The National Trust for Historic Preservation designates a dozen distinctive destinations each year for travelers to visit. These cities and towns offer an authentic visitor experience, emphasizing locations that meet the following criteria: dynamic downtowns, cultural diversity, attractive architecture, cultural landscapes, as well as a strong commitment to historic preservation, sustainability, and revitalization.
America’s Distinctive Destinations Mapped Out (Above)
These 12 cities and towns (in alphabetical order by city) are:
1. Alexandria, Virginia
2. Chapel Hill, North Carolina
3. Colorado Springs, Colorado
4. Dandridge, Tennessee
5. Eureka, California
6. Muskogee, Oklahoma
7. New Bedford, Massachusetts
8. Paducah, Kentucky*
9. Saint Paul, Minnesota
10. San Angelo, Texas
11. Sheridan, Wyoming
12. Sonoma, California
*Paducah, Kentucky was voted Fan Favorite Distinctive Destinations.
This is the perfect list for people looking to avoid American vacation spots that are overrun by tourists. Some are small towns with a lot to offer, including historic downtowns and friendly locals. While there are a handful of places that might be on your list to visit already, most will be new places to consider for your next trip. Plus, at least, a couple of spots are likely close to where any American lives, since the map [above] reveals that the locations are spread throughout the country.
(Designations were made in 2009)
Minor updates and edits were made from the original article.
Featured Photo © Gennaro Salamone
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Gennaro Salamone is the founder and editor of Enduring Wanderlust. Please contact him with questions regarding article or photo submissions.