Summer is the season of vacations. School is out, work hours are relaxed – some organizations still indulging in the publishing industry’s standard “summer Friday” – and the weather is optimal.
It is also the time of serious crowds. But, that doesn’t have to damper holiday plans. Straight from four people who travel for their professions , here are 11 underrated destinations from San Diego to the Finger Lakes. They might not be as famous as their well-known counterparts but promise to pack just as much of a punch.
Get away from the crowds this summer at these underrated destinations. Photo credit: Alexandra... [+]
Cameron Wears
Managing the hit blog, Traveling Canucks with his wife, the couple are advocates for family travel and have lots of advice for exploring with small children. Here are three of Cameron Wear's favorite off-the-beaten track destinations for summer time.
Located about a mile south of Lake Tahoe, Fallen Leaf Lake in California is a picturesque lake surrounded by lush forest and rolling mountains. It's an ideal escape from the crowds that collect at nearby Lake Tahoe.
While Portland is busy "Keeping it Weird", neighboring Salem is keeping things casual and friendly. Located in the agricultural heart of Oregon, the Willamette Valley, visitors to Salem are treated to a fresh mix of beautifully manicured gardens, aromatic vineyards and magnificent old growth forests. It's also loaded with historical buildings and family friendly attractions, like the iconic Riverfront Carousel and Enchanted Forest Theme Park.
Instead of visiting the San Francisco area on California's Pacific coast, head south to Santa Cruz and enjoy the views of Monterey Bay. Jump on the iconic Giant Dipper wooden roller coaster at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, take a hike through the coastal redwood forests of Wilder Ranch State Park, or get in the water and surf Santa Cruz's legendary breaks.
Christina Saull
With a double-income and no kids, Christina Saull travels the world with her husband, chronicling her journeys on My View from the Middle Seat. Using points to score sweet deals, she enjoys luxury travel and upscale hotels.
View of the west side of Lake Kueka, one of the Finger Lakes in upstate New York. Photo credit:... [+]
Instead of sipping with the crowds in Sonoma, visit the Finger Lakes wine region in upstate New York. Finger Lakes vineyards produce some of the country's best Riesling wines and you won't break the bank at any of the tasting rooms.
Rather than fighting for your spot on the sand in Myrtle Beach, head to Florida's Gulf Coast instead. While you won't get ocean waves, you'll enjoy gorgeous sunsets and entire spans of beach all to yourself. My favorite hidden spot is Sand Key State Park in Clearwater, Florida.
Skip Disney World and head to the Sweetest Place on Earth instead:
Lee Abbamonte
As the youngest American to visit all the countries in the world, Lee Abbamonte loves traveling in America as well. Chronicling his journeys on his blog, Lee Abbamonte, here are his favorite three beach destinations in the US that promise the fun without the crowds.
Dewey Beach, Delaware is better than any of the other big name northeast coast beach party towns like Ocean City, Maryland or Virginia Beach, Virginia or Wildwood, New Jersey.
In a similar idea, opt for Block Island, Rhode Island over Massachusetts’s Martha's Vineyard or Nantucket. The New England island promises much of the same fare – seclusion, salt air and good seafood – but with less cost and fuss.
Choose Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida over any tourist beach town on Florida's East Coast, simply, because it is one of my favorite places on earth.
Joah Spearman
Joah Spearman, the founder of Localeur, a curated community of locals who provide recommendations for cities in the United States, is quite knowledgeable in Americana. The app now includes 16 cities in the country. Here are two of Spearman's favorite destinations.
For sure LA is one of the world's busiest metros and offers the more traditional Southern California beach, Hollywood-tinged vacation, but San Diego is a viable substitute. It isn’t as glamorous, but offers less traffic and more hidden gems beyond what's known the zoo or Sea World. From local brunch eateries like D Bar to local boutiques like Lone Flag, which is stocked with items from local makers, I think
If you've done enough beaches, and you're looking for a more inland option than the coasts of the Carolinas, check out the upstate South Carolina gem Greenville. Home to one of the most thought-out and exquisite downtown areas in America, Greenville's Main Street will have you thinking back to a time pre-Wal-Mart where local merchants and restaurants filled streets and cars didn't fill highways. Between Reedy River Park, the bike trail that travels north to Travelers Rest, a suburban town just north of Furman University, and state parks like Paris Mountain and Caesars Head, you'll get a no-frills, outdoor-friendly vacation that feels like the kind you had before shopping malls and amusement parks were all the rage.
Alexandra Talty is the Editor-in-Chief of StepFeed, the homepage of the Middle East. After leaving New York City in 2013, she used her personal finance (and journalism) skills to the world, before settling down in Beirut, Lebanon. She is also on Twitter.
