There are some US destinations, from New York City to Yosemite National Park, that seem to get all the attention. But this vast continent and its territories is also rich in places that don’t get the recognition they deserve, whether that’s because they’re harder to reach, are overshadowed by glitzy neighbors, or just haven’t been shouted about that much (yet). These are the underrated, less-visited (and typically less crowded) spots around the US perfect for exploring once we travel again. Only travel when it’s safe to do so, and be sure to check restrictions before heading to any of these destinations.
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Seaside, Oregon
Oregon’s coastline has long been a joyous “secret” for those who have discovered its rugged charms, and the surf town of Seaside is the gateway to exploring it. It’s the perfect blend of pure fun and natural beauty. Its long, broad promenade dotted with benches and overlooked by hotels, seafood restaurants and stalls selling ice cream. Hiking trails wind through Ecola State Park, where bluffs overlook honey-hued beaches, while gray whales can often be spotted passing by during their migration between December and January and then March to June.
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Homer, Alaska
Bears, bald eagles, whales and puffins can all be viewed on the Kenai Peninsula, which Homer calls home. The small city happens to have one of the best locations around, facing Kachemak Bay on one side and glaciers on the other. It’s also packed with perfect places for pottering, with independent galleries, boutiques and a winery along its colorful boardwalk on Homer Spit.
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Orcas Island, Washington
Part of the San Juan Islands archipelago, tiny, forested Orcas Island might not be a household name but, for many in Washington state, it’s a favorite place to escape the crowds, get back to nature and hopefully spot some of its namesake whales. Its culinary scene is also a draw, with the island’s restaurants and bars drawing on the abundance on their doorstep (and shore-step) to serve up oysters, barbecued seafood and spirits distilled with heirloom pears.
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Calistoga, California
Laid-back Calistoga, at the northern tip of Napa Valley and gateway to vineyard-flanked Highway 29, has always been delightful but the area has had a bit of an upgrade in recent years thanks to revamped hotels, hip wine-tasting rooms and the region’s first Four Seasons expected to open in early 2021. The small, walkable downtown has cute cafés and a handful of restaurants, while spas draw on natural thermal springs and volcanic mud. The region was hit by wildfires in late 2020 but most of the area has reopened. Check the official website for updates.
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Alabama Gulf Coast
Alabama has some of the whitest sand in the US, stretching over 32 blazingly bright miles (51km). And, once people have laid eyes on it and felt its powdered-sugar softness beneath their feet, they tend to keep coming back. Bars and restaurants with lots of outdoor seating line the beaches of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, while the nearby waterways are so bio-diverse the area has been compared to the Amazon. The area was hit by Hurricane Sally in late 2020 but the beaches and most businesses have reopened.
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Sedona, Arizona
Weaving and wiggling for 23 impossibly beautiful miles (37km), Arizona’s Highway 89A is a popular scenic drive with rugged red canyons and bluffs studded with pine trees. Ambiente Sedona, due to open in 2021, is set to add a new dose of luxury to the route. The so-called “landscape hotel”, built to complement and have minimal impact on its environment, will have cubic rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows that make the most of the endless views.
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Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is less than 10 miles (16km) from Washington DC yet has a tangible off-duty, vacation feel. This is the kind of place where city workers loosen their ties (or perhaps remove them completely). Independent boutiques, food stores and farm-to-fork restaurants stretch down tree-shaded streets to the Potomac River, whose waterfront has been recently revitalized with parks, galleries and alfresco dining options. COVID-19 measures are in place so check the website before visiting.
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South Padre Island, Texas
Texas is perhaps more associated with BBQ than beaches, though the Lone Star state actually has more than 300 miles (484km) of coastline. And South Padre Island, a resort town that occupies a barrier island, pretty much sums up the Texas beach scene in one skinny, compact, sandy package. Wrapped around Laguna Madre Bay and lapped by the Gulf of Mexico, it combines white-as-milk beaches and rich wildlife – including migrating sea turtles – with a fun resort feel. Check the website for details on COVID-19 measures on the island.
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Oakland, California
Too long obscured by San Francisco’s stunning shadow, Oakland’s thriving art, music and food scenes are worth hopping over the bay for. The city has a hip, laid-back feel that’s all its own, while enjoying some pretty lovely views of its near-neighbor over the water, too. Much of the action centers around waterside Jack London Square, named after the famous novelist whose novel Call of the Wild was turned into a 2020 movie starring Harrison Ford, while trails around Lake Merritt link up neighborhoods and parks.
