Hello I am Sheila Scarborough, and I blog at Family Travel on BootsnAll, Kid Trippin’ on Disney’s Family.com and the Perceptive Travel blog. If you’re planning a trip to the United States, and want to look beyond New York and Disney, consider these alternatives:

Providence, Rhode Island plus Block Island.

The smallest state, “Little Rhody,” has a big heart and a progressive attitude. Its capital, Providence, was founded in 1636 by a group seeking religious freedom (from those stuffy Pilgrims over in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, ironically.) There are two major universities and a lively arts scene – don’t miss “WaterFire” in the warmer months. Drive south through swanky Newport (home to the Vanderbilts and Astors) all the way to the coast and catch the Block Island ferry from the town of Galilee, on Point Judith. The island has much of the charm of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard but is more compact and in some ways less pretentious.

Useful links: Rhode Island, Providence, WaterFire

North central Florida plus the Florida Panhandle beaches.

The “real Florida” is in the northern part of the state, full of freshwater springs, lovely parks, alligators and trees dripping Spanish moss. Check out the sports-mad college town of Gainesville (its University currently holds US national championships in American football and basketball.) Drive west to picture book-perfect Apalachicola, a coastal shrimping town frozen in time; there’s even a Southern-style inn with a wide front porch. Looking for beaches? Drive further west into the Panhandle for soft, white sand and gorgeous blue green water. Dr. Beach recommends it!

Useful links: Northeast Florida State Parks, Gainesville, Apalachicola

Portland, Oregon plus Astoria, Oregon

Home of the Nike corporation and all things West Coast granola-crunchy, eco-conscious Portland is proud of its outdoorsy, independent citizens and less-driven (dare I say, more European?) lifestyle. There are nifty places to stay, nearby Mount Hood and the Columbia River offer sporting opportunities and the Willamette Valley has plenty of wineries. For a taste of the Pacific, drive to the coast (picking up some Tillamook cheese along the way) and visit Astoria, at the mouth of the Columbia. This is the western end of the trail taken by explorers Lewis and Clark and some call it a “miniature San Francisco,” with plenty of small-town charm.

Useful links: Oregon, Portland, Astoria

Chicago, Illinois plus Door County, Wisconsin.

The “city of big shoulders” has all the urban fun, food and theater you’re looking for, but with a pleasant Midwestern friendliness. It offers sweeping beaches on giant Lake Michigan, great museums and soaring architectural landmarks like the Tribune Tower and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Robie House. Take the river borne architecture tour – the focus on building is attributed to the city’s obliteration and rebirth after the 1871 Great Chicago Fire. For an escape to the country, drive north (past Milwaukee) into bucolic Door County in Wisconsin, a narrow peninsula of rolling farms, cute inns, small communities and relaxation.

Useful links: Chicago attractions and food, Milwaukee, Door County.

Fort Worth, Texas plus rural eastern Texas.

If you want a combination of the Wild West and a surprising art scene, head to Cowtown. The Stockyards National Historic District holds a weekly rodeo and runs Longhorn cattle down the middle of the street each day, you can’t miss the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame, then whoop it up at the world’s biggest honky-tonk, Billy Bob’s.

Switch focus and visit the Cultural District, with world-class art at the Amon Carter and Kimbell Museums, and Tadao Ando’s floating glass boxes containing the Modern Art Museum. Wrap up your visit with a drive through the northeast Texas lake country, perhaps attending a festival like Winnsboro’s Autumn Trails or the Christmas Holiday Trail of Lights in the historic river town of Jefferson.

Useful links: Fort Worth, Stockyards, Billy Bob’s Texas0

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