This North Carolina Town Was Named One Of Most Underrated Places In America
Looking for a fun summer vacation idea? Are crowds maybe not your thing? If you want the fun, the memories, and the activities, but want to leave behind the droves of tourists then keep reading. Major attractions and cities can be great family vacation spots but so can the lesser-known spots. While there are some great tourist hot spots in North Carolina there are also some underrated places to visit as well. And the experts at Reader’s Digest want to make sure you’re aware of those destinations not just the big ones. The well-respected journal recently published a list of the 15 Most Underrated Places in America to visit. In the list, they give you a popular tourist destination in a state and then tell you another nearby destination to go to instead. For example, number one on this list is Washington DC. But they say instead of dealing with the crowds (which I can speak from experience are very overwhelming) try planning a visit to Charlottesville, Virginia.
And I’d say I agree with that. I had a wonderful time when I visited Charlottesville a few years ago. It was much less stressful than trying to park in a parking deck in downtown DC on a Wednesday morning. 0 out of 10, do not recommend at all. So when Reader’s Digest tells its readers to “skip the throngs of tourists this summer and head to a lesser-known destination to experience incredible food, one-of-a-kind hotels, eclectic festivals, and more.” I’d say they are on to something. So where in North Carolina do they think is one of the more underrated places to visit? Well, they say instead of taking a trip to Asheville this summer, maybe plan a visit to nearby Hendersonville instead.
Visit Hendersonville Instead of Asheville
Hendersonville is just about 25 minutes away from Asheville and offers a similar feel without the hustle and bustle. In fact, my mom was just there this past weekend and commented on the unique shopping in downtown. Dine at one of the numerous locally owned restaurants or visit the Appalachian Pinball Museum. You may have heard of Bold Rock Cider, and their cidery is located in Hendersonville and is open to visitors and taste testers. Another fun fact I learned from Reader’s Digest is that the massive film series ‘The Hunger Games’ was partially filmed in the nearby DuPont State Recreational Forest. If you’re a fan of the movies, then that’s a must-visit!
Now full disclosure, would I tell you to visit Hendersonville instead of Asheville? I’m not sure I could say that. I’ve never been to Hendersonville and Asheville is a place I visit almost yearly. I love visiting Biltmore Estate and The Grove Park Inn. That’s not to say I wouldn’t love to plan a day trip to Hendersonville. What do you think? Should I skip Asheville this fall?
Other Options From Reader’s Digest
- Instead of Memphis, try Tupelo, Mississippi
- Instead of Nashville, try Florence, Alabama
- Instead of New York City, try Greenwich, Connecticut
You can read the rest of their 15 options here. Only you know what you want out of your vacation to know if visiting these places instead is worth it for you. Or perhaps maybe just do what I suggested above and add these secondary places on to a trip to the major city. Happy trip planning!
These North Carolina cities are some of America's 'Best Cheap Travel Destinations'
1. Grand Canyon National Park
2. Glacier National Park
3. Grand Teton National Park
4. Moab
5. Bar Harbor
7. Asheville, NC
10. Destin, FL
11. Santa Fe
River walk along the James River in Historic York town, Virginia. Yorktown is a major tourist destination for history and leisure purposes
12. St. Augustine, FL
13. Gatlinburg, TN
14. Colorado Springs
15. Nags Head
16. San Antonio
17. Williamsburg
18. Gettysburg
19. Athens, GA
20. Portland, OR
