The urge to go where nobody you know has been is now driving how Americans choose where to travel

Most Americans now say the most appealing trip is one nobody in their circle has taken. The destination does not have to be remote or difficult. It just has to be theirs, undocumented by anyone they know, untouched by the group chat.

The desire to go somewhere genuinely off the map goes deeper than crowd avoidance. It is about owning a travel story that feels genuinely personal, discovered instead of recommended, experienced instead of performed. It has been building quietly for years, but 2026 is the summer it has become statistically undeniable.

Americans want to go where nobody has been

A recent summer report found that 73% of Americans say visiting somewhere none of their friends, family or social feed have ever been is appealing, a figure that climbs to 77% among Gen Z. That is not a niche travel preference. That is nearly three-quarters of the country quietly rewriting the criteria for what makes a trip worth taking.

The global picture reinforces it. A 2026 travel and sustainability report found that 43% of travelers worldwide now plan to avoid overcrowded destinations, a figure up 11% from the prior year. Of those choosing quieter places, 44% cited a specific desire to avoid contributing to overtourism. The blockbuster circuit is losing its grip, and where Americans actually search for flights makes that clear.

The under-the-radar picks for this summer

For travelers planning trips right now, the same summer report identifies five destinations with the lowest search interest this season that travel experts still consider worth the trip.

Aberdeen, Scotland, sits on the North Sea coast where granite architecture meets easy access to Speyside whisky country. It is the kind of city that rewards travelers who show up without a script.

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Redmond, Oregon, is a high-desert town in Central Oregon flanked by the Cascades and the Oregon Badlands, drawing hikers and climbers who want serious outdoor terrain without the crowds that have followed Bend into the mainstream.

Asuncion, Paraguay, is South America’s least-visited capital and one of its most underestimated. Founded in 1537, it has a walkable historic center, a riverside promenade along the Paraguay River and a food scene shaped by generations of Japanese, Korean and Chinese immigration alongside Paraguayan staples.

Trieste, Italy, sits at the northeastern tip of the country, where Italian, Austro-Hungarian and Slovenian influences have layered over each other for centuries. Its coffee culture is distinct enough that the city runs on its own espresso ordering system, and the Adriatic waterfront delivers the atmosphere of a much larger port city without the summer ferry traffic.

Bastia, in Corsica, is the port that most visitors pass through on the way to the island’s beach towns, which is precisely what makes it worth staying for. Its Genoese citadel, old harbor and baroque churches carry the architectural weight of somewhere far better known, and Corsican charcuterie and seafood are as good here as anywhere on the island.

The trend is only getting stronger

Overtourism has been a headline problem for destinations for some time. But now, it’s becoming a headline factor in how travelers choose. The combination of social media saturation, rising prices at peak destinations and a genuine hunger for experiences that feel earned and not simply streamed has converged into something with measurable force, and Booking.com’s data shows it accelerating worldwide.

The summer of 2026 is shaping up as the season in which distinction matters most. Flights are expensive, and the traveler who has already been to the obvious places is looking for the next question to answer. Increasingly, that question starts with somewhere nobody they know has been first.

Jennifer Allen is a retired chef turned traveler, cookbook author and nationally syndicated journalist; she’s also a co-founder of Food Drink Life, where she shares expert travel tips, cruise insights and luxury destination guides. A recognized cruise expert with a deep passion for high-end experiences and off-the-beaten-path destinations, Jennifer explores the world with curiosity, depth and a storyteller’s perspective. Her articles are regularly featured on the Associated Press Wire, The Washington Post, Seattle Times, MSN and more.

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