Think of the United States and what do you see? Perhaps the gleaming towers of Manhattan, the lavish homes of Hollywood, or a stretch of palm-fringed beaches on a stunning Florida beach.
But there is much more to this vast nation than these established places. The United States offers some of the most stunning natural landscapes in the world, a limitless variety of culture, and a surprisingly diverse array of natural and man-made monuments.
Here we explore the five most overlooked American cities, all of which exude a distinctive, vibrant charm that many supervised visitors—and indeed Americans—have yet to discover.
- Portland, Oregon
Greener than Los Angeles, more relaxed than the Big Apple, Portland’s pleasant climate rewards you with a lush, vivid landscape that’s ideal for growing roses. In fact, the city is colloquially known as Rose City and is also considered one of the greenest built-up places on Earth.
Portland’s appeal can be seen in many ways, from the architectural influence of the Hawthorne Bridge over the Willamette River to the Portland Museum of Art, a leading US institution with 42,000 exhibits and an impressive center for Native American art.
- Cincinnati, Ohio
Many don’t realize that this exciting Ohio city is home to some of the best Italianate architecture in the world. Over-the-Rhine, a cultural center north of downtown, was once known as the ‘Paris of America’ and is home to a selection of impressive architectural sites, including the luxurious Cincinnatian Hotel, Music Hall and the outlet of the Shillito Department. .
Cincinnati was also a hotspot for German immigration in the late 19th century. The Over-the-Rhine District is listed on the United States Register of Historic Places; Similar neighborhoods are found in New York, Munich, and Vienna.
- Charleston, South Carolina
Quirky homes, a subtropical climate, and a collection of pristinely clean sandy beaches make Charleston a fantastic, unspoilt vacation destination. The city boasts a significant colonial past, as well as a fast-growing tourism industry, trendy hotels, award-winning restaurants, and popular shopping malls.
AmericanStyle Magazine named Charleston one of America’s Top 25 Art Destinations; a recognition exemplified by its large number of museums, including the Charleston Museum, the oldest in the United States. The Powder Magazine, a gunpowder museum, opened in 1713, while the Exchange and Provost, a 1767 dungeon, once housed the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
- Sacramento, Calif.
California travel guides will put an emphasis on Los Angeles and San Francisco, but Sacramento is a major national cultural center and therefore not entirely overlooked. The California State Railroad Museum is the largest railroad museum in the US, while the Crocker Art Museum, one of the first art museums in the United States, boasts an impressive 129,791-foot new addition. squares.
The beautiful California Delta, a vast waterway 1,000 miles south of the city, offers a taste of the real California and is the perfect attraction on a hot summer day.
- Salt Lake City, UT
Breathtaking mountain scenery provides the perfect backdrop for the driving state capital of Utah. The Family History Library, the world’s largest genealogy information center, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, an internationally renowned and diverse cultural venue, are just two examples of its impressive cultural highlights.
Many visitors travel to Salt Lake City to discover its nearby revered natural attractions. From Big Cottonwood Canyon, a beautiful, lush desert, to Great Salt Lake, a natural phenomenon with a lunar quality, Salt Lake City is the ideal gateway from which to experience many of America’s greatest landscapes.