• I love popular cities, but there are gems on the East Coast I like to visit to avoid big crowds.
• Ocracoke is more secluded but as beachy as more popular towns in Outer Banks, North Carolina.
• Instead of Miami, try exploring more laid-back beach towns in South Walton, Florida.

As a DC-area native who's been traveling up and down the coast all my life, I've experienced all the big hitters.

I've spent hours in line waiting to grab a beer in Asheville and get ice cream in Nags Head. I've pushed my way through Times Square and crowded Miami bars.

I still appreciate the allure of these ultra-popular cities and towns, but I'm over the chaos and crowds that come with them.

Luckily, I've found plenty of lesser-known-yet-equally-worthwhile spots dotting the East Coast that I think offer similar vibes as big-name places but with far fewer tourists.

Ditch the DC crowds for a Virginia town brimming with historic charm.

Washington, DC, is one of my favorite cities on the planet. However, with its many historic sites, museums, and events, it can be packed with visitors no matter what time of year you visit.

For a more peaceful destination with less traffic that also has a rich heritage and spectacular food, head an hour away to Middleburg in Virginia's wine country.

You'll find quiet, tree-lined streets lined with charming shops, galleries, and classy restaurants. At the circa-1728 Red Fox Inn & Tavern, you can eat and sleep where former presidents like John F. Kennedy once were.

I love strolling past historic buildings and visiting spots steeped in American Civil War history, like Mt. Defiance Historic Park.

When it's time for a bite, I suggest visiting King Street Oyster Bar for fresh seafood and The Bistro at Goodstone Inn for farm-to-table dining.

Swap Asheville's breweries and outdoor adventures for the ones you'll find a few hours north.

Asheville has gained well-deserved recognition over the last decade for its breweries, artsy vibes, and stunning scenery. It's absolutely worth visiting.

However, if you want the same Blue Ridge charm with more breathing room, I'd recommend heading to Roanoke, Virginia.

This gem has a thriving arts district, an emerging craft-beer scene, and its own showstopping mountain landscapes. You can peruse the exhibits at the Taubman Museum of Art, shop for funky antiques in Grandin Village, and grab brews at Big Lick Brewing.

Whether you're driving the Blue Ridge Parkway or hiking McAfee Knob, you'll find panoramic views similar to the ones people love in Asheville.

Instead of Nags Head, plan your Outer Banks getaway on a lesser-known island.

I've spent vacations on the Outer Banks for as long as I can remember, and I never grow tired of the pristine coastline and laid-back villages

Although I love the region's popular and family-friendly Nags Head, it can get especially crowded in the summer. If you're looking for a nearby spot that's more secluded, Ocracoke is not to be missed.

Ocracoke is primarily accessible by ferry, so it pairs the same coastal beauty with an off-the-grid vibe. Its beaches feel unspoiled and its seafood joints are rarely overcrowded.

It's great for beach bums, history buffs, and nature lovers alike.

I've biked coastal wooded paths, seen remnants of wrecked pirate ships, and learned about Blackbeard's ties to the island at the Ocracoke Preservation Society Museum. I've also eaten my weight in raw oysters at Ocracoke Oyster Co., but that's another story.

Trade the beaches of Miami for a range of options in South Walton, Florida.

I've spent plenty of time in glitzy Miami. If you love its white-sand beaches and vibrant nightlife, but can't stand the gridlocked traffic, consider trying a trip to South Walton.

Tucked along the legendary Highway 30A, South Walton is home to several beach communities that each bring their own flair to the table.

In Seaside, you'll find pastel-colored cottages (made famous by "The Truman Show"), along with outdoor concerts, epic sunsets, and beachfront movie nights.

Alys Beach has white-washed Mediterranean buildings and trendy bars. Grayton Beach pairs its "Old Florida" aesthetic with upscale shops and art galleries.

It may not be Miami — nothing can be — but South Walton has many of the elements that attract tourists there with a more relaxed pace.

Skip Manhattan madness for art and farm-to-table dining in Hudson.

New York City is world-famous for its art, culture, and food (it has more Michelin-starred restaurants than any other US city).

However, if you're ready to escape the crowds and traffic that come with all that, try Hudson. It has NYC coolness but with more fresh air and fewer people.

You get stellar farm-to-table restaurants (like feast & floret and Lil' Deb's Oasis), Brooklyn-esque art galleries, and high-end boutiques with one-of-a-kind designs. If you want to see a live performance, choose between options at the Hudson Opera House and Basilica Hudson.

If you love lounging in Central Park, spend some time at Promenade Hill Park or Greenport Conservation Area for views of the Catskill Mountains and Hudson River.

