The best of small town USA?

[Travelman6]

Hello, my wife and I have been talking recently about someday going around the USA (once our business HOPEFULLY takes off). I haven't seen a lot of the country (I've seen twice as many countries as states). Only seen about 18 states and she was around 5 years old when she went around the East Coast with her family during her only trip to the USA. I would love to do a tour of small towns across the states with her someday. I was adopted in Guilford, mostly raised in Old Lyme and now my mom resides in Deep River. All fantastic small towns that really capture the spirit of small town New England (Essex, Ivoryton, Mystic do so as well). So, for sure, we would start with those places. Another example: I know my sister lived in Oakmont back in the mid 90s and, even as a 10-12 year old I could say how charming that place was. Not sure if it still maintains that same charm of 25 years ago, wouldn't be surprised if Pittsburgh has swallowed it by now, but even as a pre-teen I could see the place was special. There were a lot of charming places I found in Maryland and Virginia, a few in Georgia but I forget all the names!

In my mind, and maybe I am wrong, I think the south (and for some reason I've always felt West Virginia) is the best for small town charm, but who knows! I am sure the BY has traveled a lot, what are some of your favorite small towns you've seen around the country?

I guess things that could qualify a small town as especially charming is anything from interesting museums, historic (well preserved buildings), beautiful viewpoints, cobble stoned streets or other old charm like that, something of historic significance that is still celebrated, tasty (family owned) restaurants and a population under, lets say 25,000 (at what size is a town no longer considered a "small town"? I don't know, it's hard to quantify in words "small town charm" exactly. Maybe just walking down those cobblestone streets lined with flowers and old buildings, pop into a local bar for a local brew filled with local people -- not sure.

edit: I LOVED SAVANNAH, especially the central area. MY wife wants to visit, for sure we will. BTW I imagine Texas must have a ton of small towns with charm.

 

[methodology]

Definitely go to Savannah, ga and Charleston, sc

Washington is another cool town in ct for small old time feel

 

[The Funster]

Blowing Rock, NC. Nice little town on top of a mountain.

 

[bendm]

for new england:

Bar Harbor, ME
North Conway, NH
Hanover, NH
Portsmouth, NH
North Hero, VT
Woodstock, VT
Stowe, VT
Stockbridge, MA
Northampton, MA
Washington, CT
Essex, CT
Mystic, CT

 

[Guapo]

As someone who lives in Georgia, there are plenty of small towns to visit; let me know if you want any suggestions.

BUT, I will say that New England, including CT but especially Western Mass, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine all have externally charming small towns-more charming than the ones down here in my humble opinion.

 

[HooperScooper]

As someone who lives in Georgia, there are plenty of small towns to visit; let me know if you want any suggestions.

 

[Guapo]

I’ve driven through where Deliverance was filmed...I would not suggest visiting lol

 

[Northbound]

Savannah and Charleston are great just like Burlington, Portland (ME) and Missoula are great, but they aren't small towns, well not to me anyway.

Lake Placid
Aspen/Basalt
Whitefish, MT
Durango
Chatham, MA

 

[businesslawyer]

Woodstock, Vermont.

 

[Mano]

Yes, definitely spend a bunch of time in West Virginia. Get up in them hills.

Oh, and New Britain. New Britain for sure.

 

[husky429]

Savannah and Charleston are great just like Burlington, Portland (ME) and Missoula are great, but they aren't small towns, well not to me anyway.

Lake Placid
Aspen/Basalt
Whitefish, MT
Durango
Chatham, MA

If you're around lake placid add in Saranac Lake, tupper lake, etc.

@Travelman32 holler at me if you decide to go up that way. Tons of recommendations and friends that could show you around depending on the time of year

 

[RichZ]

Just about any place in VT or NH that is more than 15 miles from an interstate highway.
One small town that I enjoy driving through and am always curious about is Hoosick, NY. At least in the general area of Rte 22, they have managed to keep is very well maintained (unlike some of the small towns I've visited in the deep south). It has historic significance, sharing the Bennington Battlefield with it's VT neighbor.

 

[Northbound]

If you're around lake placid add in Saranac Lake, tupper lake, etc.

@Travelman32 holler at me if you decide to go up that way. Tons of recommendations and friends that could show you around depending on the time of year

I'm in that area as well. Tupper is well, Tupper, but i'd recommend Raquette River Brewing there and the recently refurbished Hotel Saranac in Saranac Lake is nice - but you can do each of those towns in about 60 minutes in all honesty. Placid has the history of the 80 olympics and a much more vibrant "downtown". My opinion only.

 

[Northbound]

Just about any place in VT or NH that is more than 15 miles from an interstate highway.
One small town that I enjoy driving through and am always curious about is Hoosick, NY. At least in the general area of Rte 22, they have managed to keep is very well maintained (unlike some of the small towns I've visited in the deep south). It has historic significance, sharing the Bennington Battlefield with it's VT neighbor.

