Some of the most memorable moments in our travels have come in small towns and villages. They have a much more pleasant ambience than big cities. Often, residents of small towns decorate their homes and businesses with flowers to add an aura of civic pride which is an extremely attractive attribute.
Most of these small cities and towns are more manageable locations; they are supremely walkable and can often be seen in a single day of sightseeing. Somehow life seems more leisurely and the pace is decidedly less intense than big cities, which has a calming effect on the traveler, so that he or she relaxes more as well.
My Bucket List of Small Towns in the USA has been culled from a variety of sources. It has also evolved over time and needs to be constantly updated and tweaked. Once again, the small cities and towns that we have visited are asterisked.
Alaska
Fairbanks*
Juneau*
Ketchikan*
Skagway*
Arizona
Sedona
Tucson*
Arkansas
Eureka Springs*
California
La Jolla*
Redding*
San Juan Capistrano*
Santa Barbara*
Solvang*
Sonoma*
Colorado
Aspen
Colorado Springs*
Durango*
Estes Park*
Ouray*
Silverton*
Vail
Connecticut
Essex*
Litchfield*
Mystic*
Stonington Borough*
Delaware
New Castle
Florida
Delray Beach*
Key West*
Naples*
Sarasota
St Augustine*
Hawaii
Lahaina* (Maui)
Hana* (Hawaii)
Kentucky
Lexington*
Maine
Bar Harbor*
Kennebunkport*
Ogunquit*
Portland*
Maryland
Annapolis*
Massachusetts
Cambridge*
Chatham*
Deerfield*
Gloucester*
Lowell*
Nantucket*
Newburyport*
Plymouth*
Provincetown*
Rockport*
Salem*
Shelburne Falls*
Stockbridge*
Williamstown*
New Hampshire
Concord*
Lincoln*
North Conway*
Portsmouth*
New Jersey
Cape May
Ocean Grove*
New Mexico
Roswell
Taos*
New York
Chautauqua
Cooperstown*
Corning*
East Hampton*
Ithaca*
Lake Placid*
Niagara Falls*
Saratoga Springs*
North Carolina
Asheville*
Nags Head*
Okracoke*
Oregon
Newport*
Pennsylvania
Bedford*
Gettysburg*
Hershey*
Lancaster*
York
Rhode Island
Newport*
Westerly*
South Carolina
Beaufort
Hilton Head*
Myrtle Beach*
South Dakota
Mitchell
Rapid City*
Texas
Austin
Utah
Moab*
Vernal*
Vermont
Burlington*
Manchester*
Stowe*
Woodstock*
Virginia
Alexandria*
Charlottesville*
West Virginia
Clarksburg*
Wyoming
Cody*
Jackson Hole*
Total = 96 (I have been to 84 — pretty good!).