• My family moved from Philadelphia to Puerto Rico in 2017 because of my husband's job.
• We downsized our belongings and only took six suitcases with us.
• The weather in Puerto Rico is great, and everyone is so friendly.

I've always wanted to live in Puerto Rico, so when we were asked to relocate from Philadelphia to the island for my husband's job in 2017, I didn't need to be asked twice.

We already had family on the island, and I was excited to stop working my full-time nursing job and spend more time with my almost 3-year-old and 5-year-old. We downsized nearly all our belongings and arrived on the island with six suitcases, four backpacks, and two car seats.

Living near the beach was important to me, but we also needed to be within a reasonable distance of my husband's job. This meant settling over an hour away from our family. With them being set in their ways, they weren't willing to make the trip to visit us. Suddenly, I found myself alone with the kids most of the time, where I knew no one, wasn't yet fluent in the language, and didn't have a car — all while my Spanish-speaking husband was at work.

Still, it was the best decision ever.

Everyone is warm and friendly

To say we didn't face challenges at first would be untrue. However, we quickly discovered that Puerto Rico's culture is deeply family-oriented, with a warm and loving community that embraces children. You are always greeted with "Buenos dias" and a smile wherever you go. Kids are celebrated and not viewed as a disturbance at restaurants and events. Coming from Philadelphia, where people can be cold and don't make eye contact, it took a little getting used to people saying hello or telling us "Buen provecho" (enjoy your food) while dining out.

Eight months after moving to the island, I found out I was pregnant again. Instead of celebrating, my mind was racing, trying to figure out how I would receive care, where I would give birth, and how I would add another baby to our adventure that had only just begun. My worries faded once I brought him home and witnessed the kindness of neighbors and strangers offering to help. Every time we went out, he became the center of attention, and people went out of their way to ensure we felt comfortable and safe.

I love how men and even teenage boys are never hesitant around babies and children and are always quick to smile and say, "Qué lindo" (how cute). I also never felt uncomfortable breastfeeding my baby in public, which made my breastfeeding journey easy and enjoyable.

People have helped us when needed

I have traveled to many places, and Puerto Rico has the friendliest people I've ever met. We've been through several hurricanes and I'm always in awe of how everyone bands together to help each other, especially to ensure the kids are fed and safe. I have seen more random acts of kindness on the island than anywhere else. People are always willing to help, whether it's to assist in crossing the street with your child, carrying your grocery bags, or changing your flat tire.

The weather in Puerto Rico is gorgeous year-round, like an endless summer. There is natural beauty everywhere you turn, from beaches to mountains and rivers. We spend most of our time outside, which allows us to stay healthy. Exposure to clean air and sunshine helps us not get sick often. Having access to nature helps us save money as well. Puerto Rico can be expensive, but most days, all we need is gas money and a little extra cash to order food if we haven't packed a lunch.

We've been fortunate to build a great community and have friends we can count on to meet up to play or get dinner. We get to experience activities in many parts of the island. My kids get to experience their culture and are constantly immersed in Spanish. My children's teachers are some of the most loving people I have ever met, which helps them feel safe and secure.

Although my children don't have many of the modern conveniences that kids do on the mainland, I feel like they have a fuller life. We've learned to slow down and appreciate the simple things in life, such as working electricity, spending quality time, and watching the sunset at the beach.

Living in Puerto Rico has made me realize how much more enjoyable and easier it is to raise children on the island.

• Business Insider spoke with coffee experts to find out how to improve your joe at home.  
• Buying fresh, whole beans makes a big difference in the overall quality of your final brew.
• They also said water quality is important for making good coffee.

Ordering coffee from your favorite café can be a treat, but it's not the most budget-friendly option.

Making a cup at home is often the cheaper alternative, so Business Insider spoke with coffee experts about their best tricks for at-home brewing. 

Start by cleaning your coffee maker regularly

Josh Zad, founder and creative director of popular café chain Alfred, told BI that one way to improve your cup of coffee is to clean your coffee maker regularly

"Make sure to get into the nooks and crannies of each part, especially where the coffee drains through the filter," he said. "The taste and aroma of old coffee really muddles the flavor of freshly brewed coffee."

The best way to clean those hard-to-reach stains is by tossing in a dash of baking soda, a splash of vinegar, and some water. Then, let it sit overnight.

Zad said it should scrub right off the following day.

Consider trying out a new brewing method, like a French press or moka pot

If you're ready to venture further into the world of craft coffee, there are so many fun ways to brew at home, Selina Viguera, café leader of Blue Bottle Coffee's Abbot Kinney location, told BI.

Moka pot, French press, AeroPress, Chemex, and a variety of pour-overs are just the beginning.

