The Real Thing

No matter how much we crave it, authenticity is hard to come by in this country. We don't get it from our wide-stanced politicians, we don't get it from our lip-synching pop stars, and we rarely get it during our travel experiences.

The problem is that so many of the famous destinations listed in guidebooks don't have anything to do with the local culture or the people who actually live there. So, maybe it's time to leave the well-worn tourist traps behind and seek out a little more genuineness on your next trip. Authentic America is out there.

Here you'll find 50 picks — one for each state — of unique places, activities and events that you might not have considered the last time you traveled. Have a read, and next time, leave the chain restaurants and theme parks for the clueless fanny pack crowd.