Yahoo Lifestyle These Are America's 10 Best Small Towns for 2025
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When I first heard that “detour destinations” were a top travel trend for 2025, I kinda felt like I’d scored a bid to the Super Bowl. As a fifteen-year regional travel specialist and Country Living’s resident small town enthusiast, it’s precisely those out-of-the-way places—you know, the ones where you have to get in a car, after you get off the plane—that excite me most.
You probably won't be surprised to find I’m not alone in this line of thinking. Per a recent study put out by the University of Virginia, small towns are drawing in 25-to-44-year-olds looking to relocate at the highest rates in nearly a century.
Still, before you make a move, you have to make a visit. So where to first? Fellow small-town enthusiast Leigh Crandall and I put in hours upon hours of research, including chatting up locals and hitting the road, to bring you the top 10 standout small towns across America for 2025. From blink-and-you-miss-it-sized mountain towns to soulful Southern spots rapidly gaining steam, these happenin’ hamlets invite you to slow your pace and fill your cup. No matter if you're after a permanent home base or a simple change of scenery for a long weekend, they all make the detour well worth taking.
MADISON, GEORGIA
Gather the gang for antiques, old homes, and farm-fresh eats.
A successful girls' trip needs three things: 1) leisurely activities that leave ample room for reminiscing; 2) great meals to linger around; and—let’s be honest here—3) a pretty backdrop or two for a group photo that you'll retake at least six times. You’ll find all that and more in Madison, Georgia, a picturesque town of just 5,136 residents in the rural reaches of the Peach State’s Piedmont region.
Madison’s early prosperity drew from nearby cotton plantations and the enslaved Africans who worked the land. The in-town residences of these plantation owners were accordingly lavish, but they’re not the only draw along the 1.5-mile walking tour of the town’s historic district. Stops such as Rose’s Cottage and the Madison-Morgan Cultural Center shine a bright light on the town’s African-American history and heritage, and you can continue your step back in time with an afternoon of antiquing at Madison Markets and J&K Fleas An’Tiques.
Taken by the town’s charms, real estate developer Preston Snyder and his hospitality-pro wife Cindi Fetch recently transformed several vacant storefronts into gathering places. Named for Preston’s late mother, Betty Gene’s pays homage to old-school Southern diners, while special occasions—like the long overdue reunion you should be booking, stat—are best fêted with the multi-course menu at The Dining Room. Before you depart, be sure to stop by Community Roots Market, the gourmet in-town grocery that’s connected Cindi with a tribe of her own. “I’ve found a group of the most encouraging, kind, bad-ass women,” she says. And if there’s any kind of vibe to invite into your next weekend with old friends, isn’t that exactly it?
WHEN TO GO: Each April, Madison heralds the blooming azaleas and dogwoods of spring with Madison Fest, a daylong garden and crafts celebration featuring live music, an artisan market, and an open air paint out.
SISTERS, OREGON
Creative pursuits and fresh Alpine air commingle in the Cascades.
In Sisters, you’re never left wanting for a view. Whether that’s the sparkling waters of Suttle Lake (best enjoyed with a Bloody Mary from the Boathouse at Suttle Lodge), the spare branches of Ponderosa Pines and other towering conifers growing in the Deschutes National Forest, or the snow-capped peaks of the Three Sisters mountains that stand as a breathtaking backdrop to the horse trails of Black Butte Ranch, this 1.87-square-mile former sheepman supply station in central Oregon packs a whole lot of natural beauty into one punch.
The landscape has long served as inspiration for all sorts of creative types. “Sisters is a haven for artists, makers, writers, and musicians,” says illustrator Katie Daisy, who runs the whimsical Wheatfield shop on Washington Avenue and a well-attended Scrabble night at Paulina Springs Books. “I love the numerous antiques stores, amazing coffee shops, and the warmth of the people.”
While in town, outdoor activities range from full-tilt adventure (biking the 37-mile Sisters to Smith Rock Scenic Bikeway, rock scrambling up the 12-mile South Sister Trail) to fun for all ages (visiting the Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery, paddling a rowboat across the aptly-named Clear Lake). The one en plein air event no one should miss, though, is the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show. Held the second Saturday of July, the festival draws in upwards of 10,000 each year for quilter Q&As, live auctions, and the world’s largest collection of quilts displayed outdoors.
WHAT'S NEARBY: Buzzy adventure hub Bend, Oregon, known for its craft beer scene and the "Outdoor Products" major at OSU-Cascades, sits 30 minutes southeast of Sisters.
