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Big cities are great for a few days, but some of the best memories from a trip come from places where you can walk across town in ten minutes. A small main street, a bakery that opens at six, a view you did not plan for. The US has far more of these places than most people realize, and a lot of them are within a day’s drive of somewhere you already know.
Here are ten that are worth the detour.
1. Stowe, Vermont
This is the Vermont of postcards. A white church steeple rises above the town, the Green Mountains sit right behind it, and in October the hills turn the kind of red and orange that make people pull over on the road. In winter it becomes a ski town, and in summer it is all hiking and cold lakes. Stop for cider donuts and a maple creemee, which is the local version of soft serve.
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2. Camden, Maine
Camden sits where the mountains meet the sea, and that mix is hard to find anywhere else. The harbor is full of old sailing ships, and you can hike up Mount Battie in under an hour and look down on the whole bay. Lobster rolls are everywhere, so pick the shack with the longest line. Summer is busy, but September is calm and the weather is still good.
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3. Mackinac Island, Michigan
Cars are not allowed here, which changes everything. You get around by bike, on foot or in a horse drawn carriage, and the island has a quiet, old fashioned feel you do not get from any other place on this list. The fudge shops on Main Street are famous, and the Grand Hotel, with its long white porch, is worth seeing even if you are not staying there. Most of the island closes for the winter, so plan it for late spring to early fall.
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4. Galena, Illinois
Galena is a surprise. Out in the northwest corner of Illinois, in the middle of rolling hills, you find a Main Street lined with brick buildings from the 1800s that look almost untouched. Ulysses S. Grant lived here before he became president, and you can visit his house. It has good restaurants, small wineries nearby and almost none of the crowds of the better known towns.
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5. Beaufort, South Carolina
Spanish moss hanging from huge oak trees, wide porches, calm water at the end of every street. Beaufort feels slow in the best possible way. Walk the waterfront park, look at the old houses in the historic district and eat shrimp and grits somewhere with a view of the marina. It is also much quieter than nearby Charleston or Savannah, and many people find it more relaxing.
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6. Eureka Springs, Arkansas
This tiny Victorian town in the Ozarks is built into the side of a hill, and the streets twist and turn like they were laid out by accident. There are no traffic lights in the whole town, which says a lot. Hot springs, old hotels, little art shops and a lot of trees everywhere. Fall is the best time to visit, when the hills around the town turn gold.
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7. Bisbee, Arizona
An old copper mining town tucked into the mountains near the Mexican border, Bisbee is steep, colorful and a little offbeat. Staircases connect houses painted in every color, and the old mine tours take you underground with former miners as guides. Because it sits at a higher altitude, the weather is cooler than the rest of southern Arizona, which makes it a great winter stop.
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8. Telluride, Colorado
Telluride sits at the end of a box canyon, with mountains on three sides and a waterfall at the head of the valley. The old mining town looks like a movie set, with bright wooden buildings on a main street that slopes toward the peaks. You can take a free gondola from town to the mountain village, which is a very good deal for a ride with those views. It is lovely in fall when the aspens turn yellow and in winter when the snow settles on the rooftops.
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9. Leavenworth, Washington
The town decided decades ago to turn itself into a Bavarian village, and it fully committed. Alpine style buildings, flower boxes in every window, beer halls and pretzels, all with the Cascade Mountains behind. It is cute year round, but in December, when the whole town is covered in lights, it feels like a Christmas card. Come early in the day, since weekends fill up fast.
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10. Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
Carmel looks like it belongs in a storybook, with tiny cottages, flower gardens and tree lined streets leading down to a white sand beach. Many homes have names instead of street numbers, and there are no big chain stores to spoil the view. Take a walk on the beach at sunset, then browse the small galleries and wine tasting rooms downtown. It is expensive, so a day trip from Monterey is a smart way to see it.
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A few tips for visiting small towns
Check opening hours before you go. In many small towns, shops and restaurants close early or do not open at all in the off season, and some of them take a long break in winter. The best months really do depend on the place, so check what you want to see before picking the dates.
Book your room early if it is a popular weekend. Small towns have a limited number of places to stay, and they fill up quickly during fall colors and holiday events. If you can, go on a weekday, when the streets are quiet and the staff has more time to talk.
And try to stay at least one night instead of going just for the day. Small towns are best in the early morning and the evening, when the day trippers are gone and the lights come on.
You do not have to pick the famous ones either. Some of the best places are a short drive from where you live, on a road you have never taken. Choose one, get in the car, and see how it feels to walk down a street where nobody is in a hurry.