6 Spectacular Off-the-Beaten Path Road Trip Destinations

Travel experts predict weekend getaways and road trips will likely be among the first types of travel to return as COVID-19 restrictions relax. But many travelers aren't necessarily going to be thrilled about flocking to highly crowded places.

Rather, it's those destinations less traveled that celebrate the beauty of nature, embrace peacefulness, and allow us to see the world from a simpler perspective that have become such a draw. The U.S. has so many terrific destinations, and here are just a few places to load into your GPS when you take to the road.

Covering almost 25 percent of the state of New Hampshire and a small portion of Maine, the White Mountains provide innumerable opportunities for escapism and exploration. Towering peaks, spectacular waterfalls, limitless recreation, and stunning scenery are all part of the region's allure.

This area is home to Mount Washington-at 6,288 feet, it's the highest peak in the Northeast with breathtaking views from the top that are accessible by car or a cog railway. There are hundreds of picturesque driving and hiking routes along the Appalachian Trail, and the amazing Kancamagus Highway is considered one of the most scenic in the U.S.

Passing through the White Mountain National Forest, the highway offers one "honey, stop the car" moment after another. There are numerous places to swim and picnic. One of our most awe-inspiring memories was hiking the Franconia Falls Trail. The 6.8-mile moderate roundtrip hike is great for all skill levels and dogs can accompany their families.

The best part of any hike for me entails a waterfall. Flume Gorge, a spectacular 45-foot cascade, can be seen from a wooden walkway through a narrow river-carved chasm. With more than 100 waterfalls throughout the state, it's easy to find one to fall in love with.

I remember how much fun it was as a child growing up in Ohio, and taking what we called our "Sunday drive." Several of my most memorable were the ones through picturesque Holmes County, home to the country's greatest concentration of Amish settlements. Time there seems slower and simpler as the Amish embrace a clean, wholesome way of life, harkening back to an earlier era. And because the region is far less crowded than other Amish communities in Indiana and Pennsylvania, Ohio Amish Country retains an air of authenticity that is both honest and refreshing.

The scenery alone here is worth the drive. Winding country roads lead past pristine farms nestled among verdant rolling hills. Horse-drawn black buggies often outnumber automobiles. In the surrounding towns and burgs there are even designated buggy parking spaces.

Gateway to Amish Country, the village of Sugar Creek is known as Ohio's Little Switzerland, paying homage to the cultural origins of the Amish people. One of the world's largest cuckoo clocks stands in the town center. Unique charming shops and eateries celebrate country cuisine and the magnificent handiwork of local Amish craftsmen. Alpine Hills Museum showcases a replica homestead providing remarkable insight into their culture. Nearby communities of Walnut Creek and Berlin are also rich with regional handmade products, top-quality furniture, and crafts.

A geographic and cultural region along South Carolina's coastline, the "Lowcountry" stretches south from Charleston for 200 miles through a myriad of peninsulas, channels, and subtropical sea islands. The Lowcountry is readily accessible from both Charleston and Hilton Head and provides fascinating places to get off-the-beaten-path.

One of the most charming waterfront towns and the gateway to the Sea Islands is Beaufort, often referred to as a miniature Charleston. Renowned for its antebellum houses surrounded by dripping moss-draped oaks, the quintessential Lowcountry town has been featured in Hollywood films like Forrest Gump, The Big Chill, and Prince of Tides.

St. Helena Island provides an intriguing history lesson at its Penn Center, the first school in the South established for free slaves in 1862. It's also a perfect place to experience the area's unique Gullah (Geechee) heritage, an African-Caribbean culture with the Creole language. This captivating culture gave us the artistically-renowned sweetgrass baskets along with regional dishes like shrimp and grits, fried corn cakes, and Hoppin' John.

It's one of Florida's best-kept secrets. Amelia Island is the northernmost barrier island along Florida's Atlantic coast. Only 13 miles long and 2 miles wide, the charming unspoiled laid-back isle isn't as well-known as other Florida seaside destinations. But that's what makes this pristine paradise so special.

The almost timeless destination is just a 30-mile drive from Jacksonville, yet it feels a world apart. Amelia Island is a perfect blend of abundant wildlife, golden-hued beaches, fascinating history, and southern gentility. Massive ancient live oaks draped in Spanish moss form a picturesque forested canopy throughout the island.

Its scenic waterways are ideal for kayaking and river excursions where cruisers are treated to spectacular views of Floridian wildlife including manatees, dolphins, and yes, even alligators. Egan's Creek Greenway is a 300-acre parcel of protected wetland bordering a marsh. Well-maintained trails covering 5.6 miles are perfect for walking and biking, and there's an abundance of magnificent wildlife to view.

I love places that surprise, and when I visited Shasta County for the first time, I wasn't surprised, I was awestruck. Visitors flock to national parks like Yosemite or Sequoia, but Shasta offers a bounty of natural beauty and open roads without the crowds.

Located in Northern California, this picturesque region is filled with endless natural wonders. Mount Shasta, the crown jewel of the Cascades, tops out at an unbelievable 14,162 feet and is visible from 100 miles away. Picture-perfect Lake Shasta is the houseboat capital of the world and its 200 million-year-old Shasta Caverns are an unforgettable underground world with magnificent stalagmites and stalactites studded with crystals, glistening limestone curtains, and bacon-like bands of color.

Former President Theodore Roosevelt called McArthur-Burney Falls the "eighth wonder of the world" with its impressive 129-foot cascade. The tall, fern-draped waterfall booms dramatically as it plummets into a crystalline turquoise pool. Filtering sunlight creates a multitude of rainbows in the waterfall's mist. We were stunned by the magnificence of Lassen Volcanic National Park, home to pristine mountain streams, steaming fumaroles and flower-covered meadows. Of complete surprise, was snow-covered mountaintops, heavy snowbanks and partially ice-covered lakes-in August no less.

Situated in a sparsely populated region of Pacific Northwest Washington, the Olympic Peninsula hosts the longest undeveloped stretch of coastal wilderness in the contiguous United States. The vast and subtle area, infused with a misty, mythical spirit, is worthy of a several-day exploration, offering memorable experiences of a lifetime.

Mother Nature blessed the peninsula with an extra breath of beauty. Rocky sea stacks, bald eagles, and gray whales are common sights along the dramatic coast with its pounding surf. The region boasts four unique temperate rain forests. The largest is Hoh Rainforest where lush emerald greenery, dense old-growth forests, rushing rivers, and tumbling waterfalls abound.

The deep azure fjord-like Lake Crescent is beloved for its beauty, boating, swimming, fishing, and picnicking. Hikes along the lake provide magnificent vistas with rugged cliffs and the distant glaciers of Mount Olympus.

An unknown author said, "Walking off the beaten path will open up a world of beautiful possibilities." That's exactly what these destinations are all about.