12 Cutest Towns In The United States
The population of America lives across the far reaches of one massive country and its many landscapes, cultures, and resulting towns. Those small communities in the big blue mountains in North Carolina, for example, are contrasted over one hundred times by the charm of a small town on the Pacific Ocean like Astoria, Oregon, or the beautifully barren red-rock of Sedona, Arizona. These towns are worlds apart, and anyone visiting one side of the country will be envious of those who chose the other. Discover 12 such towns that can be called America's cutest.
Bristol, Rhode Island
Bristol is a small town with a charming atmosphere and stunning natural surroundings. Center-town is deep within Bristol Harbor and bordered by Colt State Park: 464 acres with tall and full trees with scattered farms and memorials bordered by panoramic seaside. Linden Place is a storied landmark mansion that serves as the town's center fixture, only a short walk from the classic wooden boats in the Herreshoff Marine Museum that look beautiful at sunset along the museum's marina or learn boatmaking history inside. The Lobster Pot is right next door for dinner, and the Blithewold Mansion, Gardens & Arboretum offers a perfect afternoon stroll or guided group tours. Visit in summer for the warm water on the Bristol Town Beach, a short walk from Colt State Park.
Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
Carmel-by-the-Sea is a small town across from the Pebble Beach area of Monterey Bay, one hour south of San Jose and the iconic redwood trees of Big Basin Redwoods State Park. At first glance, it's a beautiful beach town, with Carmel Beach serving as a classic white sand beach for family leisure. The Carmel River State Beach offers rocky coastlines in addition to the relaxing Pacific water and large adjacent tide pools. What sets the town apart is the unique downtown area that incorporates a quaint environment with the seaside feeling of Hawaii or the Bahamas and buildings and dwellings in modest sizes laid low to the ground. The Carmel Plaza is the unique culmination of all these sentiments in the center of town. The various types of local architecture, flora, and fauna are on display in Mission Trail Park as well.
Bar Harbor, Maine
Bar Harbor is a small town lost within Maine's beautifully scattered coastal islands. It's on the eastern shore of Mount Desert Island, sharing borders with Acadia National Park: a stunning collection of rolling hills, rocky coastline, and thickly forested trails that roll overtop orange and yellow-clad trees in the autumn months. The viewpoints from Bubble Rock and Cadillac Mountain are the two most popular. Local businesses and boutiques on Main Street are neighboured by the John B. Ells Pier and the Bar Island Land Bridge that leads across the Mount Desert Narrows to the nature preserve on Bar Island. Families will spend their free time at the living and preserved exhibitions of the George B. Dorr Museum of Natural History or walk and picnic at the Wild Gardens of Acadia, filled with native trees and wildflowers.
Ketchikan, Alaska
Ketchikan is the southernmost entrance to Alaska's Inside Passage, a popular Alaskan cruise itinerary that passes snow-capped fjords and forested, wildlife-filled hills. Ketchikan is a popular visit most commonly recognized for Creek Street, a historic boardwalk mounted on stilts that follows through the center of the small town boutiques. It runs past the Chief Johnson Totem Pole, the Tongass Historical Museum, the Salmon Ladder Vista fishing lake, and ends at the City Park and Totem Heritage Center. Following Stedman Street along the coastline leads through the Rotary Beach Park Buggy Beach and into the Alaskan Rainforest Sanctuary which features uniquely lush arctic scenery and the busy wildlife that accompany it. Before visiting, check the dates for the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show that's held in the heart of Ketchikan Harbor.
Astoria, Oregon
Astoria is on the Washington-Oregon border, at the mouth of the Columbia River, and marked by the Astoria-Megler Bridge that connects the two states. The small peninsula that holds the center of town is busy and storied, featuring the Oregon Film Museum, the life-sized exhibits of the Columbia River Maritime Museum, and the Flavel House Museum. The Lewis and Clark National Historic Park is also popular and full of fun activities. Fantastic flora and fauna are on display at Tapiola Park, the rustic architecture and old trees of Shively Park, or on the Riverwalk Trail on the east side of town. Outdoor enthusiasts can continue any ambitious exploration by biking or hiking through the Clatsop State Forest just south of town or the Fort Stevens State Park and Historic Area that borders the Pacific Ocean.
Beaufort, South Carolina
Beaufort is authentic Southern charm tangled within the winding creeks, marshes, and sandbars that run through coastal South Carolina. It's the host of Forest Gump's filming, so many visitors can recognize the serenity of the Beaufort National Cemetary and the looming Spanish Moss trees. The full display of Southern foliage is available around historic homes like Riverview and Marshlands, while the Reconstruction Area National Historic Park tells their stories. Arguably, the most important stop for travelers, however, is Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park, with wide sunset lookouts, picnics, and stage performances. A quieter, less popular Whitehall Park lies just across the Beaufort Memorial Bridge, where fewer visitors will disrupt the peace of the water-level wetlands.
