Guest post by Ryan Embly
When people compile lists of places to visit on vacation, they tend to come up with the same ideas as everyone else as demonstrated by the fact that millions and millions of people keep on flocking to places like Paris, Orlando and London again and again. Sure, it may be fun to party like a rock star in Vegas or kiss on the Eiffel Tower as the sun sets, but everybody does that nowadays — and the communal desire to see these must see travel destinations along with affordable travel costs guarantees that popular tourist destinations are becoming crowded and overrun.
If you’re interested in taking a vacation in a location that isn’t full of American and Japanese tourists with cameras and Hawaiian shirts, consider looking into the following five under-appreciated vacation destinations. You may never have heard of some of these destinations, but that doesn’t mean they’re not fabulous places to visit.
1. Black Hills, South Dakota
Although South Dakota gets a reasonable amount of visitors in Black Hills country due to Mount Rushmore, it is vastly under-appreciated. The Black Hills have more to offer than just four presidents staring out of a mountain — there’s spectacular scenery and amazing ghost towns. If you time your visit around August, you can check out the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.
2. Amelia Island, Florida
Amelia Island is a small island off the eastern coast of Florida. This 13 miles long and 4 miles wide island has the standard stunning beaches common to much of the Floridian coast, but since there are fewer tourists at these beaches, the wildlife is more visible. The island is home to several festivals including the Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival, the Amelia Island Jazz Festival and the Amelia Island Film Festival.
3. Tunica, Mississippi
This underrated tourist destination is the third largest gaming region in the United States after Las Vegas and Atlantic City – but many people have never even heard of it! Although there aren’t nearly as many casinos in this “Vegas of the South” as there are in other gambling areas, the smaller scale gives this town a more personal feeling.
4. Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada
Valley of Fire State Park is the oldest state park in Nevada. The park gets its name from its red sandstone formations that developed during the time of the dinosaurs. Visitors interested in archaeology will enjoy looking at the petroglyphs left behind by the prehistoric people who once lived there.
5. Finger Lakes, New York
When most people think of wine country, they tend to gravitate towards Napa Valley in California. However, what they don’t realize is that New York has its far share of wine country as well. The Finger Lakes are a series of eleven lakes located in Upstate New York. This region is the second largest wine country in the United States with over 100 wineries. This is the perfect place to kick back and enjoy the lovely scenery while sipping a great vintage.
About the author
This is a guest post by Ryan Embly from Car Rental Express (CRX). If you’re looking for car rentals for young drivers, or any other driver for that matter, try using CRX for your next trip.
By Olivia GrilHey Folks! I'm Olivia from California, United States. I'm a blogger, travel lover, I can travel anywhere, whether it's a new place or already visited. I love meeting new people, clicking photos of every movement, and documenting my adventure. I also, write about travel, travel movies, the best places to visit, etc. Read my stories.