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Providence, Rhode Island
Home to Brown University and a reputed culinary school at Johnson & Wales University, this small city is often overshadowed by famous neighbors like Boston, an hour away. But it’s packed with cultural and culinary treats. Restaurants and craft breweries have a hyper-local focus, with dishes using local seafood and seasonal ingredients prepared by rising-star chefs. Visitors can stroll past 18th-century buildings and down riverside paths, or explore nearby reservoirs and woodland.
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Peekaboo Canyon, Utah
This slot canyon weaves its narrow way between dramatic, rust-red rock, whose myriad patterns and color variations are illuminated by beams of sunlight shining through the cracks. Amazingly, though, it doesn’t tend to get so busy as other, more famous slot canyons. Hikes link Peek-a-Boo with the equally wonderfully named Spooky Gulch.
Read our full Southern Utah guide for more inspiration
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Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad, New Mexico and Colorado
The longest and highest railroad in the US was built in 1870 to connect Denver with the San Juan Mountains’ silver-mining towns and began operating as a scenic route a century later. Day trips and themed specials take passengers along a 64-mile route that summits at Cumbres Pass with sweeping valley views, following in the tracks of past passengers including Wyatt Earp. Trips are expected to resume for the 2021 season in June.
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Ann Arbor, Michigan
Detroit has been getting quite a bit of attention lately, and we reckon some of that should be shared with pretty Ann Arbor, around 50 miles (80km) away. It’s home to the University of Michigan, whose Museum of Art has a vast collection from examples of African architecture to Picasso paintings – access has been restricted due to COVID-19 so check for updates. The city also has a growing reputation for great food, showcasing a diverse range of cuisines.
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Coastal Mississippi
Also known as Mississippi Gulf Coast or, appropriately, “The Secret Coast”, this 62-mile (100km) stretch may be something of a surprise to those who think Mississippi is all blues, BBQ and bayous. This area has a bit of that too, of course, alongside caster-sugar beaches, casinos, golf courses and fishing piers. Idyllic, shell-scattered Ship Island (due to reopen in March 2021) is a short ferry hop away. COVID-19 measures are in place – check the official page for updates.
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Molokai Island, Hawaii
The staggering sea cliffs of Molokai – the world’s tallest – have drawn artists including Claude Monet to paint their dramatic, green-blanketed beauty, which pops even more dramatically against the inky-blue waters. They aren’t the only reason to visit the so-called “Friendly Isle”, though. It’s quieter and more rural than some of its neighbors (there isn’t a single traffic light) yet it’s equally beguiling from its history to its pale, palm-fringed beaches. Check the website for details of COVID-19 restrictions and entry requirements.
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Montgomery, Alabama
The riverside city of Montgomery bursts with culture, charm and history, including being the location of some key moments in Civil Rights. This is where Martin Luther King Jr launched his brief church career before becoming more involved in the movement, and where Rosa Parks sat stoically in her bus seat. The walkable downtown area has been revitalized in recent years with galleries, independent shops and restaurants, plus several upscale hotels. Check the website for the latest on COVID-19 restrictions and what’s open.
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Yadkin Valley, North Carolina
Around three-dozen wineries stripe the landscape of North Carolina’s Yadkin Valley, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains to the north of the state, and each is wonderfully unique. There’s Divine Llama Vineyards, for example, where llamas graze the land around the tasting room and vines, while JOLO pours robust, award-winning reds with views of flat-capped Pilot Mountain. Most restaurants and wineries are open but it’s advised to call ahead – see the official website for the latest.
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Olympia, Washington
Washington’s state capital tends to be a little overshadowed by Seattle, which means more space to stroll and bike around the waterfront parks and city streets. Olympia has an appealing and fiercely independent spirit, from the locally owned cafés to breweries where beer is made with water from artesian wells and infused with foraged botanicals. The laid-back city is also a gateway to Olympic National Park, whose cast and varied landscape incorporates rainforest and beaches. COVID-19 restrictions are in place; see the website for details.
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Point Reyes National Seashore, California
Around an hour’s drive north of San Francisco, this stretch of protected coastline is a wilderness lover’s dream of cliff-backed beaches, ocean bluffs and trails winding through pine forests and up mountainsides. Rare tule elk graze the marshy landscape, while Tomales Bay is known for its bioluminescence, with millions of plankton emitting bursts of light on dark nights. Parts of the area have been closed to visitors due to wildfires – check the official website for updates.
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Isle Royale, Michigan
This Great Lakes island is the largest of the Isle Royal National Park archipelago, though it’s still pretty small at just 46 miles (74km) long. There are no cars or hotels but plenty of moose and waterside camping spots (permit required). Isle Royale, which is surrounded by around 450 other islands scattered across Lake Superior, really is about escaping modern life. Hiking trails weave through dense forest and around the ruggedly beautiful shores. The island has closed for the 2020 season and is due to reopen in April 2021.
