8 Overlooked Towns In The Northern United States Worth Visiting
In the Northern United States, many overlooked towns sit near national parks, Revolutionary War sites, and Great Lakes harbors, showcasing a lesser known side of the region. Some preserve unusual pieces of history, such as Amana, a German communal settlement founded in the 1850s, or Santa Claus, near Abraham Lincoln’s boyhood home in Indiana. Others stand out for distinct settings, including a coastal gateway to Olympic National Park or a Lake Superior harbor known for its long running art colony. These eight overlooked towns in the Northern United States are worth visiting for the specific places and stories that set them apart.
Ticonderoga, New York
The Adirondack Mountains in New York contain many small towns for a weekend getaway. However, none stand out as much as Ticonderoga, New York, for historical attractions, one-of-a-kind museums, and romantic hikes. The town's most prominent feature is Fort Ticonderoga, a Revolutionary War-era fortification that was captured by the Americans in a daring attack in the early days of the war. There are several ways to see the fort: either by visiting its grounds to see its gardens, Revolutionary War weapons, and artifacts, or by hiking up Mount Defiance to see it from roughly 850 feet above the surrounding landscape. It's not just history nerds who will love Ticonderoga; sci-fi fans will enjoy this town with its painstakingly accurate Star Trek Original Series Set Tour. Right next to this set, you'll find plenty of spots for a fun date night, from the 1950s style diner Burleigh's Luncheonette to the House of Pizza Restaurant.
Port Angeles, Washington
Port Angeles is a port town on the Salish Sea, forming part of the maritime boundary between Washington and Canada. Often overlooked because of its location near Seattle, Port Angeles is a premier travel destination for anyone looking to see some of the best natural wonders in the U.S. The town is a gateway to the 900,000+ acre Olympic National Park, which features rainforests, mountains, and coastline. Popular activities include exploring the Hoh Rain Forest and its wonderfully peaceful Square Inch of Silence, one of the quietest places in the U.S. Visitors also hike Hurricane Ridge, known for its dramatic winds, snow, and sweeping views, or relax along the rugged shoreline at Ruby Beach.
Within Port Angeles itself, visitors can see a wide variety of Native American art at the Elwha Klallam Museum, which highlights the culture and history of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe. Another unique attraction is the Port Angeles Underground Heritage Tours, where guides lead visitors through preserved tunnels and passageways beneath the town that date back to its early waterfront development.
Amana, Iowa
Amana, Iowa, is part of the larger Amana Colonies, one of the longest lasting utopian experiments in the U.S. German Pietists arrived here in the 1850s, fleeing persecution by German Lutheran authorities. They lived together communally, sharing and working together until 1932, when economic forces compelled them to end the experiment. Today, Amana remains one of the most welcoming towns in the region, with a network of heritage sites, German restaurants, and fun German festivals that make it worth visiting all year round.
First off, learn about how these colonists lived at the Amana Heritage Society, with its museum, general store, and Communal Kitchen Museum & Cooper Shop, where the colonists ate communal meals together. Visitors can capture some of that communal spirit by eating at the German Ronneburg Restaurant, housed within a communal kitchen. The restaurant has been around for over 70 years, creating a rustic environment perfect for some schnitzel and spätzle. Amana hosts German festivals throughout the year, including Oktoberfest in early October or the Winterfest and Tannenbaum Forest display, which transforms a barn into a German forest with Christmas trees.
Grand Marais, Minnesota
Grand Marais, Minnesota, sits along the rugged northern shore of Lake Superior and is an overlooked destination where visitors can explore the lake, watch for the Northern Lights, and experience the state's oldest art colony. If you show up here during the fall or winter, you'll have a good chance of seeing the Northern Lights, either from nearby Northern Light Lake or during the Dark Sky Festival held in December. Beachgoers can spend multiple days at the Grand Marais Campground & Marina or relax along Old Shore Beach while taking in the cool waters and rocky shoreline of Lake Superior.
Where the town really shines is with its art. The Grand Marais Art Colony has hosted artists since 1947, and many of its galleries are directly connected to it, including Studio 21. If you want to take a piece of art home, stop by the Sivertson Gallery, which offers beautiful portraits and artwork inspired by the woods, waves, and landscapes of Lake Superior.
