New York’s tallest waterfall is even greater than Niagara and you’ve got most likely by no means heard of it
America’s Best Towns to Visit
14 movies
New York’s tallest waterfall is even greater than Niagara and you’ve got most likely by no means heard of it
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Tyler Florence’s secret to nice grilled kabobs? It’s all in the lower
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See why this city’s Pride celebration is a month earlier—and why you need to go to
Sock burnings? Tug of struggle? Check out this coastal city’s quirky traditions
Come to Las Cruces for the pure magnificence, keep for the meals
Petaluma presents nice meals, wine and particular treats for movie followers
This City of Presidents is greater than a monument to the previous
This ‘hidden gem’ of a metropolis is the place the blues style was born
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This Montana city’s top-notch meals and world-class wilderness make it a must-visit
NCS
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America’s most fascinating cities convey collectively the perfect of a ravishing nation. Surrounded by beautiful landscapes, full of entrepreneurial expertise and evolving with the tastes of the individuals who settle and discover them, these locations showcase what makes the United States so distinctive.
For our second annual record of America’s Best Towns to Visit, NCS Travel editors tapped our readers and contributors for nominations. We thought of tons of of candidates and winnowed the record to 10 by evaluating the finalists’ sights, meals and beverage choices, cultural and nightlife scenes, range, sense of id, proximity to different fascinating spots and “wow factor.” We additionally checked out journey necessities, together with lodging choices and the benefit of getting there.
Our selections this yr skew smaller than last year’s top 10, ranging in measurement from about 15,000 residents to about 115,000. They’re unfold throughout the nation and seize the unbelievable selection that defines the United States — from historical past and pure magnificence to tradition and meals. And they function reminders of what Americans do greatest: construct cities and communities that add up to greater than the sum of their components.
Here are our 2025 picks:
High scores: Presidential sights, big-name parks, Native artwork, straightforward day journeys
Taking a web page from Mount Rushmore close by, Rapid City leans into its “City of Presidents” nickname with sculptures of practically each US head of state on show downtown. This Black Hills hub is shut to myriad pure wonders — from the Badlands to the bison herd in Custer State Park – and it’s a spot to pattern regionally sourced walleye or bison and examine Native American artwork. In this pleasant Midwestern city, you may collect at Main Street Square for year-round occasions after which fan out onto its greenway and into the hills to see extra of South Dakota’s wonders.
High scores: Musical heritage, competition calendar and stay reveals, Southern flavors
It’s no shock that this Mississippi Delta city — thought of the cradle of the blues — is a year-round competition vacation spot. Clarksdale’s musical id has solidified in latest years, and now this small Deep South metropolis entertains locals and guests with greater than a dozen music festivals, in addition to its core lineup of juke joints internet hosting stay performances on daily basis of the week. Locals embrace the town’s “gritty” character and its unvarnished attraction. But new lodging and eating choices are holding issues recent, and native eats transcend typical Southern soul-food fare to fold in Cajun and Creole flavors as nicely.
High scores: Lively downtown, range, countercultural vibe, biking
A coffee-drinking, bike-riding oasis, Northampton combines the attraction of a village with big-city tradition. Long a welcoming haven for gays and lesbians, this western Massachusetts city is a regional vacation spot for eating, buying and live shows. It’s additionally house to Smith College, a cornerstone of this city’s repute for brand spanking new concepts and robust girls. Regional rail trails make it a hub for biking, too. Founded by Puritans in 1654, Northampton is at this time a spot to get pleasure from sinfully good pastries and bread.
High scores: Blend of cultures, jaw-dropping surroundings, out of doors entry, day journeys
A sunny, reasonable local weather and beautiful landscapes in each path make Las Cruces very best for out of doors actions practically all yr lengthy. If you’re trying to hike, alternatives abound to the east in the Organ Mountains and northwest of city in the Robledo Mountains, the place Prehistoric Trackways National Monument preserves tracks left by reptiles 280 million years in the past. The second-largest metropolis in New Mexico, Las Cruces nonetheless has the laid-back tempo of a a lot smaller city, with a wealthy mix of Mexican, Native American and Western tradition.
High scores: Farm-to-table scene, historic structure, straightforward day journeys, riverfront setting
Known for top-notch farm-to-table eating and historic structure, Petaluma nonetheless shines from its Gold Rush growth. This quirky Northern California city is completely located for day journeys to the coast, wine nation and San Francisco. In city, you may run or stroll alongside a path by the Petaluma River previous out of doors paintings or get out on the water for kayaking and paddleboarding. Once generally known as “The World’s Egg Basket,” owing to the area’s poultry farms, Petaluma presents boundless selection for foodies and drinks to complement any craving.
High scores: Maritime and colonial historical past, waterfront setting, boating, seafood
Annapolis has lengthy lured day-trippers from close by Baltimore and DC for an outing on the Chesapeake Bay and a hearty meal of seafood. But this picturesque waterfront metropolis additionally presents an enthralling downtown whose slim streets, brick sidewalks and Georgian buildings mirror its wealthy historical past as a colonial capital frequented by George Washington and different founding fathers. Throw in crusing cruises, a historic state home, the good-looking US Naval Academy campus and bustling eating places serving Maryland’s trademark blue crabs, and you’ve got all of the components for a memorable go to.
High scores: Outdoor wow issue, play-hard vibe, stay music, beverage and meals scene
A distant getaway on the fringe of the Cascade Mountains, Bend was named after that function in the river that flows by way of city. You can maintain busy fishing and boating alongside the Deschutes and on dozens of lakes in the realm, in addition to kayaking, biking, mountain climbing and extra. This massive out of doors playground — with its “go-play-all-day energy” — tops issues off with meals vans and fancier fare, stay music and loads of expertly crafted native beer.
High scores: Scenic setting, eating and drinks, out of doors entry, arts and crafts
For nicely over a century, Asheville has been drawing guests in search of a restorative escape in the Blue Ridge Mountains. America’s largest house, the Biltmore House, was constructed right here on the finish of the 19th century as a rustic retreat. Then final yr, Hurricane Helene’s destruction knocked Asheville off its stride. But the storm has unified this resilient group greater than ever. And Asheville’s mountain views, scenic trails, vibrant neighborhoods, vigorous arts scene and scrumptious meals and drinks are all nonetheless right here for you to get pleasure from.
High scores: World-class wilderness, fly fishing, stay music and humanities
Missoula sits on the confluence of 4 high rivers for fishing, and you could have already caught a glimpse of this space years in the past in “A River Runs Through It.” More than ever, fly fishing is ingrained into the native lifestyle, and the water and surrounding wilderness provide boundless alternatives for journey. This college city has change into a hub for stay music and world-class ceramics. A spot to expertise the American West, Missoula galleries additionally showcase a particular medium of Indigenous artwork.
High scores: Natural wow-factor, out of doors actions, wine and cider, college-town tradition
You don’t have to go far to discover a spectacular waterfall in this upstate New York school city. The space round Ithaca is jam-packed with gorges and cascading falls, slicing by way of fertile land dotted with wineries and cider homes in the state’s Finger Lakes area. In city, there’s a vigorous farmers market and extra cultural choices than Ithaca’s measurement would recommend. That’s thanks in half to a big scholar inhabitants that provides layers of range to the city’s homegrown choices. Fans of geology, birding, music and extra will discover loads to do right here.
Text by Jeanne Bonner, Marnie Hunter and Brandon Griggs.