The 50 states of the United States all have their own unique draws, but some states certainly get more tourists than others. The number of tourists isn't necessarily a testament to a state's beauty, though. Some of the country's least visited states are arguably also some of the most beautiful and unique, but may lack tourists because of their remote locations or lack of tourist infrastructure. Some of these destinations offer cozy getaways away from the crowds, while some offer untouched wilderness
for outdoor adventurers to explore.
We've determined the least visited states in the country using the total number of annual visitors as reported by the state's official bodies or tourism offices. Because the list was created using the total number of annual visitors to each state, states that are smaller in size may make it onto this list even if they're not necessarily under-touristed because they can only host so many overnight travelers at one time. Keep reading below to find out more about the 12 least visited states and why they're worth the trip.
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Alaska
Alaska is the least visited state in the United States. The state received only 3.05 million visitors during the 2023-2024 season. Alaska is not highly visited primarily because of its remote location. It's hard to get to from most of the country, and the travel costs can be quite high. Plus, due to the harsh weather there, Alaska is best to visit during May and September, so the tourist season is pretty short.
Alaska should be on every outdoor lover's bucket list, though. To start, there are eight national parks in the state. Denali National Park is home to the highest peak in the U.S. at 20,310 feet above sea level. But not to worry, there are plenty of less ambitious hiking trails in the park. Seeing one of Alaska's glaciers is also a must-do in the state. There are 23,000 square miles of glaciers in Alaska. That number is continually shrinking due to climate change, so best to go see them while you still can. You can see them from a cruise, on a hike, or on a helicopter ride.
With so much untouched wilderness, wildlife viewing in Alaska is magnificent. At Kenai Fjords National Park, you can spot puffins, orcas, humpback whales, and more. Watch brown bears fish for salmon near Brooks Falls at Katmai National Park.
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is nicknamed the Granite State, and it set new annual tourism records in 2023 with 4.5 million visitors. The state has a long history and is known for many "firsts," including the first state to declare its independence from England and the state where the first alarm clock was invented. New Hampshire is perfect for a low-key getaway because it has a number of charming, historic towns like Littleton, which boasts the World's Longest Candy Counter.
Outdoor lovers are drawn to New Hampshire because of the White Mountains National Forest. The White Mountains are one of only two national forests in New England, and they are home to the tallest peaks in the region. The trees in these mountains turn vibrant yellow, orange, and red hues in the fall, and it's quite a sight to behold. The fall foliage makes this season a particularly great time to visit New Hampshire. For adventure and thrill seekers, the White Mountains are also home to one of the country's most expansive ATV trail systems, Ride the Wilds. There are 18 miles of shoreline in New Hampshire, called the Seacoast, and it's a picturesque and family-friendly destination that also features the cobblestone-lined historic city of Portsmouth.
Wyoming
According to the 2020 census, Wyoming is the least populated state in the country, and visitations to Wyoming have remained steady between 2023 and 2024 at an estimated 8.7 million people per year. The state is home to most of Yellowstone National Park (a small part of the park is also in Montana and Idaho) and Grand Teton National Park, both of which receive a fair share of tourists, especially in the warmer seasons.
Yellowstone was the first U.S. National Park, and the unique geothermal features that led to the creation of the national park are still worth visiting today. There's the Old Faithful Geyser, which still erupts regularly, and the colorful Grand Prismatic Spring. Another unique geological feature in the state is Devils Tower National Monument, which is 867 feet tall.
Visitors also head to Grand Teton National Park for mountain scenery, outdoor activities, and wildlife viewing. In the winter, skiers descend on Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, often rated as having the best skiing terrain in North America. Wyoming is not just about outdoor adventures, though. Those looking for a relaxing vacation should check out the state's many natural hot springs.
Hawaii
Hear us out here. Hawaii is certainly not under-touristed in any way, but as far as total number of visitors goes, Hawaii had only 9.6 million visitors in 2023. This number is low compared to most other states, but of course, that's because the islands of Hawaii are small and can only host so many tourists. That said, tourism to Hawaii has been decreasing in the past couple of years. Maui experienced a decline in tourism after the Lahaina fire in 2023 and has not fully rebounded.
