Make 2018 the year of road trips to underrated destinations, says Lonely Planet’s travel experts.
Every summer, Americans and international visitors alike take advantage of the convenient warm weather to spend days or weeks rediscovering popular American destinations and 2018 will be no different, except travel website Lonely Planet's experts think travelers should rediscover unique parts of the U.S.
These places have been rejuvenated and have resurrected themselves into modern-day travel attractions, says Lonely Planet. Whether you fall under the road-tripper category of travel junkie or are a typical tourist, this list of destinations has something for many travel styles, the website says.
Financial Advisor magazine spoke to some financial advisors to get their thoughts on the destinations on this list.
Here are Lonely Planet's 10 best places to visit in 2018:
10. Southern Utah
Bordering Arizona, Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico, the southern span of Utah is home to an abundance of national parks.
Michael McCormick, an advisor with Householder Group Financial Advisors in Kanab, Utah, shared some insight about the area.
“[Kanab] is right in the middle of major tourists attractions,” said McCormick. “You can use Kanab as a base camp.”
A stay in Kanab, which is closer to the Nevada-Utah border, will place you 30 minutes to an hour from national parks like Lake Powell, Zion National Park and the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.
In Southeastern Utah, Lonely Planet suggests checking out Arches National Park’s multicolored sandstone, Bears Ears National Monument and the historical remnants of Ancestral Puebloan civilization at Hovenweep National Monument.
"A truly unique experience is stand-up paddle boarding on the Colorado River, which runs through [Moab]," said Tim Payne, a financial advisor at Wells Fargo Advisors in Salt Lake City.
9. Minneaoplis
The king of purple, Prince, was honored at the Superbowl LII’s half-time show in Minneapolis.
"Prince and Bob Dylan are Minnesota sons," said Sharon Bloodworth, a financial planner at White Oaks Wealth Management in Minneapolis. "When Prince passed away, Minneapolis turned every bridge and building light purple in his honor. It was a beautiful thing."
Prince fans can go on various Prince-themed tours, including one that goes through Paisley Park, Prince's estate.
"I played ping pong on his table in the studio and was lucky enough to be on the first tour when his home was opened to the public," said Bloodworth.
Tourists should also check out the renovations Minneapolis made for the Superbowl at Nicollet Mall, Target Center and the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, Lonely Planet says.
Minneapolis also features boutique hotels and modern farm-to-table restaurants, According to Lonely Planet.
Bloodworth says "Eat Street" is the place to find restaurants representing cuisines from around the world.
"One of my favorites is Peninsula [Malaysian Cuisine]. Having lived in Asia for many years, the food is amazingly authentic," she said.
Bloodworth recommends that cat lovers attend the annual Cat Video festival. Dog lovers might have fun at events such as the Corgi Races and Cupcake Festival.
8. Kentucky’s Bourbon Country
Kentucky is a major exporter of bourbon, hence the reason the area between Louisville, Lexington and Elizabethtown is known as Bourbon country.
George Pierce, president of Pierce Financial Planning and a member of Garret Planning Network, recommends a day of biking on the Bourbon Trail.
“Bring your bike, park your car and spend a day,” said Pierce. “That’s the best thing to do in the Bluegrass.”
The Bourbon Trail includes popular distilleries such as Maker’s Mark, Jim Bean and Heaven Hill.
Financial Advisor magazine’s own Chris Robbins, who grew up in the area, suggests exploring the reason Kentucky is considered the horse capital of the world by visiting Keeneland Racecourse.
For history buffs, Lexington is the birthplace of Mary Todd Lincoln, and her childhood home is maintained and on display. Robbins also recommends a tour of Ashland, the estate of 19th Century politician and statesman Henry Clay.
7. Richmond, Va.
One of America’s cities popular with sports fans, the city has numerous sports venues and events. The city has a new 52-mile bike trail for outdoor enthusiasts.
Lonely Planet says Richmond is embracing its cultural side more and more with microbreweries, cideries, street murals and innovative exhibits at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.
6. Midcoast Maine
Most of Maine is forested, making it an ideal place for outdoor adventure seekers, says Lonely Planet.
Financial advisor Lauren Ulman couldn’t agree more. She advises at Penobscot Financial Advisors in Bangor, Maine. For outdoor enthusiasts, she recommends Sears Island, where birding, hiking, biking, snowshoeing, clamming and horseback riding are offered.
Ulman’s favorite outdoor activity is biking the various trails around the area.
“For shoppers, [go to] Belfast and Camden,” says Ulman. In Belfast, families can either shop, stroll through the park, go on a walking tour that explores the area’s history, dine in the restaurants or attend Belfast’s festivals.
Camden touts it’s Main Street has unique locally owned shops with friendly shopkeepers.
