Niagara Falls named one of USA TODAY’s most treasured views
Explore Niagara Falls in New York, named one of USA TODAY’s Most Treasured Views in America for 2025.
A New York destination has been named one of the best underrated places to visit in the U.S. in 2025 by U.S. News & World Report. The Catskills, located in the Hudson Valley, found its way into the No. 17 spot on U.S. News’ Best Underrated Travel Destinations in the U.S. list, which was based on user votes, editor input and certain factors like how many people the destination attracts and activities offered.
“Designating a destination as underrated can be challenging,” U.S. News & World Report said. “A vacation spot that may have slipped under one reader’s radar might be a well-known favorite for another. But visiting places that haven’t gained clout on a national level — those that aren’t frequently featured on travel lists, including our own — can feel like you’re getting in on a little secret.”
Here’s what to know.
Why the Catskills were named one of the best underrated destinations
The Catskills region is ideal for skiing and hiking, U.S. News says, has “sublime lodging options” ranging from cabins to casinos and the small towns of Catskill — located right on the Hudson River — and Bethel — site of the Woodstock Music & Art Fair — are “well worth checking out.”
“Though its heyday has fizzled, the Catskills remains an enchanting travel destination,” the report said.
What other destinations made U.S. News’ list?
These are the 26 most underrated travel destinations in the U.S. in 2025, according to U.S. News:
- St. Simons Island, Georgia
- Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Idaho
- Door County, Wisconsin
- Chattanooga, Tennessee
- Block Island, Rhode Island
- Big Bend National Park, Texas
- Portsmouth, New Hampshire
- Duluth, Minnesota
- Charlottesville, Virginia
- Crested Butte, Colorado
- Des Moines, Iowa
- Baxter State Park, Maine
- Yachats, Oregon
- Omaha, Nebraska
- Black Hills National Forest, South Dakota and Wyoming
- Flagstaff, Arizona
- The Catskills, New York
- Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan
- Gloucester, Massachusetts
- Winston-Salem, North Carolina
- Cambria, California
- Brown County, Indiana
- Stone Harbor, New Jersey
- Paducah, Kentucky
- St. George Island, Florida
- Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah
Emily Barnes on consumer-related issues for the USA TODAY Network’s New York Connect Team, focusing on scam and recall-related topics. Follow her on X and Instagram @byemilybarnes. Get in touch at ebarnes@gannett.com.