ROCKPORT, MASSACHUSETTS
The Bay State’s other Cape boasts just as much fun, but with fewer crowds.
Massachusetts’s Cape Cod may be the Bay State’s best known destination for saltbox homes, seafood, and sand. But, 100 miles north, the craggy Cape Ann peninsula provides an equally picturesque coastal backdrop—and with far fewer crowds. In Rockport, a former shipbuilding-town-turned-arts-haven at the tip of the Cape, you’ll be greeted with waterside pathways, postcard-perfect streets, and the Rockport Art Association & Museum, where visitors can take in rotating exhibits of Cape Ann scenery or attend classes on painting and sketching.
Speaking of the so-called softer disciplines: Rockport’s “Motif #1,” a red 1840s fishing shack, is one of the most-painted buildings in the world. It's celebrated each May during Motif #1 Day, which includes art demos, tours, and talks hosted at the many galleries along the shop-lined street of Bearskin Neck. Between art spaces, you’ll find plenty of spots for souvenir scouting, including Once Ocean One Love and Lula's Pantry, and, on Saturdays starting in June, you’ll find souvenirs of the edible variety at the Rockport Exchange farmers market. “I also recommend attending a show at the Shalin Liu Performance Center, where world-renowned musicians perform with the ocean behind them,” says Market Manager Carolyn Latino.
Prefer to explore on the water? Book a guided kayak tour with North Shore Adventures & Outdoor Center, then head to Roy Moore Lobster Company, the oldest lobster company in town, for lobster rolls and clam chowder. And there's only one way to cap off your perfect summer day: with a sweet scoop of Rockport pistachio at The Ice Cream Store.
WHILE YOU'RE THERE: Design enthusiasts shouldn’t skip a visit to Beauport, the summer home of interior designer Henry Davis Sleeper. The rooms remain filled with fine art and folk pieces, and the property’s perch on a rocky ledge offers beautiful views of Gloucester Harbor, America’s oldest fishing port.
MAYSVILLE, KENTUCKY
A pair of historic districts provides a portal into pioneer history and bourbon distilling.
For travelers following Kentucky’s famed Bourbon Trail, a trip to the historic Ohio River town of Maysville may feel off the beaten path, but one could argue it’s actually where you should begin. “Maysville is well-documented as the birthplace of bourbon,” says Peter Pogue, a member of the six-generation-strong family of master bourbon makers behind the circa-1876 Old Pogue Distillery. "And nowhere else can you sit with a bourbon on the same porch, looking at the same view as the family who made it a hundred years ago." Continue the trail at bookshop-slash-bourbon bar Kenton, then head to Hemingway’s, a coffee shop by day and bar slinging bourbon-based cocktails alongside live music by night.
Maysville is also a must for history lovers, thanks to a twin pair of historic districts. Old Washington is a preserved 1780s frontier village that highlights the town’s roles in both pioneering and the Underground Railroad, while downtown’s Main Street District has been revitalized with shops such as EAT Gallery, where L.A. transplant Simon Watt sells hand-crafted jewelry and art. Around the corner at the Kathleen Savage Browning Miniatures Collection, dollhouse enthusiasts can get lost in 3,300-square-feet of elaborate 1:12-scale recreations of everything from Russia’s Catherine Palace to the ancestral home of Princess Diana.
Also on the itinerary: catching a performance by the Maysville Players at the Beaux Arts-style Washington Opera House, and a visit to the Maysville Floodwall Mural to spot the town’s most famous one-time inhabitant: actress Rosemary Clooney (a.k.a. George Clooney's aunt). Cap off your stay at Caproni’s on the River, where dinner is served with views of trains rolling along the waterside tracks.
WHEN TO GO: During September’s annual Simon Kenton Festival, the Maysville town founder is fêted with living history presentations, pioneer games, butter churning demos, and—you guessed it—bourbon tastings.
LOCKHART, TEXAS
Girl power goes big in the BBQ Capital of the Lone Star State.
“One of the most common misconceptions about Lockhart is that there’s nothing to do except eat barbecue,” says Kaye Askins. A former beverage manager for Eataly Dallas, she moved to the one-time railroad shipping center set thirty minutes outside of Austin in 2021. One year later, she opened Best Little Wine & Books, a delightfully unpretentious wine bar, bookshop, and community gathering spot that perhaps shouldn’t fit in with the beer-and-brisket crowd, but does. (Same goes for Chicken, Kaye’s scruffy four-legged sidekick and unofficial shop mascot.)