“World class art can be found at the Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland,” Ulman said.
There are good sights along Casco Bay, said Neal Richard, the principal and chief operations officer at Richard Brothers Financial Advisory in South Portland, Maine. He also suggested trying the long standing seafood restaurant Street & Co. on Wharf Street.
"The grilled swordfish is terrific, along with the oysters, which are fresh and cleanly shucked," said Richard.
For a bit of history, Richard recommended taking a trip to the Portland Head Light (also known as Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse) for a beautiful view of the Maine coastline.
5. Cincinnati
The craft cocktail bug has hit Cincinnati.
Cocktail connoisseurs can satisfy their palates at several bars, like the Video Archive, which plays up the hidden-bar, speakeasy concept by looking like a retro video rental store on the outside, according TourismOhio. For a bar with a touch of history, there’s Arnold’s Bar and Grill, Cincinnati’s oldest tavern, that proudly advertises how it survived the Prohibition Era.
Cincinnati also has an up-and-coming brewery scene. Lonely Planet says modern beer makers in the area have taken over abandoned breweries, such as Rhinegeist Brewery in the Over-The-Rhine area.
4. Florida’s Space Coast
Home to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Florida’s "Space Coast" is a virtual utopia for anyone interested in the nation's history of space exploration.
Lonely Planet says viewing launches from Cape Canaveral and Titusville are one of many attractions for the area. For out-of-this world experiences, go through astronaut training simulations at the space center or kayak in bioluminescent waters at Merritt Island.
3. Chattanooga, Tenn.
Lonely Planet praises Chattanooga’s plethora of outdoor activities. It’s rock-climbing scene and its hiking and biking trails have attracted outdoor enthusiasts from near and far, says Lonely Planet.
Andrew Cook, a financial planner at HHM Wealth Advisors in Chattanooga, sees the city as a great tourist destination for visiting Civil War historical sites and for its outdoor activities, as well.
HIkers can trek the 13-mile Chattanooga Riverwalk that goes from downtown Chattanooga near the local aquarium to along the Tennessee River.
While in town, Cook recommended a scoop of java chip flavored ice cream at Clumpies Ice Cream and a burger from Main Street Meats, one of many farm-to-table restaurants in the area.
Michael O’Donnell, a financial planner and partner at Evergreen Advisors Wealth Management Group, urged visitors to try the Maple Street Biscuit Company for breakfast. He also recommended the coffee at Mean Mug Coffeehouse, the drinks and tapas at the Flying Squirrel Bar, and the pizza at Lupi's Pizza Pies.
The Riverbend Festival is a weeklong summer music event worth checking out, Cook and O’Donnell said. The festival features both up-and-coming bands and big names from yesteryear, Cook said..
2. Boise, Idaho
Northwestern cities are taking on a second life with micro-breweries and an influx of coastal dwellers, according to Table Rock Financial Planning’s founder and financial planner, Rick Boss.
Boss, who is a former coastal dweller, found a new life for himself in Boise and shared some of his favorite destinations.
The brewery scene is a lot of fun, said Boss. Boss recommends 10 Barrell Brewing, Payette Brewing Company and Cloud 9 Brewery. For something upscale with craft cocktails, Boss suggested Red Feather Lounge and its sister-site, Bittercreek Alehouse.
“[Boise’s] been nice for a long time, but it's kind of going through a boom,” said Boss, who added that new hotels continue to go up in the city “There’s a lot of people moving in from other states especially California. … People are getting out of the rat race on the coast.”
Outside of downtown, where road bikers can explore more of Boise, Ross recommended Hyde Park in the northern part of Boise. It’s a small community with historical roots and some restaurants for road bikers to unwind at after their leisurely rides.
1. California’s Redwood Coast
Northern California is home to some of the tallest trees in the nation, including the giant redwood and the giant sequoia. Views in this area can be majestic for locals and out-of-towners.
Advisor Nicholas Bertell of Redwood Coast Financial Partners in Eureka, Calif., said there’s nothing like driving a ball on a back nine fairway that’s surrounded by redwoods. Baywood Golf & Country Club is an 18-hole championship golf course that cuts through a beautiful redwood forest, said Bertell.
Another place of interest Bertell recommends is Patrick's Point State Park, where tourists can stock up on agate rocks at Agate Beach.
“If they’re lucky, while they’re there somebody might be getting married at Wedding Rock,” said Bertell, who added that it’s also a great lookout point for whale watching.
Further north on the Redwood Coast is Fern Canyon, where hikers can go through fern-lined canyons.
“It seems you leave the world and you’re in your own kind of private world,” said Bertell.
For a good meal, Bertell said Eureka is home to a cozy Italian restaurant called Brick and Fire.
The full Lonely Planet report can be viewed here.
