Want to escape to somewhere truly memorable? Here are the best island getaways without leaving the country.
By Brooke Morton, Islands
As much as we all wish to see every corner of the globe, it can be a challenge to do it all with limited funds and vacation time. Luckily, the United States is diverse enough to offer an array of exotic locales — from golden beaches to volcanic islands — all on our own home turf. Here are our picks for the ten most exotic destinations that don’t require a passport.
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Dry Tortugas, Florida
Dry Tortugas, Florida
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Turquoise water, tons of green sea turtles and white-sand beaches with visibility seeming to stretch to forever. Sounds like the Caribbean, right? Wrong. The Dry Tortugas, 67 miles off Key West into the heart of the Gulf of Mexico, pack epic snorkeling alongside Southern stingrays, parrotfish and schools of Creole wrasse — all just a ferry or seaplane ride from the Conch Republic.
San Juan Islands, Washington
San Juan Islands, Washington
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With conifer forests thick along its coasts and a marine climate with cool summers and mild winters, the San Juan Islands of Washington state feel a lot like Norway. Both destinations are renowned for sea kayaking as well as whale-watching tours, and yet the San Juans are a three-hour drive — and a ferry hop — north of Seattle. Plus, with alpaca ranches and lavender farms covering the hillsides, the experience also includes a touch of Peru-meets-Provence.
Assateague Island, Maryland
Assateague Island, Maryland
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[post_ads]Like Portugal’s Soajo Mountain, Maryland’s Assateague Island is home to wild horses — more than 150 in total. These feral ponies have free range of the beaches, marshes and forests. For the best viewing, try the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge’s Wildlife Loop Road, a three-hour walk. For a more unique spectacle, time your visit with the annual pony swim, held every July, wherein a group who call themselves the saltwater cowboys wrangle up the horses, leading them on a swim across the Assateague Channel.
Sapelo Island, Georgia
The Spanish moss hanging from live oak branches gives Sapelo Island, Georgia, an only-in-the-Southeast feel, but its golden-sand beaches feel a bit like the islands off Queensland, Australia. Reach it only via boat: either the DNR ferry or private vessel. Once ashore, walk the hiking trails through dunes and maritime forests to encounter hundreds of bird species, including the Chachalaca bird — which otherwise requires birders to travel to either Mexico or Central America to cross off lists. Stay the night and you might even spot a bobcat.
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Culebra, Puerto Rico
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Culebra, a satellite island of Puerto Rico, is often referred to as one of the Spanish Virgin Islands, and for good reason. Its sugar sand beaches are mostly undeveloped, lending it the feel of Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands. Like the BVI, Culebra lacks any of the large, major hotel chains. Instead, it has a sleepy charm, appealing to those content to kayak, snorkel and beachcomb.
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Kauai, Hawaii
Kauai, Hawaii
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One of the wettest places on the planet, Kauai packs its mountains with unending greenery, punctuated by a dozen epic waterfalls. This makes it every bit as lush and exotic as Tahiti, but at a fraction of the flight time. Worth the splurge, a helicopter tour of the Na Pali Coast — where Jurassic Park was filmed — shows visitors more highlights than they could see in a week of hiking.
Elizabeth Islands, Massachusetts
Daufuskie Island, South Carolina
Daufuskie Island, South Carolina
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Cedar Key, Florida
Cedar Key, Florida
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Aleutian Islands, Alaska
Aleutian Islands, Alaska
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