50 Must-See Hidden Gems Across the United States

Looking for an escape from vacation clichés? Check out this list of the best off-the-beaten-path destinations across the United States.

Nestled in the deep, icy waters of Lake Huron, Mackinac Island boasts a unique frontier for those traveling the less-worn path. No automobiles are allowed on the island and the closest you'll find to modern transportation is a horse drawn carriage. The lack of trucks and cars along with the lush green landscape make Mackinac Island a stunning place to truly get away.

Often overlooked due to the flashy tourist draw of the Grand Canyon, Page offers all the breathtaking views of the nearby attraction, without the unbearable crowds.

This shallow, saline rift lake within the Coachella Valley has experienced a tourism resurgence as of late, as eclectic artists have chosen it as home base for eccentric art installations, like this one.

Living up to every syllable of its moniker, the Garden of the Gods is a stunning sight to behold. After two surveyors came across the park in 1859, one suggested it would be an excellent place for a beer garden. Dumbfounded by the understatement, his companion rebuked his claim, calling the place—notable for its sandstone rock formations—worthy of a gathering of gods. Hence, Garden of the Gods Park was born.

An idyllic peninsula resting between Green Bay and Lake Michigan, Door County, Wisconsin cuts jagged cliffs and rocky coastline into the Green Bay harbor. Door County is dotted with lush evergreens and in the summer, makes the perfect swimming hole destination for locals and tourists alike.

Situated in the murky waters of Lake Erie, Kelleys Island packs boundless beach town charm into just a little more than four square miles. The pint-sized isle boasts quite a history, from serving as a military rendezvous point, to undergoing three name changes. Today, Kelleys island offers a quaint getaway for Midwesterners.

The California coastal city's seafront, studded with jagged rocks, is reminiscent of the famed Laguna Beach coast far to the south. The Northern California beach town is a sleepy cove with all the charm you could ask for, complete with an inn that's been a town staple since 1902.

Taking its name from the Paiute word for "place of the willows," ironically, Kanab was originally established as a defensive point against the Native American population from whose language its name stems. Now known by locals as "little Hollywood" due to its popularity among Western filmmakers, Kanab's sights have served as the backdrop for films like The Lone Ranger and Gunsmoke.

Located off the south coast of Alaska, Kodiak Island is the second largest island in the United States and 80th in the world. Mountainous with dense forests, Kodiak is the native home of both the Kodiak bear and the king crab.

An entirely self-governing, self-sustaining island located off the Georgian coast, Jekyll Island is known primarily for its driftwood beaches that give the coast an eerie yet beautiful veneer.

This group of 22 islands clustered in the waters of Lake Superior are a midwestern nature-lover's staple. Frost encrusted cliffs give way to the cool water of Lake Superior in the winter and in the summer, the surrounding lush green grounds are the perfect launching point for boating and fishing.

Oracle serves as home to the famed Biosphere 2, an earth science research facility owned by the University of Arizona and tasked with a lifelong continuation of learning about our planet. To this day, it remains the worlds largest enclosed system.

Block Island boasts a red brick lighthouse, erected on the clay cliffs and overlooking rocky beaches along the Atlantic below. Migratory birds seek refuge in the island's National Wildlife park, making for a picturesque fishing town.

A snow-capped Mt. Hood dominates the horizon of this scenic National Park in Oregon. It's a quintessential Pacific Northwest nature preserve, complete with a blanket of evergreens, stunning views and endless trails for exploring.

Resting on the banks of the Mississippi River, Natchez is known for its antebellum mansions, transforming this town into a window into the 19th century.

Northeast of Denver, this central Colorado lakefront offers a pristine view free of the typical tourist foot traffic, providing a fully solitary sense of calm.

The largest hot spring in Yellowstone National Park is oft overlooked due to the stardom pull of Old Faithful. Midway Geyser's hydro-thermal elements create dazzling, naturally occurring colors richer than any photo could capture with justice.

Towering redwoods line Arcata's trails, snaking to a deep blue Pacific bay that juts up against the town border. Since the increased regulation of the logging industry in Arcata, the forests have seen a sort of natural renaissance allowing them a resurgence of growth not seen in centuries.

Originally founded as a boomtown during the early 20th century Gold Rush, Goldfield now offers a different kind of gold—the figurative kind you strike when you first discover a beautiful desert frontier town off the beaten path of the archetypal Grand Canyon family trip.

First made famous by serving as the inspirational muse of artist Georgia O'Keefe, Plaza Blanca's ivory facades are stunning in their own right, but even more so when bathed in the violet light of a desert sunset.

Modeled after a centuries-old temple in Kyoto, Japan, the Byodo-In Temple brings a bit of Japanese charm to Hawaii. Large koi ponds cover the two acres surrounding the temple and create a transportive Japanese experience while trekking the grounds, located on the Big Island.

Seated in the heart of Grand Traverse County, Michigan this bayside micropolitan is the largest producer of tart cherries in the entirety of the United States, even throwing a famed week-long Cherry Festival at the start of July each year.

Created in the late 1950s and into the early 1960s, Lake Norman is the largest man-made body of fresh water in North Carolina. Outside of the recognition it receives for its sheer mass, Lake Norman makes for a lovely boating and fishing frontier for NC natives and those in the surrounding states.

Quaint and picturesque, Camden, Maine remains a sleepy pier town in the winter and booms to life when the population triples in the summer months, drawing tourists and seasonal summer residents.