Kaye’s not the only female business owner doubling down on Lockhart. At Stampworthy Goods, Allie Launius curates a stylish mix of Southwestern-inspired vintage furniture and decor. Donna Blair and Tamara Carlisle bring in buzzy contemporary artists like Patrick Puckett to Commerce Gallery. Taylor Burge runs Chaparral Coffee with husband Austin, and, perhaps most notably, pitmaster Chuck Charnichart and her team at Barbs-B-Q have dominated all sorts of recent “Best Restaurant” lists with their serrano-glazed pork ribs and acid-green roasted poblano spaghetti. (OK, so yes, you should make time for barbecue.)
This new wave of entrepreneurs has settled in nicely alongside more traditional attractions. The Southwest Museum of Clocks and Watches draws horologists of all ages, country music fans can catch live shows at Old Pal Bar and Commerce Hall, and, come summer, a dip in a San Marcos River swimming hole is an absolute must. Settle in for a long weekend at The Leona, a collection of Sarah Stacey-designed cabins that opened in November in the Main Springs micro-district, and let Lockhart’s uniquely Lone Star charm treat you to a new side of small town Texas.
WHEN TO GO: Each November, the Texas Monthly BBQ World’s Fair takes over Lockhart’s town square with live-fire cooking demos, an artisan marketplace, and bites from the publication’s annual list of Texas’s Top 50 BBQ Joints.
BLUFFTON, SOUTH CAROLINA
Gullah cuisine is soon to be front and center in this Lowcountry community.
Of all the delicious Lowcountry delicacies, a red cabbage salad shouldn’t necessarily stand out. But if it’s the red cabbage salad at Chef Bernard Bennett’s Okàn, it will be one you’ll think about long after. A 2023 James Beard Award semifinalist, Chef Bernard’s ever-evolving menu invites diners to follow the pathways of ingredients and flavors from West Africa, through the Caribbean, and into the coastal marshes of South Carolina. Best enjoyed family-style alongside Djon Djon noodles, head-on harissa shrimp, and lobster-cashew curry, the delicious dish is just one of many entry points into the African-American legacies of Bluffton, South Carolina, a lesser-known but fast-growing destination located just 15 minutes inland from Hilton Head Island.
This summer, Bluffton chef and community celebrant Bridgette Frazier will also debut Ma Daisy’s Porch, a multi-building compound dedicated to the heritage, history, and flavors of Gullah, a distinctively Southeastern culture born from the descendants of enslaved West and Central Africans. The complex will include an immersive museum, an open-air market for Gullah artists and craftsmen, a bakery offering Benne cookies and creatively-stuffed croissants, and a two-story restaurant. “The Ma Daisy’s compound is a place where Gullah culture appeals to every sense,” Bridgette says. “You can taste it, you can see it, you can feel it—in every sense of the word.”
In between bites, visitors can pay a visit to the historic Garvin-Garvey House or explore the charming boutiques along Calhoun Street, but know that the area’s natural wonders also deserve your attention. Take a guided boat tour (watch for bottlenose dolphins!) with May River Excursions, or simply stop to appreciate the sunlight seeping through the Spanish moss hanging from the area’s ancient live oak trees.
WHAT'S NEARBY: A destination unto itself, the family-friendly Montage Palmetto Bluff is home to 20,000 acres of bike trails, golf courses, tennis courts, and the occasional alligator.
MILAN, OHIO
A fresh crop of culinary curiosities await in the birthplace of Thomas Edison.
If Ohio doesn't immediately spring to mind when you think of destination farm-to-table fare, the small town of Milan just may make the case that it should. Leading the charge: the Culinary Vegetable Institute at the Chef’s Garden. “The Institute exists to foster our commitment to chefs,” says Farmer Lee Jones, who has championed regenerative farming and ag research at The Chef’s Garden in nearby Huron for over 30 years. Though it primarily serves as a hub for renowned chefs to share ideas and experiment with new techniques, visitors can get in on the action with ticketed tasting suppers or by spending the night at CVI’s farm stay. You can also shop for produce and flowers at the Farmer Jones Farm Market, which also hosts cooking demos, wine tastings, and food-focused lectures.
Of course, innovation is nothing new to Milan, which is the birthplace of Thomas Edison. Explore his early life and inventions at his eponymous museum, then head down Edison Avenue to the Milan Museum, a series of galleries dedicated to the village’s history and art. At the museum’s Lockwood Smith & Co. General Store, younger visitors can shop old-fashioned candy and Edison-themed souvenirs.
