We don’t think about New York, Los Angeles and Washington DC when we think about travelling to the US. Instead, we like to explore some offbeat, lesser known destinations that help in getting to know the country’s culture first hand, without the need to visit bars and restaurants in big cities. Here are some of our favorite travel destinations in the US.
Sanibel Island, Florida
Whenever we are in Florida, we think about visiting the beautiful sunny beaches of the east coast. However, we don’t go to the crowded Miami beaches. We choose the Sanibel Island, one of the more interesting and charming beaches here. It is a gem of a destination, providing you 25 miles of beautiful recreational trails and sidewalks. The pace of this region is much slower, but that doesn’t mean it is bad.
The white sand beaches of this place and the seashells you find here are spectacular. The atmosphere is very family friendly too. The most beautiful of the beaches is in Lighthouse Park. It is famous for shelling and gives you great views of the gulf as well. They are good for sailing and windsurfing as well. The theatres and restaurants are equally good here.
Geneva on a Lake
We fell in love with this place when we first visited. It is like a small theme park filled with arcade games and buzzing with activity. It gives you beautiful views of the national park a helps you enjoy Lake Erie in a truly unique way. The place is very family friendly and several kids and their parents can be found here, playing games and enjoying mini golf and carousels. The dance halls in the region were a rage in the 40s and 50s. Every summer, hundreds of families drive all the way from Cleveland and other nearby locations to this place and enjoy a great day by the Lake and the Ohio Wine Country.
Fayetteville
West Virginia’s Fayetteville is so beautiful, even fall looks like an artistic sketch in this place. This small town is the coolest that America has to offer. It has several historic buildings and the New River Gorge just makes it an even more splendid place to visit. The River is perfect for rafting and several hundreds of tourists flock here to enjoy washing along the gorges and the tremendous flow of the river. You can enjoy at the ACE Adventure Resort or Adventures on the Gorge.
Both offer you mind blowing horseback riding, hiking and even canopy tours that will provide you a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The art galleries hidden in the town are even more appealing. The boutique bed and breakfasts always feel like home and the local eateries are equally quaint and cozy. The buildings here are designed in Queen Anne, Romanesque Revival and Victorian style. The architectural aura of this place is simply amazing.
These were our favorite offbeat locations in the US that you could travel to. Of course, these places are not full of thousands of people but they are great for vacations, whether you are a solo or family traveler.