With Washington's and Oregon's wine regions enjoying higher profiles than ever, it makes sense that fans of high-quality, affordable domestic wines – and wine-related travel – would start looking a little further west for their next big discovery. With three official AVAs (American viticultural areas) in the state, Idaho is now home to more than 50 wineries. Get acclimated in this destination in the Snake River Valley AVA, which partially borders Oregon and is within easy driving distance of Boise. There are plenty of wineries using grapes from this region within Boise itself.

As you make your way out of town and get closer to the Sunnyslope area, you’ll find beautiful rolling fields of vines, handsomely designed and ultra-approachable tasting rooms, plus fantastically low prices. Good bottles at the Cinder or Sawtooth wineries, two local favorites, start at about $20. Lodging, even in the highest of high seasons, doesn’t tend to top $200 per night at the city’s best hotels – now that’s something to toast. Want to experience this wine region in a different way? Snake River cruises, which begin in Portland, often end in the town of Clarkston, Washington – an 11-minute drive to the Idaho border and the town of Lewiston. There you’ll find wineries that belong to Idaho’s newest AVA, the Lewis-Clark Valley. American Cruise Lines, American Queen Steamboat Company, and UnCruise Adventures all offer this itinerary. 

The Gulf Coast of Mississippi, which has 26 miles of white-sand beaches, feels like a nice little secret. We love that each coastal community across the region has a different feel, from artsy Ocean Springs to charming Bay St. Louis. With loads of inexpensive lodging options, guests can stay in beachside boutique hotels, luxury casino resorts (and for much less than in, say, Vegas), and coastal inns. This wallet-friendly stretch of coastline lets you kayak, hop on a standup paddle board, or go boating and fishing for less than in higher-profile beaches in Florida or Texas.

 If you prefer museums and art, check out the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art in Biloxi, or the Walter Anderson Museum of Art or Shearwater Pottery Workshop and Showroom in Ocean Springs. A range of the area’s attractions can be found in the Mississippi Gulf Coast Attraction Pass, which never expires and includes one entry to seven must-see attractions for $45. Plan a visit around one of the region’s free festivals held throughout the year, which showcase local crafts, fresh seafood, and live music.

Michigan’s second largest city is a far cry from the state’s larger, more famous city, Detroit. Situated 35 miles east of Lake Michigan, Grand Rapids’ vibrant downtown is home to an ever-growing beer and culinary scene, cultural institutions like the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, and one of the region’s largest art competitions. And best of all, there is plenty to see on the cheap – or even for free.

A pint of local craft beer at one of “Beer City USA’s” 40-plus microbreweries will set you back as little as $3.50. At the Downtown Market, local vendors offer artisan cheeses, street-food-style tacos, spicy Thai noodle dishes, and many more lunch options for $7-$20. Plan a fall visit coinciding with Art Prize, an international art competition during which downtown businesses display hundreds of works of art and welcome the public for free. In order to easily explore the city by foot, or by public transportation, stay by the Grand River at the JW Marriott, the historic Amway Grand Plaza, the Courtyard Grand Rapids, or other city-center properties.

Situated halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles along California’s Central Coast is quaint, value-packed, San Luis Obispo County (SLO CAL for short). Not only does it have a catchy moniker, but the area also features 80 miles of stunning coastline along the endlessly Instagrammable Highway 1. It's also home to 3,616-square miles of vineyards; charming towns with breweries, wineries, and distilleries; and an abundance of outdoor recreation (think: elephant seal spotting, whale watching, and ATV excursions). The best part? It’s a lot more affordable than its neighbors.

Check out the Inn at the Pier, a 104-room luxury hotel or the Shore Cliff Hotel, which was transformed into a swanky boutique hotel a few years ago. If you’re looking for super budget-friendly accommodations, there’s the Avenue Inn Downtown San Luis Obispo (rates starting at just $79), as well as the Seaside Inn Morro Bay.

Sure, Kansas City it’s a sports mecca, home not only to the Royals but also the Chiefs and the Sporting Kansas City soccer team, but its down-home eats and unexpected art scene, all at Midwest prices, have our attention.

