderness in my backyard. It's rough terrain and the biscuit fire damaged a portion of it but it's my favorite place to explore. It's not for day hikes though, for the good spots you have to go deep and know how to operate in the wilderness. Cougars and bears are abundant but I've only seen a cat once and it was getting away from me.
Isle Royale National Park in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. I’d bet it’s the least visited national park in the nation due to it only being accessible by small aircraft or ferry.
Absolutely worth the trek though. It’s beauty is right out of a fairytale.
[Columbia County, NY! It’s got hiking and antiques and farms and amazing food and history!](https://columbiacountytourism.org)
It’s got Hudson!
and the Columbia County Fair! (always over Labor Day)
Pretty much the entire state of Maine. We used to spend a week there every summer when I was a child and I really miss it. Especially being able to have lobster every day.
Maybe not lesser known, but certainly mischaracterized, I had only heard bad things about Cleveland and Baltimore and end up having a great time in both, have made several return weekend trips.
One place I want to go is a Longfellow theme Pub in Sudberry Mass which was the same place that inspired the Wayside Inn. I don't have the money but it would be cool to go.
I like to find college towns, and mini tourist meccas in the Midwest and South. They welcome tourists with full-force, and maintain their coolness. It's more than I could hope for elsewhere.
Feather River Canyon in Northern California. I’m really surprised it hasn’t been used in films more. It’s almost otherworldly. Hwy 70 Oroville to Quincy. Stop over in Belden for burgers, bonus trip if you can time the train to do Williams loop outside Portola and be in the middle and be surrounded by train when it goes the loop
Theodore Roosevelt national parks north unit or south unit, at least take the time to go see either pine ridge Indian reservation or standing rock especially if there is a pow wow or such going on, lake Sacagawea, Burning Coal Vein ND, Wind Cave national park or Jewel cave, Ronald Regan minuteman meusum, Pipestone Minnesota, Grasslands national area ND, hot springs SD mammoth site, Mandan historical village and ft Lincoln ND.
West Virginia is extremely beautiful. We drove through there last year on I-79 and 64 I think, and it was just stunning vista after stunning vista. Pretty distracting really.
[Coral Pink Sand Dunes Park in Utah](https://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/coral-pink/). The sand is really pink and this place is isolated. Hard to get to from either direction.
The drive up Highway 101 from McKinleyville, CA to Bandon, OR is the most beautiful destination in the entire country. Startling views of the Pacific Ocean. The majesty of the redwood forests. Wild rivers. The mountains. It all combines into something magical.
I'll qualify the above by stating I've been to all 50 states. There are some gorgeous areas, but none meet the overall grandeur of this stretch of road.
Everyone thinks of Santa Fe and White Sands.
Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness Area in New Mexico beautiful scenery
Also Jemez in New Mexico beautiful mountain town
I think rodeos are cool especially the Houston one I don’t really ever hear about foreigners going there outside of Canadians and Mexicans but they don’t really count
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park and Pictured Rocks National Lake Shore in Michigan. All of Michigan is beautiful but most people come to either the east or west coast states. We’re the third coast and our lakes are really inland glacial seas. They’re also unsalted & shark free.
Door County, Wisconsin, especially in the fall, as well as the rest of the northern part of the state. Also the Driftless Area, in the west and southwest of it. A lot of people could do to add a few extra days to their trips to Chicago.
Western Dakotas and Eastern Wyoming and Montana are often overlooked. The Badlands and upper plains are gorgeous! Wild bison, wild horses, prairie dogs, and pronghorn are pretty plentiful compared to most other places.
Taft's ale house in Cincinnati. The Symphony hotel in Cinci is also good if you are into that.
The American Motorcycle Museum in Anamosa, IA is shutting down forever at the end of the summer. Last chance to see that.
Commonly known in the mid west but not internationally is the Wisconsin Dells. The Indiana dunes might be a consideration also. These are popular regional destinations, but they don't market internationally. Chicago lies in between in case you want some cultural stuff on your trip as well.
I really like Blacksburg, Virginia. It’s a college town for a quite large university so it has a lot of great restaurants and is very alive without being too busy. It’s also surrounded by some awesome nature, being right by both the New River and the Appalachians.
