You can get that old-world charm without the jet lag or the price tag.
A trip to Europe is a bucket-list dream for many, but the reality of expensive flights, high accommodation costs, and an unfavorable exchange rate can keep that dream out of reach. The good news is that you don’t have to cross the Atlantic to find cobblestone streets, stunning mountain vistas, or a vibrant, foreign-feeling culture. North America is full of incredible “dupes” for popular European destinations.
These places offer a similar vibe for a fraction of the cost and travel time, proving a memorable trip is closer than you think.
1. Instead of Paris, France, try Quebec City, Canada.
If you’re dreaming of a romantic trip to Paris but your budget says no, Quebec City is the perfect North American alternative. It is the only walled city north of Mexico, and its historic old town is a UNESCO World Heritage site that feels like it was plucked straight from a French village. You can wander its charming cobblestone streets, browse the boutiques, and dine at sidewalk cafes where French is the primary language you’ll hear, according to Investopedia. The architecture, the food, and the atmosphere all provide a genuine taste of France, but with a much shorter flight and a friendlier exchange rate.
2. Instead of the Swiss Alps, try the Canadian Rockies.
The soaring, snow-capped peaks and impossibly turquoise lakes of the Swiss Alps are breathtaking, but a trip there is notoriously expensive. For a similar dose of jaw-dropping alpine majesty, head to Banff and Jasper National Parks in the Canadian Rockies. The scenery here is every bit as spectacular, with majestic mountains, massive glaciers, and stunning lakes like Lake Louise and Moraine Lake that rival anything you’ll find in Switzerland, as per The Roaming Renegades. The hiking is world-class, and the cost of accommodation, food, and activities is generally much more affordable, offering a better value for your mountain adventure.
3. Instead of Tuscany, Italy, try the Texas Hill Country.
The rolling hills, cypress trees, and charming wineries of Tuscany are the stuff of dreams. For a similar vibe closer to home, the Texas Hill Country offers a surprisingly effective dupe. The region, settled by German immigrants, is filled with beautiful vineyards, fields of bluebonnets in the spring, and quaint towns like Fredericksburg that are packed with tasting rooms and excellent restaurants. You can spend your days touring family-run wineries and your evenings enjoying the warm Texas hospitality, all while feeling like you’re a world away in the Italian countryside, as reported by Medium.com.
4. Instead of Bavaria, Germany, try Leavenworth, Washington.
Nestled in the Cascade Mountains, the town of Leavenworth is a full-blown Bavarian village in the middle of Washington state. In the 1960s, the town completely remodeled itself to attract tourists, and the result is a stunningly authentic-feeling dupe for a trip to Germany. The architecture is all traditional Bavarian, complete with flower boxes and murals. The town is famous for its massive Oktoberfest celebration and its magical Christmas Lighting Festival, where the entire village is covered in millions of twinkling lights. It offers a festive and fun taste of German culture without the need for a passport.
5. Instead of the Greek Islands, try the Riviera Nayarit, Mexico.
The image of a whitewashed village clinging to a cliff above a sparkling blue sea is synonymous with the Greek Islands. For a much more affordable and accessible version of this experience, explore the coastal towns of Mexico’s Riviera Nayarit, just north of Puerto Vallarta. The bohemian surf town of Sayulita, with its colorful buildings, hillside villas, and vibrant arts scene, offers a similar feel to a Greek island village. You get the beautiful beaches, the fantastic fresh seafood, and the charming, walkable town, but at a much lower price point than Mykonos or Santorini.
6. Instead of the Scottish Highlands, try Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.
If your travel dreams are filled with rugged, windswept coastlines, dramatic cliffs, and a rich Celtic culture, Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia is the perfect dupe for the Scottish Highlands. The island’s famous Cabot Trail is one of the most beautiful scenic drives in the world, rivaling any road in Scotland. The landscape is a stunning mix of mountains and sea, and the region has a deep Scottish heritage, with Gaelic language and traditional fiddle music still very much a part of the local culture. It’s a wild, beautiful, and much closer alternative.
7. Instead of a Spanish colonial city, try St. Augustine, Florida.
Founded in 1565, St. Augustine is the oldest continuously inhabited European-established settlement in the United States. Its historic downtown is a beautiful maze of narrow, pedestrian-only streets, charming courtyards, and beautifully preserved Spanish colonial architecture with distinctive balconies and red-tiled roofs. You can explore the old city walls and the impressive Castillo de San Marcos, a 17th-century Spanish fort. It offers a deep and authentic dive into Spanish colonial history that feels much more like a European city than a typical American one, and it’s an easy trip for anyone in the U.S.
8. Instead of Amsterdam, Netherlands, try Victoria, British Columbia.
While it has a distinctly British colonial feel, the capital of British Columbia shares many of the best qualities of Amsterdam. Victoria is a beautiful, harbor-front city with a compact and incredibly walkable downtown filled with historic architecture. Like Amsterdam, it has a massive cycling culture, with extensive bike paths that make it easy and safe to explore the city and its beautiful gardens on two wheels. It’s a charming, sophisticated, and very civilized city that offers a taste of European urban life on the Pacific coast, and it’s just a short ferry ride from Washington.
9. Instead of the French Quarter, try Old San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The French Quarter in New Orleans is a unique American treasure, but for a similar, and arguably even more extensive, dose of colorful colonial architecture, head to Old San Juan. The historic heart of Puerto Rico’s capital is a stunningly preserved seven-square-block area of cobblestone streets and brightly painted Spanish colonial buildings. The atmosphere is vibrant, filled with music, fantastic food, and historic forts to explore. As a U.S. territory, it has the added bonus of not requiring a passport for American citizens, making it an incredibly easy and affordable Caribbean escape with a deep European feel.
10. Instead of Bordeaux, France, try California’s Central Coast.
A wine-tasting trip to the famous chateaux of Bordeaux is a dream, but it’s an expensive and often formal affair. For a world-class wine experience that is more laid-back and affordable, the wine regions of California’s Central Coast are a perfect dupe. Areas like Paso Robles or the Santa Ynez Valley, just over the mountains from where I live in Ventura, offer hundreds of wineries in a beautiful landscape of rolling, oak-studded hills. The wine is phenomenal, the tasting rooms are friendly and unpretentious, and the cost of a trip is a fraction of what you would spend in France.
