2024's 9 Most Adorable Small Towns in the Mid-South
While Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia all boast enticing attractions, Southern hospitality, and numerous adorable towns, the Mid-south is just as friendly and charming. Expect rodeos, hot tamales, Blues music, biker rallies, sometimes big, flat fields, sometimes pretty beaches, rolling hills, and lush valleys. And, of course, Southerners, including those in the Mid-South, are likely to share hugs like candies. Although dotted with all kinds of towns, some quiet and some cute, one will find a delightful array of adorable small towns. Starting with Lewisburg, West Virginia, discover the nine most adorable small towns in the Mid-South.
Lewisburg, West Virginia
Lewisburg is in the southeastern part of West Virginia, close to the Greenbrier River and the Greenbrier State Forest. Although the area is known for agriculture, including the raising of beef and dairy cattle, sheep, and turkeys, downtown Lewisburg is incredibly beautiful and filled with numerous eye-catching attractions. The French Goat, on Lafayette Street, serves farm-to-table French cuisine in a charming house with elegant decor. On the other hand, Stardust Cafe is known for its gourmet sandwiches, and Hill and Holler is known for pizza and wings.
Lewsiburg’s Carnegie Hall, one of only four remaining, is a vibrant performing art venue — as is the Greenbrier Valley Theatre, an intimate little space where one feels they are part of the production. The Greenbrier River Trail, which passes through 38 bridges, is an outdoor lover’s paradise.
Dandridge, Tennessee
Dandridge was founded in 1783 and, hence, is the second-oldest town in Tennessee after Jonesborough. This adorable town was named for Martha Dandridge, President George Washington’s wife. There is much to love about Dandridge, including its tasty historic downtown and registered National Historic District. Take a step back in time at the town's visitor center, housed in a restored 19th-century coach house. the Jefferson County courthouse, one of the Mid-South's oldest county courthouses still in use today, offers a unique glimpse into the region's past.
September is particularly a nice time to visit, especially if one wants to experience the annual Scots-Irish Festival, an anticipated event that celebrates the region's heritage of Scots-Irish people with Celtic food, Irish dance performances, and Drum competitions. Douglas Lake, considered one of the best lakes for Bass fishing in the nation, is available for a variety of year-round water activities, including boating, fishing, and water skiing.
Fayetteville, West Virginia
If you are considering Fayetteville as a vacation destination for the first time, you are late to the party. This West Virginia eye candy has been receiving rave reviews for a while, as is lent credit by the fact Smithsonian Magazine named it among the 15 Best Small Towns to Visit in 2021. It was the second on the list. Fayetteville serves as the jumping-off point to the relatively brand-new New River Gorge National Park. It is also the place to be if one wants to have an up-close view of the iconic New River Gorge Bridge.
Enjoy top-notch whitewater rafting down the New River, rent a bike at Arrowhead Bike Farm, and hit up one of the many trails in the area, or just take everything on foot and explore Long Pont Trail, a quiet stretch with a beautiful view of the bridge. On the culinary side, Pies & Pints has a cult following. They are known for their thin-crust pizzas and their excellent selections of wine and craft beer.
Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Although home to less than 4,000 residents, Gatlinburg is the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and, hence, draws more than 13 million visitors every year. Aside from providing access to the most visited national park in the United States, the unofficial capital for salamanders, Gatlinburg offers numerous other attractions and enticements. Chase waterfalls at several venues, including The Place of a Thousand Drips, where several narrow falls combine into a massive one.
Spend a slow afternoon at Ripley's Believe It or Not!, a one-of-a-kind museum with kitschy oddities, including shrunken human heads. Just two or three steps away, the Hollywood Star Cars Museum features famous film and TV cars, including the 1966 Batmobile. After locking eyes with sharks at Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies, spend the night at Jack Huff's, conveniently located close to the downtown area.
Aiken, South Carolina
Aiken’s beautiful streets, mostly lined with magnolias and oak trees, are among the most adorable in South Carolina. This South Carolina charmer is well known for breeding thoroughbreds that compete in both steeplechase and flat racing. Hitchcock Woods, which boasts 70 miles of trails, is among the largest urban forests in America. Here, one can ride, walk, or jog, depending on one’s choice and level of fitness.