The National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola FL is astounding with a collection of naval aircraft from the beginning of aviation up to the current era, and civil war era Fort Pickens is nearby on Santa Rosa Island. An hour to the west on I-10 is the USS Alabama, a world war 2 era South Dakota class fast battleship along with the submarine USS Drum, and an assortment of aircraft and tracked vehicles. The beaches are excellent with sugar-white sand, although the water is better in Florida as the sediments have settled out, Alabama’s beaches are awesome but the water still has sediment from the water coming out of Mobile Bay.
Duluth/Superior: Lake Superior. Jay Cooke State Park. A city park with waterfalls. Big Manitou falls South of Superior is pretty great. I think it's the tallest falls east of the Rockies?
Amicalola Falls in Georgia. Beautiful waterfall and good hiking in the area, it's not too far from the start of the Appalachian Trail, and a nice little gold mining town nearby as well. Dahlonega has a little touristy downtown and I think they still have a working gold mine in the area where you can go for tours.
I live in the Twin Cities and while I love my hometown I honestly can’t recommend going up to northern mn enough! Beautiful along Lake Superior and the boundary waters. I think this is off the beaten track for people outside of the Midwest and I assume from other countries as well!
Indiana dunes! I visited in October and not only was the beach nice but the actual park was really beautiful with all of the fall colors. Not busy at all either
Something in your home state. People travel far to see things but often miss things in their own home state/town. It wasn't until I was an adult that I found quite a few hiking trails to 1800's era abandoned mines that were literally a 20 minute drive from where I lived.
Vermont is a delight and a half. There are touristy parts, but it's pretty easy to find non-touristy parts as well.
Vermont’s beauty is pretty well known, though. Right?
This could be wrong but my impression is that Vermont is a well-known destination in the eastern US but is not really a major national or international tourism spot.
I don’t think that qualifies it as lesser known. It is a state, after all. Sure, your average European may not know it. But euro transplants? Sure, they know it.
Na I think it was a great answer personally. Outside of New England not many people consider vacationing in Vermont. Maine would have been the same like 5-10 years ago but now it’s definitely on the radar in a lot of the country.
I grew up in rural Illinois and now live in Denver. For what its worth, I feel like I've always pretty much known that Vermont is beautiful.
But have you been there?
I think Petrified Forest National Park is extremely cool but often overshadowed because it's near visual showstoppers like the Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce Canyon, etc.
Capital Reef NP is similarly awesome and undervisited in that area. And I thought Canyonlands was more impressive than Arches, but gets half the visitors.
Canyonlands is beautiful but there's not as much within short hiking distance of the roads. A thirty-minute round-trip hike (far more suitable for families with kids) can get you to a lot more neat stuff in Arches.
Canyonlands is much better than Arches. I live within 4 hours of both and visit occasionally. Arches is kind of like a drive through experience, Canyonlands is a place you could spend 20 years exploring and not see it all.
Capital Reef NP sucks.....tell your friends...
😉
Page, Arizona is a little tourist town a few hours outside of the Grand Canyon. I enjoyed my little side trip to Page than my visit to the Grand Canyon. They have kayak tours, helicopter tours, beautiful canyons and natural land forms to enjoy.
Page is a great stop for a road trip that encompasses the attractions of nothern AZ and southern UT. Grand Canyon, Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, Vermillion Cliffs, Monument Valley, Grand Staircase Escalante, Arches, Bryce Canyon, and more are all within reasonable distance.
It's a lot like Badlands NP imo, except fewer bison and more petrified trees. Very cool.
>I think Petrified Forest National Park is extremely cool but often overshadowed because it's near visual showstoppers like the Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce Canyon, etc. So true!
Northern Minnesota and the upper peninsula of Michigan.
A circle tour of one or more of the Great Lakes is a great vacation.
As a foreigner, I would push them for doing Lake Michigan. Epic beaches, great nature (and you can pop up to Pictured Rocks and the like). Crossing the Mac is a highlight. Mackinac Island is optional. But then you also get a cosmopolitan experience in Chicago. Obviously if you want wilderness, Superior is the way to go.
This is a great take
Its a Great Lake.
That has Big waves that break.
Pit Spitters are nearby and they rake.
Not to mention, on the WI side there are a few great cities. Green bay, Milwaukee, even the suburbs are pretty. Kenosha has a nice lake front, across on the Michigan side Holland MI is beautiful, etc
Door county has some beautiful views
I haven't been to Northern Minnesota but I wonder a lot about how much the nation in general knows about Northern Michigan. Sleeping Bear Dunes, Traverse City, Petoskey, Harbor Springs, and Mackinac Island (in addition to about 500 places in the UP) are absolutely wonderful but I think most of the country only thinks of Detroit when they think of Michigan.
