American communities have by no means been extra important. In cities and cities, we get out and meet individuals who share our pursuits — or view the world in totally alternative ways.
Even in divisive instances, we commerce concepts, voice disagreements and be taught from each other in cafés, bars and bookstores or whereas strolling alongside paved city trails or up rugged mountain paths close by. These locations are the threads that weave the United States collectively, creating an unlimited expanse of cloth rippling with peaks, valleys and tides.
As the United States celebrates its 250th birthday, NCS Travel presents this yr’s listing of America’s Best Towns to Visit. Our third annual listing seems past a few of American tourism’s heaviest hitters to discover less-discovered communities or locations whose surprising histories and curiosities have been obscured by splashier points of interest.
NCS Travel editors tapped our readers and staffers for nominations for the 2026 listing. We weighed the nominees and winnowed them down to 10 by evaluating the finalists’ points of interest, meals and beverage choices, cultural and nightlife scenes, variety, sense of identification, proximity to different fascinating spots and “wow factor.” We additionally checked out journey necessities, together with lodging choices and the convenience of getting there.
Our decisions this yr run the gamut from seaside and mountain cities in the East to artistic hubs in the Midwest and the Rockies. They showcase the United States’ unimaginable variety — from landscapes and structure to tradition and meals. People, too.
Here are our 2026 picks:
High scores: Outdoor entry, walkable downtown, rising meals scene
A trio of gorgeous hikes is just the start of the outside adventures that await guests to the “Star City of the South.” Flanked by the Appalachian Trail and the Blue Ridge Parkway, Roanoke has acquired trails lined. Rails, too. Railroad historical past runs deep right here, and the walkable downtown is including new eating places, residents and companies on a regular basis. FULL STORY
High scores: Downtown purchasing, drinks and nightlife, intriguing historical past
Lawrence seems like Main Street perfection — a vibrant haven of craft breweries, indie bookstores and historic lodges. But beneath this charming Midwestern façade lies a fierce, rebellious soul.
Twice burned down in the Civil War period, this city has at all times resurrected itself. That spirit survives in the present day as Lawrence’s historic Massachusetts Street fights a brand new battle to preserve massive chains out and native uniqueness in. FULL STORY
High scores: Literary points of interest, dynamic downtown, full of life tradition
Iowa City is America’s engine room of literature — a full of life faculty city the place everybody together with taxi drivers appears to have ink-stained fingers, and legendary authors like Kurt Vonnegut walked the streets. But books are solely half the story in this laid-back Midwestern haven. From a presidentially accepted classic diner promoting legendary pie-shakes to a neighboring city totally devoted to “Star Trek,” it’s a culture-packed vacation spot the place tales are ready to be advised round each road nook. FULL STORY
MORE AMERICA’S BEST TOWNS TO VISIT 2026
High scores: Wilderness “wow” issue, wildlife, seafood, Alaskan tradition
Alaska’s distant, hard-to-reach capital is just too lovely, its tradition and historical past too wealthy, to get cynical about its recognition with throngs of cruise ship passengers. The largest state capital in the nation by land mass, Juneau’s tall peaks stay snow-capped properly into summer season.
It’s positioned in a rain forest, has its personal glacier and its residents embody bears, mountain goats and whales. This place is worlds away from a typical American city expertise. FULL STORY
High scores: Lovely environment, farm-fresh meals, group spirit
Vermont’s largest metropolis can be the smallest high inhabitants heart of any state. That provides this lakeside faculty group a small-town really feel that’s evident in its weekly farmer’s market and walkable downtown. Depending on the season, you’ll be able to bike alongside Lake Champlain, take pleasure in wild ice skating or hike city trails. Sipping on craft brews and sampling Ben & Jerry’s ice cream from its birthplace close by are pleasures accessible right here year-round. FULL STORY
High scores: Historic downtown, beverage scene, surrounding surroundings
Home to a nationally well-known brewery, a completely superior ‘80s cafe, the good of indie film theaters and nice espresso outlets — all whereas retaining its historic roots, Fort Collins appears like a theme park. You can bounce from one peak expertise to one other, together with climbing an precise native peak in the foothills of the Rockies. FULL STORY
High scores: Rich historical past, celebrated Main Street, holiday-hub identification
No, Bethlehem not produces metal. But its fabled industrial historical past lives on on the former Bethlehem Steel web site, the place guests can tour the rusting plant and luxuriate in outside occasions in the shadows of the corporate’s towering blast furnaces, which punctuate the town’s skyline. After some lean years, Bethlehem is flourishing once more, thanks to a picturesque Main Street, its enchantment as a twinkly Christmastime vacation spot and the US’ latest UNESCO World Heritage web site. FULL STORY
High scores: Parks and trails, city renewal, meals scene, small-town vibe
Buzzing with the colourful downtown power that different cities crave, Greenville makes essentially the most of its city waterfall and central Falls Park. A prolonged pedestrian and bike path hyperlinks neighborhoods, points of interest and an enthralling small city 10 miles north. But this Southern metropolis didn’t look something like this a couple of a long time again. Rather a lot went into Greenville’s “50-year overnight success story.” FULL STORY | WATCH VIDEO
High scores: Cultural scene at Yale and past, nightlife, meals
Home to Yale University, New Haven is a walkable haven for eating places, music, artwork and theater. Yale’s stately brick tutorial buildings and world-class museums assist outline this metropolis as Connecticut’s cultural capital. And New Haven-style pizza, grounded in a century of historical past, isn’t the one meals favourite with deep roots right here; New Haven’s acquired a declare on a quintessential American sandwich. FULL STORY | WATCH VIDEO
High scores: Arts and tradition, seashores and gardens, intriguing historical past
This Gulf Coast metropolis goes all-in on creative excellence with a cultural compound that grew from the fortunes of a circus magnate, and different visible and performing arts points of interest. Circus lore and a inhabitants of Amish snowbirds add to this city’s intriguing historical past. Throw in uncommon gardens and exquisite seashores, and you’ve got a classy cultural getaway that delivers solar and surf, too. FULL STORY | WATCH VIDEO
Where ought to we go subsequent? Share your picks
Text by Marnie Hunter, Jeanne Bonner, Barry Neild, David Allan and Brandon Griggs.