Helen, a Bavarian Alps replica town in Appalachian Georgia, is home to an Oktoberfest for the ages, overflowing with two-litre beer glasses and Germany's famous bratwursts.  To recover from the festivities, the savviest make their way to Cedar Creek Luxury Cabins on the edge of the Chattahoochee National Forest.

If you’re into eating locally and supporting sustainable agriculture, go to Ashville—and eat, eat, eat. This town of less than 100,000 people has 17 farmers’ markets, and the local restaurant scene is all about taking advantage of the seasonal produce sold there. And don’t miss the area’s microbreweries.

Muncie's long and storied past can be explored in its many museums and monuments, from the Appeal to the Great Spirit monument to the Vietnam Veteran Valor Monument. The Ball State University campus is home to numerous attractions, including art galleries, museums, a planetarium, theatres and the tranquil Christy Woods. Tee off on one of the city's many golf courses or take the kids to the Muncie Children's Museum. Hike or bike the rails-to-trails Cardinal Greenway or the White River Greenway.

This gem in the heart of Utah is more than just a small desert town—it's a gateway to some of the state's most impressive sights. With red rock formations and slot canyons, the landscape is like something straight out of an Old Western—because it is. You can visit a whole outdoor museum with sets from classic Western films to see for yourself (look up: Kanab Film Fort). For the real deal, there are plenty of main attractions—from Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, where the dunes change colour with the sunlight, to Buckskin Gulch, one of the longest slot canyons in the world. If you're lucky enough, snag a permit to see the Wave, a surreal sandstone formation that is truly other-worldly.

From gleaming skyscrapers to a steaming-hot beach scene, Balneario Camboriu can feel like Rio’s younger sibling. Locals enjoy the same wild nightlife, great restaurants, and backdrop of rolling green slopes, while the hilltop Christo Luz statue even mimic's Rio's massive Christ the Redeemer.