Is Small-Town America Calling Your Name? 5 Top Spots to Visit

07-18-2013

 

Just because you're planning a vacation doesn't mean you're stuck visiting a big, crowded city. Cities are expensive, time-consuming and difficult to navigate if you're not familiar with its streets and public transportation. Instead, consider taking your next holiday in one of American's great small towns. Here are five destinations to add to future vacation itineraries:

Grand Haven, Mich.

The state of Michigan is one of America's best-kept secrets for summer fun. Situated around the shores of Lake Michigan, Grand Haven is a beach town through and through, with miles of sugar-sand beaches nestled against crystal clear waters (think ocean without the salt) and lots of cute shops and taverns. There's access to other popular destinations around western Michigan, like Traverse City and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Grand Haven also has a fascinating free museum, the Tri-Cities Historical Museum—when you visit, don't miss it.

Ashland, Ore.

Speaking of best-kept secrets, the small town of Ashland near the California border in southern Oregon is one of those places you might find by happy accident while cruising down the Pacific Highway. Aside from its stunning natural surroundings, Ashland is home to the annual Oregon Shakespeare Festival, which runs in three theaters (including an open-air Elizabethan-style theater located right in the middle of town). If the theater's not the thing for you, take advantage of Ashland's multitude of outdoor recreational opportunities, like camping in the Southern Oregon Cascades, hiking in Lithia Park, or shooting the rapids on Rogue River.

Madison, Wisc.

Forget visions of Wisconsin cliches like cheeseheads and lake-effect blizzards. The capital city of Madison is the cultural heart of this Midwestern state and home to the University of Wisconsin, making it a bustling, lively college town with tons to do and see. The city is situated around two lakes, Lake Mendota and Lake Monona, which means swimming beaches and water fun galore. If you're in town during the month of July, visit the Art Fair on the Square, then grab a mint julep from The Bayou New Orleans-Style Tavern. Or, head up north an hour to Wisconsin Dells, also known as the "Waterpark Capital of the World," Dells.com reports. The area not only offers a variety of indoor and outdoor water activities for the whole family, but there's hiking, camping, fishing, restaurants, a shopping mall and many other events and activities close by. 

Mendocino, Calif.

This California coastal town is the smallest on the list, with a population just shy of 1,000. What it lacks in size, however, it more than makes up for in arts and culture, and it's often touted as one of the best artists' colonies on the West Coast. Take a break from the art world to enjoy the invigorating sea air by visiting the Point Cabrillo Lighthouse, or settle in for a sumptuous Sunday brunch at the Mendocino Hotel and Garden Cafe, complete with champagne and their legendary Huevos Rancheros. Conveniently located just a few hours north of San Francisco, Mendocino is rapidly becoming one of the area's favorite spots for a quick weekend getaway with all the trimmings.

Hudson, N.Y.

Hudson is located in southern New York state's upper Hudson River Valley, and it's small enough to navigate on foot (or better yet, bicycle) with little trouble. Hudson has garnered comparisons to Brooklyn and other hip neighborhoods in NYC, but it's got a spirit all its own. Warren Street is filled to bursting with galleries, unique boutiques and fine dining. Great music and performance venues like Club Helsinki and Basilica Hudson, a cavernous space that was once an industrial warehouse, kick Hudson's culture quotient up several notches. Still hankering for some city time? Hop an Amtrak train from Hudson straight into Grand Central Station in Manhattan.

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