I will save you the time - there is zero in hoosick - except for Brown's Walloomsac taproom and that place is great, I can't recommend it highly enough - Brown's Walloomsac Taproom and Brewery - I'm very surprised the new coffee shop has made it, but it has - there is PFOA contamination in the water so it's got that going for it. There is an old school or convent on the hill in Hoosick that I thought about buying and creating apartments out of it, but thankfully my wife who is by far more sensible than I am talked me out of it.

Bennington is actually not bad, much better than Manchester, which is simply outlet stores in a vermont setting - there's some old quarries to swim there, but man they get crowded.

 

[JeepCSC]

Blowing Rock, NC. Nice little town on top of a mountain.

I was coming to post that. There’s lots of small towns in the mountains (Banner Elk, West Jefferson, Black Mountain), but Blowing Rock is a good base. On the other side of the state, Beaufort, Duck, and Ocracoke are fairly spectacular in different ways.

Charleston is great, but a small town it isn’t.

 

[auror]

My wife and I stayed a night at a B&B in Shelburne Falls, MA and that was very quaint. Bridge of flowers, little main street, one really good restaurant (Gypsy Apple Bistro, on Eater's best of New England list), corner pub. Idyllic.

 

[RichZ]

... very surprised the new coffee shop has made it, but it has...

Iron Coffee?

My son lives in Danby, VT. I've driven through Bennington a bunch of times going up to his place. It's nice, but isn't a small town in my eye.
Apparently, it's got some, uhhhm, attractions going for it though.
Woman charged with prostitution after raid at Bennington spa

 

[upstater]

There's gotta be a million of these places, but I'm fond of these:

Newburyport, MA
Rockport, ME
Woodstock, VT
Cooperstown, NY
East Aurora, NY
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
Traverse Bay, MI
Boalsburg, PA
&
Any town around Topsfield, Ipswich, Salem, Gloucester, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Rockport, Marblehead, MA

 

[superjohn]

Litchfield, CT. Collinsville, CT. Stonington, CT. Cornwall, CT. New Preston CT. Kent, CT. Hudson, NY Woodstock, NY Rhinebeck, NY. Millerton, NY Great Barrington, MA. Stockbridge, MA. Montclair, NJ. Haddonfield, NJ. Clinton, NJ. Asbury Park, NJ. Woodstock, VT. Stowe, VT. Quechee, VT. Portsmouth, NH. Camden, ME Rockland, ME Boothbay Harbor, ME. Kennebunkport, ME. Ogunquit, ME. Little Compton, RI Watch Hill, RI. Newport, RI. Galena, IL. Oak Park, IL. Evanston, IL. Silverton, CO., Durango, CO. Jerome, AZ. Beaufort, SC. Bluffton, SC Tybee Island, GA. Brunswick/St. Simon's Island GA. Tiburon, CA. Sausalito, CA, Ojai, CA. Calistoga, CA. Astoria, OR. Salmon Beach, WA.

 

[Conndog]

Well, while we are renovating, we are living in Bellows Falls VT. I like it! The movie theater in town has $5 tickets all the time and shows current movies- for another $5, you can get the Triple Up, which adds a medium popcorn, a medium soda and a medium candy. Cool shops, restaurants are always opening, it is on the way up. In New Hampshire just across the river, we often go to Walpole- beautiful classic New England town with the center having the white church, a good French restaurant Burdick's & chocolate shop, and other attractions. This is a more affluent town than Bellows Falls.

 

[Baltic]

Some Southeast small towns worth a look:

Southport, NC
Boone, NC
Helen, GA
Beaufort NC or SC
Southern Pines, NC
Asheville, NC (could be a too large to be considered a small town)

 

[Northbound]

Iron Coffee?

My son lives in Danby, VT. I've driven through Bennington a bunch of times going up to his place. It's nice, but isn't a small town in my eye.
Apparently, it's got some, uhhhm, attractions going for it though.
Woman charged with prostitution after raid at Bennington spa

Bennington doesn't meet my definition of a small town either.

Yup, Iron coffee - great , great space, but hoosick is a tough putt. I also wanted to purchase the old dodge dealership there, again my wife talked me out of it. I have always thought the town had potential, much like Middleburgh, NY but no dice.

 

[Imdone]

I’ve driven through where Deliverance was filmed...I would not suggest visiting lol

I have taken a white water rafting trip down the river where Deliverance was filmed - and it was fantastic.

 

[UConnDad]

There's gotta be a million of these places, but I'm fond of these:

Newburyport, MA
Rockport, ME
Woodstock, VT
Cooperstown, NY
East Aurora, NY
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
Traverse Bay, MI
Boalsburg, PA
&
Any town around Topsfield, Ipswich, Salem, Gloucester, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Rockport, Marblehead, MA

I was in Newburyport recently. Really nice little town!

 

[Hugo]

Newburyport, MA
Camden, ME
Kennebunkport, ME
Boothbay Harbor, ME
Woodstock, VT
Lake Placid, NY
Chatham, MA
Mystic, CT
Rockport, MA