Destination dupes: Where to go instead of the US

As a number of countries issue updated travel advisory information for travel to the US amid tightened restrictions, where can travellers find a similar vibe?

Citizens of Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany and the UK have all heard the same thing in the past few months: if you're planning to travel to the US, the situation has changed. All six governments have issued updated travel advice following recent policy changes, drawing attention to a tightening of entry rules and the need for transgender people to declare themselves as male or female on Esta and visa applications.

As a result, sentiment is shifting around travel to the Land of the Free. Reports of travellers being detained at the border over misunderstandings, along with a disturbing spate of air traffic control failures, have done nothing to increase confidence among travellers. So if you're drawn to the bold landscapes, cultural energy and cinematic atmosphere of the US but are reconsidering your travel plans this year– where can you go instead? From cowboy ranches to vibrant cities and deep canyons, these international alternatives echo the best of the US, with a twist. 

There's no place like the Big Apple –  or is there? Toronto has long served as a convincing on screen stand-in, doubling for New York in film and television thanks to its eclectic architecture and versatile landscapes along with favourable film-industry incentives. It's so convincing a dupe that it even passed as the city in the Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong film The Apprentice, charting Donald Trump's rise to fame in 1970s and '80s Manhattan.

Of course Toronto is a different and far smaller city to visit: you'll find the Blue Jays not the Yankees on the baseball field here, and a city-wide devotion to poutine, not pizza. However, the parallels run deep. High Park – a 400-acre park with hiking trails and cherry trees – evokes the grandeur of Central Park; while the CN Tower delivers a skyline view to rival the Empire State Building. Even its history aligns: from 1793-1834, Toronto wasn't even called Toronto, it was called York.

"Actor Peter Ustinov famously said that Toronto is New York run by the Swiss," said Lydia Devereaux, international marketing director at Destination Ontario. "We've both got world-class museums and galleries, shopping, a renowned food scene inspired by an incredibly diverse population and unique walkable neighbourhoods."

Yellowstone has a lot to answer for. The popular Paramount show – along with spin off show 1888 and Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter world tour – is behind what travel experts have called the rise in cowboy core: a growing interest in Western culture, ranch stays and horse-riding holidays. But while Montana and Wyoming are seeing new interest, you don’t have to be in the US to experience the best of cowboy culture: just ask the gauchos (cowboys) of Argentina. 

Here, gaucho culture draws on a centuries-old heritage of nomadic horsemen who care for their livestock and live life in the saddle. While this traditional lifestyle is struggling to survive in the face of agricultural advancement, travellers can stay in a wide array of estancia (Argentine gaucho ranches) where the pace is slow, the landscapes are vast and the asado (traditional barbecue) is serious business. 

"At Estancia Los Potreros, guests witness authentic horsemanship, asados and mate drinking, which are all still part of daily life," said owner Kevin Begg, who believes the Argentinian version of cowboy culture is even more authentic than the US. "We invite our guests to be part of our family and our activities are all based on what is going on at the estancia as opposed to being picked off an activity list." 

The Grand Canyon's size and scale are unmatched – measuring 278 miles long, 18 miles across at its widest and an average of one mile deep. Its also one of the US's most visited national parks, with nearly five million visitors last year.

But Europe's deepest canyon, the Tara River Gorge in Montenegro, offers a similar sense of awe, without the crowds. Located in Durmitor National Park, the canyon is carved by a ribbon of turquoise-blue water, where whitewater rafters brace for roiling waves beneath sharp-sided cliffs.

"It has a powerful sense of isolation and raw beauty that will resonate with anyone who has stood at the edge of the Grand Canyon," said Stefanie Schmudde, senior vice president of global product strategy at luxury travel specialists Abercrombie & Kent. "The scale is immense, and it offers that same visceral connection to nature in a setting that feels remote and undiscovered." 

From its famous fog to the Golden Gate Bridge, Silicon Valley and Alcatraz, San Francisco is one of the US' most distinctive cities. It has had starring roles in films including Dirty Harry and Mrs Doubtfire, while helping to shape cultural history in the US and beyond thanks to the 1967 Summer of Love protests against the Vietnam War. 

More like this:

• 'A hostile state': Why some travellers are avoiding the US

• The seven travel trends that will shape 2025

• How Trump's sweeping new policies could change travel

But on the other side of the globe, Cape Town in South Africa channels a similar mood – with its fog-draped coast, significant cultural history and a growing tech scene as well as its very own historic prison island. 

Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was once imprisoned, is now a museum and a fair dupe for Alcatraz, both being surrounded by shark-infested waters. While you won't meet sea lions on a Cape Town beach as you might in San Francisco, there is a colony of African penguins living at Boulder Beach.

"Cape Town is one of those places that truly has something for everyone," said Zinzi Bobani, general manager of travel firm Intrepid's Southern Africa office. "It's a foodie haven with a fusion of cuisines and stunning wineries, beautiful coastal hiking routes and cable car adventures on Table Mountain, and of course rich in history."

Asia's gambling hub, Macau, is a former trading port between China, India and Portugal that's known as the casino capital of the world. If you're looking for an alternative to the bright lights of glitzy desert city Las Vegas, the "Vegas of Asia", as the Chinese special administrative region is often called, could be a great fit.

Just as in Vegas, visitors to Macau can experience shows and fine dining along with resort-style luxury hotels. While Macau may not have a Bellagio, it does have the world's first Karl Lagerfeld Hotel, a five-star hotel designed by the fashion legend. At the Cotai Strip, you can find replicas of Venice's Grand Canal and a half-scale replica of the Eiffel Tower. 

Andy Eastham of travel firm Wendy Wu Tours says it has the Vegas feel and then a little extra: "For fans of Vegas, there's plenty that will feel familiar, but where Macau really stands apart is in its cultural depth. One moment you're sipping cocktails in a sky bar, the next you're wandering through cobbled lanes lined with pastel-coloured colonial buildings or watching dragon dancers outside a Taoist temple. It's the only place in China where Portuguese and Chinese cultures truly intertwine." 

-- 

If you liked this story, sign up for The Essential List newsletter – a handpicked selection of features, videos and can't-miss news, delivered to your inbox twice a week. 

For more Travel stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.