20 US Spots to Visit Resembling International Cities

It's fabulous to be able to jet off to an international destination, but if time or funds are lacking, there are alternatives right here in the United States that are cleverly disguised as foreign hotspots. You'll be able to pretend you're in Germany, Sweden or even Finland by visiting these transformed destinations close to home. No need for a passport.

You want to go to Switzerland

Take the shortcut to New Glarus, Wisconsin

New Glarus, Wisconsin is nicknamed "Little Switzerland," and this village was founded in 1845 by Swiss immigrants. Today, the Swiss traditions continue with yodeling and alphorns, a familiar sound. It's crammed with Swiss museums, restaurants, bakeries and souvenir shops. They even have Polkafest (June 8-10), as well as Octoberfest in the fall. Once you're here, you may really forget that you aren't actually on the cobblestone streets of Switzerland.

The New Glarus Brewing Company is a local beer company, and its tour is a big attraction, as is its tasting room. There are plenty of Swiss restaurants, but a favorite in New Glarus is the New Glarus Hotel, which was built by Swiss immigrants in 1853, just a few years after the country was founded. It's known for its authentic fondue. Go back in time when you visit the Swiss Historical Village, and check out the cheese-making building, along with other historical Swiss-style villages that are locked in time.

You want to go to Germany

Take the shortcut to Alpine Helen, Georgia

There are only 430 residents in the 2-mile town, but this is Georgia's third most visited city. That's because Alpine Helen is modeled after a Bavarian Village, complete with cobblestone walkways, German food and Bavarian architecture. It's surrounded by water and hills, so it really looks like a small European town with plenty of hikes and waterfalls to explore.

This is a true small town, with an old soda shop (Scoop de Scoop Ice Cream), a peanut shop (Fred's Peanuts), an actual granary from 1876 that's still making its own freshly milled grits (Nora Mill Granary), along with events that include everyone, such as Oktoberfest. This is essentially a re-creation of an Alpine village from the 1800s, where every story and street has been left unchanged.

You want to go to Greece

Take the shortcut to Tarpon Springs, Florida

The city has the highest percentage of Greek Americans of any city in the United States. Tarpon Springs is also known for sponge diving (underwater diving to retrieve natural sponges), and visitors can see sponge fishermen working at the sponge docks. Learn about sponge diving and its relationship to Greece via local museum exhibits or take a sponge boat or dolphin tour. When you return, you'll have a choice of many Greek restaurants: Hellas Restaurant, Mykonos and Dimitir's on the Water are a few favorites.

You want to go to Bavaria

Take the shortcut to Leavenworth, Washington

Nestled in the Cascade Mountains in Washington State sits Leavenworth, a Bavarian-style village with Alpine-style buildings. Wander through the Nutcracker Museum, where you can sift through more than 6,000 nutcrackers, some from Roman times and some from modern times. You can even go on a nutcracker hunt. There are dozens of wineries here, so reserve a day for wine tasting, and intermix those tastings with brats, beers and schnitzel, which are easy to find in this Bavarian village.

You want to go to Sweden

Take the shortcut to Lindsborg, Kansas

Swedish immigrants founded this town in 1869, and today, 30 percent of the population is Swedish-but it feels like even more. "Lindsborg" is a Swedish name that translates to "Linden Castle," and the city is known as "Little Sweden." There's an actual castle to visit here called Corondo Heights. Be sure to also visit the Mcpherson County Old Mill Museum, where you can learn about how flour was ground long ago in Sweden. They also have access to Swedish records, so you can find long lost Swedish family connections. Every other year, they have a festival to celebrate the town's Swedish heritage, so visit in odd years to enjoy it.

You want to go to The Netherlands

Take the shortcut to Pella, Iowa

The nickname here is "America's Dutch treasure." The population is 10,000, and it swells every May when Pella draws more than 150,000 for its Tulip Time Festival to see the hundreds of thousands of tulips that bloom and the Dutch parades that celebrated them. When you visit, be sure to see the Vermeer Mill, which is the largest working grain windmill in the United States, restored from the 1900s.

There's also the Frisian Farms Cheese House, which specializes in artisan Gouda cheese; and the Klokkenspel, which is one of just a few animated clocks in America. It has eight 4-foot mechanical figures that perform to the music of a 147-bell computer. Just like the Netherlands, Pella has the Molengracht (mill canal), which is five buildings in the downtown plaza, which centers around a canal, drawbridge, restaurants and more.

You want to go to Germany

Take the shortcut to New Ulm, Minnesota

Founded in 1854 by the German Land Company of Chicago, this city was named after Neu-Ulm in southern Germany. New Ulm boasts one of the world's largest glockenspiels, standing 45 feet tall and weighing 595 pounds. According to the US Census Bureau, 66 percent of the people living in New Ulm are German, which is more per capita than any other city in the United States. Catering to this demographic, the city prides itself on celebrating Oktoberfest year-round, with festivals nearly every week. Join them for HermannFest, Bavarian Blast or Bacchus fest.

