Ten Hidden Gems by Motorcoach

America is a big county, and most small motorcoach group tours include a large city or two in their itineraries. While big cities are terrific to visit, at Tours of Distinction, we also like to get off the beaten track to experience real small-town America.  We have put together a list of some of our favorite hidden gems across America that we think you should consider exploring on your next small motorcoach group tour, the most economical and fun way to experience all America has to offer.

Solvang, California

Solvang, America's Danish Capitol

Founded in 1911, this community is located just two hours from L.A., in the heart of Santa Barabara's wine country, immerses visitors in Danish architecture, old-world traditions, folk dancing, and cuisine. Strolling the streets of downtown Solvang, you will see half-timbered houses with wooden shingled roofs, colorful shops selling Danish goods, and, of course, windmills. Don't miss popping into a Danish Bakery for Kringles filled with almond paste or cardamon bread. If you enjoy wine, be sure to check out one of the twenty-plus tasting rooms along Main Street. For museum-goers, be sure not to miss the Elverhoj Museum of History and Art which preserves the history and culture of Solvang, and the Hans Christian Anderson Museum, dedicated to one of Denmark's most famous authors known for publishing fairy tales in 1835. And, to satisfy your sweet tooth, head to the Swedish Candy Factory which is the only Polkagris bakery in the United States. Polkagris is a Swedish stick candy that was invented by Amalia Eriksson near the town of Granna, Sweden.

Oatman, Arizona

Fun and Quirky on Rte. 66 in Oatman

Located just two hours from Vegas, on historic Rte. 66, this dusty town located in the desert hills is home to meandering burros, interesting shops, abandoned mines, and a raucous history of shootouts and bootleggers. It is fun to stroll along the ramshackle Main Street and feed the burros that originally came to town with early gold prospectors. A visit to the Oatman Mine Museum gives visitors a look at the area's mines that are said to have produced 1.8 million ounces of gold. There are plenty of quirky stores to explore and the Oatman Hotel,.0 with its dollar bill-papered lobby where Clark Gable and Carole Lombard stopped on their honeymoon in 1939.

Silverton Colorado

No Horsing Around in Silverton!

This is one of Colorado's most interesting historic mountain towns. Once known for rowdy miners and dance hall girls, this town still retains a wild west ambiance. This rough-and-tumble atmosphere is what gives Silverton its charming and authentic character. One of the most exciting things to do here is to take a scenic ride on the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gage Railroad that was used to haul silver and gold in the 1880s. The ride takes you past spectacular scenery including the rugged Weminuche Wilderness and along the Animas River. Another sightseeing option is to take a tour of the Old Hundred Gold Mine, where passengers ride deep into Galena Mountain to watch mining equipment in action. Another highlight is visiting Animas Forks, one of the best Ghost Towns in the United States that has been abandoned for more than 100 years.

De Smet, South Dakota

Walk in the footsteps of Little House on the Prairie

If you are a fan of Little House in the Prairie and have always wanted to walk in the footsteps of Laura Ingalls Wilder, then head to De Smet, South Dakota a place that inspired this series. Visitors can take an in-depth tour of Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Homes including the Surveyor's House, the original Ingalls House, Pa Ingalls Homestead, Almanzo Wilder's Homestead, the First School of De Smet, and the exhibition room that displays the original Ingalls-Wilder artifacts. A walk along the charming main street with its vintage businesses is like walking into the pages of one of this author's books.

Greenwood, Mississippi

On the Blues Trail in Greenwood

Located in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, Greenwood is a charming town with a rich and sometimes painful history. Rural and majestic with endless cotton fields, pecan trees, shanty houses, and gracious mansions, this town embodies the South. A drive along the Grand Boulevard, developed in the 1890s, is one of the most beautiful in the state, offering excellent examples of Tudor, Prairie style, neo-classical, and colonial revival residences.  The majority of the movie, The Help was filmed here and today, you can do a self-guided tour of the movie locations. Greenwood is on the Mississippi Blues Trail and there are eight Blues Trail Markers throughout the town including one for blues singer, Robert Johnson and actor, Morgan Freeman.  One unexpected thing about Greenwood is that Viking Appliances are headquartered here. They offer cooking classes, a favorite is to learn how to make Minnie's pie from the movie, The Help. 

