15 Detour Destinations To Help You Get Off The Beaten Track

Big-name cities get all the attention — and all the inflated prices to go along with it. Scroll through Instagram for five minutes and you’ll see the same Eiffel Tower shots, Shibuya Scramble crossings, and Las Vegas sign selfies over and over.

News flash! You don’t have to stick to the same overcrowded hubs to have a great trip. By taking a quick detour to a nearby destination, you’ll often find better food, more authentic experiences, cheaper prices (who doesn’t love that), and a lot fewer tourists in your way.

Here are a handful of lesser-known places where you’ll get WAYYY more bang for your buck (and better memories) than in their more famous neighbors!

Note: Expedia officially lists the first ten destinations in their 2025 travel trends report, while the last five are my personal recommendations based on quirky spots I’ve discovered over the years!

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Mesquite, Nevada

Detour from Las Vegas, NV

Sick of Vegas drinks being $25 a pop? Mesquite is 90 minutes away and has casinos, spas, golf, and resorts without the Strip’s inflated prices. It’s a desert town that feels approachable.

The vibe is way more low-key in Mesquite — it feels like a legit weekend escape rather than a weekend-long marathon of caffeine, Pedialyte, and booze.

With a couple of days, you can hit a few rounds of golf, relax in a spa, have a pool day, or even take day trips to Valley of Fire State Park or Zion National Park for epic desert scenery.

Where To Stay: CasaBlanca Resort, Casino, Golf & Spa

Santa Barbara, California, USA

Detour from Los Angeles

Los Angeles is sprawling, expensive, and… the worst part… traffic-heavy at all times. Drive two hours north and you’re in Santa Barbara, where Spanish-style architecture, coastal wineries, and beaches collide to make what I think is one of the most charming towns in all of California.

With two or three days, you can sip wine in the Funk Zone, hike into the Santa Ynez Mountains, gorge on McConnell’s Ice Cream (the Cookies and Cream / Santa Barbara Strawberry flavors are a MUST. You can thank me later.), and spend an afternoon at Stearns Wharf watching the sun dip behind the Pacific.

It’s SoCal at its finest, but slower and way more polished than LA.

Where To Stay: Mason Beach Inn

Waikato, New Zealand

Detour from Auckland

Auckland gets plenty of attention, but Waikato offers rolling green landscapes, caves, and tons of local culture.

You can explore the magical glowworm caves in Waitomo, tour the Hobbiton movie set (the amazing Hobbit-sized village created for the Lord of the Rings movies!), or simply enjoy farm-to-table dining in small towns that feel a world away from the city.

With a few days, base yourself in Hamilton to visit riverside gardens, or drive out to Raglan for black-sand surf beaches.

Where To Stay: Novotel Tainui Hamilton

Girona, Spain

Detour from Barcelona

Barcelona might draw the crowds with its whimsical Gaudí architecture and seafood-forward tapas, but tbh, the locals of Barcelona are sick of the tourists. Give them a break and do something different, like Girona.

Only an hour north of Barcelona, Girona feels like a completely different world — quieter, slower, and distinctly Catalan. The historic quarter (Barri Vell) is a maze of cobblestone streets crowned by a hilltop cathedral and ancient city walls that you can actually walk for panoramic views.

You’ll also want to explore the Jewish Quarter, one of the best-preserved in Europe, and the colorful riverfront houses known as the Cases de Onyar.

If you’re a Game of Thrones fan, parts of the city might look familiar since it doubled as King’s Landing in later seasons! Food lovers won’t want to miss Girona either — it’s home to the Roca brothers and their Michelin-starred restaurants, plus plenty of affordable places serving Catalan classics.

With the Costa Brava beaches to the east and the Pyrenees to the west, it’s also a perfect base if you want to split your time between seaside relaxation and mountain hikes. Spend a couple of days here and you’ll quickly see why locals are so fiercely proud of their “orgull gironí.”

Where To Stay: Carlemany Girona

Fukuoka, Japan

Detour from Tokyo and Kyoto

Swap Tokyo’s sky-high hotel rates and packed trains for Fukuoka’s laidback food-centric scene. This lesser-visited city is the birthplace of tonkotsu ramen, and you’ll easily find cheap and delicious bowls of comforting pork broth ramen on nearly every corner.