For eats, the barbecue here is not only some of the best, but won’t also set you back much more than a ten-spot for lunch. Not to mention, the city has a burgeoning restaurant scene with up-and-comers like Novel. For a dose of culture, the fountain-dotted streets, Country Club Plaza, the world-class Nelson-Atkins Museum of Modern Art (free), and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum ($10) by day – plus some jazz music in the vibrant Power & Lights district by night – should do the trick.

Removed from the bustle of New York City, the historic Hudson Valley and Catskills regions are home to charming small towns, excellent dining and boutique hotels, a microbrewery scene, and several prominent art institutions like the Storm King Art Center and Dia: Beacon.

The Roundhouse Hotel in Beacon is a historic property that overlooks a waterfall. The rooms are modern, but tranquil and can be found for about $220 per night. Plus, the on-site restaurant is fantastic.

New England has no shortage of postcard-perfect destinations, but these days we're particularly excited about artsy Providence. The 52-room boutique Dean Hotel – once a former brothel – celebrates modern design along with its seedier roots. The stylish property, incredibly affordable starting at $109 per night, fits perfectly into the town’s high culture. After all, Providence is the home of the famed Rhode Island School of Design presence, whose own museum ($15) is a 91,000-object heaven for art lovers, and The Arcade, a newly refreshed 1828 shopping mall with a unique “designer collective” called Nude (think: custom-tailored jeans for well under $100) and various local eats. (Note: The museum is currently closed and will reopen soon.)

Other top attractions include WaterFire, a stunning river parade of floating bonfires (free); the Providence Children’s Film Festival, offering puppet workshops that the young-at-heart adults love; and the Culinary Arts Museum at Johnson & Wales Museum, with 25,000 square feet of food-related exhibits ($7). The best part? Given that the train station lies in the heart of downtown, where all this is within walking distance, Providence is as convenient as it is affordable.

Whether you’re a visitor or a local, Northern California offers plenty to see, do, and discover for people of all ages. We recommend exploring the region by car and starting your trip in Redding, which serves as a perfect launch point for your adventure. Here, you’ll find national parks, forests, miles of hiking trails, a half-dozen beautiful lakes, tree-covered mountains, and wineries and breweries.

Must-visit stops include the Turtle Bay Exploration Park (which includes botanical gardens, a museum, and an arboretum) – making it great for kids of all ages – and the 30,000-acre Shasta Lake. For spectacular waterfalls and bucket-list-worthy views, head to Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, which is ideal for kayaking, fishing, and birdwatching). Other highlights include the 129-foot-tall Burney Falls, Shasta State Historic Park, and Lassen Volcanic National Park. The park has volcano peaks, colorful geothermal areas, meadows of flowers, crystal-clear lakes, and the Painted Dunes: a picture-perfect landscape of red and orange hues covering the rolling hills. (Tip: Visit in the winter for free snowshoeing.) At the end of your busy day, retreat to your hotel room, which you can score for under $100 a night.

Hokkaido is the second largest, northernmost and least developed of Japan's four main islands. The country has incredible cuisine, but is mostly known for its outdoor activities: Snowy winters are great for skiing and summers are pleasant, unlike most of the country.

Hokkaido is best known for amazing skiing and incredible nature (hot springs, volcanoes, caldera lakes, geothermal springs, and mountains). Its capital of Sapporo is famous for its beer and ramen. Floral enthusiasts should plan a spring or summer visit to experience a variety of “super blooms."

Atlanta, we love you, but please step aside. A different Georgia is stealing the spotlight – that is, the Eurasian country sandwiched between Russia, Turkey, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. After years of political turmoil, Georgia has found its footing and is greeting visitors with its stunning natural landscape amidst the Caucasus Mountains and Black Sea, inexpensive food and wine, and friendly locals. The picturesque capital of Tbilisi has a cobblestone city center, a super cheap-to-use metro system, and vibrant nightlife.

