Most Americans have yet to hear of these small towns, but tourists love them for their scenic landscapes, well-preserved architecture, and history. Visitors love to pay these small towns a second visit and explore them all over again.
Galena, Illinois
Galena is a relatively unknown tourist city in Jo Daviess County, Illinois. It’s renowned for its Galena Historic District, a 581-acre sector, or over 85%, of the town, and was the site of America’s first major mineral rush. Visit the USA notes that the town is “a charming and authentic portrait of American history” that Ulysses S. Grant lived in.
Beaufort, South Carolina
Beaufort is South Carolina’s second-oldest city, known for its well-preserved antebellum architecture. It was founded in 1711, is home to a quarter of the East Coast’s marshlands, and was a filming location for Forrest Gump and The Big Chill.
Taos, New Mexico
Taos, in north-central New Mexico, is famous for the Taos Pueblo. This ancient Native American settlement is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of America’s oldest continuously inhabited communities. The town is also home to over 80 art galleries and museums.
Leavenworth, Washington
Leavenworth is a Bavarian-styled village in Washington known for its festive atmosphere and year-round events. It’s also noted for the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum, which contains over 7,000 nutcrackers from the 16th century to today.
Natchez, Mississippi
Natchez in Adams County, Mississippi, is home to over 1,000 buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places. It offers visitors riverboat cruises along the Mississippi River and the Gold Record Road, a driving tour of musical landmarks.
Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania
This small Pennsylvanian town is known for being the burial site of Jim Thorpe, a Native American sports legend. Pocono Mountains notes that its “elegant Victorian mansions” were once “home to turn-of-the-century industrialist millionaires” and today are home to bed & breakfasts, diners, galleries, museums, and unique shops.
Bisbee, Arizona
Bisbee is a historic Arizona mining town in the Mule Mountains, full of quirky shops and galleries. Founded in 1880, it was once one of the world’s richest mineral sites. Today, it is known for its Bisbee 1000 Stair Climb, a unique five-kilometer run throughout the city.
Eureka Springs, Arkansas
Eureka Springs is a small city in northwest Arkansas’s Ozark Mountains. It famously attracted Victorian visitors who believed its springs had healing powers, and today, most of the city is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Marfa, Texas
Marfa is a small desert town in Texas with a population of under 2,000, nestled between Big Bend National Park and the Davis Mountains. It’s renowned for its minimalist art, but Vogue argues that it “also somehow holds true to its cowboy and ranching roots.”
Rockport, Massachusetts
This seaside town is only 40 miles northeast of Boston and is known for its sand and pebble beaches. It was once famous for granite production and was a dry town until 2005. Today, it’s known for its picturesque coastal scenery and art galleries.
Frederick, Maryland
Frederick is known for its canals, well-preserved Victorian buildings, and vibrant arts culture. Its skyline is dominated by historic downtown churches, notably the 1752 Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Hermann, Missouri
Hermann is a Rhineland village in Gasconade County, Missouri, known for being the commercial center of the Hermann American Viticultural Area. Seven family-owned wineries in Hermann offer tastings and tours.
Hood River, Oregon
Hood River is a small town of around 8,300 people and a port on the Columbia River. Travel + Leisure argues that the town “has all the hiking, biking, and skiing you could want” and that “thanks to the winds that funnel up the Columbia River Gorge,” it’s been nicknamed the “windsurfing capital of the world.”
Lanesboro, Minnesota
Lanesboro is a small, little-known town in Fillmore County, Minnesota. Visitors can cycle along the Root River State Trail and visit its historic downtown, much of which has long been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Franklin, Tennessee
In Middle Tennessee, Franklin was the site of a major Civil War battle, the Second Battle of Franklin. The Carter, Carnton, and Lotz houses from that era are among the city’s well-preserved Civil War architecture.
Brevard, North Carolina
Brevard, North Carolina, is known for its proximity to Pisgah National Forest, white squirrels, and waterfalls. The White Squirrel Festival celebrates the town’s unique animals with live music, arts and crafts, and food.
Mendocino, California
Mendocino in northern California is known for its rugged cliffs and stunning ocean views along the Pacific Coast. Visit California argues that the town is “the closest thing to a New England village in California” and “an obvious magnet for artists, romantics, and lovers of anything wild and untamed.”
Lititz, Pennsylvania
Lititz is a small town nine miles north of Lancaster, known for its quaint downtown. It was founded in 1861 and is home to America’s oldest commercial pretzel bakery, Julius Sturgis Pretzels.
Eureka, California
This port city in Northern California is a major lumber and commercial fishing center known for its redwood trees. Tourists can explore its historic Old Town and Carson Mansion, often called “the most grand Victorian home in America.”
Floyd, Virginia
Floyd is a small town in the Blue Ridge Mountains in southwestern Virginia, known for its arts community. Music fans can attend the weekly Friday Night Jamboree at the Floyd Country Store for its famous fiddle musicians.
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