18 of the best under-the-radar travel destinations in America

The United States is vast: 3.797 million square miles to be exact. Yet when it comes to choosing a vacation, we often limit ourselves to a tiny fraction of the country.

There are plenty of good reasons why we would want to go to Yosemite National Park in August, along with 600,000 other people, or skiing in Vail in the winter, with 1.6 million others, but for those prepared to go off the beaten track, there are a lot of lesser-known places that are well worth a visit, especially if you're looking to ditch the crowds.

We have put together a selection of our favorite underrated travel destinations - from cities to day trips and national parks, these are all places that deserve a bit more attention.