Hawaii is well known as a tropical paradise, but each Hawaiian island is unique from all of the others. Kauai is relatively less developed and worth visiting for Nāpali Coast, which many consider to be one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. Oahu's Honolulu is the state's largest city with many great restaurants and bars (including two of the best tiki bars in the country), but the island's North Shore is considerably less crowded. Driving Maui's Road to Hana is considered a bucket list drive. The 64.4-mile road has many beautiful stops along the way, including waterfalls, lookouts, beaches, and so much more. Just be mindful to respect nature and the locals when you visit.
Nebraska
Tourism in Nebraska has increased in recent years, but the state is still one of the least visited states in the country, with only 12.6 million overnight guests in 2023. One of Nebraska's attractions is its large rock formations. The most famous rock formation is perhaps Chimney Rock, named as such because of the thin, spire-like formation jutting out of its conical base. In addition to its striking shape, it also has historical significance because it was a frequent path mark on the Oregon Trail. Other unique rock formations can be found in Scotts Bluff.
Nebraska is in the heart of The Great Plains, which means it has stretches of plains and wide open spaces that make the state great for stargazing. View Native American petroglyphs carved into a sandstone cave at Indian Cave State Park. Another place worth visiting is Nebraska's oldest state park, Chadron State Park, where you can go horseback riding or biking. In the spring, watch hundreds of thousands of sandhill cranes descend on Platte River Valley during their annual migration.
Montana
The beauty of Montana's Glacier National Park has earned it the nickname of Crown of the Continent. The national park boasts glaciers, crystal clear lakes, waterfalls, and miles of hiking trails. Driving the 50-mile-long Going-to-the-Sun Road is one of the highlights of visiting the park. The road opens in the summer, but you can also bike the road while it's car-free during the spring (as far as you can go, anyway). Whitewater rafting trips down the Flathead River, which borders Glacier National Park, offer a thrilling and family-friendly adventure.
Glacier National Park and its surrounding areas certainly draw plenty of tourists to Montana every summer, but even during its record-breaking year of 2024, Montana received only 13.8 million visitors. There are plenty of other things to do in Montana outside of Glacier National Park, from skiing at Big Sky Resort to meeting grizzly bears at Montana Grizzly Encounter. There's also Bozeman, the fastest growing city in the U.S. The population growth has made its culinary scene boom, and food and drink businesses in the city and its surrounding area have received nationwide acclaim as James Beard Award semifinalists. Another unique thing Montana offers is its Dinosaur Trail, which has 14 paleontology museums across the state.
Maine
When you visit Maine, you'll notice the state's tagline on license plates and other signs: Vacationland. During the summer, Maine certainly feels like vacationland. Most tourists come to Maine during the summer, when the weather is nice enough for a beach day and the lobsters are plentiful, so during the peak season, Maine's most popular spots can get pretty crowded. Even though the summers feel busy, Maine's tourism has not recovered to pre-pandemic levels, and the state received only 14.8 million visitors in 2024.
The rest of the year, though, Maine offers a much quieter, cozy getaway. Many attractions and restaurants are closed in the winter, but the shoulder seasons of late spring and early fall can give you a chance to travel without the crowds. Explore Maine's rugged coastline at Acadia National Park or see it from the water on a boat tour. Check out Thomas Dambo's giant troll sculptures at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, which is open from May to October. Portland, Maine, has become quite the culinary destination, so be sure to spend some time dining your way through the coastal city. Of course, food lovers should explore beyond Portland and go on a lobster crawl through Maine's numerous seafood shacks.
South Dakota
The most famous landmark in South Dakota is probably Mount Rushmore and its massive sculpture depicting four U.S. presidents, but don't miss Badlands National Park. This national park not only has some striking rock formations, but it also has one of the richest fossil beds in the world. South Dakota's tourism is steadily increasing with 14.9 million tourists visiting the state in 2024, but it's still relatively low.
Explore South Dakota's underground at Jewel Cave National Monument, one of the longest caves in the world. On the last Friday of September each year, you can witness a unique spectacle: the buffalo roundup at Custer State Park. The state park is home to around 1,300 bison (the world's largest publicly owned herd), and on this day, its crew will round up all 1,300 of them. The event is free to the public, and there is an arts festival that follows to keep visitors busy afterward. In this area, you will also find a wellness hot springs resort in South Dakota's Black Hills.
