1. Solvang, California – A Danish Fairy Tale in the U.S.
Tucked away in California’s Santa Ynez Valley, Solvang is an entire town that looks like it was plucked straight from Denmark, according to the city’s official site. Half-timbered houses, windmills, and Danish bakeries line the streets, making it feel more like Copenhagen than California. Founded by Danish immigrants in the early 1900s, Solvang has held onto its heritage, with restaurants serving authentic smørrebrød, aebleskiver (Danish pancake balls), and plenty of Carlsberg beer.
Beyond the food, the town celebrates its roots with an annual Danish Days festival, where locals dress in traditional attire, participate in Viking reenactments, and perform folk dances. Even the Hans Christian Andersen Museum adds to the charm, paying homage to Denmark’s most famous storyteller. Walking around Solvang, you might forget you’re just a few hours from Los Angeles—it truly feels like a pocket of Scandinavia hidden in the California hills.
2. New Orleans, Louisiana – France & The Caribbean Had a Baby
New Orleans isn’t just French—it’s also got deep Spanish, African, and Caribbean roots, making it feel more like an international destination than an American city, according to Forbes. Walk through the French Quarter, and you’ll see pastel-colored buildings with wrought-iron balconies that wouldn’t look out of place in Paris or Havana. The city’s Creole and Cajun food scene—think gumbo, jambalaya, and beignets—is a flavorful blend of French, African, and Spanish influences. Even the street names, like Tchoupitoulas and Chartres, hint at its European heritage.
Then there’s the music. Jazz was born here, and its rhythms mix with blues, zydeco, and brass band traditions that have roots in West Africa and the Caribbean. And of course, there’s Mardi Gras, a celebration that feels straight out of Rio de Janeiro or Venice. Add in voodoo folklore, above-ground cemeteries that resemble something from New Orleans’ sister city of Saint-Louis, Senegal, and a nightlife scene that rivals the best in the world, and you’ve got a city that feels anything but typically American.
3. San Francisco, California – A Little Slice of China and Europe
San Francisco’s Chinatown is the oldest and largest in North America, and walking through it feels like you’ve left the U.S. entirely. Red lanterns hang over the streets, herbal medicine shops line the sidewalks, and restaurants serve dim sum and Peking duck as if you were in Hong Kong. The neighborhood is a living testament to the Chinese immigrants who arrived during the Gold Rush and built a thriving community that still feels incredibly authentic today.
But that’s not the only international influence here. The city’s European-style cable cars, foggy hills, and colorful Victorian homes give it a feel similar to Lisbon, while the massive influx of tech workers from India has made neighborhoods like the South Bay feel like a second Bengaluru. And don’t forget the Mission District, where murals, taquerias, and Latino culture dominate, making it feel more like Mexico City than an American neighborhood.
4. Santa Fe, New Mexico – A Southwestern Slice of Spain
Santa Fe feels like Spain and Mexico had a desert love child. The entire city is built in a Pueblo Revival style, with adobe buildings, flat roofs, and colorful southwestern art everywhere you look. Many of its oldest structures, like the San Miguel Mission (built in the early 1600s), date back to Spanish colonial rule, TOURISM Santa Fe explains, and the influence is still everywhere, from the language spoken by locals to the Catholic traditions that shape its festivals.
Even the food feels distinctly un-American, with green and red chile smothering nearly every dish, a culinary tradition that dates back to Native American and Spanish settlers. If you visit during Fiestas de Santa Fe, you’ll see the city’s deep Spanish Catholic roots on full display, complete with processions, music, and traditional dances that feel straight out of Madrid or Seville. The mix of Native, Spanish, and Mexican influences creates a city that feels timeless—like you’ve stepped into an old-world outpost that never fully became part of the U.S.
5. St. Augustine, Florida – Spain’s First American Colony
St. Augustine is the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the U.S., and it feels like an old Spanish city transported straight from Andalusia. Founded in 1565 by Spanish explorers, the city still has cobblestone streets, centuries-old forts, and Spanish-style courtyards that wouldn’t look out of place in Seville or Granada. The Castillo de San Marcos, a 17th-century fortress made of coquina stone, looks more like something you’d find in Cartagena, Colombia, than in the U.S.
The city’s historic district is lined with balconies draped in bougainvillea, while cafes serve up sangria and tapas, reinforcing its European vibe, according to Business Insider. Even the city’s religious influence adds to the old-world feel, with the Mission Nombre de Dios and its giant cross marking one of the first Catholic sites in the country. Unlike the flashy parts of Florida, St. Augustine has a slow, historic charm that feels worlds away from the U.S.
6. Miami, Florida – Latin America’s Northern Capital
Miami is so steeped in Latin culture that it often feels more like Havana or Bogotá than an American city. With Spanish being spoken just as frequently as English (if not more in some neighborhoods), you can go about your day without hearing much English at all. Little Havana is the heart of Miami’s Cuban community, with its domino parks, cigar shops, and cafecito windows serving sweet Cuban coffee. Meanwhile, the city’s food scene is packed with Venezuelan arepas, Peruvian ceviche, and Nicaraguan fritangas, all made by immigrants who’ve made Miami their home.
Beyond the culture, even the skyline and natural scenery don’t feel traditionally American. The Art Deco buildings along Ocean Drive feel more like a pastel dream in a Caribbean resort town. South Beach’s party scene has the energy of Ibiza, while the mix of international millionaires and influencers makes the whole place feel like a glamorous Latin American metropolis. Add in the tropical weather and the constant influx of visitors from Colombia, Argentina, and the Dominican Republic, and Miami truly feels like a world of its own.
