Budget travel is all the rage this year and if tourists have a plan to motor west, CNN Travel has some less common destinations for travelers to explore and enjoy this fall.
Here are five of the underrated destinations recommended for fall travel in the western United States.
White Sands National Park, New Mexico
Visiting White Sands National Park is like adventuring to a different planet. Imagine white gypsum dunes as far as the eye can see and travelers can start to get an idea of the enormous White Sands National Park in New Mexico.
Tourists can hike the dunes on foot and even rent a plastic disc for a fun slide down the sand banks. There is affordable camping nearby to save some travel money in the budget.
Flagstaff, Arizona
Get your kicks on Route 66 in Flagstaff, Arizona. Home to Northern Arizona University, it’s a lively city with plenty of food and fun options for budget tourists of all ages.
Travelers can stay in Flagstaff and hit a number of national parks all within a short driving distance. The most well-known to visitors is the Grand Canyon. But tourists can also explore Waputki, Sunset Crater Volcano and Walnut Canyon National Monuments all on the same budget trip.
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah
To enjoy the natural beauty of the wild west and escape it all, travelers on a budget can explore the underrated Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah.
Maybe not as well-known as Utah’s Mighty 5, this monument is not shy with 1.9 million acres full of natural beauty.
Travelers can find fairly priced accommodations in Escalante and near Lake Powell to stay.
Tacoma, Washington
Ah, the great Pacific Northwest without the high prices and crowds of Seattle. Travelers may want to base themselves in Tacoma instead.
According to CNN Travel, it is home to a Dale Chihuly exhibit, a fantastic classic car collection and don’t forget all of the fresh Puget Sound seafood.
Tacoma is also closer to natural sites like Mount Rainier and Olympic National Park than its well-known and trendy neighbor to the north.
San Luis Obispo, California
While many locals will refer to it as SLO, travelers should not let the acronym about the pace of life dissuade them.
San Luis Obispo has the same California Central Coast lifestyle as Santa Barbara at a fraction of the price.
According to CNN Travel, the underrated destination of San Luis Obispo has some cool craft breweries to enjoy along with reasonably priced restaurants and boutiques for shopping.
History buffs will love the old Spanish mission and hikers can lace up their boots to explore the California Coastal Range.
Tips For Travelers
The western United States has some fantastic places to explore on a budget road trip this fall. They are fun travel destinations to burn those excess vacation days prior to the end of the year without breaking the budget.
To save even more, travelers planning to explore several of the national parks mentioned in this article, especially the Grand Canyon, may want to purchase the America the Beautiful annual pass at their first national park/monument destination.
For $80, it allows unlimited entry to all federal lands, including the national parks and monuments mentioned in this article, for one year from the time of purchase. This really will help travelers save money as the entry fee for the Grand Canyon alone is $35 for private vehicles.
Have fun exploring and adventuring in the western United States this Fall!