Solo Vacation Destinations in the United States

The Poconos are a mountain range that spans more than 2,400 square miles throughout northeastern Pennsylvania, located along the stretch of the Delaware River between the Lehigh and Wyoming Valleys and Lake Wallenpaupack. The region is one of the most popular outdoor tourism and recreation areas in the United States, accessible within a two-hour drive of millions of American East Coast residents, including the residents of the greater New York-New Jersey metropolitan region.

Two national parks and nine state parks are located throughout the mountain range, including Big Pocono State Park, known for its ski resort areas, and Lehigh Gorge State Park, a popular whitewater rafting spot during the spring months. As most parks are located within a 30-mile radius of one another, the Poconos make for an excellent combined trip getaway, with overnight rental properties and backcountry camping sites located throughout many parks.

San Luis Obispo is a Central Coast city in California, located approximately halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles. The city is home to a population of more than 269,000 residents throughout its greater county region and is one of the oldest communities in California, originally established in 1772 by Spanish settlers.

The city's central gathering place, Mission Plaza, is home to a weekly farmer's market, a monthly Bike Nite social ride, and a summer concert series. Unusual local landmarks include the eccentric Madonna Inn, which sponsors the annual California Festival of Beers tasting festival, and the unique Bubblegum Alley, which has been covered with chewed pieces of gum since the early 1960s. Cultural attractions include the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, which highlights the works of California's contemporary artists, and the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, a preserved 18th-century Spanish mission that has been converted into a living history museum.

Bainbridge Island is located within the Puget Sound in Kitsap County, Oregon, accessible from Seattle via a connector ferry service.

The island city is home to a population of more than 23,000 residents and has been named as the second-best city to live in in America by CNN and Money magazine.

The affluent city has become a popular Seattle bedroom community, offering four centers of commerce that are home to a variety of tourist attractions, including the Bainbridge Island Historical Museum, the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, and the Kids' Discovery Museum. Elsewhere on the island, Bloedel Reserve offers a variety of nature trails and landscaped gardens, while Fay Bainbridge Park showcases an overnight campground and a beach that provides spectacular views of the Puget Sound and Cascade Mountains.

Block Island is one of the American East Coast's top island tourist destinations, located approximately 14 miles off the tip of Long Island's Montauk Point.

The 9.7-square-mile island extends off the coast of mainland Rhode Island within the Outer Lands archipelago and is home to a population of more than 1,000 residents, serving as a popular summer tourism destination for residents throughout the New York City and New England regions.

It is home to expansive undeveloped natural areas, historic lighthouses, and a number of rocky cliffs and beachfront areas, named as one of the "Last Great Places in America" by the Nature Conservancy.

Throughout the 20th century, the island served as a popular retreat for American presidents and celebrities such as Amelia Earhart and Charles Lindbergh. Hiking, cycling, sailing, and fishing are popular seasonal activities, while an annual Fourth of July celebration and fireworks show attracts more than triple the island's normal summer tourist population.

Boston is one of the oldest cities in the United States, originally founded in 1630 by English Puritanical settlers prior to the country's founding.

Today, the Massachusetts city is the state's capital and is home to a population of more than 4.8 million residents throughout its metropolitan region, making it the 10th-largest city in the nation. The city is known for its historic attractions, including the 2.5-mile Freedom Trail, which showcases a variety of sites connected to the American Revolution, including the Faneuil Hall marketplace.

It is also one of the top education and business cities in the world, home to the facilities and museums of internationally-renowned universities such as Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Other major attractions include the Institute of Contemporary Art, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, and the Boston Athenaeum, one of the nation's oldest independent libraries.

Boulder is the largest municipality within Colorado's Boulder County, home to a population of more than 294,000 residents throughout its metropolitan region.

The city is located at the foot of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of over 5,000 feet and is known throughout the United States for its connection to American pioneer and frontier history.

It is continually ranked as one of America's top cities based on cultural and quality of life criteria, known as one of the best cities for artists and foodies and one of the most LGBT-friendly destinations in the county.

Outdoor recreational opportunities abound throughout more than 61,000 acres of public natural landscape, from rock climbing areas to nature preserves.

Shopping and cultural districts include the Pearl Street Mall and the Twenty-Ninth Street retail district. Annual special events hosted in the city include the Colorado Music Festival, the Polar Bear Plunge, and the Bolder Boulder 10km run.

Charlottesville is a city in central Virginia that is home to a population of more than 150,000 throughout its metropolitan region, known as a popular tourist destination in the Blue Ridge Mountains region. It is best known as the home of two early American Presidents, James Monroe and Thomas Jefferson, and as the site of the University of Virginia, which was designed in large part by Jefferson. Living history attractions abound, including Jefferson's famed plantation Monticello and Monroe's residence Highland. Despite its relatively small size, the city is a major cultural center in the southern United States, known internationally for its independent music scene, beer and wine tours, and its Downtown Mall, one of the largest pedestrian shopping districts in the country. For visitors seeking outdoor recreational thrills, the city serves as a major gateway to Shenandoah National Park.

Chicago is the third most-populous city in the United States, home to more than 10 million residents throughout its metropolitan area.

The city is best known internationally as the birthplace of the modern steel skyscraper in the late 19th century and is home to a number of the world's tallest buildings, including two of the three tallest buildings in the United States, the Willis Tower and the Trump International Hotel and Tower. Notable skyscrapers and historic buildings abound in the city's Magnificent Mile, which is home to one of America's most upscale shopping districts and international landmarks such as the Chicago Water Tower.

The city is also renowned for its museums, such as the Impressionist-focused Art Institute of Chicago, and for its Navy Pier entertainment complex, which is home to rides and attractions such as an historic carousel and a state-of-the-art DW60 observation wheel.

Coeur d'Alene is the largest city within Kootenai County, Idaho, home to a population of more than 44,000 residents.

The city, which is known colloquially as the "Lake City," sits on the banks of the 25-mile Lake Coeur d'Alene and is part of the Spokane, Washington metropolitan statistical area. As a major tourist hub for outdoor recreation and resort tourism in the American Northwest, the city is best known nationally as the home of one of the largest Christmas light displays in America, a celebration that has been showcased on Good Morning America.

It provides convenient access to a number of prominent nearby skiing areas, including Lookout Pass Ski and Recreation Area and Silver Mountain Resort, and is located adjacent to the Coeur d'Alene National Forest.

Nearby, Silverwood Theme Park offers the Northwest's largest amusement and water park.

Missoula is the county seat of Missoula County, located at the confluence of three rivers and five mountain ranges.

The city is home to a metropolitan population of more than 117,000 and is known for its minor-league and collegiate sports teams, including the University of Montana's Montana Grizzlies basketball and football teams and the Missoula Osprey baseball team.

More than 400 acres of public parks are showcased throughout the city, along with 5,000 acres of conservation lands, 22 miles of nature trails, and outdoor attractions such as golf courses and aquatic parks.

White water rafting is a favorite outdoor activity in the region, popularized by the novel and feature film A River Runs Through It, written by Missoula resident Norman Maclean. Missoula cultural attractions include the Missoula Art Museum, the HIstorical Museum, the 1877 Fort Missoula, and the city's handcrafted Carousel for Missoula.

The city also serves as a jumping-off point for a number of natural areas in the region, including Rattlesnake National Recreation Area and Wilderness and the Discovery Ski Area.