Go Back  Fodor's Travel Talk Forums > Destinations > United States
Reload this Page >

10 Best Small Towns in America

Search

10 Best Small Towns in America

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Mar 21st, 2013 | 07:59 AM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 312
Likes: 0
10 Best Small Towns in America

Hi everyone,

I wanted to share a recent Fodor's blog story with you that's been making quite a stir on social media. Our editors took on the task of narrowing down a multitude of options to the 10 best small towns in America. The winners were picked based on criteria like population (all are under 50,000 people), and draws like great local eats, interesting museums and cultural points, and noteworthy natural attractions or outdoor adventures.

Did any of your favorites make the list? Which ones did we miss?

Read the story here: http://www.fodors.com/news/best-smal...-usa-6591.html
Amy_D is offline  
Old Mar 21st, 2013 | 08:25 AM
  #2  
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 10,556
Likes: 0
Provincetown, Cap Cod, is a "small town", but it is so swamped with tourists that it loses that singular feeling.
PeaceOut is offline  
Old Mar 21st, 2013 | 09:07 AM
  #3  
 
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 57,886
Likes: 0
I'm glad that they defined 50K and under as small towns. Lots of times we see people here calling places like that cities (IMHO a city is at least 500K - although really I think several million for a true city with a walkable, livable downtown area.)
nytraveler is offline  
Old Mar 21st, 2013 | 10:13 AM
  #4  
 
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 18,251
Likes: 22
I love Sedona but don't see it as a resort area rather than "Small town." Galena,IL?? Left after a couple of hours and don't get why it's considered so great.
Love P-Town too.
HappyTrvlr is offline  
Old Mar 21st, 2013 | 10:15 AM
  #5  
 
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 18,251
Likes: 22
Amy..actually P-town Sedona and Door County are big resort, week-end escape areas. Is that what you're looking for since this is a travel forum?
HappyTrvlr is offline  
Old Mar 21st, 2013 | 10:47 AM
  #6  
 
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
So excited to see Door County on this list. I grew up in Door County and take my kids back every year from California for a couple of visits. They love it and I love being a tourist. My favorite experiences with kids: climbing Cana Island lighthouse, cream cheese and cherry french toast at White Gull Inn (winner 2010 best breakfast in America by Good Morning America), art clsses at Hands On Art Studio, ferry ride and bike riding on Washington Island, looking for goats at Al Johnsons and jumping off piers into the Lake. And there is so much more to do!

Best deep-fried cheesecurds in the county are at The Nightingale Restaurant in Sturgeon Bay - fresh from Renards Cheese Factory. And don't miss a Friday night fish fry or fish boil - like White Gull Inn's fish boil too - they have the best dessert.
doorcountygirl is offline  
Old Mar 21st, 2013 | 11:04 AM
  #7  
 
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 5,904
Likes: 0
Wow, I'd call under 10,000 a small town. 50,000 is big, from my 5,000 town point of view.
emalloy is offline  
Old Mar 21st, 2013 | 04:19 PM
  #8  
 
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,051
Likes: 0
Bozeman is great and described well.
1JAR is offline  
Old Mar 21st, 2013 | 05:19 PM
  #9  
Community Builder
Community Influencer
 
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 66,481
Likes: 0
Brattleboro Is wonderful and does retain a real sense of place, unlike Sedona which seems like a new age theme park to me, though gorgeous.

I love Provincetown, and off season it is indeed wonderful.
jubilada is offline  
Old Mar 21st, 2013 | 05:30 PM
  #10  
 
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,693
Likes: 0
For some of them a real "Meh"...St. Augustine, for example, was a wonderful small town, but is now a big tourist trap...with such attractions as Ripley's Believe it or not...Door County, come on, it is not even a town, but a large area....just to mention two from the list.
SusieQQ is offline  
Old Mar 21st, 2013 | 06:18 PM
  #11  
20 Anniversary
 
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,748
Likes: 0
I think 'small town' is a bit of a stretch for many of these. There are still a few parts of Provincetown that are 'small townish', but in general it's a tourist town with a carnival atmosphere. Brattleboro Vt. is nice enough, but by Vermont standards it's a city. There are many other small towns in Vermont that are more qualified to be on the list.
zootsi is offline  
Old Mar 22nd, 2013 | 05:20 AM
  #12  
Community Builder
Community Influencer
 
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 66,481
Likes: 0
Although by Vermont standards Brat is a city, it is still only 12,000 people.
But yes, VT has many lovely small towns. brandon, for one.

PTown has a very small town feel between late October and Memorial day.
jubilada is offline  
Old Mar 22nd, 2013 | 06:00 AM
  #13  
 
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,611
Likes: 0
50,000 people sounds way too big for the small town limit.
Keith is offline  
Old Mar 22nd, 2013 | 06:12 AM
  #14  
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,837
Likes: 0
I can think of a number of towns in NY that should be on the list based the criteria. Surprised NY didn't get a nod.
Oh well- one of them I've been to and others look like they would be nice to visit.
annikany is offline  
Old Mar 22nd, 2013 | 06:25 AM
  #15  
 
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 114
Likes: 0
La Pointe - Wisconsin - Apostle Islands - is a unique small town on and island in Lake Superior. It is very historical and houses a great museum. Check your history books -- the fur trade and lumber industry was very active here many years ago. It was one of the first developments of the new west - going back to the 1600's -- many explorers passed through La Pointe. Check it out - you will be pleasantly surprised.
ronko is offline  
Old Mar 22nd, 2013 | 10:16 AM
  #16  
 
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,896
Likes: 0


There is a silver lining to being omitted from these kinds of lists. Too much notoriety can really change a place's vibe.
5alive is offline  
Old Mar 22nd, 2013 | 10:37 AM
  #17  
 
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 4,549
Likes: 0
If I said what I really think about this list, I would fear someone getting fired, and I don't want that hanging over me. Better they try harder next time.
Lookin_Glass is offline  
Old Mar 22nd, 2013 | 01:13 PM
  #18  
 
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 11,375
Likes: 0
Good Golly Miss Molly. It all depends on who is doing the voting, the panel of judges, yada, yada, yada.

You could easily add dozens of small towns: Ashland, Oregon (over the hill from my hometown of Klamath Falls, Ore),
Bend, Oregon, Grand Junction, Colorado (Is Boulder over 50,000 not counting students?), The Summit, Colorado, Park City, Utah, Coeur d' Lane (sp) Idaho, Lake Tahoe (Cal or Nevada side) - and on and on and on.
Tomsd is offline  
Old Mar 22nd, 2013 | 01:16 PM
  #19  
 
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 11,375
Likes: 0
And how much was year round weather a factor? Truly outstanding recreational opportunities?
Tomsd is offline  
Old Mar 22nd, 2013 | 04:52 PM
  #20  
 
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 1,307
Likes: 0
Good Golly Miss Molly? Is that how defrocked lawyers talk?
wekewoody is offline  


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement -