10 Charming Small Towns I’ve Loved Along the Way

Some of my favorite places we’ve discovered while traveling haven’t necessarily been the places we set out to see. Our journey to visit all 63 U.S. National Parks has taken us through so many beautiful parts of the country, and somewhere along the way, I’ve developed a serious love for charming little towns. Give me a walkable downtown, beautiful old homes, local shops, flowers spilling out of window boxes, or a mountain or ocean view, and I’m happy. Some of these towns were destinations themselves, while others were discovered because they happened to be near somewhere else we were visiting. And one of them, Grayton Beach, has become much more than a vacation destination for our family. These aren’t ranked because I don’t think I could possibly choose a favorite. They’re simply ten places that have stayed with me long after we left.

Newport, Rhode Island

Newport is basically everything I love wrapped into one place. Historic homes, beautiful gardens, hydrangeas everywhere, sailboats and the ocean. I could have wandered around taking pictures all day. Of course, the famous mansions are incredible, but I loved simply driving and walking through the neighborhoods and taking in all the beautiful homes and landscaping.

What I loved: Historic architecture, gardens, hydrangeas, the coastline and that classic New England charm.

Bar Harbor, Maine

We visited Bar Harbor while exploring Acadia National Park, and it was exactly how I pictured a little coastal Maine town. Boats in the harbor, cute shops, restaurants, flowers and beautiful views. It has that quintessential New England feeling that I absolutely love. After spending the day exploring Acadia, wandering around Bar Harbor was the perfect way to end it.

What I loved: The harbor, coastal scenery, local shops and its proximity to Acadia National Park.

Woodstock, Vermont

If you asked me to picture a charming New England town, it would probably look a lot like Woodstock. Historic homes, white churches, beautiful gardens, covered bridges and rolling green countryside make the entire area feel almost storybook-like. This was one of those places where the town itself was the attraction for me. I simply wanted to wander around and look at everything.

What I loved: Historic homes, gardens, covered bridges and the beautiful Vermont countryside.

Sequim, Washington

Sequim was such a fun discovery. It’s known for its lavender farms, so naturally I was going to love it. During the summer, the fields of purple with the mountains in the distance are absolutely beautiful. And the smell?! Heavenly! It’s also close to Olympic National Park, which made it such a lovely stop while exploring Washington.

What I loved: Lavender farms, flowers, mountain views and its location near Olympic National Park.

Whitefish, Montana

Montana is already one of my favorite states, and Whitefish just adds to the reasons why. It’s a beautiful mountain town with a charming downtown, local shops and restaurants, all surrounded by some of the prettiest scenery. We visited while exploring the Glacier National Park area, and it’s exactly the kind of place I love finding on our trips. It’s somewhere that makes you want to slow down and stay a little longer.

What I loved: The mountain-town atmosphere, downtown, surrounding scenery and proximity to Glacier National Park.

Jackson, Wyoming

Jackson has that classic Western mountain-town feeling, but with plenty of charm mixed in. We visited while exploring Grand Teton and Yellowstone, and I loved walking around town, browsing the shops and taking in the scenery. And with the Tetons nearby, it’s pretty hard to beat the backdrop.

What I loved: Western charm, mountain scenery, downtown shops and its proximity to Grand Teton National Park.

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Gettysburg was completely different from many of the other towns on this list, and that’s part of what made it so memorable. There is so much history here, but I also loved the surrounding countryside and historic architecture. It’s one of those places where you feel like you’re stepping into another time. The combination of beautiful scenery and the stories connected to this place made it a stop I’ll always remember.

What I loved: The history, historic buildings, countryside and sense of stepping back in time.

Lake George, New York

Lake George gave us another completely different kind of scenery.

Surrounded by the Adirondacks, the lake is absolutely beautiful, and the entire area has that nostalgic summer-lake-town feeling. Water, mountains and a cute town? That’s usually a pretty good combination for me.

What I loved: The lake, Adirondack scenery, mountain views and classic summertime atmosphere.

Grayton Beach, Florida

Grayton Beach is different from every other place on this list because it’s not somewhere we’ve simply visited and moved on from. We have a home here and visit several times throughout the year, so this little beach town has become incredibly special to our family. I love the old Florida feeling of Grayton Beach — the beautiful water, white sand, coastal plants and laid-back atmosphere. Even after visiting again and again, there’s still something special about arriving and knowing we’re back at one of our favorite places. It feels familiar. It feels comfortable. And in many ways, it feels like a second home.

What I love: The beach, coastal scenery, relaxed atmosphere and all the memories our family has made here.

Asheville, North Carolina

Asheville has so much personality. Surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains, it’s a place where beautiful scenery, historic architecture, gardens, art and great food all come together. I especially love how much natural beauty surrounds the city. You can spend the morning exploring the mountains and then be back wandering around town later that day. It’s one of those places that offers a little bit of everything.

What I loved: Blue Ridge Mountain scenery, historic architecture, gardens, local shops and the creative atmosphere.

Sometimes the Places Between Are the Best Part

One thing all of our traveling has taught me is to pay attention to the places along the way. It’s easy to become so focused on the destination. The national park, the famous landmark or whatever we’ve traveled all that way to see that we could easily drive right past some pretty special places. Some of my favorite memories have come from those stops. A beautiful little downtown. A local shop. Flowers growing outside an old house. A mountain view we weren’t expecting. A restaurant we found because we happened to be hungry at just the right time. Those are the kinds of places I want to keep sharing here. Because sometimes the places you weren’t necessarily looking for end up being the ones you remember most.