Best American Towns
These are among the nation's most fun and scenic road-trip destinations, perfect for summer.
Has the down economy crushed your summer vacation plans? Are dreams of eating conch fritters on a palm-laden island or, say, motoring through woods that hide a hamlet full of bratwurst and Oettinger all but gone?
They don't have to be. More than 32 million Americans drove 50 miles or more over Memorial Day weekend, up 1.5 percent from 2008. AAA spokesman Robert Sinclair says he expects much the same for the duration of the summer, especially since analysts at the Energy Information Administration expect gas prices to average around $2.23 per gallon. That's down $1.60 from last summer.
Here is the full list of Best American Towns to See by Car
Arcata, Calif.
Population: 17,294
Arcata is home to Humboldt State University and boasts stores, bars, coffee shops and live music venues. Visit The Plaza lawn in the center of town, which is home to a farmer's market, Oyster Festival, Kinetic Sculpture Race and summer fair. You can also take Highway 101 down along the entire California coastline, a beautiful drive that passes towns with storybook English-style cottages, white-sand beaches and vintage bistros.
Athens, Ga.
Population: 112,760
Located about 90 minutes from Atlanta, this Southern town has a thriving bike culture and live music scene culminating in the annual AthFest, a nonprofit music and arts festival held downtown. It's also home to the University of Georgia, which makes it a typical college town chock full of coffee shops and bars suitable for late nights of philosophizing. Longstanding institutions like the State Botanical Garden of Georgia and the site of an original Civil War cannon are also nearby.
Chadron, Neb.
Population: 5,489
Named after the famous trader Louis Chartran, the town lives up to its fur-trapper heritage with an annual "Fur Trader Days" celebration and excellent Museum of the Fur Trade. (French settlers pronounced the name "shattron," which evolved into Chadron). It'll take some doing to get there — it's 110 miles south of Rapid City, S.D., and 450 miles northwest of Omaha, Neb. — but it's worth it if you like the beauty and stillness of the plains with a welcoming community nearby.
Key West, Fla.
Population: 25,478
When you come to the end of the road in Key West, don't be surprised to see a sign saying, "Next stop, Cuba." You'll certainly feel like you're close — the Key is at the end of 160 miles of highway heading south from Miami, and it combines the best of Caribbean, Floridian and Cajun cultures for a flavor all its own. While you're there, visit Earnest Hemmingway's home, dive with nurse sharks on the nearby reef and then enjoy conch fritters with a Key West lemonade while the suns set over the sea.
Lancaster, Pa.
Population: 54,779
One of the oldest inland cities in the United States, Lancaster sits along the Susquehanna River 71 miles west of Philadelphia. Central Market, built there in 1889 and open year-round, is the oldest farmer's market in the nation and houses handmade Amish goods in a "Romanesque revival" building. Lancaster's Independence Day Weekend Celebration features fireworks and free performances by the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra.
Leavenworth, Wash.
Population: 2,074
Feel like something Bavarian for a change? Maybe even bratwurst? Take Highway 2 in the middle of the Cascade Mountain Range, deep into Washington's Wenachee (weh-NATCH-EE) National Forest, to the German-themed village. The annual winter festival and Oktoberfest are its main attractions, but the deeply forested drive required to get there (it's 135 miles from Seattle and 195 from Spokane) will have you wishing you'd brought equipment to film your very own Chronicles of Narnia segment. Bring a tent and hiking boots instead.
Portland, Ore.
Population: 575,930
Nestled between the verdant Cascade Mountains and stunning Oregon coast, Portland is the ideal home base for day trips all across the Northwest. Salty coastal towns like Cannon Beach and Seaside are 90 minutes away and, in the opposite direction, Mt. Hood offers hiking, mountain biking and even skiing until late spring. Getting there from the South is beautiful too if you take Route 1 (the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway) all the way up Oregon's coast. Spring and summer are the best times for you-pick berries and pears; road-side stands inviting hungry travelers to fill a basket or two abound.
