Best slow travel destinations in North America
Best slow travel destinations in North America
Quiet coastal island routes and remote mountain valleys in North America
Rural New England and a culinary region in Mexico offer two very different versions of slow travel, one built around small-town routine, the other around centuries-old culinary and craft traditions that reward genuine time spent rather than a quick visit.
The destinations on this list range from small towns built around seasonal rhythms and local routine to regions with deep culinary traditions that take time to properly understand. Both work considerably better with an open-ended itinerary than a packed one.
Choosing one base and exploring outward rather than moving frequently tends to suit this kind of travel far better across the continent. Renting accommodation for a full week reveals a noticeably different, more local side of these regions. Packing light, comfortable clothing also tends to suit the relaxed pace of this kind of travel.
Lists by region
Country
Nicaragua
Tropical beauty with volcanic charm
Lake Nicaragua, ranked the 20th largest lake in the world, laps the shore of Granada. Spanish settlers founded the city in 1524. Its colonial buildings earned it the nickname La Gran Sultana. The dormant Mombacho volcano blew most of its cone into the lake and formed the 365 Islets of Granada.
City in Mexico
Oaxaca
Colonial Charm and Rich Traditions
Mondays in July belong to the Guelaguetza, a festival of regional dance and music. It began in 1932 and has run as a series of Mondays since 1953. The city is at 1,555 metres. It has the greatest variety of mole in Mexico, including negro, coloradito and amarillo.
City in Guatemala
Antigua Guatemala
Colonial Charm and Volcanic Views
The Arco de Santa Catalina spans a street north of Central Park. Volcán de Agua rises behind it to the south. Volcán de Fuego, to the west, is nearly always active at a low level. Spanish settlers founded the city in 1543. During Lent, processions pass over carpets of dyed sawdust and flowers.
City in Cuba
Trinidad
Cuba’s Colonial Gem by the Sea
In the evening, people gather for live music at a casa de música beside the cathedral on Plaza Mayor. Diego Velázquez founded the town in 1514. Pastel houses and cobbled streets earned it World Heritage status in 1988. The nearby Valle de los Ingenios has around 70 old sugar mills.
City in Mexico
Valladolid
Colonial Charm Meets Cenote Magic
Founded in 1543, the city is more than 230 years older than the United States. The Convent of San Bernardino de Siena was built from 1552 to 1560. Cenote Zací is a freshwater pool near the centre. People swim there and a restaurant is on site. Chichén Itzá is about 40 kilometres west.
Region in Panama
Bocas del Toro
Tropical Bliss in Panama
Columbus visited this coast in 1502 and named the main island Isla del Drago. It is now called Isla Colón and holds Bocas Town. The province name means mouths of the bull. Locals speak Bocas del Toro Creole, a unique form of English. Red Frog Beach and Starfish Beach are popular stops.
Town in Honduras
Copán Ruinas
Mayan Mystique Meets Rural Charm
Carved glyphs cover all 62 steps of the Hieroglyphic Stairway, about 2,200 in total. It holds the longest known Maya hieroglyphic text. The town of Copán Ruinas lies 1.6 kilometres from the ruins. UNESCO listed the site in 1980. Laser mapping has since found more than 6,000 unseen structures.
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