Preferring Urban Legends Over Tourist Hotspots, "Lore-Tripping" Is Now Trending Among Gen Z!
Sounds a bit thrilling, but would you dare to go?
Summary
- "Lore-tripping" has become a major trend, focusing on exploring local folklore and unique culture in off-the-beaten-path towns.
- Airbnb data shows that 90% of Gen Z travelers are interested in small-town travel like this, with searches for Twentynine Palms, California spiking by 50%.
- Skipping the pressure of rushing to must-see spots and treating where you stay as the destination instead lets you truly unwind.
Open Instagram, and if you aren’t looking at a cafe in Paris, you’re looking at a beach in Miami—the popular city check-in spots are always packed. Lately, though, Gen Z in the US and Europe has started embracing a completely different way to travel, a trend Airbnb calls “lore-tripping.” Instead of heading to the major cities everyone knows, they specifically choose smaller, off-the-beaten-path towns rich in local folklore or urban legends. According to an Airbnb survey of Gen Z travelers, up to 90% are interested in these lesser-known destinations this fall. After all, being the first in your friend group to discover a mysterious town sounds much more fun than waiting in line with crowds of tourists.
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No pressure to hit the must-see spots, just pure exploration
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Airbnb put together a lore-tripping list featuring spots like Twentynine Palms on the edge of the California desert, Point Pleasant in West Virginia with its Mothman legend, or Gibsonton, Florida, a former circus town. These places might lack hotel chains and shopping avenues, but they offer a mysterious vibe you can’t replicate anywhere else.
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Sometimes we save all our paid time off and budget for big trips that take months to plan, forgetting that leaving a short weekend blank can actually be just as healing. Next time you feel exhausted from work, maybe you don’t need to force yourself to book a flight to a major city. Finding a mysterious, untraveled town for a slightly thrilling lore-tripping adventure might be a great way to give your brain a true reset.
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