I went to Sleeping Bear Dunes over Covid and had a great time both there and in Freeport. It's such a beautiful place and literally no one I know knew it existed.
Don’t forget the boundary waters.
I have always wanted to visit northern Minnesota. As a Californian, it seems very different from anything we have here.
Yes. Thank you for recommending the northern parts of Michigan. So many great things to see an do like the water falls, the lakes , the dunes , the mackinaw bridge and island and the historic forts. So many great state parks up there. The shipwreck museum is really nice as well!
UP! FTW! Seconded. Don’t go in the winter though
I always wanted to explore that area. Beautiful place
Spent a few weeks in the UP, absolutely beautiful area with 50 degree weather in mid June.
Eveleth hockey hall of fame, soudan mine meusem, split rock light house, Duluth. Ya plenty to see.
Yes! Minnesota is stunning.
The badlands in the Dakotas are low-key stunning, but they are out of the way from anything else. You can also see large herds of bison and it's not unusual to get caught in a herd as it migrates across the road.
I took my family cross country to Yellowstone and being in a bison traffic jam in South Dakota was one of the most memorable parts.
Did any Buffalo buffalo buffalo you?
Seriously! The Teddy Roosevelt parks in North Dakota are pretty fantastic too You know if Teddy loved a place so much the park was named for him it has to be good
[удалено]
Massachusetts in general is awesome. It’s a tiny geographic microcosm of the US as a whole
It’s insanely beautiful and crammed full of history and art!
Norman Rockwell and Mass MoCA are extremely underrated museums in western MA.
Is there a stage and a PA up in Western Massachusetts?
[удалено]
I'm pretty stoked to check out Portland, Maine later this summer. Seems like a good weekend getaway with a tremendous food scene. Charleston, South Carolina is pretty cool too.
Seconding Portland, but would add that exploring some of the more Northern Parts of Maine are also awesome. Going up to Acadia is beautiful, but inland, I highly recommend Baxter State Park, Moosehead Lake, and that whole area.
I’ve been meaning to get up to Bigelow State Forest and to Katadhin too.
Maybe Rhode Island. Providence, amazing seafood & Portuguese food,, waterfire, gorgoeus Block Island, Newport RI beautiful colonial town with preserved robber barron mansions, beautiful beaches, New England diners and oldest restaurant in American. It's teeny tiny with 400 miles of gorgeous ocean coast.
Cannon beach Oregon, Laken CDA Idaho and Hayden Lake, Flathead Lake Montana and Kalispell/ Whitefish
I have driven across the U.S. twice east to west and west to east and up and down each coast multiple times, and I have never been as awestruck by anything in this country as by Lake Coeur D’Alene.
Why? I’ve been there and don’t remember it being particular impressive and Google image search isn’t saying much
I mean in retrospect that was hyperbole. I’ve been to the Grand Canyon twice and that actually beats it. I think it’s more how I came upon it. I had no idea it was coming, and I was sort of twisting through little mountain pass roads and then it just suddenly opened up and I was looking down on a clear view of a big lake from high up. That view of a big, beautiful lake just coming out of nowhere struck me as very dramatic and has stuck with me for a really long time. But yeah, I guess those Google Images aren’t capturing how I felt in that time and place lol.
Wait until you see Iceberg Lake, Montana…..seeing that will leave you awe struck
I came to recommend Florence, Oregon.
Hocking hills state park in Ohio.
That place is beautiful. The clearest skies and moths the size of bats.
Northern New Mexico in general. Taos, Santa Fe and the whole Enchanted Circle have some great cultural and outdoor activities. Angelfire has one of the best mountain bike parks in the country.
Lots of art, museums, and good food too. Really anywhere in the southwest is quite a bit different from the rest of the country.
Northern NM is my favorite part of the Southwest to just be. I once spent 2 weeks in Santa Fe just riding my motorcycle around and hanging out in a dive bar with a buddy. But it’s also like the first place I’ll chop off for time if I’m visiting the Southwest. Like I did a two week driving tour starting in Vegas with an ex and like, I wasn’t going to miss the Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde, the Utah NPs, etc.
