Kansas City by Clay Swatzell

So you’ve been to New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Orlando and all the other most popular vacation spots in the United States.

Where on earth should you go next? When deciding on your next travel destination, why not give some thought to these unfairly underrated cities?

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

“Oh, sure,” you’re probably thinking. “I’d love to go to Fort Lauderdale…if I were a drunk collegiate on spring break.”

Don’t be so quick to judge. Fort Lauderdale has undergone quite an
overhaul of its party-town reputation. It’s now a respectable upscale resort complete with fancy hotels, miles of unspoiled beach property and high-end shopping and dining.

Kansas City, Missouri and Kansas

Sprawling across both sides of the Kansas/Missouri state line, Kansas City has something to please every traveler. It boasts more fountains than any city except for Rome. It’s one of the barbecue capitals of the world.

Theater and symphony fans won’t be able to get enough of the new Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. And history buffs can spend hours touring the Negro League Baseball Museum, the Arabia Steamboat Museum, and the National World War I Museum.

Portland, Oregon

Many people view Portland as a starting-off point to other vacation spots such as the Oregon Coast, the wineries of Willamette Valley or Mt. Hood.

If you’re a fan of the arts or of micro-brewed beers, however, Portland can be a destination in and of itself. With 70 breweries in the metro area, beer drinkers are bound to find a number of new favorites.

Louisville, Kentucky

It does draw huge crowds for the Kentucky Derby, but Louisville has so much more to offer than a famous horse race. When you visit, you’ll find an intriguing combination of Southern hospitality, small-town charm, and modern art and dining.

If you’re traveling with baseball fans, they won’t want to miss the Louisville Slugger Museum, and everyone in the party is bound to enjoy a relaxing Ohio River cruise on the Belle of Louisville. If you want one, you can even have an authentic mint julep.

Providence, Rhode Island

Providence is often overlooked because it is less than an hour away from Boston. Nevertheless, the powers that be in the city have put a great deal of work into renewing and reviving Providence. When you visit here, you can enjoy shopping, gondola rides, a vast art collection at the Chace Center at the Museum of Art-Rhode Island School of Design, performance art on the streets, and WaterFire events featuring bonfires and sculptures choreographed to music.

Whether your job is to rent construction equipment or work as a bank president, it’s always fun to find a new vacation spot to explore. Hopefully you’ll enjoy the cities listed above so much they’ll become old favorites.