Top Adventure Experiences Across the United States

There’s no denying the appeal of America’s national parks. Whether it’s hiking in Yosemite or scouting grizzly bears in Denali, these protected spaces offer premier wilderness experiences. However, many of the country’s best wilderness experiences are even closer than you think — in fact, they might be near a city. Here, we’ve rounded up five outdoor activities in some of America’s under-the-radar adventure capitals, along with recommendations on where to stay and what to eat and drink.

Climb the Cumberland Plateau — Chattanooga, Tennessee

Chattanooga, Tennessee has easy access to some of the South’s finest rock climbing. It’s located on the Cumberland Plateau — a 450-mile tableland that covers much of eastern Kentucky and Tennessee, with soaring sandstone walls, large boulders, and dramatic overhangs.

Sunset Park, on Lookout Mountain, stays cool in the summer and is an excellent choice for trad climbing. The Tennessee Wall, another trad spot, is one of the South’s best.

After working up a sweat, head to Calliope, where chef Khaled Albanna’s open-fire cooking integrates flavors from his childhood home in Jordan. Order squash couscous with herb-marinated crab, a charcoal-roasted half chicken, and pita with labneh and whipped feta.

For accommodation, consider sleeping in an old-growth forest at Treetop Hideaways, or glimpse climber culture at the Crash Pad — a LEED Platinum–certified hostel with private rooms that feels like a boutique hotel.

Bike Where the Dinosaurs Roamed — Grand Junction, Colorado

As a biking destination, Grand Junction, Colorado may not be as well-known as Moab, Utah, but its routes can be just as challenging. Saddle up with Boneshaker Adventures, which offers private and group mountain-biking lessons, as well as programs for kids. Kokopelli’s Trail runs along red rock canyons where petroglyphs and fossils have been found.

Stay at Camp Eddy, a beautifully situated spot on the banks of the Colorado River that has Airstreams, cabins, and RV sites for rent. In town, order a glass of skin-contact wine, blue-corn hush puppies, and trout rillettes at Bin 707 Foodbar.

Hike from Sea to Summit — Bellingham, Washington

Bellingham, Washington sits between North Cascades National Park and the Pacific coast. Its trails range from easy waterfront routes to strenuous ascents ending at ice-blue glaciers. For views of the San Juan Islands, head out on an easy trail at Larrabee State Park. Summiting the famous Mount Baker requires technical climbing skills, but the moderate 5.5-mile round-trip Heliotrope Ridge Trail offers superb views.

The Heliotrope Hotel makes a great home base, featuring an updated 1950s motel aesthetic. Enjoy hand-hewn tree-trunk coatracks in the rooms and photographs of snowy peaks and clear lakes on the walls. The outdoor hangout area has a firepit, a cornhole set, and a bike-washing station.

For post-hike beers and tamales, visit El Sueñito Brewing Co., or the Portal, where old shipping containers house businesses like Selkie Scoop. Don’t forget to try the lemon-poppyseed ice cream.

Stargaze in Solitude — Flagstaff, Arizona

Thanks to its low levels of light pollution, Flagstaff, Arizona became the world’s first Dark Sky Community in 2001 and remains one of the country’s best places to view the cosmos.

After dusk, spread a blanket at Buffalo Park, a 215-acre green space within the city, and watch the sky come alive. Just north of town, Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument typically offers night-sky programs in the summer. For a true scientific experience, visit the Lowell Observatory, where Pluto was discovered in 1930.

Spend the night right on Route 66 at High Country Motor Lodge. It features a vintage feel with cottages and rooms that frame a central pool and common area, complete with lawn games, outdoor movie nights, and a Nordic spa.

When it’s time to eat, stop into Proper Meats & Provisions, a whole-animal butcher shop featuring a hefty sandwich list. A block away is the family-style Shift Kitchen & Bar, known for the “relleno burger,” with roasted poblano peppers, queso asadero, chipotle aioli, and house chips.

Paddle the World’s Largest Freshwater Lake — Duluth, Minnesota

Set right on Lake Superior, Duluth, Minnesota is an unsung water-sports capital. Kayak Superior’s northern shore with Day Tripper of Duluth. Gliding through blue-green water and past soaring cliffs provides a spectacular view of Split Rock Lighthouse. Duluth is also a two-hour drive from the 1.1 million-acre Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, one of the country’s most remote places.

Solglimt, a five-room B&B, provides access to Lake Superior beach, and the waterfront Fitger’s Inn is a town favorite. For an only-in-Minnesota drinking experience, visit the tasting room at Vikre Distillery to sample aquavit, gin, and vodka made using local grains, foraged botanicals, and, of course, pure water from Lake Superior. Or opt for the Spruce Almighty cocktail, made with Vikre’s Boreal Spruce Gin, kumquat, lemon, and pomegranate.