If you don't know where to start, Viguera said there are plenty of online resources, and most coffee-roasting companies have tutorials on their sites.

For a fun and unique coffee experience, invest in a pour-over carafe

If you're looking for a specific brewing recommendation, multiple experts agreed that pour-over — which involves slowly pouring hot water over coffee grounds — is their favorite. 

With proper technique, Viguera said it can produce a really delicious cup of coffee.

Once you understand some of the variables for brewing coffee (grind size, water temperature, agitation), you can create different cups from the same bag of coffee, she added. 

Switch to buying whole coffee beans instead of pre-ground

"To make better coffee, buy better coffee," Viguera told BI. 

Alex Azoury, the founder and CEO of Home Grounds, said whole-bean coffee is usually fresher and has a more vibrant flavor than pre-ground varieties.

Brew fresh coffee within its first 2 weeks after roasting

"Coffee is a natural product (it's the seed of a fruit), and while it will never spoil, it will lose a lot of flavor if it sits around too long," Zad told BI. 

Viguera said coffee flavor peaks within the first two weeks after roasting, so it's important to make sure the coffee you're buying was recently roasted.

Proper storage is also important to maintain your coffee's freshness. Zad suggested keeping it away from heat, light, moisture, and the freezer. 

Invest in a good coffee grinder that suits your bean preferences

Once you've purchased quality beans, it's also important to invest in a good grinder.

"It's a good idea to get a grinder that will grind coffee in the amount and coarseness you want," Azoury told BI. "A good grinder will give you both grind and amount options to suit your taste."

Make sure to adjust your grinder to the right size

Viguera told BI that grinding coffee too finely causes over-extraction — too coarse, and it can be under-extracted. Over-extracted coffee can taste dry and bitter, and under-extracted coffee can taste watery or sour.

To avoid this, she said it's important to "dial in" your coffee. Baristas use this term to describe the act of adjusting your grind setting to find the right coarseness/fineness to brew a balanced cup.

Coffee has a sweet spot — a perfect grind setting — that produces a balance of bitterness, acidity, and sweetness. That sweet spot can vary with the origin of the coffee, roast level, and age.

Only grind the beans you're planning to brew right away

You should only grind the amount of coffee you're going to make.

"If you've pre-ground all your coffee but aren't going to brew it all right away, then you've drastically sped up how quickly the rest of the coffee will lose its delicious complexity," Zad told BI. 

A cup of coffee can taste different depending on the quality of your water

Another important factor to consider when making coffee at home is your water, which Viguera said makes up about 98% of your brewed cup of coffee.

"As the main solvent for extracting the flavor and aroma from your ground coffee, your water needs a certain level of hardness/minerality and alkalinity for a quality extraction," she told BI. "Depending on where you live, your tap water may be too hard/soft to bring out the best in your cup."

Light and dark roasts require different brewing temperatures

Water temperature is another key variable when brewing coffee.

"You want to use water heated to 198 degrees Fahrenheit to 202 degrees Fahrenheit to make a properly extracted cup of coffee," Viguera said.

The expert said lighter roasts can generally withstand more heat (closer to 202 degrees), and darker roasts should be brewed lower (closer to 198 degrees).

Try preheating your mug before pouring the coffee

If you're pouring hot coffee into a cold mug, it's just making the coffee colder the second it hits the ceramic.

Zad said a preheated mug can increase the length of time you can enjoy hot coffee in the morning.

Switch things up by making cold brew at home

Another way to mix up your coffee routine is by making your own cold brew at home.

To do so, Zad said to simply grind your beans coarsely and add water. Next, pop it in the fridge overnight to extract all the rich sweetness from the coffee.

Add spices to make your own flavored coffee

Zad told BI that many flavored coffees are full of artificial ingredients that don't complement the natural flavor of the beans.

Instead, he suggested adding the actual ingredients behind the flavors you like to your coffee.

"Try adding spices to your coffee grounds when you make your cold brew," he said. "Throw in cinnamon sticks, crushed roasted hazelnuts, cardamom pods, anise, cacao shells, or even savory elements like caraway to steep overnight in your cold brew, and you'll have natural spicy goodness in the morning."

Use a scale to achieve the right coffee-to-water ratio

Knowing your brew ratio — coffee to water — and using a scale can help you brew consistently good cups.

"For reference, the industry standard is 1:18 (one part coffee to 18 parts water), which typically produces a cup that is light in body but a greater clarity of flavor," Viguera told BI. "If you prefer a bolder, fuller-bodied cup, try a 1:14 ratio."

This story was previously published in September 2022 and most recently updated on February 25, 2025.

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