When you think of Himachal Pradesh what comes to your mind? Kalka Simla Railways, Manali, Simla etc… Here’s my list of the unusual places that one must see in Himachal and ofcourse, the 1st point, is the primary reason why HP is in my wishlist!
Pic Courtesy: Raghavan V via Wikimedia Commons CC BY 2.0
Satyanand Stokes, Harmony Hall & Kotgarh Apples: So, there was this young guy, Samuel Evans Stokes, an American, who came to Simla’s leper colony in 1904 to do service. In 1912 he married a local Christian girl called Agnes. He got some farmland in Simla and in 1916, he introduced a variety of sweet tasting apples developed in Louisiana. And that was the beginning of apple cultivation in India! Yeah, he later converted to Hinduism and was called Satyanand Stokes!Today, the house in which he lived in Kotgarh, called the Harmony House, is still the ancestral property of his descendants. It’s a century old and is still maintained as it was when he lived. Since it’s their private property, entry into this house isn’t allowed but the orchard can be visited and what’s better than fresh from farm apples!
Pic Courtesy: Ashish Gupta from Noida via Wikimedia Commons; Wikimedia Commons CC BY 2.0
Roerich Estate: Nicholas Roerich was a Russian painter (who is held at par with Rabindranath Tagore in India)! His son is Svetoslav Roerich (who fell in love with India, settled here and painted a lot on Indian Spirituality) and he married Devika Rani (an actress & grandniece of Tagore). One of the houses they lived in, is in Kullu in Himachal. Located 1km from the Naggar Castle, today that has been converted to a Museum housing several of their paintings, called Roerich Estate. Beside it is also the Urusvati Museum of Folklore, also under Roerich! 
Pic Courtesy: Ekabhishek via Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0
Norah Richards and Shopping at Andretta: Similar to Stokes, Norah Richards is another foreigner who settled in Himachal. She was born in Ireland and studied in Belgium and Australia before settling in India with a husband, an English tutor! After his death, she moved to Himachal and formed an artists’ colony called Andretta (something similar to Cholamandal!), where artists could live in simple houses made of local material, in harmony with the locals and share their knowledge and skill with them! Today Norah Richards’ house and the Andretta Craft Society are a definite must visit. The place also provides 3 months long pottery making courses. Ofcourse, the pottery made there is available to purchase at the Craft Shop! "Well, if you think of it, with its splendid climate, magical landscape with the backdrop of Himalayas, colorful handicrafts, rich culture, Tourism in Himachal has been attracting the talented & creative minds from USA, Russia & UK since centuries. It’s not called ‘Unforgettable Himachal’ for no reason!!!"
Pic Courtesy: Rakeshkdogra via Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0
Baijnath & Nirmand Temples: These 2 temples are almost 10 centuries old. Baijnath temple is a Shiva temple, built in 1204 CE, by 2 merchants, Ahuka and Manyuka. This was built in Nagara style (similar to Orissa)! Again with the backdrop of the snowcapped Himalayas, it’s just impressive! The architecture is just gorgeous, filled with so much of sculptural marvel! On the other hand, Nirmand is where Lord Parashurama got salvation for killing his mother, in obedience of his father! This town also has ancient pottery shreds of 8th - 9th C CE. The Ambika Mata temple is an ancient temple, but the current architecture is completely new! 
Pic Courtesy: Akshat Sharma via Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Naggar Castle: This kinda recently shot to popularity thanks to Jab We Met movie! Also today, it has been converted a hotel. It’s a stunning example of authentic Kath Kuni architecture of Himachal! Being a sucker for heritage hotel, it definitely has to be in my list! This was built by Raja Sidh Singh of Kullu in around 1460 CE. This is not very big, but the sculptural beauty here is just exquisite which makes it a must visit! Ofcourse, I definitely can’t miss the UNESCO Sites in Himachal: Kalka Simla Mountain Railway and Great Himalayan National Park. Check out these Himachal Tour Packages, and pack your bags! Whether is the beaten tourist track or off-the beaten track, Himachal has so much to give.