What is 2025's 'Best Underrated Travel Destination’ in US? Check out the top 20 list

A tranquil coastal island is the ‘Best Underrated Travel Destination’ in the US in 2025, as revealed by a new analysis.

Published on: Jun 5, 2025, 03:01:04 IST

By Sumanti Sen

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The latest best vacation travel ranking from US News & World Report has revealed the ‘Best Underrated Travel Destination’ in the US in 2025 – St. Simons Island, Georgia, a coastal island that national travelers often overlook, but is cherished by locals. The publication analyzes over 1,500 locations every year, using a combination of traveler reviews and expert opinions. Factors like cultural offerings, recreational opportunities, dining scenes and more are considered as part of the analysis.

What is 2025's 'Best Underrated Travel Destination’ in US? (Unsplash - representational image)

St. Simons, a tranquil barrier island, has remained underrated while its neighbors, Florida and South Carolina, attract thousands of travelers every year. According to explorestsimonsisland.com, the island is “home to fabulous beaches, golfing, charter fishing, spas and salons, and a variety of restaurants, fun events and entertainment for everyone.”

The website adds, “Full of history and Southern charm, St. Simons Island boasts beautiful live Southern Oaks draped with Spanish moss that give the island a unique sense of time and place, unlike any other. It's no wonder St. Simons Island was recently voted among the most romantic destinations in the U.S., and one visit is all you'll need to fall in love with Georgia's Golden Isles.”

According to the ‘Georgia’s Golden Isles’ website, “The largest barrier island in the Golden Isles, St. Simons Island lies across the immortalized Marshes of Glynn, made famous by poet Sidney Lanier. Moss-draped oaks line the winding island streets, creating a picture-perfect image worthy of a Faulkner tale.”

Check out the top 20 most underrated travel destinations in the US in 2025

St. Simons Island, Georgia
Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Idaho
Door County, Wisconsin
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Block Island, Rhode Island
Big Bend National Park, Texas
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Duluth, Minnesota
Charlottesville, Virginia
Crested Butte, Colorado
Des Moines, Iowa
Baxter State Park, Maine
Yachats, Oregon
Omaha, Nebraska
Black Hills National Forest, South Dakota-Wyoming
Flagstaff, Arizona
The Catskills, New York
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan
Gloucester, Massachusetts
Winston-Salem, North Carolina

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

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