Vermont
Stowe, Vermont, is considered one of the best fall destinations in the country thanks to its charming downtown, which is surrounded by scenic hills and vibrant autumn colors. In fact, all of Vermont is great for fall travel because 70% of the state is covered in forests. Yet many have not discovered all that Vermont has to offer, and in 2023, Vermont welcomed only 15.8 million guests. Of course, fall isn't the only time to visit Vermont. From fishing to skiing, there are outdoor recreation opportunities throughout the year.
The dairy industry is a vital part of Vermont's economy and includes over 500 dairy farms. That's good news for travelers who love cheese and ice cream, though. You can plan a road trip around sampling Vermont's cheeses with this handy cheese trail map. Maple creemee (combined with Vermont's other famous product, maple syrup) is a Vermont summer staple.
Anywhere you go in Vermont, you'll be sure to encounter examples of small town life. Even Vermont's most populous city, Burlington, has a population of fewer than 45,000 people. This is also a great state for beer lovers. Vermont has the highest number of breweries per capita of any state, and some of them, like Alchemist Brewing, have quite the cult following.
Rhode Island
Newport and its mansions have been in the limelight recently thanks to the TV Show "The Gilded Age," but as a whole, the small state of Rhode Island is still one of the less frequently visited U.S. states, with 28.3 million tourists in 2023. Newport's 11 historic mansions were built between the mid-1700s and early 1900s, and many of them are National Historic Landmarks. You can tour the mansions and see where the extravagantly wealthy used to vacation in the summer.
Grand mansions aside, Rhode Island is called the Ocean State, and it has 400 miles of shoreline dotted with beaches, picturesque lighthouses, and more. The Cliff Walk in Newport is a public walking trail that gives you scenic views of the coast on one side and the Gilded Age mansions on the other. Of course, there's more to Rhode Island than Newport. A short ferry ride will take you to Block Island for a New England-style island getaway with white sand beaches and quaint restaurants.
Art enthusiasts should check out the RISD Museum in Providence, which was co-founded by the Rhode Island School of Design. You can catch WaterFire on summer weekends in Providence. WaterFire is a sculpture installed on the three rivers of Providence. It is now composed of over 80 braziers. The best way to appreciate this sculpture, though, is during a lighting, in which volunteers and staff travel on small boats to light the braziers, creating beautiful bonfires with music in the background.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is often called a flyover state, but it's looking to change that. In 2023, Oklahoma welcomed 18.3 million visitors to the state. Architecture lovers should pay a visit to downtown Tulsa, which has one of the country's largest collections of art deco buildings. Oklahoma was once thriving due to its oil boom, and many of these buildings were built during that period. Oklahoma City also has many architectural landmarks like First National Center (now a hotel called The National) and the Crystal Bridge Conservatory.
There is also plenty for history lovers to see in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma City National Memorial is a poignant symbol dedicated to the victims of the Oklahoma City bombing. The expansive First Americans Museum tells the collective history of the 39 First American Nations that can be found in Oklahoma today, many of which were forcibly moved there.
Another piece of history in Oklahoma is Route 66. A drive down the iconic Route 66 is a nostalgic journey through America, and the state also has the country's longest drivable stretch of it. You can spot fun neon signs along the route, as well as landmarks like the Blue Whale of Catoosa and quirky roadside attractions like the World's Largest Concrete Totem Pole.
North Dakota
For travelers on a mission to visit all 50 states, North Dakota tends to be the last state they visit. North Dakota is not only used to it, but the state actually embraces it. The Fargo-Moorhead Visitors Center even created a "Best for Last Club" campaign. That is, you can join the club if North Dakota is your 50th state to visit. Whether travelers are now purposefully saving it for last or not, North Dakota had record-breaking numbers of visitations in 2023, with 25.6 million visitors that year.
One of the best things to see in North Dakota is Theodore Roosevelt National Park, in particular the badlands inside the park, which are full of rock formations called hoodoos. The park is also a great place to look at wildlife, including bison and elk. Learn the history of the region and the expedition of Lewis and Clark at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. North Dakota has a surprisingly rich Scandinavian heritage, which includes a Scandinavian Heritage Park in Minot. That also means you can taste traditional Scandinavian dishes here that you can't find easily elsewhere, like knoephla soup and lefse.
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