Social media has been a game-changer for travel, making it easy to see “undiscovered” places people visit around the world. Review sites also give us a peek at some of those “locals-only” spots that tourists don’t usually get to see, but there are still plenty of “hidden gems” out there and a new study tells us where the top ones are.
- Bounce, a luggage storage company, has done the research to find the most popular hidden gem destinations in the U.S.
- They started with a list of more than 180 hidden gem attractions and landmarks across the country, based on articles that mention the term.
- Then they looked at the number of global Google searches and TripAdvisor reviews for each location to determine which are the most popular.
- According to Bounce, the most popular hidden gem in the U.S. is the town of Sedona, Arizona, with nearly 4.7-million global Google searches in 2023.
- Sedona is known for its red rock terrain, steep canyon walls and pine forests, as well as its vortices, described as “swirling centers of energy that are conducive to healing, meditation and self-exploration.”
The Most Popular Hidden Gem Destinations in the U.S.
- Sedona, Arizona
- Mackinac Island, Michigan
- Chattanooga, Tennessee
- Gatlinburg, Tennessee
- Anna Maria Island, Florida
- Garden of the Gods, Colorado
- Olympic National Park, Washington
- Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
- Half Moon Bay, California
- San Luis Obispo, California
Source: Travel and Leisure