Come evening, pull up a stool at a riverside yatai food stall, where locals gather for cheap eats like skewers, fried chicken, noodles, and late-night beers.

With your time in Northern Kyushu’s most iconic city, you can spend a night soaking in Beppu’s hot springs, shopping your way through Canal City, or biking through the atmospheric Uminonakamichi Seaside Park (my favorite local day trip excursion!).

Where To Stay: Tokyu Stay Fukuoka Tenjin

Reims, France

Detour from Paris

Paris might be bursting at the seams (and your wallet), but Reims gives you Champagne straight from the source.

Less than an hour from Paris by train, Reims is the capital of Champagne and the best place to explore the region’s famous crayères—underground chalk cellars at houses like Veuve Clicquot, Taittinger, and Ruinart.

Beyond champagne, the city has a serious food scene, from the pink Reims biscuit at Maison Fossier to Michelin-starred dining at places like L’Assiette Champenoise and Racine. For something more casual, stop by Les Halles du Boulingrin, the city’s covered market, where you’ll find cheese, charcuterie, and local specialties perfect for a picnic with a bottle from a nearby vineyard.

History lovers can visit Notre-Dame Cathedral, where French kings were crowned, or the Saint-Remi Basilica and its museum, both UNESCO World Heritage sites. The city also hides a beautiful collection of Art Deco architecture from its post-WWI rebuild—best appreciated on a guided walking tour.

With a couple of days, you can hop between Champagne houses, explore the countryside vineyards, and enjoy bistro meals that feel decidedly French without the Parisian price tag.

Where To Stay: La Caserne Chanzy Hotel & Spa, Autograph Collection

Brescia and Lake Iseo, Italy

Detour from Milan

If Milan feels a little too polished, hop on the train to Brescia, a city with Roman ruins, medieval churches, and one of the best castles in northern Italy.

Brescia is also a great city to eat your way through—every trattoria seems to take pride in serving hearty, no-nonsense Lombard cooking that will leave you wanting to stay an extra night.

Start your walk along Via Musei, where you’ll pass the Roman Capitolium and forum, then head into the Santa Giulia Museum, a UNESCO site set inside a former monastery with collections spanning from late Roman to the early Middle Ages.

Grab lunch near Piazza della Loggia, where restaurants tucked behind the clocktower serve traditional dishes like casoncelli (stuffed pasta) and spiedo (slow-roasted meats). In the afternoon, make your way up to the Brescia Castle, where you can explore underground passageways and even see one of the world’s most important collections of medieval armor and weaponry.

With more time, take a side trip to Lake Iseo and Monte Isola, a peaceful island dotted with fishing villages, best visited on a weekday when it’s quietest!

Where To Stay: Locanda delle Mercanzie

Cozumel, Mexico

Detour from Cancun

Instead of overpriced resorts and packed beaches in Cancún, hop over to Cozumel for an island escape. Known for some of the best diving and snorkeling in the whole wide world, you can spend mornings swimming alongside sea turtles and afternoons cruising on a scooter around the island.

With two or three days, rent a Jeep to circle the coast, stop at laid-back beach bars like Coconuts, and explore the Mayan ruins at San Gervasio.

You’ll leave with that “tropical Caribbean trip” feeling but without the chaos of the mainland.

Where To Stay: Presidente InterContinental Cozumel 

Krabi, Thailand

Detour from Phuket

If you’ve ever been turned off by the crowds and the riff-raff in Phuket, Krabi is the antidote. This laid-back coastal province is home to dramatic limestone cliffs, turquoise waters, and quieter beach towns that still have plenty of life.

Spend a day island hopping to Railay Beach, Koh Poda, or the Hong Islands—you’ll get the same postcard-worthy scenery without fighting for towel space.

You can also take a longtail boat ride through the mangroves at Ao Thalane or trek up the 1,200 steps to Tiger Cave Temple for a panoramic view over the Andaman Sea.

Evenings are best spent wandering the Krabi Town Night Market for cheap eats like roti, grilled seafood, and mango sticky rice.

Where To Stay: The Brown Hotel

Canmore, Alberta, Canada

Detour from Calgary

Banff gets all the fame and glory, but Canmore is the mountain town locals actually want to keep for themselves. Tucked just outside Banff National Park, Canmore is surrounded by charming mountain cabins, cute eateries, rugged peaks, glacier-fed lakes, and trails that feel far less crowded.

