Gen Z travellers are embracing ‘lore tripping’, choosing lesser-known US towns for their legends, unusual histories and local culture, according to new Airbnb research.

Forget the usual city break. Gen Z travellers in the US are increasingly seeking out small towns with strange stories, folk legends and unusual local identities, giving rise to a travel trend Airbnb calls "lore tripping".

According to a survey commissioned by Airbnb, 90% of Gen Z respondents say small towns and under-the-radar destinations appeal to them for autumn travel in 2026. Affordability, authentic local culture and unusual attractions were among the main reasons for choosing them.

The Airbnb survey was conducted online by Focaldata in July 2026 among 2,000 US adults. The Gen Z findings were based on 183 respondents from that generation. Airbnb's own search data also indicates growing interest in smaller destinations. Nearly half of the trending destinations searched by Gen Z travellers for autumn 2026 are small towns.

Some have recorded particularly strong growth. Searches among Gen Z travellers for Twentynine Palms in California are up more than 50% compared with the equivalent period last year. Hot Springs in Arkansas is up 30%, while Helen in Georgia is up 15%.

Lore tripping puts the stories attached to these places at the heart of the journey. In Point Pleasant, West Virginia, for example, visitors can explore the legend of Mothman, a mysterious winged creature reportedly sighted in the area in 1966. The story has since inspired a museum, statue and annual festival.

Gibsonton in Florida has a different history. Known locally as "Gibtown", it was once an off-season base for travelling circus and carnival performers. Its connection with sideshow culture continues to form part of the town's identity.

In Bemidji, Minnesota, local folklore is represented by giant statues of Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox on the shore of Lake Bemidji. Hot Springs, meanwhile, combines its Victorian-era bathhouses with live music, historic architecture and access to nearby lakes.

Other lore tripping destinations identified by Airbnb include Williams in Arizona, which was the last town on Route 66 to be bypassed by the interstate. Its historic connections remain visible through neon signs, old diners and a railway that carries passengers to the Grand Canyon.

Helen in Georgia has developed an identity based on a different kind of storytelling. The former logging town was remodelled with Alpine-style architecture and today hosts autumn events featuring beer halls and oompah bands.

Leavenworth in Washington has followed a similar path. The former railroad and logging town reinvented itself as a Bavarian-style village in the Cascade Mountains, complete with alphorn performances and cuckoo clocks.

Elsewhere, Twentynine Palms offers desert murals and access to the rock formations of Joshua Tree National Park, while Wildwood in New Jersey retains retro architecture and neon signage associated with the mid-century "Doo Wop" era. Rapid City in South Dakota has life-size bronze statues of US presidents along its downtown streets.

Airbnb is also featuring Hot Springs, Bemidji and Gibsonton in its new "have u considered" campaign, which suggests alternative destinations to Gen Z travellers.

Lore tripping forms part of a wider shift towards shorter autumn breaks identified by the accommodation platform. Airbnb says 60% of respondents to its July survey plan to take a weekend getaway this autumn. Its booking data also shows that more weekend trips were taken during autumn than any other season in 2025.

Searches for seasonal terms such as "fall getaway", "fall foliage", "leaf peeping", "apple picking" and "fall roadtrip" have also increased compared with last year.

Another emerging behaviour identified by Airbnb is "groundhopping", where travellers visit stadiums, arenas and music venues as destinations in their own right. Nearly 70% of the 2,000 US adults surveyed say the idea appeals to them.

Together, the trends suggest travellers are increasingly building short trips around a specific story, cultural curiosity or event rather than simply choosing a major destination.