Frankenmuth, Michigan

Cruise the Cass River in this Bavarian Wonderland

Known as Michigan's Little Bavaria, visitors here often feel transported to a small German hamlet on the Rhine. A ride on the Bavarian Belle Riverboat to the Bavarian-styled Waterfall at River Place Shopping area is the ideal way to learn the history of this village. Afterward, a walk through the center of town is an immersive experience from the names of the streets to the German architecture including the magnificent Glockenspiel Tower that strikes on the hour and on each quarter hour. No visit to Frankenmuth is complete without stopping in at Bronner's, a Christmas wonderland of decorations, trims, trees, gifts, and goodies.

Assateague Island, Maryland/Virginia

Watch Wild Horses Graze and Run Free

This barrier island shared by Virginia and Maryland is a National Seashore, with 37 miles of pristine sandy beach, and is one of the few places in the United States where you can see wild horses roam free. While they are called "wild" the horses are actually animals that have reverted to a "wild state" according to the National Park Service. Visitors flock to see the horses running into the surf or grazing on hay or beach grass. There are many legends of how the wild horses of Assateague Island came to reside here, and, all of them are shadowed in the mists of the past. The legends range from dramatic shipwrecks to abandonment, glorious Spanish galleons, and farmers trying to avoid taxes. Regardless of what legend you believe - the chance to catch a glimpse of these wild horses frolicking in their natural environment is an unforgettable travel moment.

Ashville, North Carolina

Glorious and Moody the Great Smokey Mountains

This thriving mountain town is fun to explore. In addition to having a great art, food, and brew scene, it is where the largest house in America, the Biltmore is located. A walk through River Arts District is truly amazing. Here you can wander through more than 250 artist's studios located in dozens of huge historic buildings. A drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway dubbed America's favorite drive, is unforgettable not only for its bio-diversity but also for its amazing mountain views. If you work up a thirst, you are in the right place because Ashville is noted as one of the best beer cities in the country. For bookworms, head to the house museum of Thomas Wolfe that immortalized this residence turned museum in his book, Look Homeward Angel.

Litchfield, Connecticut

Litchfield's Autumn Glow

Named as one of the top small towns in America by the Smithsonian Magazine, Litchfield has often been compared to Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. The difference here is that the town's historic district is not only well preserved but lived in. The first law school is located in the center of town whose graduates include two U.S. Vice-Presidents, scores of legislators, governors, and lawyers as well as several famous artists including George Catlin. White Memorial Foundation offers visitors interested in the area's natural history an excellent museum to tour as well as 35 miles of trails to explore. The Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy founded by the former Secretary of the Smithsonian is home to more than 80 species of waterfowl totaling more than 400 birds. A visit to this breeding facility gives visitors a glimpse of how genetic diversity is maintained in rare and endangered species. And, if you love flowers, don't miss the chance to stroll through the gardens at White Flower Farm and Topsmeade State Park.

Littleton, New Hampshire

Strike a pose with Pollyanna

Littleton is the charming gateway town to the northern White Mountains and Great North Woods of New Hampshire. Locals affectionately call it "the Glad Town," because this is where author Eleanor H. Porter wrote her classic series of books Pollyanna. In the center of town don't miss the photo op with the bronze statute depicting the iconic character from the 1913 children's novel, Pollyanna. The Main Street of downtown is lined with interesting shops in historic buildings and homes.  If you have a sweet tooth, head to Chutters, where you will find the world's longest candy counter, and, then pay a visit to Lahout's, America's oldest ski shop. To cap off this small-town New England experience, head to the Riverwalk Covered Bridge to watch the old-timey water wheels and the flow of the water tumbling over the rocky river.

America is full of small interesting towns off the beaten path... and these are just some of what this great country has to offer.