Provincetown, Massachusetts
Provincetown is the site of the Mayflower's landing in 1620 and is now a popular getaway destination in the Cape Cod region. Far from the historic district is the Long Point Light Station at the end of Long Point Beach, which combines with Herring Cove Beach and the Wood End Lighthouse to form a beautiful day trip for car-traveling families. Aside from beach walking, the principal outdoor activity is biking, which is very popular in the sandy dunes of the Cape Cod National Seashore or the Hatches Harbor Trail. The small population is dispersed linearly along the hook of Cape Cod Bay and divided by activities like the Jetties Birdwatching Area, the Provincetown Art Association and Museum (PAAM), and the charm of the small but busy boutique area known as Commercial Street.
Leland, Michigan
Leland is a beautiful fishing community on the northeast coast of Lake Michigan. It's beset on both sides by water, a large reservoir named Lake Leelanau feeding Lake Michigan as it cuts through the main town and forming what's known as Fishtown: a small wooden boardwalk of small fishing shacks that joins the two lakes together. The Lake Michigan side of town features the beautiful sand of Van's Beach, while the Lake Leelanau side holds the calmer Nedows Bay and signals the way towards nearby vineyards like the Aurora Cellars or the Boathouse Vineyards. A short distance north brings travelers to the Clay Cliffs Natural Area, featuring both wide-open wild fields and crystal blue waters, or to the forest trails of the Houdek Dunes Natural Area, where fall foliage makes casual strolls even more majestic.
Highlands, North Carolina
Highlands, North Carolina borders the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to the north and the Nantahala National Forest to the west. It's defined by the thick, rainforest-like foliage surrounding it, encompassing popular hiking trails around the Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust, like the treks to Whiteside Mountain and Sunrise Rock, or the majestic water features like Bridal Veil Falls and Sequoyah Falls. Popular family outings include a trip to Bust Your Butt Falls, where visitors scoot down waterfalls and cliff jump a roadside waterfall, or spend an afternoon at The Bascom: Center for the Visual Arts. The best scenery is accessible from Big View Scenic Overlook, just off U.S. Highway 64.
Leavenworth, Washington
Leavenworth is a forest town at the bottom of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest to the north, the Teanaway Community Forest to the south, and the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest to the northeast. The region is generally recognized for the awe-inspiring Glacier Peak, one of Washington state's most active volcanoes, leaving beautiful small towns like Leavenworth neglected (to the benefit of well-researched travelers). Wenatchee River runs through the town, carving out the Waterfront Park area that's filled with biking and hiking trails and defining the direction of small streets with Alpine-style lodging and some strong sentiment of German cultural heritage. The most popular daytime activities include the amusement rides at Leavenworth Adventure Park, the stories within the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum, and large herds of the Leavenworth Reindeer Farm. Visit in the winter months for a particularly beautiful Christime-time setting, complete with bright lights along the main town streets.
Sedona, Arizona
Sedona has a vibrant arts community to match the stunning and unique red-rock cliffs, steep buttes, and pine forests that surround it. The charm of the town is around Oak Creek, where popular restaurants like Elote Cafe and Canyon Breeze line the streets with low-lying buildings to accent the red-cliff skyline. The expansive views that define the area are most popular at the Schnebly Hill Vista Overlook and Devil's Bridge, or the Chapel of the Holy Cross, made in dramatic architecture on the side of Mammoth Rock and the pine hills of the Munds Mountain Wilderness. One of the most unique attractions is the Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park, a spiritual oasis deemed holy with dispersed decorations like flags and symbols all throughout its hillside.
Whitefish, Montana
Whitefish is a well-recognized resort town and for good reasons. It marks the convergence of Kootenai National Forest, Glacier National Park, and Flathead National Forest along Whitefish Lake. The most popular attraction is Whitefish Mountain Resort, and its incredibly majestic mountains are perfect for skiing and snowboarding in the winter. Visitors should also note that Whitefish Lake freezes nicely in January and February, and is ideal for pond hockey. Otherwise, it's great for a summer swim and an afternoon picnic on City Beach. Further up the lake is the rocky beach of Les Mason State Park, and in the opposite direction is the family-friendly Baker Park along Whitefish River.
Explore Today
National history and natural landscapes form distinct ticks in each of the towns listed here. Each corner of the country has its own to offer, and each traveler and reader should understand the deep appreciation they will feel for any of these described selections. Whether searching for the dramatic mountains, the storied history, or the unique cultural nuance, any worldly explorer will need to consider each of these small towns to find their experience in the United States just partially fulfilled.