7. Holland, Michigan – The Netherlands Comes to the Midwest
Yes, there’s actually a place in the U.S. where you can see tulip fields and windmills straight out of the Netherlands. Holland, Michigan, was founded by Dutch immigrants in the 19th century, and it still holds onto its European charm. The town’s main attraction is the annual Tulip Time Festival, where millions of tulips bloom in vibrant colors, and locals don traditional Dutch costumes, complete with wooden shoes.
Windmill Island Gardens is another highlight, home to De Zwaan, an authentic Dutch windmill that was actually transported from the Netherlands. Dutch bakeries sell stroopwafels and banket, while street names and architecture reflect the town’s heritage. The whole experience feels like a mini-trip to the Netherlands—without needing to cross the Atlantic.
8. Leavenworth, Washington – A Bavarian Village in the Cascades
If you’ve ever wanted to visit Germany without leaving the U.S., Leavenworth, Washington, is your spot. This tiny town in the Cascade Mountains was redesigned in the 1960s to resemble an alpine Bavarian village, and they went all in. Every building follows strict German architectural guidelines, with timber-framed facades, flower boxes on every window, and murals depicting scenes straight out of Bavaria. Even chain restaurants like Starbucks and McDonald’s have to blend into the traditional look.
But it’s not just the buildings that give Leavenworth its European feel—it’s the culture. Every fall, the town hosts one of the best Oktoberfest celebrations outside of Germany, complete with lederhosen-clad locals, bratwurst, pretzels, and plenty of imported beer. Year-round, you’ll find shops selling cuckoo clocks and German steins, restaurants serving schnitzel and spätzle, and even a nutcracker museum with thousands of traditional German nutcrackers. In winter, with the snowy mountains as a backdrop and Christmas lights twinkling everywhere, it’s easy to forget you’re in Washington and not deep in the Alps.
9. Tarpon Springs, Florida – A Greek Getaway on the Gulf
Tarpon Springs, just north of Tampa, has the highest percentage of Greek Americans in the U.S., and it shows. Walking through the town, you’ll hear Greek being spoken just as often as English, and the scent of freshly baked baklava and grilled octopus fills the air. The town’s history is tied to the Greek sponge divers who arrived in the early 1900s, bringing their culture, food, and traditions with them.
Today, Tarpon Springs still revolves around the sponge industry, with shops selling natural sea sponges harvested straight from the Gulf of Mexico. But it’s the Greek culture that makes this town feel like a little slice of the Aegean. Dodecanese Boulevard, the town’s main drag, is lined with white-and-blue buildings, seafood restaurants serving saganaki (flaming cheese), and bakeries selling loukoumades (Greek honey puffs). Every year, the Epiphany celebration brings thousands of people to watch young men dive into the bayou to retrieve a blessed cross, just like they do in Greece.
10. Laredo, Texas – Mexico Without the Border
Laredo isn’t just near Mexico—it practically is Mexico. Sitting right on the U.S.-Mexico border, this city is about 95% Hispanic, and Spanish is the dominant language. Unlike other border towns that feel like a blend of two cultures, Laredo leans fully into its Mexican roots, with everything from food to festivals feeling more in line with Monterrey than with Texas.
You won’t find much Tex-Mex here—this is authentic northern Mexican cuisine, with street vendors selling elotes, tamales, and barbacoa tacos that rival anything south of the Rio Grande. The city’s biggest event is the month-long Washington’s Birthday Celebration, which includes a massive Jalapeño Festival, parades, and traditional Mexican dances. Even the historic downtown, with its colonial-style plazas and colorful buildings, feels like something straight out of Mexico. Cross into Laredo, and you might forget you’re still in the U.S. at all.
11. Dearborn, Michigan – The Heart of the Middle East in America
Dearborn has the largest concentration of Arab Americans in the country, and the city feels more like Beirut or Amman than a Midwestern town. Arabic signs are everywhere, many businesses cater specifically to the Middle Eastern community, and the food scene is unmatched. Walk into any bakery, and you’ll find fresh pita, baklava, and knafeh, while restaurants serve up shawarma, hummus, and falafel better than what you’d find in most major American cities.
The cultural influence extends beyond food. The massive Islamic Center of America is one of the largest mosques in North America, and the Arab American National Museum tells the story of the immigrants who shaped the city. Even grocery stores stock spices, dates, and olive oils imported straight from Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine. Dearborn is a testament to how a city can fully embrace another culture while still being part of the American fabric.
12. Ketchikan, Alaska – A Nordic & Indigenous Blend in the Last Frontier
Ketchikan, a remote town in Alaska’s southeastern panhandle, feels like a mix of Norway and an ancient Indigenous village. The town’s architecture has strong Scandinavian influences, with colorful wooden buildings perched on stilts above the water, reminiscent of fishing villages in Norway. This isn’t surprising, given that many of the settlers were Norwegian fishermen drawn to Alaska’s rich waters.
But what makes Ketchikan truly unique is its deep Indigenous culture. The Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian peoples have lived here for thousands of years, and their influence is everywhere. The town is home to the world’s largest collection of totem poles, which stand proudly in parks and along the waterfront. The Native art scene is thriving, with carvers, weavers, and storytellers keeping traditions alive. Add in the dramatic misty fjords, endless forests, and an ocean teeming with wildlife, and Ketchikan feels more like a blend of Norway and an ancient Alaskan Indigenous world than a typical American town.