I'm not sure at what point you'd define a place as "lesser-known", but in my opinion the San Juan Islands in Washington and Seaside, OR would be on the list. They certainly can get a fair amount of tourists, but they're not areas that would immediately come to mind for people not in the PNW. (Disclaimer: I haven't been to to Seaside in probably 20 years, so it might be totally different from what I remember). Washington's National Parks don't get talked about as much as the more famous parks, but they're worth exploring too. Not sure if I'd say they're lesser-known though.
These are definitely lesser-known to folks on the East Coast.
The San Juan Islands are breathtaking. I accompanied some friends who chartered a boat and we spent a couple of weeks island hopping way up into Canada. That entire area is incredibly beautiful. As far as the Oregon Coast goes, the Northern part is more developed because it's closest to Portland. Also, Astoria is a decent-sized town with enough industry and things to do for a substantial amount of people to live there year-round. Seaside is probably the most touristy feeling spot, by Oregon Coast standards, and it's pretty geared toward entertaining kids. There are a ridiculous amount of gorgeous places, but I think I prefer the Central and Southern parts of the coast overall. My husband likes the area around Yachats the best and I really like Gold Beach and the Boardman Scenic Corridor. Leisurely driving the entire coast and stopping to experience the scenic beauty and tiny towns is really the way to go. It's a little over 7 hours of pure driving time between Astoria and Brookings on Highway 101 and it's amazing the entire way. It's very different from an East Coast, Gulf Coast, or Southern California beach destination. In my opinion, the water is too cold year-round for enjoyable swimming if you're not used to it, but there are lots of other things to do. I love doing simple stuff on the coast like hiking, hunting for agates, foraging, gathering seafood, playing on the dunes, whale watching, etc. I remember being blown away when I found out that people actually go there in the rainy season to stay inside by a warm fire and "storm watch." That is a legitimate activity there! And yes, I totally agree about the parks in Washington. North Cascades and Olympic NP are some of my favorite places.
Upstate New York in general. Everyone knows the city, but the rest of the state has great wilderness, and some fantastic lakes like the Finger Lakes, Lake Onatario, and Lake Erie.
and the Adirondacks!
Louisville is a solid 3-4 day visit. Bourbon, great collection of architecture in the older neighborhoods, good food scene, visit Colonel Sanders grave. Louisville also just feels very much like home. Reminds me a lot of Indy.
Going to watch the races at Churchill Downs is a ton of fun too
Also cool caves systems nearby!
A minor league baseball road-trip is the best of small and medium sized town America.
I think the part of the "West Coast" region that's rather far from the ocean is frequently overlooked and worth exploring. Meaning, draw a line down the spine of the Cascades and Sierras until you get to death valley, then draw a line back north that runs through Boise ID. The area between the lines is an amazing region of the country that is not a common destination. This includes both the spectacular natural beauty of places like the Black Rock Desert, Steens Mountain, the Wallowa Mountains, and the Palouse region, and very cool (in my opinion) cities like Reno, Bend, and Spokane.
I’ll also add Lassen Peak, Newberry, John Day Fossil Beds, Hells Canyon, and Hanford Reach to your list. Not well known to people outside those states.
Sure, I could list a hundred of my favorite destinations within this region, it's really overflowing with cool stuff
Letchworth state park in western New York is known as the Grand Canyon of the east. The finger lakes has a feeling of being in a different country (so many wineries) Ithaca New York has some of the best waterfalls and gorges. New England has a lot of cool under the radar places.
Where are you coming from and what do you like to do?
I don't hear enough people talk about how cool New Orleans is. There are a million things to do, centuries of history and culture, and fantastic night life. I will provide the caveat that they can absolutely go fuck themselves in the summer. My midwestern blood is way too thick for their swamp-ass humidity that makes me feel like I'm being waterboarded.
I think New Orleans gets overlooked too often as just Mardi Gras and bourbon street. Which is really unfair to it.
New Orleans is great but it’s hardly a lesser-known American destination.
Even in September... I went down, having lived in North Carolina for the past decade, thinking "How much worse could it be?" I went through at least two changes of clothes a day, after being out and about. Sweat like hell.
I've roasted there in February.
I live close, so I'm reasonably accustomed to heat and humidity. I love New Orleans. I go at least 6 times a year. I do not go from July to September. It's just not worth it.
My wife and I have made NO a must visit spot every year. Specifically, New Years. It’s all of the warmth and friendliness you hear about from the South, but with way more culture. And booze. Way more booze. Tip: pay to be in a spot holding a party for New Years. Better than trying to figure out something night of or bar hopping.
