Traveling not only offers insight on the places that you visit but also on yourself. There are many places on our earth that are not your typical big cities that are worth, at the least, a little of your time. As time is our most limited resource, why not use it to explore?

Cullowhee, North Carolina, originally settled as a Cherokee village, offers a different type of small town. With nature all around you and a view of the mountains no matter if you’re driving through a fast-food place or picking up groceries, Cullowhee has a charm like no other. But with so many markets that offer foods that the locals have grown themselves from the land, a trip to a chain restaurant is completely unnecessary. To get a real and breathtaking view, Blue Ridge Parkway is the place to be to really see the mountains.

At Blue Ridge Park Trail, Judaculla rock rests. Ancient petroglyphs created by the Cherokee are inscribed into the rock, more than any known boulder east of the Mississippi. History can be found here and is free to admire. If temperatures rise, Cullowhee Falls or High Falls, is the perfect place to find yourself swimming, watching nature, and gazing upon the natural power of its waterfalls. It is as serene as it sounds: a break from real life while perhaps living in the most real moment that the universe created. Eleven minutes away from Cullowhee lies a bigger small town full of artisans, markets, and local shops. Sylva is jas magical with a selection of restaurants, breweries, and coffeeshops like White Moon Café & Dark Moon Cocktail Bar for the perfect switch from day to night.

Courtesy of White Moon Café & Dark Moon Cocktail Bar

Yet another small city to visit is Gloucester, England and its sister city, Berkley. A rural area in the West of England, Gloucester is home to many jewels like the Gloucester castle, neighboring the Gloucester Cathedral, which was used in the filming of two Harry Potter films.

History lovers and nature lovers unite when it comes to the admiration of this city, which is the home to the Historic Gloucester docks, surrounded by Victorian warehouses and knowledge of the past to be absorbed. Jazz festivals, literature festivals, as well as a history festival also take place throughout each year.

The city is close enough to take a day trip to the Brighton beach, which is only a thirty-minute drive. The city and its surrounding areas are the perfect mesh of countryside and city intrigue.

Speaking of beaten paths, Bandera, Texas is a part of the Old Spanish Trail. Bandera is the Cowboy Capital of the World. Home of the oldest, continuously operating bar in Texas, Arkey Blue’s Silver Dollar, which originally opened in 1920. Many have traveled here from Australia, England, and Scotland, asking for petrol and being surprised at how cheap it is. A live longhorn is exhibited on Main Street during the weekends and good old-fashioned carriage rides are offered. There are farmer’s markets with a variety of home-made jams, honeys, and cowgirl jewelry to take home. A big draw for those international would be the dude ranches, which are open to guests wanting the full experience of horse-back riding and southern hospitality.

Of course, live country music can be heard no matter where you stay, but 11th St, a bar attached to a small, original bar with lingerie nailed to the ceiling, is the place to go to if you’re curious about an authentic hoe-down throw-down. Watch your step! Some locals here still opt to get around by horse rather than by car. It’s a small town where everyone knows everyone but if you have never heard of this historical place, it might be worth a weekend of your life, as every weekend there is a party to be found in Bandera.

In brief, these three places might be small, but they each offer a piece to a bigger puzzle of the world in which we live. Get curious about the path you’re walking, and if it is safe enough to do so. Think about taking the road less traveled.

Article by Seana Watson, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine
Tearsheets by Georgia Wallace, Graphic Design Intern, PhotoBook Magazine

Off the Beaten Path Travel Recommendations