For something short and sweet, the Oak Alley at Hopelands Gardens is quiet and incredibly scenic. It features beautifully maintained gardens with ponds, massive oaks, lovely walking paths, and beautiful plants. Spend the night at the romantic Willcox Hotel, whose guest list includes Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, and Harold Vanderbilt.
Jonesborough, Tennessee
Just for being Tennessee's oldest town, Jonesborough will pique the interest of any vacationer, especially heritage tourists. Yet, Jonesborough — with its live music and fantastic shopping — is also incredibly adorable and will easily impress other categories of vacationers. The Jonesborough International Storytelling Center hosts the National Storytelling Festival every October and is the world's premier institution dedicated to the art of storytelling. This is why Jonesborough is called “the storytelling capital of the world.” With a blanket or a lawn chair, one can enjoy an outdoor Friday evening of great music at the Music on the Square, a weekly music festival held from May through October.
In November every year, thousands flock to Jonesborough to browse through the various vendors' booths, explore skillfully handcrafted items, and enjoy a one-of-a-kind craft show at the annual Made Around Here Market. Jonesborough’s Main Street is well preserved and should be explored via a carriage ride.
Lynchburg, Tennessee
A cute but dainty town of fewer than 7,000 residents, Lynchburg is often a piquant revelation to first-time visitors. In addition to its charming small-town feel, quaint, historic downtown, and the beautiful, rolling hills that surround it, Lynchburg is mostly associated with the Jack Daniels Distillery, the first registered distillery in the United States. It is in this adorable speck of a town that the most recognizable whiskey in the world is made. This iconic facility offers free daily tours and is known to draw about 250,000 visitors every year. If scoping for some unique gift or memento, check out the distillery's onsite Lynchburg Hardware and General Store.
History lovers will enjoy exploring the historic Lynchburg Square and sampling its chic boutiques and locally owned restaurants. The Lynchburg Old Jail Museum and the courthouse, where the dim echo of justice comes alive, both boast a history that goes back more than 125 years. The Lynchburg Winery — another stand-out attraction —produces a variety of artisan wines using local ingredients.
Staunton, Virginia
Although one will hear several people swear that Giancarlo-Fine European Pastries is the best thing in Staunton, this Virginia gem has other heart-warming allures. Granted, Giancarlo-Fine European Pastries serves incredibly scrumptious Italian desserts. However, this does not mean one should miss stand-outs such as the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, which celebrates the leading architect of the League of Nations and the most educated president in the history of the United States. There is a world of cameras at the Camera Heritage Museum, the largest camera museum open to the public in the United States.
Catch a Shakespearean play, including Much Ado About Nothing — at the American Shakespeare Center's Blackfriars Playhouse. Just out of downtown Staunton, the Frontier Culture Museum is arguably the largest open-air living history museum in the Shenandoah Valley.
Abingdon, Virginia
Rounding off this list is adorable Abingdon, a shy, slow-paced town located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of southwest Virginia. Park and walk up and down the street while sampling the galleries and museums along Main Street. The Arts Depot, for instance, has a working studio for resident artists, tons of beautiful things for decorating the home, jewelry, and other knick-knacks. There is also the Southwest Virginia Cultural Center & Marketplace, a spacious complex that features markets for local artisans, a wine bar, a dining venue, and an events area. Pop inside White Birch | Food + Juice, especially if you have a good relationship with smoothies, cold-pressed juice, and other healthy but delicious options. Barter Theater, located on Main Street as well, is the longest-running professional Equity theater in the nation. Lastly, find out why the Virginia Creeper Trail is a Hall of Fame Trail. Hint: It has something to do with its scenic beauty.
If you want to explore the attractions and culture of the Southern United States — yet not the Deep South — several spots in the Mid-south will come in handy. Although Memphis, Tennessee, packs a punch, one needs to look elsewhere for a smaller, quainter feel. The most adorable options include Lewisburg, West Virginia, Gatlinburg, Tennessee, and Staunton, Virginia. The last one hosts the largest camera museum open to the public in the United States and a host of other spellbinding attractions.