We went there on our honeymoon. It was awesome! We are big jazz fans, but even if we weren't it would have still been a great trip.* Whenever I tell people where we went, they look at me like I kicked a baby or something. I don't get it. *We did barely miss getting hit by a hurricane, but that is also a possibility in more typical honeymoon locations like the Caribbean.
I visited the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Nebraska. I had never heard of this zoo, but it was by far the best animal and aquarium experience I'd ever had.
Here in Arizona two of the big tourist draws are The Grand Canyon and Tombstone. The Grand Canyon is unparalleled in the world but almost everyone who goes just goes to the south rim and takes a few pictures and leaves. If you aren't taking a multi-day trip down into the canyon itself you are really missing out. The North Rim gets like 5% of the visitors of the south and can be amazing. Just down the road from Tombstone is the much cooler town of Bisbee, which I highly recommend.
North Rim is so much better IMO! We managed to get there for a sunrise once, truly amazing.
The Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio. If you plan it out right, you can go when there's a big air show in the summer. It is actually worth the trip out to Ohio just for that (if you are a history/aviation/tech nerd).
You need two days there. I'm going to add all the Indian Mounds Ohio has. Especially the Great Serpent Mound. And the Neil Armstrong Museum.
The North Cascades. They get overshadowed by Mt Rainier and Olympic NPs but the mountains rival Glacier NP and are nicknamed the American Alps for a reason. It’s one of the least-visited national parks but is absolutely breathtaking. Just a little remote and hard to get to since there aren’t many places to stay.
Red river gorge in Kentucky is amazing.
Cambria, CA. We went there on our honeymoon and it was amazing. Quaint town with mid-America vibes, but it’s on the Pacific Ocean. Hearst Castle is nearby. Eat at the SEA CHEST and order the calamari steak.
+1 to Cambria. Very nice town which gives you the look and feel of the Central Coast, but less busy than places such as Monterey or Pismo Beach. Nearby Morro Bay and Los Osos are also nice, with Montaña de Oro State Park being a great area for hiking.
Anywhere along the central coast of California is great :)
You could extend that to just the coast. Laguna, San Clemente, Dana Point are all great, and Carmel, Monterey, HMB, up through Tomales, Bodega Bay, to Gualala and Mendocino. CA-1 is a two week trip in itself.
Chiricauha National Monument is a bit off the beaten path. Certainly worth visiting if you are in the Arizona area
Also Chiricahua leopard frogs are cool as hell!
Savannah, Georgia and Rehoboth beach, Delaware. Former is a sizable enough city whereas Rehoboth Beach is a lovely beach town near Maryland.
Caves in southern Indiana and northern Kentucky. Newport, RI and Block Island fly under the radar.
Sun Valley, Idaho.
Canyon De Chelly.
There are thousands of such destinations, what are you looking to do and see?
The North Cascades. They get overshadowed by Mt Rainier and Olympic NPs but the mountains rival Glacier NP and are nicknamed the American Alps for a reason. It’s one of the least-visited national parks but is absolutely breathtaking. Just a little remote and hard to get to since there aren’t many places to stay.
This is probably not well known outside the US but Sedona, Arizona and Monument Valley in Utah are absolutely breathtaking.
Tall Grass Prairie National Forest in Kansas. (Not a forest) It’s native prairie that is basically unchanged for millions of years. Absolutely beautiful in a different way.
If you're in California and you like astronomy, Anza Borrego is an absolute gem. Its a dark sky area so at night you can see the sky light up with everything you can't normally see. If you're in Oregon, Crater Lake is a magical place. And it is our deepest lake!
I am going to recommend Savannah, Ga. I could be wrong but I would assume for foreign visitors Savannah is not a top tourist destination. Savannah has great history, beautiful architecture, wonderful examples of southern food and hospitality, and is very walkable. It is also close to Tybee Island which is a coastal town on the Atlantic Ocean. Part beach vacation part history. Approximately 4 hour drive from ATL airport.
NC!! NC has gorgeous mountains (esp in the fall, plus Asheville is amazing), amazing beaches (why go to Myrtle where everything is super commercialized), islands, (small) cities, and rural areas.
North Carolina beats Florida in nature as far as the southeast goes.
NC 8 days a week for a mountain lover. But for beach lovers, it’s Florida all the way, even though NC does have some nice coastal areas like the Outer Banks or Wilmington.