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island, has long been a summer colony for the rich and famous. So much so that they built multiple "summer cottages" there during the Gilded Age, which, in reality, are among the largest and most luxurious mansions in America. The oldest mansion here is the Chateau-sur-Mer, built in 1852 in the Italianate villa style, and was the site of the biggest parties in town before the arrival of the Vanderbilts and their vast cottages, such as The Breakers. This Neo Italian Renaissance building from 1895 has five floors and is made primarily of stone and steel. It's filled with mosaics, marble, and a garden with pin oaks and red maple.
If you're curious what views inspired these magnates to come here, you can see it for yourself at the 3.5-mile Cliff Walk, which hugs the coastline of the Atlantic and passes by several mansions. Newport is also one of the few places in Rhode Island where you can catch a ferry to Block Island, which has some of the best beaches and bluffs in the region, such as Mansion Beach and Mohegan Bluffs.
Santa Claus, Indiana
Santa Claus, Indiana, is a quirky town where everything revolves around St. Nick and the holidays. There's even a 22-foot-tall concrete Santa Claus Statue right in the middle of its Village and Museum. The village's 1856 Post Office still accepts letters for Santa Claus to mail to the North Pole. The real reason folks in Indiana come to this hidden gem is the family owned amusement park called Holiday World & Splashin' Safari. This amusement park offers free soft drinks to keep you hydrated after you brave its several wooden roller coasters and the steel roller coaster Thunderbird, which launches riders from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 3.5 seconds.
If amusement parks aren't your cup of tea, you can check out Indiana's lesser known attractions: the nearby Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial. Abraham Lincoln grew up here from ages 7 to 21, and it formed his earliest memories and values. You can go out exploring the wilderness as a young Lincoln did at the Lincoln State Park right next to the memorial.
Burlington, Vermont
Burlington, Vermont, is the state's largest city by population, yet it still has fewer than 45,000 residents. In this town, you'll discover quirky city art installations, American Revolutionary War homesteads, and picturesque walks along Lake Champlain. Burlington was the home of American Revolutionary War General Ethan Allen, and you can see his humble red home at the Ethan Allen Homestead while also witnessing reenactments held from May to October.
Burlington itself is a highly walkable city, making it easy to stumble across unusual sights on foot, including the World's Tallest Filing Cabinet. Designed by a local artist, this 38 drawer filing cabinet is worth stopping by to snap a quick photo. Walking further into town, you can enjoy lakeside views at Waterfront Park or browse the Church Street Marketplace, which features more than 45 local businesses and around 35 restaurants, including spots like the Frog Hollow Craft Association and Gallery and the Cafe Istanbul Cart.
Minot, North Dakota
Minot is the right town to visit for those looking for a Scandinavian-style town. While still staying in the state of North Dakota, which has always had a large Scandinavian population, with over 25% of residents having Norwegian ancestry, the town of Minot celebrates these people with the Scandinavian Heritage Park. This park is a one of a kind destination with a full replica of the Gol Stave Church, a 13th-century Norwegian church with notable Norse features, such as dragon heads perched on its tiered roofs.
You can also find a 30-foot-tall replica of a Dala Horse from Sweden, as well as statues of famed Scandinavians such as the explorer Leif Eirkinssen and writer Hans Christian Andersen. You'll discover several other heritage sites in Minot, from the Railroad Museum of Minot to the Dakota Territory Air Museum. If you work up an appetite in Minot, you'll find all manner of ethnic cuisines to try out, like Jamaican at the Jamaican Vybz Kitchen or gourmet German food at Wurst Case Scenario.
Hidden Getaways In The Northern United States
Most of these towns are pretty quirky, which is a great feature for travellers. After all, when you're traveling, you want to break away from the daily grind, not repeat it. It's not every day that you get to visit a recreation of the Star Trek set in Ticonderoga, mail a letter to Santa Claus in Indiana, or take a picture of a towering filing cabinet in Burlington. These destinations are also perfect if you need peace and quiet, whether that's going to the deep silence of the Hoh Rainforest or going for a gentle cliffside walk in Newport.
