What is the neatest non-famous place you ever visited?

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I mean places that aren’t extremely well known, or places that are only famous locally. i.e. the Grand Canyon or Big Ben or the Forbidden City don’t count.

Share your experience and tell us why you liked it so much.
 
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White Mountains in Arizona. It is remote and the landscape has hills, mountains, alpine trees and lakes, and lots of wildlife. I would love to visit there again.
 
1Lord1Faith said:
White Mountains in Arizona. It is remote and the landscape has hills, mountains, alpine trees and lakes, and lots of wildlife. I would love to visit there again.
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I went past that way going from Albuquerque to Phoenix. It was a nice drive. I visited Gila National Forest (the NM side of the same range of mountains) to see the Native American cliff dwellings.

A place that jumps to my mind is Ithaca, NY. It’s a really walkable town with long plaza exclusively for pedestrians, and it’s next to one of the Finger Lakes for water sports or hiking. Apple cider brewing is really big in that area.
 
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A drive through the western half of Kansas visiting old historic Catholic churches established by immigrants who came here with nothing. They some are German, some Russian, and a few French Canadian. Pictures on request.
 
Depends on what you mean. It’s famous to people, maybe from around there, but I’ll bet dollars to donuts, that most folks don’t know about the Virgin of the Poor Shrine around New Hope, TN
 
Is this included hehe?

My grandmother’s house and store. It just feels cozy and the thing that I have two of them. They’ll give us any sorts of sweets and the whole store has been empty because of that 🤣 One of them died and my other grandma struggles with illness. I wish we’re still on those days where we can do fun things and of course, we can eat sweets. Planning to visit my grandma after the quarantine.
 
EricF said:
A drive through the western half of Kansas visiting old historic Catholic churches established by immigrants who came here with nothing. They some are German, some Russian, and a few French Canadian. Pictures on request.
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I would love to see pictures of those churches in Western Kansas as I am from south central Kansas. There were 3 Catholic churches in my town - 2 modern and 1 historic.
 
My husband and I were fortunate to explore Barro Colorado Island when stationed in Panama. It is the largest forested island in the Panama Canal waterway and part of the Barro Colorado Nature Monument (BCNM) the site of an internationally recognized biological research station. It’s located in Gatún Lake which was created by the damming up of the Chagres River when the Panama Canal was built. It is a half hour boat ride from the town of Gambo, Republic of Panama to Barro Colorado Island where the Smithsonian Institution has its research facility to study this tropical rain forest. You don’t get to tour the SI facility but are taken on a tour through the forest along a hiking trail that includes some steep sections. The island actually is the top of a mountain peak that was flooded over during the creation of Gatún Lake. Trail takes between 1 and 2 hours to walk and is a great opportunity to see a variety of tropical plants, animals and insects. Although it could be considered famous due to the Smithsonian, not many people are aware of it nor get to experience it due to the isolated location. Definitely is one of the neatest places that I got to see besides going through the Panama Canal itself. But that was a different tour and can’t be considered non-famous!
 
Spearfish Canyon in South Dakota. Absolutely stunning. Waterfalls, trails, and pure peace.
 
adamhovey1988 said:
the Virgin of the Poor Shrine around New Hope, TN
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I’m glad to learn of this, and hope to be in the area someday. It looks like the Virgin of the Poor shrine in the Philippines where the tomb of Venerable Fr. Aloysius Schwartz is located.
 
For me, it would be the section of Trunk Highway 16 from Guysborough to Canso in Nova Scotia. I know it’s more than one place, but it was just delightful. The Chedabucto Bay area in general is lovely.
 
adamhovey1988 said:
I have a devotion to him because my father had ALS
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His work was remarkable. I’ll never forget the sounds of so many students praying while walking on the campuses (Girlstown and Boystown). His writing on the poor and a lifestyle of poverty also inspires me.
 
We’ve camped near the Gila Cliff Dwellings in New Mexico near Silver City. Very impressive and we hiked the Catwalk there.

Other places I love to visit that aren’t real “tourist trap” places is the drive from Santa Fe up to Taos. The road up there is very lovely, following the river. I also enjoy the drive from El Paso, TX to Las Cruces, NM on old Highway 28. It goes through farmland and pecan groves, cottonfields, tiny little villages with old churches. I love taking drives!
 
The meadow that grows lavender not far from our house. There are a few weeping willows with spanish grass on them.
 
Chimayo! It’s a little like Assisi in That it is very tourist oriented, but also like Assisi in that the spirituality is almost palpable.
 
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We used to go to Chimayo every year, but it’s gotten to have more of a “tourist” trap feel to it. The original church and shrine was very beautiful in a humble and rustic way, but it’s gotten too “slick” lately. I haven’t been in about 5 years. I love the drive up there, though!
 
I have a cabin north of there a ways. We go to at least one weekday mass there each summer.
 
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