Today we’re skipping the usual suspects. No Disney, no Vegas, no Times Square. Instead, we’re talking about America’s best hidden gems: the ones in our own backyard that don’t always make the front page of travel magazines but absolutely deserve a spot on your bucket list.
A lot of people totally forget about it. They say, “I want to go to Europe. I want to go to the Caribbean. I want to see the bluest water.” We actually have some of the bluest water in the world, and you just don’t know it. And plenty of people never think, “Let me go to Georgia,” or, “Let me go to Wisconsin. There’s nothing there.” There are things there, I swear: places with fewer crowds, more authentic experiences and often better value than the destinations everyone else is fighting over. So buckle up. We’re taking a road trip across some of the most underrated places in America.
Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness, New Mexico
Most people driving through New Mexico stick to the neon-soaked streets of Albuquerque or the high-end art galleries of Santa Fe. But venture south of Farmington, in the northwest high desert, and you hit the Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness. Bisti comes from the Navajo word for “among the adobe formations,” and De-Na-Zin means cranes. When I read about it and looked at the pictures, I thought, “What are we, in Avatar?” It looks like the set of a vintage sci-fi film.
Go late in the day, when the hoodoos glow and then turn to silhouettes.
Over millions of years, water and wind have carved the earth into bizarre, towering pillars called hoodoos, mushroom rocks and balancing spires, with layers of clay streaked charcoal, fiery orange and deep purple. The reason it stays a true hidden gem: there are absolutely no marked trails. There’s no visitor center, no paved paths and no signs telling you where to walk. It’s raw, open public land, and you’re on your own in a labyrinth of canyons. So pack smart:
GPS is mandatory. Download offline satellite maps before you go, because cell service drops to zero the moment you leave the gravel parking area.
Water is life. Bring at least a gallon per person, even for a short hike. The sun reflects off the clay and turns the canyons into a kiln.
Time it right. Go in the late afternoon, when the shadows stretch out between the hoodoos and the rocks look like they’re glowing from the inside out. It’s just you, the ancient stone and an overwhelming, beautiful silence.
I can count on two fingers the times I’ve been to New Mexico, both on a national tour, so I didn’t get to see much. I’m dying to go. If you’ve been, send me pictures.
Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia
This one blew my mind. Honestly, I hadn’t heard of it until I started researching. When people think of the Georgia coast, Savannah and Jekyll Island get all the glory. But Cumberland Island, the state’s southernmost barrier island, is a completely different world, and it’s almost entirely undeveloped.
To get there, you take a 45-minute ferry from the historic town of St. Marys. You can’t bring a car, and there are no grocery stores and no paved roads. What Cumberland does have is roughly 17 miles of pristine, windswept white-sand beaches, giant maritime oak forests dripping in Spanish moss and a fascinating history.
In the late 19th century, the Carnegie family bought up a massive chunk of the island and built an opulent 59-room mansion called Dungeness. In the 1950s, it caught fire, leaving behind a haunting, gorgeous stone skeleton on the edge of the forest. And today the island is ruled by… wild horses. You can literally walk through the ruins of a Gilded Age mansion while wild horses graze on the lawn right in front of you. (If you grew up on a farm, you’re probably saying, “I see that every day.” For the rest of us, it’s the coolest thing.)
Live oaks dripping in Spanish moss, and nobody else on the road.
Because the National Park Service strictly limits the number of daily visitors, the beaches are practically empty. You can walk for miles without seeing another soul, just wild horses roaming the dunes and sea turtles nesting in the sand.
My insider tip: book your ferry tickets at least a few weeks in advance. For a truly unforgettable experience, reserve a campsite and fall asleep to the sound of the Atlantic, then wake up to a horse licking your face. (Okay, maybe not. But that would be quite the alarm clock.)
Good to know (checked October 2026): the island’s campgrounds include Sea Camp, near the beach. There’s also one small private inn, the Greyfield Inn, which runs its own boat from Fernandina Beach, Florida. Sources: National Park Service and Greyfield Inn.
Capitol Reef National Park, Utah
Utah has what they call the Mighty Five national parks. You’ve all heard of Zion and Bryce Canyon, with millions of visitors a year, packed shuttle buses and crowded trails. But tucked away behind them is one of the least visited and, in my opinion, the most underrated: Capitol Reef National Park.
Its crown jewel is a geological anomaly called the Waterpocket Fold, a massive, 100-mile-long wrinkle in the earth’s crust that looks like a giant, jagged wave of solid rock frozen mid-crash. The name comes from the little pockets that erode into the sandstone, catching rainwater and creating watering holes for desert wildlife. The northern part of the park gets some traffic along Highway 24, but the southern Waterpocket Fold is beautifully isolated. To experience it properly, drive the Notom-Bullfrog Road, a rugged, partially unpaved road that runs along the fold’s eastern face.
Here, you can pull over on a dirt road, look out across millions of years of exposed geological history and not hear a single car engine. It gives you that raw, old-school feeling of American exploration, from back before everyone went to Yosemite.
Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada
Everyone goes to Nevada for Vegas, right? That’s it, just Vegas. (I’m kidding.) Just an hour from the Strip is the stunning Valley of Fire State Park, with bright red sandstone formations that look like Mars. You’ll be standing there asking, “Did I take a shuttle to Mars?” You can hike among natural arches and landscapes so dramatic you’ll swear you’re in a National Geographic special. And the best part? Most Vegas visitors don’t even know it exists.