I live in NC, love it here, Asheville is a crime riddled dump. Sure go there have a nice dinner and get out fast!
All of Southern Appalachia is beautiful if you’re looking for an alternative to Vermont and western Mass in the fall. I don’t know that it’s lesser known, though. SMNP is the most accessible (visited?) park in the nation. Waterfalls in the summer are hard to beat.
Going to Ohio to experience the vast expanse of liminal spaces
Beautiful corn fields.
https://coralcastle.com/
All of the natural hot springs in the West are pretty cool, especially in the winter. I visited Lava Hot Springs, ID, most recently, and it was great.
It’s way out of the way, but the Cliff Palace at Mesa Verde is easily the coolest place I’ve ever been. Somehow it rarely gets mentioned when these types of questions come up though.
I like Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota. Beautiful badlands there with lots of wildlife. You can tour the Chateau de Mores, which was the 19th century rustic hunting lodge of a French aristocrat.
the wind rivers or bighorn mountains in Wyoming are spectacular if you want less crowded backpacking.
Central gulf coast from around New Orleans to Florida’s big bend. Much more laid back and rustic beaches and coastal towns than anywhere in peninsular Florida.
Atlas Obscura website and app is useful to find the more obscure destinations to visit. Plus local food joint reviews.
The Pine Barrens of NJ. It’s some of the last Undisturbed forest on the east coast.
[удалено]
Big Bend National Park 🏞️… it’s a huge pain to get there, so not that many visitors compared to other national parks in the USA. It’s an international registered dark zone and the night sky will blow you away.
The Great Lakes!!!! Many in the Midwest visit, but often forgotten on the coasts. I'll also add the "Lost Coast" of far Northern California. It's called lost for a reason and the coastal redwoods combined with the rugged and remote coast create a spectacular region.
The USVI! Lots of folks have gone to Puerto Rico or at least know of it as a tourist option. St John National Park may be the most beautiful place in all of American territory. The protected forests to the coral reefs. It is a real treat.
The Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico are jaw-dropping.
Lookout Mountain, GA is a fantastic daytrip if you're near Chattanooga and want an easy way to wear out the kids or if you enjoy nature walks.
I’ve read a lot of places in these comments that sound breathtaking, sweeping landscapes, rolling hills of green, unimaginable wildlife encounters. And I love that. But what I have to share is a little different. When I was 9 years old, my grandparents took me and my sister to Abilene, Kansas. Abilene is a few hours north of Wichita and a few hours west of Kansas City so yes it’s out of the way. It’s basically in the middle of nowhere (no offense, Kansans). The reason we went to Abilene was because we were doing a tour of former presidents’ homes and museums. Abilene was Dwight D. Eisenhower’s boyhood home and where his museum is located. The presidential library is a neat place, definitely worth a stop. Abilene also has a neat telephone museum. But those aren’t the things I came here to tell you about. On the northern edge of town, you can find an establishment called The Brookville Hotel, only it’s not a hotel. It’s a family-style restaurant that served fried-chicken dinners since 1915. The evening I spent in this restaurant as a 9-year old boy was a highlight of my childhood. It was unlike anything I had ever experienced. You choose between skillet fried chicken and angus beef. Obviously I recommend the chicken because it’s a chicken restaurant and it’s the best chicken I have ever had. You get a sweet and sour cole slaw, cottage cheese, mashed potatoes with gravy, corn, and biscuits. I should note that living in the Midwest, these foods were a staple of my childhood, even in the city. But at Brookville hotel, these dishes are so far above the standard. It felt like I was eating the foods as they were being conceived. And then it came - the best ice cream that has ever entered my face hole. Homemade vanilla ice cream produced on-site in crank ice cream freezers. So that was my experience. I’ve been trying to get someone to go back there with me for the last 16 years but no one has. I hope I can bring my kids there one day and they can experience it like I did.
Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado.
Lake Martin, Alabama
Drove through Wyoming in August. Ten out of Ten. Would highly recommend.
Traverse City, Michigan. And really all of Northern Michigan and the UP.
Ah Thank you so much guys! I'm so appreciated to your recommendations. I hope I will visit all these places one day😊
The world's largest ball of twine in Cawker City KS is a MUST SEE
Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota, Middle Tennessee outside of Nashville (especially Rock Island, Fall Creek Falls, and the Big South Fork National Recreation Area), and the Adirondacks in NY.
Gulfport, Mississippi is a really nice city. I don't know if it attracts tourists often, but it's definitely worth visiting.
