Javascript is not enabled.

Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again.

Skip to content

Refresh your driving skills with the Smart Driver online course and save 25%!

Content starts here
CLOSE ×
Search
Popular Searches

Games

Car rental

AARP daily Crossword Puzzle

Hotels with AARP discounts

Life Insurance

AARP Dental Insurance Plans

Travel

Suggested Links
Help Show me my account info Change my Address How do I contact AARP? Where is my membership card? How do I get a digital card?
Red Membership Card

AARP MEMBERSHIP

AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal

Get instant access to members-only products, hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. 

 

120x30-AARP-logo-red
Join
Renew
Enroll
Rejoin

AARP en Español

Join
Renew
Enroll
Rejoin
Leaving AARP.org Website

You are now leaving AARP.org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP. A different privacy policy and terms of service will apply.

Continue Cancel

Travel the World Without Leaving the U.S.

These 4 towns offer interesting international experiences — no passport required

japantown as part of the san francisco skyline at sunset
San Francisco's Japantown
Alamy
By

Kimberley Lovato,

 
AARP
Published May 12, 2023

Travel is back, airports are packed and passengers are elbowing to the front of the line to jet-set across oceans and immerse themselves in local culture. But in a country as big and beautifully diverse as America, far-flung experiences are closer than you think. Leave your passport home and check out these surprising U.S. cities, towns and neighborhoods that buzz with distant-destination delights.

taiko drummers at the cherry blossom festival in san franciscos japantown
Visitors can celebrate Japanese heritage in the country’s largest Japantown in San Francisco. ​​
Alamy

Japantown, San Francisco

The largest and oldest Japantown in the country is located less than 2 miles west of San Francisco’s Union Square. The six blocks of restaurants, shops and cultural sites have been the hub of Japanese heritage for more than 110 years. Stop by the Peace Plaza — the modern five-story pagoda that was a gift from the city of Osaka, Japan — and relax at Kabuki Springs & Spa, a traditional Japanese bathhouse and city-dweller go-to since 1968. The small and convivial Chika & Sake is the place to try craft sake poured by a sake sommelier. Or wander the Japan Center Mall to browse Japanese gifts, clothing and tableware such as bento boxes, sake sets and gorgeous dishes at the family-owned Daikoku by Shiki. 

Stay: The Kimpton Hotel Enso puts you in the heart of the neighborhood. Grab a matcha tea in the lobby and sip it in the hotel’s Zen-like courtyard.

a windmill spins behind a plaza in pella iowa
Dutch culture thrives year-round in Pella, Iowa, about 40 miles from Des Moines. ​​
Alamy

Pella, Iowa

The heartland is full of wonderful surprises, including the pretty town of Pella, about 40 miles southeast of Des Moines, where tulip-filled gardens and parks, the Molengracht plaza and canal, and even a working windmill bring the Dutch touch to visitors. Browse the 22-room mansion of Hendrik Pieter Scholte, Pella’s founder, and trace the town’s immigrant roots at the Pella Historical Society & Museums, where you can also see how wooden shoes are made. For a sweet treat, try the S-shaped almond-paste-filled puff pastries known as Dutch letters, found at family-run spots such as Jaarsma Bakery. Each May, Pella’s popular Tulip Time festival fills the streets with tens of thousands of Skittles-hued blooms and events celebrating the famous flower and Dutch culture. 

Stay: The five-room Dwelling Place is within walking distance of Pella’s historic buildings and shops. Parking and a full breakfast are included.

statue of a diver in tarpon springs florida
Sponge diving is the epicenter of Tarpon Springs, Florida. ​​
Alamy

Tarpon Springs, Florida

With street names like Dodecanese and Athens, and blue-and-white fishing boats bobbing on the Anclote River, Tarpon Springs is a slice of the Aegean Sea on Florida’s scenic Gulf Coast. An estimated 1 in 10 residents are Greek. Greek sponge divers began settling here in the early 1900s, and Tarpon Springs remains an epicenter of sponge diving. Learn all about natural sponges at Spongeorama Sponge Factory, shop for souvenirs like handmade scented soap at Getaguru, and feast on specialties that would make yiayia proud, such as the homemade baklava and spanakopita at Hellas Bakery. ​

Stay: The historic 1910 Inn is near all the shops and Spongeorama in Tarpon Springs. Breakfast and parking are included. ​

a man prepares sweet paan in new jersey
Indian restaurants serve traditional fare in Edison, New Jersey.
Alamy

Edison, New Jersey

If a taste of India is what you’re after, look no further than the town of Edison. Located about an hour outside of New York City, Edison is a colorful kaleidoscope of places to dine and shop, especially along Oak Tree Road and its surrounding streets, where you’ll find sari boutiques and jewelery shops for ornate and everyday pieces. Or treat yourself at the Kwality Ice Cream Parlor, where several unique flavors, including custard apple and sweet betel leaf, are scooped alongside other sweet Indian specialties.

Stay: The Homewood Suites by Hilton offers free parking and breakfast about 3 miles from Oak Tree Road. 

A Sausalito, California–based freelance travel writer, Kimberley Lovato has contributed to numerous publications, including Condé Nast Traveler, National Geographic Traveler and Virtuoso Life.​

Unlock Access to AARP Members Edition

Join AARP to Continue

Already a Member?

AARP Travel Center

Or Call: 1-800-675-4318

Enter a valid departing date

Enter a valid returning date

Age of children:

Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats:

Enter a valid departing date

Age of children:

Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats:

Enter a valid departing date

Age of children:

Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats:

Flight 2

Enter a valid departing date

Flight 3

Enter a valid departing date

Flight 4

Enter a valid departing date

Flight 5

Enter a valid departing date

+ Add Another Flight

Enter a valid checking in date

Enter a valid checking out date

Occupants of Room 1:

Occupants of Room 2:

Occupants of Room 3:

Occupants of Room 4:

Occupants of Room 5:

Occupants of Room 6:

Occupants of Room 7:

Occupants of Room 8:

Enter a valid departing date

Enter a valid returning date

Age of children:

You didn't specify child's age

Occupants of Room 1:

There are children in room 1 without an adult

You didn't specify child's age for room 1

Age of children:

You didn't specify child's age

Occupants of Room 2:

There are children in room 2 without an adult

You didn't specify child's age in room 2

Age of children:

You didn't specify child's age

Occupants of Room 3:

There are children in room 3 without an adult

You didn't specify child's age in room 3

Age of children:

You didn't specify child's age

Occupants of Room 4:

There are children in room 4 without an adult

You didn't specify child's age in room 4

Age of children:

You didn't specify child's age

Occupants of Room 5:

There are children in room 5 without an adult

You didn't specify child's age in room 5

Age of children:

You didn't specify child's age

Age of children:

You didn't specify child's age

Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats:

You have more than 6 people total

Please select a trip duration less than 28 days

There must be at least 1 traveler (age 12+) for each infant in a lap

Enter a valid start date

Please select a Pick Up Time from the list

Enter a valid drop off date

Please select Drop Off Time from the list

Select a valid to location

Select a month

Enter a valid from date

Enter a valid to date

Benefits Recommended For You

See All