Antiquers will also find lots to love. Start at Big Ship Salvage, which offers the country’s largest inventory of nautical antiques and lighting, then head to Milan Inn-tiques, located in a former stagecoach inn. Finish with a stroll across the town green to Baker on the Square for cinnamon rolls and cheesecake.
WHILE YOU'RE THERE: In nearby Berlin Heights, visitors to Quarry Hill Orchards can pick seasonal fruit, sip wines made from estate-grown grapes, and sample ice cream swirled with the raspberries, peaches, and cherries cultivated on property.
EASTON, MARYLAND
The center of the Eastern Shore’s arts and culture scene also delights with fine dining.
Contrary to what Wedding Crashers may have you believe, Maryland—specifically Maryland’s Eastern Shore—is not just crab cakes and football. That's especially true in Easton, the charming brick building-lined seat of Talbot County, where you’ll more often spend an afternoon in an art gallery than out on the field, and foie gras and French galettes are just as likely to grace your dinner menu.
The destination dining scene that has recently captured attention is largely courtesy of Paul Prager’s Bluepoint Hospitality group, which includes epicurean market The Wardroom, fresh-ingredient-focused restaurant Sunflower and Greens, gourmet ice creamery Bonheur, and more. Flourishing alongside are a fresh crop of art houses (Spiralis, TRA Gallery), performance venues (the Avalon and Ebenezer theaters), and antiques shops (Foxwells Antiques, Easton Antiques and Art Gallery). The just-opened Market at Dover Station showcases small businesses and independent artisans, and, each July, Plein Air Easton takes over the streets with the largest—and some say most prestigious—juried plein air painting competition in the U.S. “Easton was the best best-kept secret,” says TJ Hindman, owner of mid-century modern furniture and art gallery The Modern Bulldog. “But we’re being discovered!”
American history is also a major part of the draw. Born into slavery in Talbot County, statesman Frederick Douglass is honored with multiple murals and a statue outside the courthouse, and a four-part driving tour offers glimpses into his early life and accomplishments. Also enlightening: a self-guided tour of Easton’s Hill Community, established long before the Civil War as one of the oldest free Black neighborhoods in the U.S.
WHAT'S NEARBY: Fifteen minutes further into the Bay, the more-well-known St. Michaels draws in tourists with a maritime museum, waterfront dining, and the chic new hotel, The Wildset.
NEVADA CITY, CALIFORNIA
Art and adventure await in one of California’s first Gold Rush towns.
Though the Bay Area so often steals the NorCal spotlight, travel 150 miles inland and you’ll uncover the unique, less-frequented attractions of Nevada City. Nestled amongst the pine forests on the western slope of the Northern Sierra Nevadas, the former Gold Rush town is now a gateway to outdoor adventure as well a hub for experimental film and Old West architecture.
Start your visit downtown, the entirety of which is preserved as a National Historic Landmark, where many of the Victorian buildings house thriving small businesses. “It’s a thoughtful community that values the natural surroundings, creativity, and building supportive relationships,” says Carrie Hawthorne, a Nevada City native who, along with Kira Westly, curates the highly-giftable goods at Kitkitdizzi. Additional to-dos include breakfast at Heartwood Eatery, sipping craft beer at Three Forks Bakery & Brewing Co., and a stop by the Victorian gingerbread Firehouse No. 1 Museum. In the evening, catch a show at the circa-1865 Nevada Theatre, before resting your head at The National Exchange Hotel, a historic property recently reimagined in modern Victorian splendor.
When you’re ready to venture beyond Main Street, the 625 miles of non-motorized trails in nearby Tahoe National Forest can be explored by hike, bike, or horseback, and Nevada City’s proximity to the South Yuba and America rivers means fly-fishing, kayaking, and white-water rafting are also on the docket. Farms and wineries also abound nearby, including The Orchard at Apple Lane, a century-old U-pick orchard and chic farmstand co-owned by celeb hairstylist Ashley Streicher.
WHEN TO GO: Dubbed “The Sundance of the Sierra,” the Nevada City Film Festival celebrates indie movies and comedies each June.
TAMWORTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE
A pasture-perfect backdrop sets the scene for one of the country’s most creative distilleries.