With 2–3 days, you can hike the Grassi Lakes Trail for vivid blue-green water views, bike along the Legacy Trail, or paddleboard on Quarry Lake.

In winter, cross-country ski trails start practically from town, and in summer, you can take a scenic float trip on the Bow River.

After your outdoor adventures, Canmore has a surprisingly good food scene—expect everything from craft breweries, cozy cafes, and restaurants that highlight local Alberta beef and game.

Where To Stay: Tamarack Lodge by Spring Creek Vacations

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My Detour Destination Recommendations

Can’t get enough of the detour destinations? I’ve got a couple more for you.

The beauty of these places is that they’re still low-key. You don’t find them swarmed with people who are only there because IG/TikTok told them to be.

Instead, you get to experience them in their natural state, the way locals know and love them. These detours are special to me for exactly that reason — they feel authentic, approachable, and exactly how travel should be.

Sonoma, California

Detour from San Francisco

Napa gets all the love and affection, but these days, a lot of people are getting priced out from visiting. It ain’t cheap to visit, that’s for sure!

Sonoma offers a more laid-back wine country vibe with just as much to sip and do. The historic downtown is filled with shops, tasting rooms, and restaurants that feel small-town cozy instead of over-the-top bougie.

Beyond wine, you’ve got some truly unique experiences like Safari West — a full-on African wildlife safari right in the middle of California — and easy road trips to nearby gems like Healdsburg and Geyserville.

Bend, Oregon

Detour from Portland

If Portland is all about staying weird, Bend is where Oregon shows off its outdoor side.

The Deschutes River runs right through town, perfect for kayaking, tubing, or just sitting at one of the many, many riverside breweries with a craft beer in hand.

With Tumalo Falls nearby (and many other epic waterfalls near the city), endless hiking trails, and high desert scenery, Bend is a dream for anyone who’d rather be outside than in!

Lille, France

Detour from Paris

Lille feels like Paris’ cooler, younger cousin that most people skip (or simply don’t know about) — which is a mistake.

Thanks to its big student population, the city has a fun, youthful energy with lively cafés, indie shops, and gorgeous Flemish-style architecture.

You could spend a morning wandering Grand Place and Old Lille’s cobblestone streets, popping into chocolate shops and bakeries, gorging on freshly made fries (or frites as they call it in France), then ducking into Palais des Beaux-Arts for one of France’s largest fine art collections.

With your time there, make room for Marché de Wazemmes (a massive market packed with food stalls and vintage finds), followed by a climb up the Belfry of Lille for sweeping views of the city.

And when you’re ready for a break, grab a beer at a local brasserie — the Flemish influence means this is one of the best beer cities in France.

Todos Santos, Mexico

Detour from Cabo San Lucas

If Cabo feels a little too overdone, Todos Santos is where you’ll find the Baja vibes people dream about — artsy, laid-back, and full of character.

Just an hour’s drive away, this Pueblo Mágico is packed with colorful galleries, surfable beaches, and charming cafés where you can linger for hours. Two days will give you a great intro to the city, but you’ll probably want to stay for at least three so you can experience the dining scene of the town to the fullest.

When you’re not indulging in farm-to-table Mexican cuisine, you can explore the historic town center, browse the artisan shops, and make your way out to Playa Los Cerritos for a surf lesson or sunset margarita.

Compared to Cabo’s all-inclusive energy, Todos Santos feels refreshingly slow-paced and authentic.

San Juan Capistrano, California

Detour from Los Angeles

San Juan Capistrano is the kind of small Southern California town where history and charm collide, making it a surprisingly perfect day trip from LA!

At its heart is the Mission San Juan Capistrano, a beautifully preserved site that gives you a real feel for California’s early Spanish history. Beyond the mission, the town has become a low-key foodie haven — you can’t miss Heritage Barbecue (100% worth the line) or an afternoon tea at The Tea House on Los Rios for something totally different.

Wrap it all up with a stroll through Los Rios Historic District, dotted with boutiques, gardens, and excellent Mexican restaurants that make the town feel like a getaway in itself.

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The amazing thing about detour destinations? They are literally all over the world, and SUPER easy to find if you do even the slightest of digging.

Whenever you’re planning a trip, check if your dream destination has a nearby “mini-me”! Chances are, you’ll get the same flavor with half the hassle.

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