These Travel Dupes Offer Bucket List Experiences for Multigenerational Trips

Consider four destinations that put dream trips within reach

An authentic wooden windmill from the Netherlands rises behind a field of tulips in Holland Michigan at Springtime

A wooden windmill from the Netherlands sits behind a field of tulips in Holland, Michigan.

Getty Images

Rebecca Treon,

AARP

En español

Published July 01, 2024

Bucket list travel experiences — seeing the aurora borealis, visiting the pyramids, hot-air ballooning over Cappadocia, Turkey — can present multiple challenges. My 76-year-old mom’s dream trip is an African safari, but the idea of going on a 19-hour flight with my two teenagers is more like nightmare fuel than fun. Families who want to take these dream trips together find the thousands of dollars it takes to make them a reality far out of reach, while long-haul international flights are hard on older adults and kids alike. In addition, a dizzying roster of vaccines are recommended for many destinations, and for those with health concerns like my mom — COPD and limited mobility after a double hip replacement — adventure travel in a different time zone is too strenuous.

One of travel’s biggest trends in 2024 is “dupe travel” — finding a destination with similar characteristics as a more popular one but without the downsides of high prices and overcrowding. For multigenerational travelers, travel dupes offer families the opportunity to have bucket list experiences within reach.

According to a 2023 survey conducted by the Family Travel Association, New York University and Edinburgh Napier University, 55 percent of families planned to take a multigenerational trip within the next year. Seventy-six percent of grandparents surveyed said the top reason for taking a trip with their children and grandchildren is that it’s a great way to bond as a family, while 63 percent enjoy spending extended time with their grandchildren.

For those interested in crossing dream experiences off their list, plenty of awe-inspiring places in the U.S. evoke the feeling of being abroad, minus the passport. At three of the four dupe destinations below, families can have authentic cultural experiences without the hassle of international travel. And one, a beautiful domestic attraction, beats tackling the crush of sightseers at the second-most visited national park in the U.S.

The historic DeZwaan windmill on Windmill Island in Holland, Michigan

At Windmill Island Gardens, you can tour the De Zwaan windmill in Holland, Michigan.

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Holland, Michigan, instead of the Netherlands

In Michigan, it’s possible to visit the Netherlands without leaving the state; simply go to the aptly named Holland. Settled in 1847, the city is known for its Dutch heritage and culture.

“Holland, Michigan, is the perfect destination for travelers yearning to experience the charm of the Netherlands, with its authentic Dutch architecture, vibrant spring tulip festival and ... the only authentic working windmill in the U.S.,” says Linda Hart, executive director of the Holland Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.

In spring, millions of tulips bloom, culminating with the Tulip Time Festival in May. At the local tulip farm, Veldheer, guests can visit De Klomp Wooden Shoe and Delft Factory, the only authentic delftware production facility in North America. At Windmill Island Gardens, you can tour the De Zwaan windmill, visit shops with costumed guides and see Dutch cultural exhibits. At Nelis’ Dutch Village, learn to clog dance and step back in time to discover how wooden shoes and Old Dutch farmhouse cheese are made.

Bathers take a dip in Glenwood Springs pool in an icey-landscape

The therapy pool at Glenwood Hot Springs Resort is 104 degrees Fahrenheit.

Courtesy Glenwood Hot Springs Resort

Glenwood Springs, Colorado, instead of the Blue Lagoon in Iceland

An hour’s drive west of Vail, Colorado, Glenwood Hot Springs Resort has the world’s largest hot springs pool, containing nearly 1.1 million gallons of mineral-rich water known for having health benefits, such as increasing energy levels and stabilizing mood. (The Blue Lagoon has 1.6 million gallons.) Both are similar in temperature too: Glenwood’s therapy pool is a soothing 104 degrees Fahrenheit, while the Blue Lagoon averages 98 to 102 degrees Fahrenheit.

“As a 65-year-old senior, I don’t have a lot of resources for long-distance travel. Getting away for a few days to the hot springs satisfies my need for adventure,” says Virginia Lansdale of Denver. “I especially enjoy visiting small towns like Glenwood Springs, because they have a couple of different hot springs options, along with great restaurants and other things to do. I especially appreciate that it’s only a three-hour drive, which makes getting away convenient and affordable.”

At the Blue Lagoon, there’s one steam cave for visitors, but in the town of Glenwood Springs, there are three: the Yampah Spa Hot Springs Vapor Caves were used by the Ute people prior to European contact. Glenwood Springs hot springs are perfect for soaking your aches and pains away.

An April day in the city of Solvang, California

Solvang, California, a town founded by Danish immigrants, continues to uphold its cultural traditions.

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Solvang, California, instead of Denmark

In the heart of Santa Barbara wine country, a town founded by Danish immigrants continues to uphold its cultural traditions. Full of Danish charm, Solvang has a quaint downtown that’s easy to tour by trolley or on foot — with no pesky cobblestones.

“We have so many things for travelers of all ages to do, whether it’s touring downtown, eating Danish treats, exploring our wine country and green spaces, or having an authentic cultural experience at one of our festivals,” says Anna Ferguson-Sparks, a media consultant for Solvang.

Consider visiting the Elverhøj Museum of History and Art, which is dedicated to Danish and Danish American culture. The Hans Christian Andersen Museum, above a 54-year-old bookstore called the Book Loft, celebrates the life of Denmark’s master of fairy tales. It includes a replica of the famous Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen, which was inspired by one of Andersen’s stories. The Copenhagen House shop also houses the Solvang Amber Museum and the Solvang Viking Museum, featuring authentic artifacts. Numerous Danish bakeries — favorite stops for treat lovers of any age — specialize in delicacies such as aebleskivers, pastry puffs sprinkled with powdered sugar and drizzled with raspberry sauce.

aerial view of Colorado National Monument

Colorado National Monument has endless scenic vistas and is a viable travel dupe for the Grand Canyon.

Visit Grand Junction

Colorado National Monument, instead of the Grand Canyon

There’s no doubt that the Grand Canyon is spectacular, but the crowds can be overwhelming and detract from the beauty of the experience. While the Grand Canyon sees nearly 5 million visitors a year, the Colorado National Monument near the Utah border and the city of Grand Junction receives fewer than 500,000.

The Colorado National Monument encompasses over 20,000 acres and covers 32 square miles, including six canyons with sheer cliffs and massive monoliths. “This [National Park Service] site serves as a refuge for self-discovery and natural quiet,” says Elizabeth Fogarty, director of Visit Grand Junction. Trails are easily accessible even during busier times of the year, she says.

Nicknamed the “Heart of the World,” the park has more than 40 miles of hiking trails, with scenic vistas and opportunities to see wildlife like desert bighorn sheep and raptors soaring in the sky. Families can start at the Saddlehorn Visitor Center, where they can pick up Junior Ranger booklets, get a National Parks Passport stamp, buy a souvenir and talk to a ranger. Numerous short hikes are suitable for people of any ability, from the 0.5-mile round-trip Window Rock Trail, offering views of Monument and Wedding canyons and rock formations such as Independence Monument, to Otto’s Trail, which leads to an overlook with views of Sentinel Spire, Pipe Organ and Praying Hands.

Another must-do for Colorado National Monument visitors of any age is cruising along the twisting switchbacks of Rim Rock Drive, a 23-mile road through red rock canyons and rock formations. (Be sure to plan ahead and check Colorado National Monument’s website for any closures, as the road is undergoing a repaving project over the summer of 2024.)

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Rebecca Treon is a Denver-based freelance food and travel writer and the author of a forthcoming guidebook, Colorado Food Trails. You can find her work at rebeccatreon.com.