As travel costs continue to climb, some Americans are rethinking their destinations, swapping out trips to major cities for smaller towns.
In Arnaudville, Louisiana, that trend is starting to show up.
« [A] small town like Arnaudville is a great place to drop in and visit, » said short-term rental host Larry Lemarié. « There’s no pressure here. There’s no traffic here. It’s very laid back people. »
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Lemarié has hosted nearly 500 stays at his small wooden cabin, known as « Cajun Acres, » which draws visitors from across the country and around the world.
« Phoenix, Arizona… Auckland, New Zealand… Marseille, France, » he said.
He said many guests are simply looking for a quiet getaway.
« We do get a lot of people who come to visit New Orleans, but they want to see what’s Louisiana life like, » Lemarié said. « So they like to get out of the city for a few days… where it’s much more relaxed and laid back. »
Arnaudville sits at the intersection of Bayou Teche and Bayou Fuselier, where visitors can explore swamp tours, local art spaces and live Cajun music.
Arnaudville was recently featured on a list by Airbnb highlighting 20 lesser-known destinations across the U.S.; places the company says travelers may not have considered before.
« 86% of travelers said they’re very interested in visiting remote or rural destinations, » said Laura Spanjian, Airbnb’s global head of public policy.
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Spanjian said that reflects growing interest in trips that are less traditional.
« More and more people… really do value traveling off the beaten path, » she said.
For some, the draw is the food.
« Yeah, it was great in New Orleans… but if you come down here, you’ll find out it’s better, » Larry Thomas said.
That growing interest also comes as travel costs continue to rise.
« I think [the interest is up] particularly now with… the rising cost of living and gas and flights, » Spanjian said.
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According to the U.S. Travel Association Travel Price Index, airfares have risen nearly 15% since March of last year, while food and beverage prices are up about 3.7% and hotel and motel prices up about 2.1%.
Source link : https://www.foxnews.com/travel/americans-choosing-visit-smaller-towns-over-big-cities-travel-costs-rise
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Publish date : 2026-04-24 09:40:00
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