Has the down economy crushed your summer vacation plans? Are dreams of eating conch fritters on a palm-laden island or, say, motoring through woods that hide a hamlet full of bratwurst and Oettinger all but gone?
They don't have to be. More than 32 million Americans drove 50 miles or more over Memorial Day weekend, up 1.5 percent from 2008. AAA spokesman Robert Sinclair says he expects much the same for the duration of the summer, especially since analysts at the Energy Information Administration expect gas prices to average around $2.23 per gallon. That's down $1.60 from last summer.
Here is the full list of Best American Towns to See by Car
Arcata, Calif.
Population: 17,294
Arcata is home to Humboldt State University and boasts stores, bars, coffee shops and live music venues. Visit The Plaza lawn in the center of town, which is home to a farmer's market, Oyster Festival, Kinetic Sculpture Race and summer fair. You can also take Highway 101 down along the entire California coastline, a beautiful drive that passes towns with storybook English-style cottages, white-sand beaches and vintage bistros.
Athens, Ga.
Population: 112,760
Located about 90 minutes from Atlanta, this Southern town has a thriving bike culture and live music scene culminating in the annual AthFest, a nonprofit music and arts festival held downtown. It's also home to the University of Georgia, which makes it a typical college town chock full of coffee shops and bars suitable for late nights of philosophizing. Longstanding institutions like the State Botanical Garden of Georgia and the site of an original Civil War cannon are also nearby.
Chadron, Neb.
Population: 5,489
Named after the famous trader Louis Chartran, the town lives up to its fur-trapper heritage with an annual "Fur Trader Days" celebration and excellent Museum of the Fur Trade. (French settlers pronounced the name "shattron," which evolved into Chadron). It'll take some doing to get there — it's 110 miles south of Rapid City, S.D., and 450 miles northwest of Omaha, Neb. — but it's worth it if you like the beauty and stillness of the plains with a welcoming community nearby.
Key West, Fla.
Population: 25,478
When you come to the end of the road in Key West, don't be surprised to see a sign saying, "Next stop, Cuba." You'll certainly feel like you're close — the Key is at the end of 160 miles of highway heading south from Miami, and it combines the best of Caribbean, Floridian and Cajun cultures for a flavor all its own. While you're there, visit Earnest Hemmingway's home, dive with nurse sharks on the nearby reef and then enjoy conch fritters with a Key West lemonade while the suns set over the sea.
Lancaster, Pa.
Population: 54,779
One of the oldest inland cities in the United States, Lancaster sits along the Susquehanna River 71 miles west of Philadelphia. Central Market, built there in 1889 and open year-round, is the oldest farmer's market in the nation and houses handmade Amish goods in a "Romanesque revival" building. Lancaster's Independence Day Weekend Celebration features fireworks and free performances by the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra.
Leavenworth, Wash.
Population: 2,074
Feel like something Bavarian for a change? Maybe even bratwurst? Take Highway 2 in the middle of the Cascade Mountain Range, deep into Washington's Wenachee (weh-NATCH-EE) National Forest, to the German-themed village. The annual winter festival and Oktoberfest are its main attractions, but the deeply forested drive required to get there (it's 135 miles from Seattle and 195 from Spokane) will have you wishing you'd brought equipment to film your very own Chronicles of Narnia segment. Bring a tent and hiking boots instead.
Portland, Ore.
Population: 575,930
Nestled between the verdant Cascade Mountains and stunning Oregon coast, Portland is the ideal home base for day trips all across the Northwest. Salty coastal towns like Cannon Beach and Seaside are 90 minutes away and, in the opposite direction, Mt. Hood offers hiking, mountain biking and even skiing until late spring. Getting there from the South is beautiful too if you take Route 1 (the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway) all the way up Oregon's coast. Spring and summer are the best times for you-pick berries and pears; road-side stands inviting hungry travelers to fill a basket or two abound.
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