South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
Underrated US destinations that should be on your radar
If you’re anything like us, you’ve already started gathering ideas on where to travel this year or next. And while there are plenty of big-ticket destinations worth a spot on your 2021 travel bucket list, we want to call out a few places that may have been overlooked.
Taos, New Mexico
Skiing enthusiasts may have the small New Mexican town of Taos on their radar, but it’s often overlooked for Santa Fe. Come here, and you’ll still get the quirky art scene, snowy slopes, hatch chiles and jaw-dropping landscapes found in Santa Fe, but at a lower price point and with fewer crowds. Taos is also loaded with active outdoor adventures, culture and history, including the mustsee Taos Pueblo, an impressive UNESCO World Heritage site composed of multistory adobe buildings. In 2021, Taos Pueblo will host a celebration for the anniversary of the Return of Blue Lake, in which sacred land was returned to the local indigenous people after over 64 years of federal control. Taos’ downtown area is also undergoing a quiet renaissance, with new galleries, boutique hotels, shops and a craft distillery.
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis has a lot going for it, and 2021 is set to be a big year for the Midwestern city. You can bet there will be big celebrations for the city’s bicentennial, though we’re not sure if anything can beat the excitement surrounding the world’s largest single-day sporting event — the annual Indy 500 car race, which will celebrate its 105th run. Some noteworthy 2020 openings included the new Bottleworks District, a huge mecca for entertainment, food, drinks and shops; a restaurant from James Beard Award semifinalist Abbi Merriss; and the Madame Walker Theatre Center, a multimillion-dollar theater honoring the legacy of the first, self-made African American woman, Madame Walker. Plus, the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis — the largest children’s museum in the world — has brought back over 15 tons of dinosaur bones from a recent dig in Wyoming, and its paleontologist lab will be piecing
them together all year long.
San Luis Obispo, California
California’s Central Coast is a favorite getaway destination for folks who live in San Francisco or Los Angeles, but it’s often overlooked by other travelers. SLO CAL may seem
like a write-off, as it’s easy to assume there’s not much to see and do in the area. However, if you know where to look, you’ll find a laid-back wine country, a health-conscious community, outdoor adventures, and food and drink that’ll take you back to local roots. You can also go kayaking in the Morro Bay National Estuary. Here, you’ll learn about the unique ecosystem and get up-close to a floating oyster farm, resident harbor seals and a variety of birds, including the white pelicans. If you’re in town on a Thursday, be sure to check out the San Luis Obispo Farmers’ Market, which takes over the main strip in downtown SLO and features live music, local BBQ, farm cheese, fresh produce and the chance to leave your mark on the gummed-up walls of Bubblegum Alley.
Fort Worth, Texas
Despite the fact that Fort Worth is in line to jump two spots as the 11th-largest city in the country, it still struggles to separate itself from nearby Dallas. (It sees about one-third of the number of tourists as Dallas.) However, with a style and scene of its own, Fort Worth is well worth exploring. In addition to its twice-daily cattle runs, the city has a growing music scene. Local museums have hosted exhibits from Monet, Renoir and
Takashi Murakami, while creative event spaces like Blackhouse empower and support up-and-coming artists and musicians. In 2020, the city added several new hotels and completed phase one for a redevelopment in the Stockyards National Historic District.
Buffalo, New York
At the turn of the 20th century, Buffalo was one of the most populated cities in the country and a beacon for all things new, cool and noteworthy. However, a midcentury collapse in industry and economy created a mass exodus, and the city has struggled to shake its has-been stigma ever since. Well, folks: The new, emerging Buffalo is full of history and hip features. On the history side, Buffalo is practically an open-air museum for architecture fanatics, thanks to its collection of 20th-century buildings, including the immaculately restored Frank Lloyd Wright Martin House, the Beaux-Arts-style AlbrightKnox Art Gallery and the Buffalo Central Terminal train station, an art deco stunner. For a gorgeous glimpse of old and new, stop by the Hotel Henry, a new boutique hotel located within a renovated section of the Buffalo State Asylum, originally designed by Henry Hobson Richardson and landscaped by Frederick Law Olmsted
(of Central Park fame) and now known as the Richardson Olmsted Campus. It’s open to the public and full of fantastic art installations, a free coworking space and a great restaurant. While you’re in town, check out the immigrant-owned food and shop startups at the West Side Bazaar and get active with zip-lining and wall-climbing at Buffalo RiverWorks.
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is a must-visit for craft beer lovers who can drink their way through the city’s 30 craft breweries. Meanwhile, foodies will want to head straight to the new Optimist Hall, a mixed-used space with a lot of great restaurants serving everything from hearty to healthy fare. The city is also brimming with great chef-led eateries, many of which have won or been semifinalists for the prestigious James Beard Award. In 2019, the Design District added a 20,000-squarefoot entertainment venue with fun games like pinball, arcades, bowling and more. We also love Charlotte for its easy access to outdoor activities, like whitewater rafting, hiking and rock climbing. Charlotte is a crowd-pleasing destination that’s great for friends, family and solo trips, though it has remained relatively under-the-radar when it comes to major tourism — at least for now.