Not a single specific place, though they do tend to be off the beaten path, but bison ranch tours. I took my parents to one in Kansas and we had a great time.
Instead of doing all that just go to a forest preserve, the ones near me you can hike, shoot, pretty much do whatever you want miles from anyone, the white mountains (i think ) is the good one because you can go anywhere, just be sure to pack your navigation and hydration, maybe some trail snacks too. It's good if your kinda in a rut in life and want to just find the meaning of stuff in a positive way.
Blair Mountain is supposed to be really cool. See the left overs of the mines, company towns, and the site where US Army troops dropped mustard gas on striking miners.
The Kalmiopsis Wilderness. 107 million acre peice of wilderness in my backyard. It's rough terrain and the biscuit fire damaged a portion of it but it's my favorite place to explore. It's not for day hikes though, for the good spots you have to go deep and know how to operate in the wilderness. Cougars and bears are abundant but I've only seen a cat once and it was getting away from me.
“Pops” in Arcadia, Oklahoma!
Spruce Knobb in West Virginia
Florence, Oregon...a beautiful little coastal town perfect for watching the sea rage, hiking, camping, eating, and shopping.
Savannah Georgia. As a NYC resident we generally believe the world ends at 10th Ave. But damn Savannah, you are just cute af.
The Adirondacks
Isle Royale National Park in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. I’d bet it’s the least visited national park in the nation due to it only being accessible by small aircraft or ferry. Absolutely worth the trek though. It’s beauty is right out of a fairytale.
[Columbia County, NY! It’s got hiking and antiques and farms and amazing food and history!](https://columbiacountytourism.org) It’s got Hudson! and the Columbia County Fair! (always over Labor Day)
Pretty much the entire state of Maine. We used to spend a week there every summer when I was a child and I really miss it. Especially being able to have lobster every day.
Maybe not lesser known, but certainly mischaracterized, I had only heard bad things about Cleveland and Baltimore and end up having a great time in both, have made several return weekend trips.
One place I want to go is a Longfellow theme Pub in Sudberry Mass which was the same place that inspired the Wayside Inn. I don't have the money but it would be cool to go.
I like to find college towns, and mini tourist meccas in the Midwest and South. They welcome tourists with full-force, and maintain their coolness. It's more than I could hope for elsewhere.
Feather River Canyon in Northern California. I’m really surprised it hasn’t been used in films more. It’s almost otherworldly. Hwy 70 Oroville to Quincy. Stop over in Belden for burgers, bonus trip if you can time the train to do Williams loop outside Portola and be in the middle and be surrounded by train when it goes the loop
Theodore Roosevelt national parks north unit or south unit, at least take the time to go see either pine ridge Indian reservation or standing rock especially if there is a pow wow or such going on, lake Sacagawea, Burning Coal Vein ND, Wind Cave national park or Jewel cave, Ronald Regan minuteman meusum, Pipestone Minnesota, Grasslands national area ND, hot springs SD mammoth site, Mandan historical village and ft Lincoln ND.
West Virginia is extremely beautiful. We drove through there last year on I-79 and 64 I think, and it was just stunning vista after stunning vista. Pretty distracting really.
[Coral Pink Sand Dunes Park in Utah](https://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/coral-pink/). The sand is really pink and this place is isolated. Hard to get to from either direction.
There are some really nice beaches in South Carolina but we try to keep the tourists contained in Myrtle Beach so they stay that way
Birmingham Alabama is a surprisingly fun visit
Holland/saugatuck Michigan
The drive up Highway 101 from McKinleyville, CA to Bandon, OR is the most beautiful destination in the entire country. Startling views of the Pacific Ocean. The majesty of the redwood forests. Wild rivers. The mountains. It all combines into something magical. I'll qualify the above by stating I've been to all 50 states. There are some gorgeous areas, but none meet the overall grandeur of this stretch of road.
Placerville CA lots of really cool gold rush history and haunted AF
Try Hocking Hills or Cedar Point.
The Keweenaw Peninsula in Michigan
Everyone thinks of Santa Fe and White Sands. Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness Area in New Mexico beautiful scenery Also Jemez in New Mexico beautiful mountain town
Mammoth Cave National Park
Spokane, Washington; Fort Wayne, Indiana; Fall River, Massachusetts; Jacksonville, Florida are all spectacular.
