Family adventure getaways in America off the beaten path.
What are some less-touristed family adventure spots in America, for travelers seeking beautiful places with fewer crowds? Answer
Options include Hot Springs, an Ouachita Mountains spa town with historic Bathhouse Row; Gatlinburg, a gateway resort town to Great Smoky Mountains National Park; and Munising, a Lake Superior village, gateway to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. This page includes 11 options. Click here to see which are close enough to be day trips from major cities like Pittsburgh or Asheville.
Wallace
Photogenic pocket-sized city in Idaho's Silver Valley mining district, Wallace sits alongside the South Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River and carries a notable…
Munising
Sitting on the southern shore of Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Munising is the western gateway to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, with scen…
Torrey
Small Utah hamlet just outside Capitol Reef National Park, Torrey is unusually rich for its size with a genuine cluster of cafés and restaurants — making it…
Hot Springs
Hot Springs, Arkansas, built its identity around natural thermal springs that drew visitors for centuries before the federal government protected the area in…
Gatlinburg
Gateway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, this modest Tennessee resort town sits at the park's edge along U.S.
Oil City
Oil City, in Venango County, Pennsylvania, sits at the bend of the Allegheny River where Oil Creek meets it — a setting that shaped one of the most consequen…
Frostburg
A pocket-sized Appalachian college town in western Maryland, Frostburg sits along the historic National Road (US 40) and serves as the western terminus of th…
Omak
A small city on the Okanogan River in north-central Washington, Omak serves as the gateway to the Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest and sits within reach of…
Alamosa
This small Colorado city on the Rio Grande, Alamosa serves as the commercial hub of the San Luis Valley and the seat of Alamosa County.
Bayfield
Sitting on the shore of Lake Superior in Wisconsin, this tiny city serves as the gateway to the Apostle Islands and draws visitors with waterfront access, sc…
Marfa
This modest high-desert city in far west Texas that has become a major center for minimalist art, with the Chinati Foundation and Building 98 among its main…
Family adventure spots in America: quick answers
Which family adventure spots in America can you visit on a day trip from Pittsburgh or Asheville?
Oil City and Frostburg are among 2 family adventure spots on our day trips from Pittsburgh. And Gatlinburg is among 1 family adventure spots on our day trips from Asheville.
Which are the highest-rated?
11 are rated gold, including Wallace, Marfa, Bayfield and Hot Springs.