US Independence Day: 10 great small-town travel destinations
View of a fishing harbour along a river at sunset in autumn. Residential buildings are visible in background. Kittery, ME, USA.
Grab the lobster rolls and Katy Perry playlists as there's no better time than 4th of July weekend to mark our great love affair with travelling to the US. And it seems with the country's hugely diverse offering as a destination as well as an ever-increasing choice of routes, our appetite for the slice of the American travel pie is greater than ever.Â
"There has always been a special bond between the USA and Ireland; a connected history, a shared appreciation for cultural heritage and an enjoyment of the good life," Staci Mellman, Senior Vice President, Integrated Marketing at Brand USA told us this week.Â
"The relationship continues to strengthen with an increase of over 30% (so far this year) of Irish visitors coming to the United States. Alongside visiting familiar favourites from Boston to San Francisco, we are seeing that the Irish traveler is eager to enjoy more of the American culture from the bourbon trails in Kentucky, country music in Nashville and road tripping down the Pacific Coast Highway," she adds.Â
Need some inspiration to decide on your next dream trip? Here are some of my top US towns, all within easy access to our favourite US gateways.
Maine may be famed for being raw and rugged but New England’s largest state may not be as remote as you think. Venture just one hour north of Boston’s Logan International Airport and you’ll land in the first Maine town along the I-95 highway, Kittery. This charming coastal town offers a pocket-sized taste of Maine from gorgeous beach scenes at Seapoint, lighthouse views from Foster Park and the ultimate spot for shopping for some bargain plaid at Kittery Trading Post. For food, enjoy everything from blueberry muffins at Lil’s cafe to excellent farm to table fare at The Black Birch restaurant.Â
Get there: Aer Lingus fly from Dublin and Shannon to Boston from €378 return.
Aer Lingus’ new air route to Hartford also offers an attractive gateway to the charming maritime towns along the coasts of Connecticut and Rhode Island. Westerly, Rhode Island is a charming colonial town just an hour from Hartford and visitors flock here in all seasons to soak in everything from its historic downtown streetscapes to its Victorian strolling park. There’s a jolt of star power in Westerly too with the town home to Taylor Swift’s luxury mansion, Holiday House.Â
Get there: Aer Lingus fly from Dublin to Hartford from €486 return.
If you’ve been dreaming of a west coast road-trip, don’t overlook Seattle as an alternative gateway to Los Angeles or San Francisco. The Emerald City is surrounded by mountains and dramatic Pacific coastline making it the perfect gateway for outdoors lovers. Port Townsend, two hours north of Washington State’s capital, is a beautiful heritage town with a buzzing restaurant scene. You can also catch the famous Puget Sound Express to embark on an afternoon of whale and orca viewing.Â
Get there: Aer Lingus fly from Dublin to Seattle from €476 return.
Desert life in California. Twentynine Palms is a buzzing little town within a tumbleweed roll of the Mojave desert and the iconic Joshua Tree National Park. Stay over and get to the park for sunrise and you’ll witness the famous trees and barren landscapes gild before you eyes; evenings meanwhile offer epic star gazing opps. Twentynine Palms itself is home to fun taquerias like Edchadas and cute accommodations include the 29 Palms Inn which features gorgeous Adobe bungalows. If road-tripping from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, it also makes a great stopover option.Â
Get there: Aer Lingus fly to Los Angeles from €476 return.
Philadelphia is on the doorstep to some excellent destinations from Amish Country to the Jersey Shore but one of the most popular urban excursions for locals is the colourful railroad town of New Hope. Set in the affluent Bucks County, just north of the city, New Hope and its kaleidoscopic streetscape offer a trove of excellent brunch options, the town’s historic locomotive train makes for a scenic outing while you can catch a matinee at the Playhouse theatre. Grab an artisanal ice cream and wander along the canal banks and keep an eye out for bald eagles along the Delaware Valley!Â
Get there: Aer Lingus fly from Dublin to Philadelphia from €442 return.
The Jersey Shore gets a bad rap but the Garden State coastline is a surprisingly charming destination, particularly towards the end of the summer when city vacationers (known as shoobies) return to the likes of New York or Philly. Cape May, in the county of the same name, is one of my favourite NJ spots and with the town laying claim to being America’s oldest resort, there’s a historic air to the salty breezes here too. Visitors can overnight in a traditional Victorian B&B, brace themselves for a spooky haunted house tour, visit Cape May’s gorgeous lighthouse or explore the local wildlife refuge home to native species from turtles to ospreys. If road-tripping south, hop off the turnpike drive along the barrier island towns of Sea Isle, Avalon and Wildwood to get you there.Â
Get there: Aer Lingus fly from Dublin to Newark from €372 return and to Philadelphia from €442 return.
More apple picking than Big Apple, Upstate New York makes an excellent all year destination but late summer and fall offer a certain seasonal charm. Not least in charming, artsy towns like Cold Spring which are quickly luring Manhattanites to relocate north. The charming town (accessible via rail from NYC is) perched high above the Hudson Valley and makes for delightful wandering with its postcard inns, vintage stores and galleries. The town also sits along the famous Appalachian Trail hiking route if you fancy lacing up for some iconic hiking.Â
Get there: Aer Lingus fly from Dublin and Shannon to JFK from €372 return.
Think of a trip to DC and you might imagine a weekend of White House and cherry blossom selfies, but spin just 30 minutes beyond Dulles International Airport and you’ll find yourself yielding to the rolling hills of Virginia farm country. Middleburg, Virginia is a gorgeous little town known for its historic downtown, charming equestrian stores and boutiques as well as its great access to the Blue Ridge mountains and the state’s secret winelands…consider it a great first taster for your Southern road-trip.Â
Get there: Aer Lingus fly from Dublin to Washington DC from €402 return.
Surely one of New England’s cutest and most happening beach towns, P-Town should be at the top of everyone’s Boston bucket list. This quintessential New England town on the northern tip of Cape Cod is laden with gorgeous shops, galleries and restaurants while the huge LGBT community which swells in the summer gives the town an added vibrancy. No car, no worries! Kick your summer excursion off from Boston by taking the 90-minute ferry ride out to the Cape from Boston.Â
Get there: Aer Lingus fly from Dublin and Shannon to Boston from €378 return.
With its wild ocean vistas, majestic redwoods and world class wineries, few destinations match a road trip to Northern California. For a gorgeous base along the route, make a stop at Jenner, a lazy cliff top settlement offering hiking, sea kayaking and epic cliff top views. Check into the dreamy Jenner Inn which offers boutique accommodation akin to sleeping in your own beach house. If you can tear yourself away from those West Coast sunsets venture inland to the redwoods of Guerneville or the wine county of Sonoma.Â
Get there: Aer Lingus fly from Dublin to San Francisco from €476 return.
- Price quotes are via aerlingus.com but do compare with other offerings from the likes of aa.com, untied.com and delta.com. For more United States inspiration, see visittheusa.com
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