Solvang, Sugarcreek, Charlotte Amalie, Door County, and Leavenworth: Five US Towns That Deliver a European Experience and Inspire Tourism Growth

Published on July 19, 2025

The first time Maria Jensen roamed Solvang as a child, she recalls thinking that somehow, she’d ended up in a Danish village, not the heart of California. Today, she takes her own children there not only to sample the buttery pastries or to see the windmills, but to feel an identity steeped in immigrant narratives. Across America there are small towns like Solvang, Sugarcreek, Charlotte Amalie, Door County and Leavenworth that deliver experiences that feel so thoroughly European that you hardly realize you are no longer traveling across an ocean — sans passport. But these places offer more than mere physical beauty; they are cornerstones of local tourism economies, sources of local pride and powerful reflections of how Americans engage with their own history.

Solvang, California: A Bit of Denmark, With a Distinctive West Coast Twist

Solvang, established in 1911 by Danish immigrants, combines Scandinavian design sensibility with California sunlight. Its streets are flanked by windmills, old world architecture and Danish bakeries that attract about 1.5 million visitors each year. Solvang is more than just a dedication to the visages; it is also the heart pulsing behind the walls. Between Danish Days festivals and folk dancing and museums, Solvang is a living heritage community.

The local economy is mainly based on tourism. Government data published by California’s tourism office show tens of millions of dollars each year from the lodging, dining and entertainment sectors. Family restaurants and shops welcome visitors and tourists year round. Still, none of this success comes without their penalties. Longtime residents express worries about increasing rents, crowded weekends, and the balance between tourism and affordability. Second is now the challenge for city planners of preserving the magic in Solvang, without pricing out the very people who keep it going.

Sugarcreek, Ohio: Where Switzerland Meets the Midwest

It’s a predominantly Amish community, and visitors will immediately notice horse-drawn buggies and wells with hand pumps as they head north into the heart of downtown Sugarcreek. With alpine architecture, an annual Swiss Festival, and even a giant working cuckoo clock, the town of Sugarcreek replicates the feel of a European mountain town—sans the altitude. Built by Swiss and German immigrants, the town has kept its culture alive through festivals, food and distinctive charm.

According to the Ohio Department of Tourism, Sugarcreek and vicinity draws more than 300,000 visitors each year — bringing in tens of millions of dollars in economic activity. The business helps support local artists and hotels, and Amish businesses as well, in an area that might otherwise struggle due to its relative rurality. But residents were realistic about the differences. Some fret, above all, about preserving the peace and the unhurried pace of life amid the modern influx of crowds. Yet many residents view tourism as a lifeline — for preserving the culture they live within and for bringing others to understand it.

Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands Danish Past in the Caribbean

Charlotte Amalie, the capital of the U.S. Virgin Islands, embodies the region’s colonial past as the Danish West Indies. The city with its historic Danish architectural style, is laced with narrow alleys and step-streets, dating back to 17th century city planning. While palm trees and turquoise seas seem to be the overall backdrop, it is obvious that Denmark has made itself at home.

The city depends heavily on tourism. Some 1.2 million cruise ship passengers visit Charlotte Amalie annually, according to statistics from the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Tourism. These visitors dovetail hundreds of millions of dollars in spending on tours, dining and local crafts. Vendors and shopkeepers count on this seasonal boom for their livelihoods. But there’s an increased focus on educating tourists and residents alike to the history of the area. And there are residents who worry that heritage will become a souvenir. Efforts are being made to create historical and cultural programming that reaches beyond commerce and emphasizes the work of preservation and storytelling.

Door County,Wis: A Nordic Seashore in the Midwest

Door County, a peninsula that juts up into Lake Michigan, is sometimes called “The Cape Cod of the Midwest.” What not everyone knows, however, is just how much Scandinavian and Dutch history is visible in its heritage inns, lighthouses and cherry orchards. Featuring a rugged coastline and sleepy waterfront towns, Door County is reminiscent of a Nordic fjord region.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, tourism in Door County generates over $2 billion a year into the state’s economy. Norte: Hotel taxes, real estate values and local business income — all of these spike dramatically during peak travel months. And art galleries, local farms, and waterfront activities rely heavily on the visitors attracted by Door County’s European feel. But the area’s popularity has also made housing less affordable for full-time residents. Teachers and seasonal workers often struggle to find affordable housing. Now some communities are eyeing year-round festivals and incentives for remote workers as ways to develop a more sustainable economic model.

Leavenworth, Wash.: Bavaria Reimagined in the Cascades

Slipped into the Cascade Mountains, Leavenworth is a dramatic re-creation of a Bavarian alpine village. Its conversion started in the 1960s, when local leaders chose to retrofit the foundering logging community into a destination in the image of southern Germany. The town has since produced timber-framed buildings, glockenspiel towers, themed food, and an annual Christmas Lighting Festival and Oktoberfest.

Leavenworth is quite possibly the most successful tourism makeover in Washington State. The town attracts over two million visitors annually, the state tourism board has said, and generates $500 million in economic activity while providing thousands of local jobs. A lot of that money comes from festivals alone. But the town also struggles with traffic-clogged roads, a shortage of parking and the question of how to remain authentic even as it is increasingly commercialized. The residents, however, take an inherent pride in their unique nature and strive to make visitors feel welcome without sacrificing the character of the community.

The Bigger Picture: How Tourism can mean so much More

It’s not aesthetic cohesion that binds these five towns. Each is a model of conscious tourism — places where cultural identity, financial wellness and community well-being converge. Travel and tourism contribute more than $1 trillion to the American economy on an annual basis, according to national data gathered by states and localities, with small towns and unique destinations capturing an increasing share as travelers seek out more meaningful experiences.

In several places, local governments have started using lodging taxes and geolocation to control the visitor flow and encourage off-season travel while generating funds for infrastructure improvements. Seasonal festivals are now educational opportunities, and you see bilingual signs in more and more communities, as well as cultural centers and heritage trails that can be enjoyed by anyone.

Solvang, Sugarcreek, Charlotte Amalie, Door County and Leavenworth prove that tourism can be both profitable and principled — when it focuses on the people who live in these places.

Human Voices and Shared Values

In a Solvang bakery, Maria douses a plate of warm æbleskiver in powdered sugar as she reminisces about how the town has changed since her grand-parents came here. Nearby, in Sugarcreek, an Amish craftsman quietly tells tales to gawkers of the patience his people put into their craft. Kendra on a breezy street in Charlotte Amalie, where she makes handmade jewelry while her son learns about Danish colonial history at school. And in Door County, Sara paints the waves of Lake Michigan as the scent of fresh cherries drifts into her open window. Markus sits to raise beers with a couple who have come from Munich to visit Leavenworth and laugh at how real the place seems.

These stories matter. They are a reminder that the places we pass through are places where people also live. Towns across the U.S. imitate European charm, yes, but these stops forge their own legacy by integrating the best of old-world aesthetics with hardy American fortitude and friendliness. The Europeans come for the taste but leave with an open-windowed, bare-bulbed love of the culture and community just around the bodega.