Having traveled all over the US, state capitals fascinate me.
Some are major metropolitan areas, whereas others feel more random — supposedly chosen for historical significance, strategic location, or reasons I may never understand.
If you’ve already visited the obvious tourist destinations (Phoenix, Denver, and Austin, looking at you), consider this your cue to plan a trip to one of these lesser-known capital cities that deliver culture, history, and seriously good food — usually without the crowds or inflated price tags.
Call it capital gains for your travel bucket list. You’re welcome.
Oklahoma City has the perfect mix of nature and culture.
As someone who geeks out over economic development, I think the Bricktown neighborhood in Oklahoma City is one of the best examples of downtown revitalization in the country.
To get a sense of what the neighborhood has to offer, take a water taxi through the old warehouse district-turned-entertainment hub and check out all the restaurants, public art, and local landmarks.
Then, within walking distance of Bricktown, you can get wet and wild white-water rafting, tubing, or kayaking — when seasonally appropriate — at Riversport, where Team USA trains for Olympic canoeing.
If quirky attractions are your speed, you’ll love this city, too: OKC has some niche spots like the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum and Factory Obscura, a cool interactive art space that gave me major Meow Wolf vibes.
Finally, I recommend everyone visit the sobering tribute to the victims, survivors, and rescuers of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing at the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum.
I think Providence is one of the most underrated cities for food.
Rhode Island is a state that doesn’t always get a ton of buzz (beyond whispers about Taylor Swift’s rumored wedding venue), but I think it’s highly underrated — especially the food scene.
Cool off with a Del’s frozen lemonade, a signature treat you can find around the state, then follow your nose around Federal Hill, the city’s Little Italy.
My husband and I didn’t have a bad meal there: Raw oysters were plentiful, and I still dream about the beautiful fish dish we got from Dune Brothers Seafood, served out of a literal shack.
Rhode Island’s small size makes it super easy to explore other parts of the state from Providence, too. Newport’s mansion-lined Cliff Walk is just 40 minutes away by car, and the Block Island ferry — about a two-hour drive — is another fun day trip, where you can cruise around by moped.
Pro tip: Don’t miss WaterFire, an incredible art bonfire that ignites the river. It’s typically held twice a month from May through November.
Little Rock has a fascinating history.
There’s a lot to explore and learn in Little Rock, Arkansas.
The city’s retro yellow streetcar trolleys are a fun and free way to get a lay of the land. After that, follow the Civil Rights Heritage Trail or get a history lesson at the Clinton Presidential Library and snap a photo in the replica Oval Office.
If that’s not your vibe, check out the ESSE Purse Museum — one of the few handbag museums in the world, and an interesting look at the intersection of fashion and feminism.
When you’re ready to explore the Natural State’s, well, nature, mosey down to the Old Mill at T.R. Pugh Memorial Park — which you might recognize from the movie “Gone With the Wind” — or take a day trip to Hot Springs.
There, you can soak in the mineral waters, wander the national park and Bathhouse Row, and admire the incredible architecture at Garvan Woodland Gardens, where I almost got married.
Cheyenne, Wyoming, is the place to live out your Western dreams.
The biggest city in the least-populated state still feels like a small town with ample room to roam.
A few of my favorite activities include searching for all the giant painted cowboy boots around town, shopping for fringe, suede, and leather Western wear at The Wrangler, and designing custom hats at Wild J Trading.
You can also see the majestic creatures that once roamed in the millions up close at the Terry Bison Ranch on the Colorado border, and hand-feed the bison from a custom-built train.
Cheyenne is a great place for trainiacs, too. You can snap a pic of Big Boy — the world’s largest steam locomotive, and sometimes the Union Pacific Steam Shop is also open for tours.
I personally love visiting during Cheyenne Frontier Days to experience the beloved summer tradition of rodeos, carnivals, and concerts.
Juneau’s wilderness is captivating, and the city feels less remote than you might think.
Alaska may feel worlds away, but from Seattle — the closest major gateway — it’s just a two-hour flight, and you can be adventuring by lunchtime.
Mendenhall Glacier is just 20 minutes from downtown, and you can explore its icy, ethereal beauty by hiking, paddling, or riding in a helicopter.
Warm up with crab legs bigger than your head at Tracy’s King Crab Shack (my death-row meal), or head to Hangar on the Wharf, a restaurant in an actual airplane hangar, for freshly caught halibut and salmon.
Then, wash it down at Alaskan Brewing Company with beer flavored by glacier water, spruce tips, and alder smoke.
In the only capital where a glacier can be part of your post-flight plans, Juneau pairs trailheads and tide-to-table seafood with scenery that’s cool (literally).
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