14 Secret Places in America to Visit Now

Robbie Caponetto

From chic glampgrounds to hidden beaches, these off-the-radar spots are waiting for you right in your own backyard.

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Caladesi Island

Courtesy of St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area CVB

Florida

Kayak 30 minutes from Honeymoon Island off Dunedin to buttercream-white sands surrounded by clear Gulf waters.

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Mendocino Grove

Courtesy of Mimi Gibion/Mendocino Grove

Mendocino, California

The chic furnished tents in the forest are only a quarter mile from cliffside beaches; mendocinogrove.com.

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Tigertail Beach

Courtesy of Joey Waves

Marco Island, Florida

A pristine Gulf of Mexico sandbar, it requires wading across a lagoon.

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Kaluahine Falls

Greg Elms/Lonely Planet/Getty Images

Waipi‘o Valley Beach, Hawai‘i Island, Hawai‘i

Water from verdant cliffs drops right into the ocean. For a two-waterfall day, hike from here to the 1,450- foot-high Hi‘ilawe Falls.

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Blue—Inn on the Beach

Courtesy of Lark Hotels

Plum Island, Massachusetts

A serene, sophisticated inn on a little-known island

No, this is not the Hamptons. But this little boutique hotel, with its crisp blue-and-white interiors, will make you think you’re there. Instead, you’ve discovered a beachy getaway hidden in plain sight between Boston and the New Hampshire border. Count your blessings you found it early. Rates start at $269; blueinn.com.

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Headlands Coastal Lodge & Spa

Rubens Alarcon/Alamy

Pacific City, Oregon

A new Pacific Northwest resort that feels like it’s on the edge of the world

Situated alongside a protected natural area on a stretch of Oregon coastline that, shockingly, remains an untapped (and relatively undeveloped) paradise, Headlands welcomes those seeking a quiet escape to a handsome, woodsy lodge that celebrates enduring coastal pastimes like beach bonfires and surfing. Rates start at $320; headlandslodge.com.

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White Elephant Lofts

Courtesy of Lauren Wintemberg/AMPR

Nantucket, Massachusetts

Hidden apartments right in the middle of Nantucket’s historic town center

This may be the best secret in the world: Thanks to the esteemed White Elephant on tony, fabulous Nantucket, you can vacation in town, right above those shops that call like sirens to you by day. Insiders know that the resort holds a pair of sunlit, modern lofts above the cobblestones, and they’re yours to inhabit—if, that is, you know to ask. Rates start at $1,800; whiteelephanthotel.com.

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Seawall Beach

Susan Hall Mahon

Phippsburg, Maine

Trek two miles for the serene payoff of this insider find bordering a conservation area.

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Makalawena Beach

Courtesy of Rachel Glosser

Hawai‘i Island, Hawai‘i

The beach is generally empty, save for sea turtles and palm trees.

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Sandy Pines Campground

Douglas Merriam

Kennebunkport, Maine

Designer-bedecked tents make this a grown-up’s version of summer camp heaven, with bustling Dock Square just 15 minutes away; sandypinescamping.com.

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Secret Beach

Lidija Kamansky/Getty Images

Samuel Boardman State Scenic Corridor, Oregon

This aptly named beauty is accessible only at low tide.

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Hunting Island State Park

Alex Grichenko/DigiDreamGrafix/Getty Images

Hunting Island, South Carolina

A barrier island’s best-kept secret: its one little cottage

Close to the charming town of Beaufort, this beloved wild place lures Lowcountry day-trippers who gape at the windswept marvel of it all. But you know the inside play: a camping area and—better still—one darling, just-rustic-enough cabin that can be booked (far in advance). Wave goodbye to the day-trippers, and occupy your kingdom. Rates start at $200; southcarolinaparks.com/hunting-island/lodging.

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Tatoosh Island

Frank Pali/All Canada Photos/Getty Images

Washington

Wild and windswept, Tatoosh sits at the entrance to the Straits of Juan de Fuca off the northwesternmost tip of the Olympic Peninsula.

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The Tarpon Lodge

Robbie Caponetto

Pine Island, Florida

A salty dose of Old Florida culture, and surprisingly within reach

Old Florida is having a serious moment these days, and this island perched off the Gulf Coast feels a million miles—and years—away from the hurly burly of Fort Myers. To make the escape complete, bed down at the gracious, old-school Tarpon Lodge. Rates start at $115; tarponlodge.com.

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14 Secret Places in America to Visit Now

1 of 14

Caladesi Island

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Mendocino Grove

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Tigertail Beach

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Kaluahine Falls

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Blue—Inn on the Beach

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Headlands Coastal Lodge & Spa

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White Elephant Lofts

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Seawall Beach

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Makalawena Beach

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Sandy Pines Campground

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Secret Beach

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Hunting Island State Park

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Tatoosh Island

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The Tarpon Lodge

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