Valley of Fire, about an hour from the Vegas Strip. Did I take a shuttle to Mars?
Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Wisconsin
I know, Wisconsin isn’t exactly where people’s bucket lists start. But the Apostle Islands are incredible: 21 islands in Lake Superior with sea caves, kayaking and lighthouses. And in winter, the caves freeze into massive ice formations that look like nature’s version of a crystal palace. How cool is that?
Good to know (checked October 2026): the mainland ice caves can only be reached on foot when the lake ice is safe, which is rare. The National Park Service says they were open on only about 2% of days between 2000 and 2023, so check conditions before you plan around them. The summer sea caves by kayak or boat are far more reliable. Source: National Park Service.
Small Towns That Deserve Big Attention
Bisbee, Arizona
Let’s talk quirky. Nestled in the mountains near the Mexican border is the former mining town of Bisbee. Picture colorful houses built into the hillsides, art galleries, breweries and ghost towns. (I love me a ghost town. I know we’re not talking touristy here, but I enjoy that stuff.) It’s like someone mixed the Wild West with an artist colony.
Eureka Springs, Arkansas
This one will be shocking. Eureka Springs is one of the most unique towns in America. The entire town is built into the Ozark Mountains, with winding streets, hidden staircases, Victorian buildings and no traditional grid. It’s weird, it’s wonderful and you’ll spend the whole visit asking why more people aren’t talking about it.
Leavenworth, Washington
This one feels like cheating, because it’s getting more popular, but it’s still a hidden gem to many Americans. Leavenworth transformed itself into a Bavarian-style village. Think Germany meets the Pacific Northwest: beer gardens, mountain scenery, Christmas lights and some of the best holiday celebrations you’ll find anywhere in the country.
Beaches You Didn’t Know We Had
Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida
I used to go to Key West about once a month, and Key West isn’t known for its beaches. But take the trip out to Dry Tortugas National Park. (Everyone just calls it the Dry Tortugas.) You can only get there by boat or seaplane, and it’s far. You’ll find excellent snorkeling, the historic fort and some of the bluest, clearest water in America. You don’t have to go all the way to the Caribbean for that.
Good to know (checked October 2026): the ferry from Key West takes about 2.5 hours each way, and the seaplane takes about 40 minutes. Source: National Park Service.
(Slightly off topic, but while I’m sticking up for American beaches: Florida’s west coast has gorgeous, crystal-clear water and white sand. If you’ve never been to Siesta Key, go. It’s not a hidden gem, and it’s jam-packed, but the sand is like butter and stays cool under your feet, and the sunsets are unreal.)
Cape Lookout National Seashore, North Carolina
Want Outer Banks beauty without the Outer Banks crowds? Check out Cape Lookout: wild horses, remote beaches and shell collecting. It’s what beach vacations used to feel like.
Block Island, Rhode Island
Most people head straight to Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket, because, let’s be honest, those are very nice. Instead, consider Block Island. It’s charming, relaxed and significantly less crowded. Rent a bike and spend the day exploring dramatic cliffs, beaches and hidden coves.
A Few More of America’s Best-Kept Secrets
The San Juan Islands, Washington
Between Washington State and Canada are the beautiful San Juan Islands, one of the best places in America for whale watching. Orcas regularly pass through, the scenery is stunning and the pace of life feels wonderfully slow. I saw the islands from a ship on my way to Alaska, and they were just beautiful. I kept an eye out for orcas the whole time and didn’t see one. I guess I’m just not the orca whisperer.
Great Basin National Park, Nevada
While everyone is fighting the crowds at Yosemite and Yellowstone, consider Great Basin National Park. You’ll find ancient bristlecone pines that have been alive for thousands of years, massive caves and dark skies perfect for stargazing, and you’ll often feel like you have the park entirely to yourself.
Mackinac Island, Michigan
This one was on my list for this past June, but it didn’t fit my busy summer schedule, and I’m still itching to go. Imagine an island where cars are banned. You get around by horse-drawn buggy, bicycle or your own two feet, and it feels like stepping back in time. Apparently the fudge is worth every calorie. It’s not completely off the beaten path, since a lot of people know about it, and it’s packed in summer, so know that going in.
On My Own Wish List
Jackson Hole, Wyoming: I cannot wait to see it.
Helen, Georgia: another German-style town that looks like they took a little village out of Germany and set it down in Georgia. It’s about a two-hour drive from Atlanta, and somehow I never make it there when I’m in town.
Today’s Travel Lesson
The best vacations aren’t always the places everybody else is going. That’s been the theme of this show since the beginning: venture off the beaten path, because that’s where your most memorable experiences happen. Wild horses on a remote island, sea caves on Lake Superior, a Bavarian village in Washington State, a national park where you can actually hear yourself think. America has plenty of hidden gems waiting to be discovered, and I’ve barely scratched the surface. Travel isn’t about checking boxes. It’s about finding places that surprise you.
Found a place you’ve never heard of and suddenly need to see? My team at Fabulous Adventures Travel would love to help you plan the road trip.