Consider a stay at the top-rated Stamba Hotel, a former printing factory that was recently converted into a four-star property and has been recognized as one of Time's 100 Greatest Places. For super inexpensive eats, try the signature fluffy khachapuri breads filled with cheese, which will run you just about 40 cents per loaf. Sample fresh produce from local markets and wash it down with an excellent local wine that will only cost you about $5 USD for a bottle. In addition, the country recently made headlines for legalizing marijuana, making it the first former Soviet Republic to do so.

We're thankful that one of Mexico's best kept secrets still feels like one (despite garnering a myriad of recent accolades, including being named an American Capital of Culture). Although it's tucked away in the country’s central highlands, San Miguel de Allende has made it onto the international tourist radar, while also remaining refreshingly untouched, authentic, and affordable.

Accommodation and dining options offer both incredible value and local flavor, and there’s plenty of great things to do entirely for free. Although traveling to the city and its UNESCO-designated historic center is a bit of a trek (the nearest airport, Querétaro Intercontinental, is about a 1.5-hour drive away), it's becoming easier to reach, with new direct flights to León’s Del Bajío International Airport.

Europe has a new rising star — and it’s super affordable. For a fraction of the cost of surrounding countries like Austria, you can see everything from alpine lakes and thermal springs to thick forests and mountains topped with fairytale castles. We like to think of it as a next-generation Croatia — one where the euro is accepted and there aren’t too many tourists. (Get going before everyone catches on, though.)

Capital Ljubljana, at the center, is a great jumping off point with city-center hotels hovering around $60 per night, and world-class wine regions and ski resorts within an hour’s drive. To the north is one of the country’s top attractions, Bled, a serene town with a church-adorned island in the center of its lake and hotels from $55 per night. The country also gets marks for convenience: No visa is necessary, and if you’re in nearby Italy or Austria, it’s an easy trip to add on – and a hard one to forget.

Grenada may be the Caribbean’s best kept secret. Situated 100 miles north of South America, the Spice Isle is almost always bypassed by hurricanes. From crowd-free beaches, to lush rainforests, to prime snorkeling and diving, to a welcoming local culture, Grenada has all the components of a perfect island escape. Best of all, a budget-conscious trip is doable.

JetBlue offers direct service from New York City's JFK – including select prime season dates. Spacious suites with ocean views at Mount Cinnamon Resort & Beach Club go from $415 per night. And with more openings, the island will surely become even more competitive in the coming months.

Colombia's second largest city, Medellín, is no longer too dangerous to visit. The drug cartel violence of the '80s and '90s, as depicted in the Netflix series Narcos is a thing of the past. Today, Medellín is one of South America's fastest growing economies, and with it, tourism is on the rise – and it's incredibly affordable.

In the hip El Poblado neighborhood, stay at luxe hotels like The Charlee Lifestyle, where suites cost as little as $181 per night. Nearby, a five-course, wine-paired meal at Carmen costs about $60 per person. Elsewhere in the city, take a $3 MetroCable ride up to rustic Arví Park. Or, get a real sense of how far Medellin's recovery has come with a $20 graffiti tour of Comuna 13, once one of the city's most dangerous barrios.

This Caribbean outpost isn’t as well known as other islands, which keeps it affordable. Saba, the Netherlands’ smallest municipality at five square miles, lies just off St. Maarten and can be accessed via a speedy 12-minute plane ride or an even more budget-friendly ferry. You won’t find beaches in Saba, as the island is mostly made up of volcanic rock and rainforest. You also won’t come across chain restaurants or mega resorts. Small budget-friendly hotels (each with fewer than 15 rooms), quirky bars (where a glass of wine runs about $3), and charming, budget-friendly restaurants cluster around the island’s winding road.

