Social media has changed the game when it comes to travel. It's now easier than ever to find all the locals-only spots around the world and peek into corners that foreigners usually never get the chance to see. The term “hidden gem“It looks like it's lost its meaning a bit, but, according to a new Bounce study, there are indeed a lot of them left. And there's one hiding in plain sight in Arizona.
Bounce conducted a recent study to find hidden attractions around the world using TripAdvisor reviews and Google search data. To determine which places contain the most hidden gems, Bounce created a starting list of 180 attractions and landmarks in the United States and United Kingdom by pulling various online articles using the term. Then, it extracted the number of global Google searches for each spot between January and December 2023. Its data was all normalized to January 23, 2024.
While the team analyzed data in the US states and UK cities with the most hidden gems, he also put together a list of the most “popular” hidden gems. This may sound like an oxymoron, but really it comes down to the number of people searching for a specific state and the term “hidden gem.” And, according to Bounce, America's most popular hidden gem is the city of Sedona, Arizona.
“The most popular hidden gem in the United States in 2023 was Sedona, Arizona, which received 4.7 million Google searches during the year,” Bounce shared in its findings. He noted that the community's beautiful red rock terrain, verdant pine forest and mild climate make it a highly sought-after destination.
Visitors may also be interested in its plethora of swirlswhich are the true definition of hidden gems. Visit Sedona described them as “swirling centers of energy conducive to healing, meditation and self-exploration.” These are places where the earth seems particularly alive with energy. Many people feel inspired, recharged, or uplifted after visiting a vortex. While there are plenty of blog posts to show you the way and tours to take you into each vortex, you'll need to find the perfect place to feel the energy. And you can't find that on a map.
Joining Sedona on the list is the small community of Mackinac Island, Michigan, at the second location, which Bounce attributes to its car-free lifestyle, requiring travelers to travel by snowmobile in the winter and on horseback, bicycle or on foot throughout the year. It is followed by Chattanooga, Tennessee, in third place, which, like Sedona, prevails for its natural splendor.
Looking for even more hidden gems to explore? Discover all the discoveries in the United States and the United Kingdom on usebounce.com.
