Offering 117 direct flights within the United States and 23 international options, Phoenix Sky Harbor is the perfect launching point for a world of new experiences. But how do you decide where to fly first? Here are three underrated – or maybe just lesser known – destinations worth checking out.

Frankfurt, Germany

Not quaint by any means, Frankfurt is a major German financial hub and home to the European Central Bank, but it’s also one of the more exotic offerings for direct flights from PHX, at over 5,500 miles away. If you do go, be sure to check out the Rőmerberg, a central square featuring classic German architecture where public gatherings have taken place since the ninth century. Frankfurt is also home to amazing museums like the Historiches Museum and Stӓdel Museum, the Alte Oper opera house, and the Kleinmarkthalle, an indoor marketplace housing over 60 stalls selling everything from fresh, handmade sausages and cheeses to produce, seafood, and ready-to-eat items.

Bend/Redmond, Oregon

A cozy mountain town 162 miles southeast of Portland, Bend is your final destination here, after touching down at Redmond Municipal Airport, 17 miles to the north. Offering 263 days of sunshine, very little rain, and plenty of snow in winter, Bend is Oregon’s top spot for outdoor activity. Nearby Mt. Bachelor offers 4,318 acres of skiable terrain, with 101 runs spanning novice to expert, and 11 chairlifts to get you there. It’s also the place to enjoy world-class mountain biking, kayaking, mountain climbing, and more. But go now – Bend is popping up on more radars than ever, and its friendly small-town feel won’t last long.

Detroit, Michigan

Also commonly known as the Motor City, Detroit is as famous for its bankruptcy as being the birthplace of the American automotive industry. But today, many of the old buildings of the long-gone auto industry have been reclaimed and Detroit is becoming cool once again. If you go, be sure to check out Urbanrest Brewing Company, located on the site of an old dairy, Vinsetta Garage, which occupies an old service station (and still has the pumps to prove it), and Honcho, yet another gas station-turned-restaurant, serving up Latin street food and coffee drinks. Also, do yourself a favor and look up Fordite if the name is unfamiliar – it’s a human-made “stone” created from numerous layers of old automotive paint, and it’s “mined” from the recesses of Detroit’s old factories.

For more tips on where to go and what to do, check out our blog!