This island, dubbed the “Unspoiled Queen of the Caribbean,” is safe enough that most locals and tourists simply stick out a thumb when they need a ride anywhere. Hotels like the Queen’s Gardens Resort & Spa offer all-suite rooms, some with private whirlpool baths, overlooking the Caribbean Sea, all for about $225 per night. Saba is renowned for diving; it’s what draws most tourists to the island. But the hiking is outstanding, too. There are more than 20 trails to suit every level of experience and energy. The ambitious often climb to the summit of Mt. Scenery, the highest point in the Dutch Kingdom at 2,877 feet. If you’ve had enough of lazing by the pool, take the ferry back to St. Maarten, like the locals do, and spend an afternoon on the public beaches or an evening at the casinos.

If there ever was a time to gather your closest friends or family and visit an up-and-coming corner of Mexico, this is it. The destination is Isla Holbox, and the vibe is strictly local — for the moment, anyway. This tiny island off the coast from Cancun saw an influx of new visitors after a bridge to the mainland was built a few years back, and it’s now very much on the beaten path.

But there’s still plenty to enjoy – and plenty of value – in this enclave. When booking your room, go with the small-town vibe. Seek out rental homes and small hotels. We found entire homes for $100 per night through the spring, and the value gets better when you bring more people along. It’s not uncommon to find pool villas for $300 per night that sleep six. The ferry over to the island costs about $4.

Considering its cost of living is roughly 30 percent lower than all of Western Europe, it's no surprise that Portugal is a very budget-friendly destination. But why Algarve in particular? We love its off-beat feel –  while Portuguese locals flock here in June and July, it’s virtually unknown to most American travelers – and lodging along this beautiful beach is extremely affordable.

Hotel and apartment rentals go for less than $100 per night in peak season or even under $50 in low season. Come and you’ll be rewarded with blue-green vistas and craggy rocks that form stunning cave-like structures. Beyond the breathtaking sea views, cafes serving fresh seafood line the streets, castles fill the historic town, and plenty of hiking can be had in-land. It helps, too, that the town, just a short train ride from Lisbon, is small enough that you don’t need a car to get around.

If a South Pacific getaway has been lingering on your bucket list for some time, this might be the year to finally cross it off. Thanks to some interesting new offerings on the Fijian islands, travel to the South Pacific is getting more practical and affordable. With direct flights on Fiji Airways from major cities in the US, travelers can avoid outrageous fares and complex layovers – and once you arrive, the affordable offerings continue.

If you’re okay with sparse accommodations, there are $25 dorm beds available on the Mamanuca Islands, which are popular with backpackers. For those looking for more comfort, the upscale Outrigger chain, known for its Hawaii properties, has an outpost in Fiji with rooms for about $130 per night. Those prices feel a lot less intimidating than those you’d see on Tahiti or in the Cook Islands, making Fiji our pick for the quickest (about 11 hours from the West Coast), more accessible way to paradise.

All of Ireland has been an affordable jaunt from the US for years, thanks to flights on budget-savvy Aer Lingus and gloriously affordable stays in everything from towering castles to quaint bed and breakfasts. But the North has truly come into its own recently, and is worth a trip – especially if you've already seen other parts of Ireland. Start in the capital, which is widely known as the home of the colossal (and colossally pointy) Titanic Belfast exhibit, which commemorates the famous ship, which was built in town.

Beyond that, Belfast teems with free activities – think Botanic Gardens, the Parliament Buildings at Stormont, City Hall, and St. George’s Market. From here, continue the journey to experience the country's incredible landscape. The Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is an ancient geological formation of regularly shaped basalt columns. Lace up your walking shoes for the coastal Gobbins path, a "white knuckle" cliffside walk along the Causeway Coastal Route. Northern Ireland is enjoying a culinary renaissance thanks to restaurants like OX, which offers seasonally inspired fine dining, and Meat Locker, chef Michael Deane's unpretentious brasserie.

Cape Town's charms are well known, but for a less expensive, equally dramatic South Africa trip, the Eastern Cape and the buzz-y coastal city of Durban are the hottest spots for intrepid travelers.

With miles of craggy and sandy coastline, game reserves, vibrant townships, and towering mountains, there is enough here to keep any traveler busy for weeks. In Durban, The Oyster Box Hotel is known as both a perfect luxury retreat and a national landmark.