I asked people over on our IG page what their favorite lesser-known vacation destinations were, and why, and now I’ve got a nice new collection of must-see places to visit! I ALSO learned how many of you really don’t want to divulge your secret spots for fear that it will be overrun by tourists, and for the record, I completely get that. Smart play.
IF you have more magical places of your own that you don’t mind putting in the spotlight, feel free to mention them in the comments below. Or, ya know, don’t. You do you.
Newport Oregon, I spent many summers there with my grandparents away from the world and its problems.
_nickypowers
Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge [Tennessee] are my absolute favorites.
lexidobbs@b_finkster
Goats on a roof in Gatlinburg was such a cool place.
sikki5112@b_finkster
Editor’s Note: Ditto to Gatlinburg. I’ve traveled here with my family no less than 15 times in my life. I especially love it during the holidays because they do such a perfect job decorating the town in Christmas lights and beyond. The look, the smell, the shops, the Smokey Mountains…it’s magical.
Waskesiu Lake in Prince Albert national park…wolves, elk, moose, eagles, awesome golf, a glacier-fed lake in northern Saskatchewan…all in a park that is about 3x the size of New York state.
preston.babey
Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
the_hotrod_bird_guy
Aberdeen, Idaho cliffs. Perfect for bonfires.
rubencastro1331
There’s a big hayfield up near Buxton…One in particular. It’s got a long rock wall, a big oak tree at the north end. It’s like something out of a Robert Frost poem. It’s where I asked my wife to marry me. We went there for a picnic and made love under that oak and I asked and she said yes.
mi_fajina
Editor’s note: This made me laugh harder than I should’ve. Well played. Next you’ll tell me how perfectly blue the water is in Zihuatanejo.
Iceland. That it actually is not covered in ice. Most beautiful fucking place on the planet, hands down.
Jeff Sweet
The Kingdom of Tonga, a tiny island nation in the Pacific Ocean. It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever been, with incredible beaches, wonderful people, and great food. The only issue is that flights only happen weekly and are incredibly expensive, which is why I was only there with the US Navy. It’s a life goal of mine to go back sometime in my life.
christmas_ape_goes_to_fat_camp
Maine. I hope everyone keeps thinking it’s cold and boring, so they don’t ruin it.
Dan Hagen
Silverton/Durango CO. Every time I go it feels more and more like home and gets harder and harder to leave.
Josh Crumpton
Ocean City, NJ. The best pizza in the world along with some of the best memories growing up a man could ask for. From sitting on my dad’s shoulders to skipping school to go to the beach. Best place on earth.
shanemcor
I would tell you, but I don’t want the world to find out! #sorrynotsorry
dblinn413
Editor’s Note: Again, I respect that many of you did not want to reveal your favorite getaways. What can I say, I love to travel and I always keep my eyes open for new spots to try out.
Northern Ontario is pretty special. There is lots of camping, big lakes to swim, and weird things along the way. My wife and I drove the tail of the dragon in Tennessee last summer — was an incredible drive.
c.w._griswold_jr
Wyoming in general cause no cell service and you get lost in nature and eaten by bears and wolves.
aaron_m_e
Emerald Lake, northern BC
andrew_meeks
Raymond, Maine…a little town on the lake and only a half hour or so from Portland, if you want to go to the city.
nickytheteacher
My bed.
sherribaby06
