When spring break comes it’s the chance to leave behind homework and relax while forgetting about school.  

If you want to switch up your spring break routine, rural areas around the U.S. have a lot to offer. The slow pace of small towns will make you forget what day of the week it is. Some areas that you stay in may not have internet connection, so this is the chance to leave your laptop behind and appreciate the nature and scenic routes.

Some of the top spring break destinations for American college students include Puerto Rico, Mexico or Miami, according to an ABC News report on top 10 party destination for spring breakers.  While most students go back home, some students have the opportunity to get away to the Bahamas for a week. While those are memory making fun-in-the-sun trips, not many people talk about vacationing in the rural areas for break.  Here are two states worth visiting:

Bland, Virginia

Virginia has gorgeous scenery and contains 57 miles of the Appalachian Mountains if you enjoy hiking. Bland is a small town in Virginia with a population of 6,500.  Right on the border of West Virginia, visitors and locals can access the different lakes for water rafting activities or fishing and other outdoor activities. The neighboring town, Wytheville, is about a 20 minute drive and has a small downtown city feel and offers visitors a chance to explore a more populated city.

Sightseeing & Activities

• Big Walker Lookout
  (pictured above)
  This tourist attraction is a 100 foot observation tower where people can see the state lines of West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Kentucky and enjoy the beautiful scenery of farmlands and the mountains. Next to the lookout is  the Country Store which has quirky souvenirs to take back home and where you can also enjoy homemade ice cream .
  

• Wolf Creek Indian Village Museum
  
  The museum was dedicated the Native Americans who inhabited the area before the construction of Interstate 77 and tells the story of the home and life as the first inhabitants in the mountains. It is located in Bastian, Virginia but it’s not a far drive if you stay in Wytheville or Bland.

Montpelier, Vermont

Do not confuse Montpellier, France with Montpelier, Vermont which is the capital of the state and the least populated capital city in the United States. Despite being known as America’s smallest state capital, it’s full of history and things to see. It can be considered a small artsy town. The top things to do include visiting museums and checking out the maple farms.

Sightseeing & Activities

• Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks
  Making maple syrup is Vermont’s staple good. Tourists can visit the Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks and learn about the process of making pure maple syrup in addition to trying maple flavored foods such as soft served ice cream, different syrup,  and other delectables. Also, there’s a gift shop with neat items.

• Capitol Grounds
  If you still miss that city feeling, head to Capitol Ground a local coffee shop that has a cozy atmosphere where local business people and young people go to have cup of coffee with pastries or sandwiches at an affordable price.

• Camel’s Hump
  This tourist attraction is number four on the list of things to do in Montpelier. If you like hiking, when you reach the Camel’s Hump you can see all of central Vermont. It’s the third highest mountain in Vermont. During the summer there are many day-hikers and hikers traveling through. There are three different trails to reach the top of mountain to see the view check out them here.

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Asia Hester is a student at the University of Maryland College Park majoring in Multiplatform Journalism and minoring in French Studies. She loves all things international and values the importance cultural knowledge. After her first international trip to Paris, France, she caught the wanderlust bug. Paris only gave her a little taste of traveling abroad. She hasn’t had the opportunity study abroad, but after graduating she hopes to join the Teaching Assistant Program in France (TAPIF). By joining the Voy internship program, she hopes to learn all the tips and tricks of traveling. Currently, she’s a copy editor for M Magazine, a local fashion and culture magazine focused on the Washington D.C., Maryland, Virginia area. Asia loves creating videos in her spare time and watching YouTube videos about fashion and travel vlogs. Before the end of 2017, her next trip will be to Montreal and Quebec City, Canada.
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