6. Colorado: Telluride
This former mining town in southwestern Colorado isn’t easy to access. After your flight, it’s a few hours’ drive through national forests. Its main Street is one of the most photographed in the country. It’s legendary for its late-partying watering holes. It annually hosts Jimmy Buffett’s Blues and Brews Festival and a celebrity-filled film festival on Labor Day weekend.
7. Connecticut: Mystic
The 1988 film Mystic Pizza made the town famous. But before the movie, vacationers flocked here to enjoy this seaport. Rent boats and paddle boards and float past stately and historic homes. Visit the Mystic Aquarium or Seaport Museum. For the true oceanside New England experience, hang with the locals in its bars and restaurants.
8. Delaware: Bethany Beach
Here’s a great spot to enjoy the mid-Atlantic coastal vibe in a far more relaxed setting. Meander along the boardwalk and take photos along its half-mile of its whitewashed buildings and landmark clock. You’ll find fantastic seafood at its popular restaurants that are a notch above the standard beach fair. Take a stroll through Delaware Seashore State Park.
9. Florida: St. Augustine
America’s oldest established city, it’s a gem of history, nature, and great food. Take a tour of the old city or a ghost tour past the haunted bars and the Spanish fort Castillo de San Marcos. Visit St. Augustine Alligator Farm and zipline over pits of hungry alligators. Then cross the Intracoastal to some of the more secluded Florida beaches.
10. Georgia: Helen
Travel through Georgia’s Blue Ridge Mountains and go north on Highway 75, and you’ll find yourself in the heart of Bavaria. This German-themed town is filled with Biergartens, chocolate shops, and plenty of schnitzel. A little outside of town, you’ll find some of Georgia’s best wineries. Not much farther yonder is the Chattahoochee River, with great fishing and whitewater rafting.