Perhaps made most famous in recent years by MTVs raucous series, Floribama Shore, The Gulf Shores of Alabama have infinitely more to offer than binge-drinking and heavily scripted reality television. With lazy waves and southern hospitality in abundance, the Gulf Shore of Alabama is a perfect escape for anyone seeking a relaxing getaway.

Perfect for the hiking enthusiast in all of us clamoring to get out, The Ozark mountains covering Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, and Oklahoma, offer a perfect outlet for that outdoorsman we all want to embody sometimes. The sprawling Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri is a can't-miss summer destination as well.

Just an hour’s drive northeast of Las Vegas you'll find over 40,000 acres of sunbaked earth that makes up the Valley of Fire State Park. The millennia-old sandstone formations give the state park a surrealist effect that made it the ideal Martian stand-in for the film Total Recall.

The cycling intersection of seven major biking trails, Damascus is an interesting hodgepodge town of bike trail travelers converging at one communal respite.

With four waterfalls, plus Frank Lloyd Wright’s famed Fallingwater home just miles away, Ohiopyle is a cornerstone of natural Appalachian beauty. With over 70 miles of trails snaking through the park, there’s plenty of time to wander the grounds and enjoy all the park has to offer.

Unbeknownst to most, this rock formation was actually the first official National Landmark within the U.S. The occurrence of the formation of Devil’s Tower some 50 million years ago remains something of a mystery due to the lack of similar formations elsewhere in the area. Most scientists hypothesize that it is perhaps the results of underground magma being pushed through tough surface rock to build the tower.

Trails run alongside stunning waterfalls and streams that simply cannot be done justice in photos. Along these paths you’ll find the area's most famous site, the Rainbow Waterfall, which wow with water tumbling 80 feet into the pool below.

Created by the collapse of an underground river thousands of years ago, the Hamilton Pool Preserve’s limestone bed pours over a 50-foot waterfall into a crystal blue bath below.

Resting in the awe-inspiring glacial circles of Mount Sneffels, it’s no wonder Blue Lakes has crept up the list of the top hiking destinations in the continental U.S. When you reach the trail summit and take in the expansive view, you’ll understand why hiking enthusiasts flock to this remote part of Colorado.

Encapsulating Bob Ross’s famed saying “happy little accidents,” Fly Geyser was created by mistake during the incorrect drilling of a well. The multi-colored water that plumes from the geyser is actually the result of multiple mineral deposits like algae and sulfur. The prismatic water and bizarre shape of the geyser give it an otherworldly feel that you have to experience to understand.

Perfect for any lover of the paranormal, Bodie is the perfect stop on a road trip of oddities. The Sierra Nevada mountain town was abandoned in the early 20th century following the downturn of the economy and the preserved structures make for an eerie, unforgettable experience.

With much of George Washington’s historic estate still intact, this Virginian manor is a history buff’s dream come true. The one-time home of the Washington family has been turned into a museum, and a trek through the estate's grounds offers a richly immersive experience.

Hidden in the hippest borough of the concrete jungle, the urban Eden known as the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens are a must-visit. In the spring and summer, the garden bursts to life with Japanese cherry blossoms, offering a refreshing natural respite in the city.

Cavernous throughways in this beautiful glacier allow visitors to take a walk inside the icy mass and gawk at eons-old glacial forms.

Resting at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, Estes Park park is a picture-perfect mountain town and home of the hotel that inspired Stephen King's, The Shining.

Not quite the "Colorado cool" you're used to, Nederland is home to quite a few eccentricities and quirky festivals like "Frozen Dead Guy Days," pictured above.

The pages of a fairy tale come-to-life, this living storybook museum is situated on 1,000 acres of meadows and woodlands within the forests of coastal Delaware.

Perfectly encapsulating the whimsy of Sante Fe, Meow Wolf is an interactive art experience that makes surrealism become reality.

This rustic Alaskan town rests right at the foot of a string of snow-capped mountains. Hiking, snowmobiling, and dog sledding are Cordova staples definitely worth experiencing.

A far cry from the tourist-ridden beaches of Ocean City, this remote strip of shoreline is perfect for any beach-goer looking for a more solitary summer experience. More often that not, this Chesapeake Bay beach is entirely empty, leaving plenty of space for a peaceful getaway.

With it’s easy access to Glacier National Park and the pristine fresh water of Flathead Lake, Flathead Valley is also an ideal stop on the way to the artsy Big Fork suburb.

Forget the spray tan–shellacked Jersey Shore—Sunset Beach is a must-see stop on the Atlantic shore. With sand studded with bits of quartz polish from the Delaware River, the beaches seems to glimmer when light catches them at sundown and sunrise.

Infinitely more welcoming than the name would suggest, Kill Devil Hills lies in the heart of the Outer Banks (rightfully dubbed America’s First Beach). The calm shores are perfect for the summer recharge we all are in need of.

A departure from the honky-tonks and line dancing of a Nashville vacation, Tennessee’s Incline Railway takes you up a beautiful path to Lookout Mountain where panoramic views of the forests below are sure to wow.

Touted as Ohio’s first true resort, Geneva-on-the-Lake teems with all the charm of a small town, complete with breweries, boutiques, and every summer activity under the sun.

Like a postcard come to life, Newfane’s authentic feel is perfect for anybody looking for a dose of small-town charm. The local maple sugar houses are sure to satisfy any sweet tooth, and the mountainous backdrop makes for an equally satisfying setting.