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Fayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville’s fanbase looks set to grow in the next few years as it’s increasingly known for an eclectic, dynamic art scene. The quirky city, surrounded by the Ozark Mountains, is filled with art murals, sculptures and independent galleries. The main square is usually turned into an arts district on First Thursdays, with live music, visual artists and food trucks – the 2020 season was canceled but it’s due to resume in May 2021. Check the website for the latest updates and restrictions.
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Fajardo, Puerto Rico
San Juan gets most of the attention with its candy-colored buildings and coastal fortresses. But the eastern region of the island territory is pinch-yourself beautiful and, often, blissfully crowd-free. At its heart is Fajardo, home to beaches fringed with palm and almond trees, a bioluminescent bay, and marinas with boats cruising out to islands, reefs and coral cays. Find the latest travel advice and requirements here.
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Apostle Islands, Wisconsin
From seemingly endless brown-sugar beaches and lighthouses perched on rust-red cliffs to giant icicles dripping from lakeshore caves, the Apostle Islands seem like something from a dream, or straight from the imagination of Dr. Seuss. The national lakeshore is open year-round though there have been some closures and restrictions due to COVID-19 and storm damage, while the spectacular mainland ice caves are only accessible when the ice is thick enough. Check the official park website for the latest information.
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Rawah Wilderness, Colorado
This pristine wilderness looks like it’s been airlifted into Colorado from the Austrian Alps. Sprawled over 74,408 acres of unspoiled wilderness, between busier Roosevelt and Routt national forests, Rawah – from a Native American term meaning “wild place” – is an alluring alpine wilderness with 25 lakes and forested mountain slopes grazed by bighorn sheep, marmots, moose and elk. It’s currently open but check the park website for updates.
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Grand Isle, Louisiana
Louisiana is better known for swamps and spirits (the alcoholic and the otherworldly kind) than beach life, so this barrier island – at the end of the state’s epic Highway 1 – remains something of a local secret. It’s known for fishing and birdlife, with a network of hiking trails weaving around oak trees and past salt marshes. Breezy seafood restaurants, water sports and soft beaches scattered with shells make this a gloriously chilled-out location for families.
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Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska
Alaska is the king of undiscovered places, and Wrangell-St. Elias has to be one of the most surprising. The USA’s largest national park covers a vast expanse that could fit Yellowstone six times over – or Yosemite, Yellowstone and Switzerland combined. Unsurprisingly, then, its landscapes are diverse, from glaciers and ice fields to four mountain ranges and volcanic peaks. It’s home to moose, grizzly and black bears, mountain goats and ice worms – tiny black wrigglers that live on the surface of glaciers.
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Boise, Idaho
Idaho’s charming state capital proves there is life beyond potatoes. Plenty of it, in fact, as the city packs in dynamic art spaces, craft breweries, riverfront parks and ample open spaces for exploring safely. It’s also a great jumping-off point for outdoor adventures, from the waterside trails and parks that make up the Boise River Greenbelt to the breathtakingly beautiful Boise Mountains that form a scenic backdrop to the city.
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Painted Hills, Oregon
Oregon is full of rich surprises, particular when it comes to extraordinary natural beauty. This area, part of the John Day Fossil Beds, hasn’t been named lightly – the gold, apricot and brick-red stripes and ripples on the claystone really do resemble an artist’s palette, even at touching distance. Boardwalk trails wind between the rocks to show off the hills’ beauty at every angle. The visitor center has been closed due to COVID-19 restrictions but the outdoor areas and trails remain open. Check the website for updates.
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Caddo Lake, Texas and Louisiana
This swampy lake straddles both states, and it could hardly be more Southern USA in its ambiance and appearance. Spanish moss drapes elegantly from cypress trees, whose fat-bottomed, knotted trunks are submerged in the soupy water. Alligators can be occasionally seen basking on logs while some claim another type of beast can be spotted around the area: this is said to be prime Sasquatch or Bigfoot territory. The park is open with some restrictions in place – see the official website for updates.
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Ogunquit, Maine
Maine boasts some of the most beautiful yet relatively unexplored coastline in the US. Take this small seaside town, for example, whose sandy, dune-humped beach separates the Ogunquit River from the Atlantic Ocean. Perkin’s Cove is home to working lobstermen and waterside seafood spots. From July to September, tour boats cruise around lighthouses and pass by the oceanside sculpture garden at the Museum of American Art (closed for the season and due to reopen in May 2021). The area has COVID-19 restrictions in place so check requirements before visiting.
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