off the beaten track

Idioms  

1. An unusual route or destination, as in We found a great vacation spot, off the beaten track. This term alludes to a well-worn path trodden down by many feet and was first recorded in 1860, although the phrase beaten track was recorded in 1638 in reference to the usual, unoriginal way of doing something.

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Example Sentences

Jay Curtis is used to getting off the beaten track and exploring unusual sights with his drone - but even he was surprised to spot a 24-metre ship grounded off the west Wales coast.

From BBC • Feb. 17, 2026

It is also a lever for encouraging tourism into an area far off the beaten track.

From Barron's • Feb. 10, 2026

The town is so off the beaten track, the loudest sound is cows mooing in the distance.

From Seattle Times • May 25, 2024

Much of Dudamel’s program went intriguingly off the beaten track, turning to “The Cowboys” and “Amistad.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 21, 2023

This, however, will be remedied in a few years, the park being still very young, and in the meantime it is not an unmixed evil to those who care to get off the beaten track.

From Among the Canadian Alps by Burpee, Lawrence J. (Lawrence Johnstone)

Related Words

• confined
• deserted
• detached
• hidden
• lonely
• outlying
• remote
• secluded
• segregated
• unusual