off the beaten path
Away from crowds
Off the beaten path describes places or experiences away from popular, well-traveled routes.
A village off the beaten path sees few tourists.
The phrase suggests discovery and authenticity—what you find when you leave the crowds behind.
It applies beyond travel: an off-the-beaten-path approach to a problem avoids conventional thinking.
- road less traveledAtypical route chosen deliberately
- isolatedSeparated from others
- backwaterStagnant side channel
- off gridIndependent of utilities
- hiddenKept out of sight
hidden gem · hole in the wall · remote · middle of nowhere · uncharted · uncharted territory · undiscovered country · wilderness · trailblazing · countercultural · bohemian · alternative · secluded · boonies · hinterland · unconventional · boondocks · avant-garde
- travel idiomshit the road, in the same boat, miss the boat, end of the road, crossroads
- remote placesremote, distant, far, faraway, afar
- traveltrip, trips, journey, journeys, travel
- independencefreedom, liberty, Independence Day, autonomy, sovereignty
- rural areasvillage, villages, hamlet, hamlets, countryside
- travel guidestravel guides, travel brochures, tourist guides, city guides, Lonely Planet
off the beaten pathmainstream
Dominant cultural current
well-trodden · well-traveled · beaten path · popular · touristy
off the beaten pathconventional
Following accepted practices
by the book · standard · typical · following the crowd · traditional
off the beaten pathsignposted
Marked with directions
on the map · prominent · easy to find · in plain sight · front and center
beat, path, beaten, beating, beater, unbeaten, off-the-beaten-path, beatnik, beatable