Wine-lovers have Napa. Bourbon fans have Kentucky. (See: Maysville, above.) And now, those enamored by all the things that can be done with gin and vodka (and, okay, whiskey) have Tamworth, New Hampshire, a rural town of 2,212 set between the White Mountains and Lakes Region of the Granite State. A longtime retreat for artists and intellectuals like E.E. Cummings and Henry James, Tamworth's way-back-in-time vibe continues to be a draw. “It very much reminds me of the New Hampshire of my childhood,” says Steven Grasse, the creative mastermind behind Sailor Jerry Rum, Hendrick’s Gin, and, most recently, Tamworth Distilling.
Launched in 2015 on the grounds of the town’s old inn, Tamworth Distilling produces craft spirits inspired by—and made from—a variety of unusual sources. (The Deer Slayer whiskey is flavored with the flora and fauna—specifically, venison—of the New Hampshire autumn, while the Garden Sylvan Mist Gin can also be worn as a perfume.) Visitors can drop in for tastings, shop the Mercantile, attend workshops, or arrange for a private cocktail class. It all amounts to a one-of-a-kind experience—and it’s drawing an increasingly international crowd.
While you're in town, be sure to check out the Remick Country Doctor Museum & Farm, and, come summer, shows at The Barnstomers Theatre. At Public House on Page Hill, you can soak up any, ahem, overindulgences with burgers and flatbreads, but the best antidote for a lingering hangover just may be the fresh air. Trails in the 170-acre Big Pines Natural Area take hikes past towering Eastern white pines, while Lake Chocorua and the glampgrounds at nearby Huttopia White Mountains offer freshwater for kayaking and swimming.
WHAT'S NEARBY: In warmer months, Lake Winnipesaukee (or “Lake Winni” to locals), the state’s biggest at 72 miles, welcomes visitors for boating, fishing, and swimming beaches.
PHOTO CREDITS
MADISON (clockwise): Community Roots Market, Betty Gene's, The Sinclair, Madison Markets, and Madison Mayor Fred Perriman by Becky Luigart-Stayner. The Farmhouse Inn courtesy Farmhouse Inn.
SISTERS: Three Sisters Mountains by Bob Pool/Adobe Stock. Sisters Quilt Show and mural by Breanna Briggs for Quiltfolk magazine. Suttle Lodge by Ellie Lillstrom Photography. Sisters Coffee Company courtesy of Sisters Coffee Company. Hiker by Gritchelle Fallesgon.
ROCKPORT: Buoys by Shutterstock/Philip Mowbray. The Ice Cream Store by Alamy Stock Photo. Motif #1, Lula's Pantry, and Roy Moore Lobster Co. by Adam DeTour. Aerial town view courtesy of Addison Choate.
MAYSVILLE: Russell Theater, mural, and Parc Cafe by Amy Elisabeth Spasoff. Aerial town view by Getty Images. Whiskey bottle courtesy of Old Pogue Distillery.
LOCKHART: Old Pal biscuits, Kay Askins, and Old Pal Exterior courtesy of Consumable Content. Street scene by Getty Images. The Leona interior by Laurel Coyle. Swimming hole by Matthew Johnson.
BLUFFTON: May River and Garvin-Garvey House by Olivia Rae James. Okàn cuisine courtesy Okàn. Bridgette Frazier portrait by Michael Hrizuk. Bluffton Oyster Co. shrimping boat by Kelli Boyd for the Wall Street Journal. The Store by by Dawna Moore.
MILAN: Milan Inn-tiques courtesy of Milan Inn-tiques. Farmer Lee Jones by Michelle Demuth-Bibb. Thomas Edison Birthplace by Brandon Bartoszek/Flickr. Quarry Hill Orchard sign and fruit by David Petkiewicz/cleveland.com. Alto Inn courtesy of Alto Inn.
EASTON: Avalon Theater exterior by Andreea Russo. Bonheur ice cream by Greg Powers. Oyster cans at Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum by Alamy Stock Photo. The Wardroom exterior by Melanie Dunea. Crabs by Caroline J. Phillips. Boats in harbor by Reema Desai.
NEVADA CITY: South Yuba River by Kial James. Firehouse No. 1 Museum by Alamy Stock Photo. National Exchange Hotel room by Kat Alves. The Orchard at Apple Lane by Jenna Jones. Heartwood exterior and street scene by Michelle Halpern/Live Like its the Weekend.
TAMWORTH: Iona Lake dock courtesy of Huttopia. Cook Library, Tamworth Distilling gin bottles, cows at Remick Country Doctor Museum, Chocorua Lake and Mountain, and Tamworth Distilling exterior by Jennifer Bakos. Steven Grasse Portrait by Bre Furlong.
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