You want to go to Denmark

Take the shortcut to Solvang, California

In the central coast of California, nestled in Santa Barbara County, is an anomaly: Denmark on the west coast. Everything about this area is Danish, from the architecture and bakeries to the wine and cuisine. If that's not enough Denmark for you, they also have Solvang Danish Days (the end of September each year) which celebrates the area's Danish heritage with Danish entertainment, dancing and parades.

You want to go to Germany

Take the shortcut to Frankenmuth, Michigan

Nicknamed "Little Bavaria," this area was settled in 1845 by immigrants from Franconia in Germany. Today, more than 3 million people visit Frankenmuth annually to shop in its Bavarian-themed stores, to eat in its restaurants and to check out Bronner's Christmas Wonderland, which deems itself the world's largest Christmas store (with a German twist).

You want to go to The Netherlands

Take the shortcut to Holland, Michigan

Travel to the shore of Lake Macatawa in Michigan, and you'll feel like you took a long voyage to The Netherlands. Check out De Zwaan, a windmill that's centuries-old and stands on Windmill Island Gardens. Try to visit during the Tulip Time Festival in May, which is an Instagram feast and totally reminiscent of Holland.

You want to go to Spain

Take the shortcut to St. Augustine, Florida

It's the nation's oldest city, and when you visit, you can walk through living history museums. They have Castillo de San Marcos, which was constructed in 1672 by Ignacio Daza, a Spanish engineer. Altogether, St. Augustine had nine wooden forts to defend the town after it was founded for the Spanish crown in 1565. The Castillo, however, is a masonry star fort. St. Augustine is the longest inhabited European city in the United States, and it still contains many of its European architecture, including cobblestone streets, narrow lanes and its landmarks.

You want to go to Venice, Italy

Take the shortcut to Venice, California

Wander off 25th street in Venice Beach, and you'll stumble onto the Venice Canals, reminiscent of Venice, Italy. There are five canals, along with bridges and sidewalks in this quaint neighborhood. That's because the canals, which were man-made, were originally dug to bring a vision of Venice to America. But in the early 1900s, California needed more roads, so many of the canals were filled. These are what remain. Bonus: when you're done wandering through the canals, you can hit the beach.

You want to go to Germany

Take the shortcut to Fredericksburg, Texas

Also known as Fritztown, many people speak "Texas German" here (it's a dialect adopted by the first generation from Germany who didn't speak much English). This is a German-focused town, so they celebrate Oktoberfest abd have a Nimitz museum and a very lively German dining and entertainment scene.

You want to go to The Sahara Desert

Take the shortcut to Great Sand Dunes National Park

This national park has sand for days. It's got the tallest dunes in North America, and you can hike through them to the forests, the wetlands (yes, this part is a little different than the Sahara Desert) and to the creek.

You want to go to Switzerland

Take the shortcut to Ouray, Colorado

It's known as the Switzerland of America due to its stunning mountains and rich Swiss history. Ouray is located in the San Juan mountains in southwest Colorado within a river valley. There are snow-capped mountains, canyon views and plenty of adventures that can also be found in Switzerland including skiing, speed climbing and hiking.

You want to go to Cuba

Take the shortcut to Miami, Florida

A visit to Little Havana is riddled with Cuban cafes, markets and nightlife. Locals are usually congregated around little tables playing dominoes while they eat their Cuban dishes and listen to Cuban songs. On the last Friday of the month, the area hosts Viernes Culturales (Cultural Fridays), where they showcase the Cuban art scene.

You want to go to Russia

Take the shortcut to Chicago, Illinois

Chicago is composed of many small neighborhoods, and the one that matches Russia is Ukrainian Village near the downtown area. It's a mix of residential and commercial spots, but it's here where you can visit the over-the-top cathedrals, where you can shop in the Ukrainian supermarkets and where you can stop in for a true Russian meal. There's also a Ukrainian National Museum and an annual Ukrainian festival every summer.

You want to go to France

Take the shortcut to Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina

This 250-room French Renaissance chateau was built in 1889 and officially opened in 1895. It has 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms and 65 fireplaces. While it was previously the home of members of the Vanderbilt family, today it's open to the public.

You want to go to Africa

Take the shortcut Joshua Tree National Park

Two deserts combine to form the Joshua Tree National Park. Within this park, you'll spot plenty of plants and animals that also make their home in Africa. Spend your time camping, hiking, rock climbing and more (take a guided tour to really learn about the animals) within the desert wilderness.

You want to go to South Africa

Take the shortcut Arizona

At the Out of Africa Wildlife Park in Camp Verde, you'll get up close and personal with lions, tigers and all sorts of creatures that you'd see if you were on a safari. They even have an actual safari tour (included with the price of admission) that takes you close to free-roaming giraffes, antelope, gemsbok, zebras and more. When we went, a giraffe leaned into our vehicle to try to steal some food.