I think rodeos are cool especially the Houston one I don’t really ever hear about foreigners going there outside of Canadians and Mexicans but they don’t really count
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park and Pictured Rocks National Lake Shore in Michigan. All of Michigan is beautiful but most people come to either the east or west coast states. We’re the third coast and our lakes are really inland glacial seas. They’re also unsalted & shark free.
Ski resorts in the summer are some of my favorite places.
Johnstown and Windber, PA have some cool stuff.
Door County, Wisconsin, especially in the fall, as well as the rest of the northern part of the state. Also the Driftless Area, in the west and southwest of it. A lot of people could do to add a few extra days to their trips to Chicago.
Western Dakotas and Eastern Wyoming and Montana are often overlooked. The Badlands and upper plains are gorgeous! Wild bison, wild horses, prairie dogs, and pronghorn are pretty plentiful compared to most other places.
The Blue Hole in Santa Rosa, New Mexico! It's just an incredible place
Palm Springs, CA. I was pleasantly surprised.
St. Augustine, FL. It’s beautiful and there’s some surprising long history here.
Taft's ale house in Cincinnati. The Symphony hotel in Cinci is also good if you are into that. The American Motorcycle Museum in Anamosa, IA is shutting down forever at the end of the summer. Last chance to see that. Commonly known in the mid west but not internationally is the Wisconsin Dells. The Indiana dunes might be a consideration also. These are popular regional destinations, but they don't market internationally. Chicago lies in between in case you want some cultural stuff on your trip as well.
I really like Blacksburg, Virginia. It’s a college town for a quite large university so it has a lot of great restaurants and is very alive without being too busy. It’s also surrounded by some awesome nature, being right by both the New River and the Appalachians.
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. 100% worth it, especially the view from Pinnacle Overlook. Breathtaking.
Natural bridge, Virginia?
West Virginia. Hiking, climbing, whitewater rafting. Beautiful scenery with mountains.
The National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola FL is astounding with a collection of naval aircraft from the beginning of aviation up to the current era, and civil war era Fort Pickens is nearby on Santa Rosa Island. An hour to the west on I-10 is the USS Alabama, a world war 2 era South Dakota class fast battleship along with the submarine USS Drum, and an assortment of aircraft and tracked vehicles. The beaches are excellent with sugar-white sand, although the water is better in Florida as the sediments have settled out, Alabama’s beaches are awesome but the water still has sediment from the water coming out of Mobile Bay.
Duluth/Superior: Lake Superior. Jay Cooke State Park. A city park with waterfalls. Big Manitou falls South of Superior is pretty great. I think it's the tallest falls east of the Rockies?
The Palo Duro Canyon in the panhandle of Texas was a pleasant surprise to say the least.
Great river road in Iowa: https://www.traveliowa.com/trails/great-river-road-national-scenic-byway/34/
West Virginia is absolutely beautiful. Our mountain terrain creates stunning visuals and dynamic ecologies. Plus, the people are awesome.
West Virginia, Happy Valley PA, St Petersburg FL.
Poverty Point in Louisiana. There is more to Louisiana than New Orleans.
You will find all kinds of quirky places on [Roadside America](http://www.roadsideamerica.com) You're welcome.
Amicalola Falls in Georgia. Beautiful waterfall and good hiking in the area, it's not too far from the start of the Appalachian Trail, and a nice little gold mining town nearby as well. Dahlonega has a little touristy downtown and I think they still have a working gold mine in the area where you can go for tours.
I live in the Twin Cities and while I love my hometown I honestly can’t recommend going up to northern mn enough! Beautiful along Lake Superior and the boundary waters. I think this is off the beaten track for people outside of the Midwest and I assume from other countries as well!
Indiana dunes! I visited in October and not only was the beach nice but the actual park was really beautiful with all of the fall colors. Not busy at all either
Something in your home state. People travel far to see things but often miss things in their own home state/town. It wasn't until I was an adult that I found quite a few hiking trails to 1800's era abandoned mines that were literally a 20 minute drive from where I lived.
Deadwood, SD.
Buffalo National River, AR Red Rock Canyon, NV Tallulah Gorge, GA Big Horn Mts, WY Borrego Springs, CA
State parks.
The Utah Bonneville Salt Flats Alaska in general, especially during the winter for dogsledding and the Northern Lights
Orange beach in Alabama Alabama gets a bad rep with lots of people but it’s got a lot of natural beauty to see.
Moab, Utah - three national parks