One of the best things about taking a road trip is that you stumble upon interesting places and attractions you never expected to see. This month, our travel writers are sharing the best unexpected places we’ve visited… and the answers might surprise you!
Solvang, California – Dana Damato
By bossco (Flickr) via Wikimedia Commons
The best unexpected place i’ve visited is Solvang, California. I was on a road trip from Los Angeles to San Francisco, and stopped on the drive up to find something to eat and came across this adorable town! Solvang is a town where Danish immigrants settled, and still to this day the entire town is European with Danish bakeries, restaurants and activities. You absolutely feel like you’re in Denmark. It was beautiful!
Tuckaleechee Caverns – Jay Dalles
Via Gaspass22 on Flickr
According to legend, the Cherokee knew of the caverns and hid in them before the white man discovered the caverns around 1850.
Bonneville Salt Flats – Kim Devitt
Salt Flats – Kimberly Devitt
During a spontaneous road trip from Chicago to California (planned 24 hours in advance), I stopped at a number of memorable locations to rest and refuel. One of the most spectacular and truly unexpected places I stumbled upon during my trip happened to be located just outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. As the sun began to rise, I looked through my Subaru’s windows only to discover that I was surrounded by the beautiful Bonneville salt flats. As you might imagine, the unexpected sight took my breath away.
The Hogsback, Utah – Anne Sandoval
Via Shiny Things on Flickr
When driving on our honeymoon to visit Utah’s National Parks, we decided to take Highway 12. It was the perfect route between Capitol Reef National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park, and we had heard that it was one of the most beautiful drives in America. We weren’t disappointed, but I was completely surprised when we reached The Hogsback. I was driving and suddenly the road climbed atop a mesa and the land on either side of the road dropped away. With only one lane in each direction and no guardrails, this was an unexpected and thrilling drive! Can you believe someone passed me in the wrong lane going at least 50 mph? Yikes!
Thomasville, Georgia
By John Trainor, via Wikimedia Commons
Once when I was a kid on a family trip going home to Destin from Orlando, we made a detour to Thomasville to get some breakfast. The tree-lined, cobblestoned Main Street was so charming, and the town was so serene and quiet since everyone was in church. We stopped at a little restaurant (I wish I knew the name!) where we had the best Southern food of my life – my mom actually went to the kitchen and talked to the cooks because it tasted so much like her grandmother’s food of her childhood. When church let out, the restaurant filled and the town came to life. I’ve always wanted to go back for the Thomasville Rose Show in the springtime!
