While places like Napa Valley or Maui usually come to mind when Americans think of the country’s romantic vacation destinations, a new ranking based on a survey of 3,000 couples shows some of the locations off the beaten track.
A new list of 175 “Alternative Romantic Destinations” from the vacation blog Honeymoon Always highlights places across the United States that are often not thought of when planning a romantic destination.
Although locations in Florida, California and Hawaii dominated the rankings, Illinois dropped three spots on the list while one destination in the Midwest fell into the top ten.
Topping Illinois’ ranking at #78, Galena is a quaint resort town located in the far northwest of the state, part of the “Drift-Free Zone,” a region primarily located in Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota known for its karst geology, steep hills, and forested hills.
Among the other Illinois locations cut was Nauvoo at No. 146, a small city on the banks of the Mississippi River near the Iowa and Missouri border, known for its importance to the LDS Church.
The western suburb of Wheaton was the 152nd-most-lauded Illinois town, lauded for its parks and architecture along with nature trails and forest preserves.
Here is a look at the top 10 best alternative romantic destinations in the US:
- St. Augustine, Florida
- Paia, Hawaii
- Hilo, Hawaii
- Asheville, North Carolina
- Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
- Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
- Durham, North Carolina
- Mackinac Island, Michigan
- Flagstaff, Arizona
- Manchester, Vermont
Here are the other Midwest destinations that made the cut, along with where they took the rankings:
- 41. Saint. Genevieve, Missouri
- 42. Chagrin Falls, Ohio
- 46. Manhattan, Kansas
- 53. Hill City, South Dakota
- 56. Stillwater, Minnesota
- 62. Pella, Iowa
- 63. Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
- 70. Atchison, Kansas
- 75. Beaver Island, Michigan
- 100. French Lick, Indiana
- 103- Hastings, Nebraska
- 112- Duluth, Minnesota
- 113- Grand Island, Nebraska
- 115. Nashville, Indiana
- 122- Deadwood, South Dakota
- 123- Door County, Wisconsin
- 124- Hermann, Missouri
- 126- Kearney, Nebraska
- 145. Leavenworth, Kansas
- 148. Red Wing, Minnesota
- 150. Spearfish, South Dakota
- 153- Custer State Park, South Dakota
- 155. Dubuque, Iowa
- 156. Grand Marais, Minnesota
- 160. Medora, North Dakota
- 175. Versailles, Indiana
More information can be found on the full list here.