10 Most Neighborly Towns In The United States
If you've ever gone on a road trip or ventured off the beaten path in the United States, you know that America is a bright mosaic of small towns and tight-knit communities bursting with pride for their local artisans, businesses, parks, and festivals. In towns with a rich cultural heritage like Solvang, California, it's about celebrating the people that make the region unique, while others highlight the diverse landscapes and coastal resources that put them on the map. From coast to coast to coast, the towns on this list are waiting for you to picnic in their public parks, pull up a seat in their cozy cafes, and attend one of their many festivals and events as they welcome you into their community and leave a lasting impression long after you've left.
Solvang, California
The community of Solvang proudly celebrates its Danish heritage with Danish Days, a three-day festival held every September that features a beer and wine garden, interactive history lessons, axe-throwing, live concerts, and an artisanal craft marketplace. You can still sample traditional food year-round in Solvang, with many authentic bakeries throughout town, such as Olsen’s Danish Village Bakery, which utilizes the recipes of four generations of bakers from Denmark to provide visitors and locals alike with European-style breads, pastries, and cookies. Hans Christian Andersen Park is as welcoming as it is charming. After you drive through a castle arch, you will be presented with ample opportunity to stretch out on the grass, either in the sun or under the shade of the live oak trees, enjoy storybook-themed playground equipment for the kids, and picnic sites for the whole family.
Ferndale, California
Ferndale is a picturesque Victorian village near the coast of northern California whose heritage can still be seen in many preserved buildings around town to this day. The Gingerbread Mansion Inn is a prime example of 19th-century Victorian-era architecture. It now operates as a hotel, and even if you are not staying there, you will still receive the same warmth and hospitality as a guest of the inn if you stop by for afternoon tea. Take a walk through Hadley Gardens, which was designed to showcase coastal dunes, prairies, and bluffs, as well as riparian forests. Ferndale is also the site of one of California's longest-running fairs, the Humboldt County Fair, which highlights small-town America at its best with classic attractions, including carnival rides, fair food, entertainment, handicrafts, and livestock contests, meaning there is bound to be something to make it fun for everyone.
Ashland, Oregon
Ashland has a reputation as a cultural hotspot, and this can be attributed to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, which runs annually between March and October. It attracts over 100,000 visitors to see ten plays shown across three stages, ranging from modern musicals to classics by the Bard himself. Lithia Park is a central gathering spot in the middle of downtown Ashland and spans nearly 100 acres of green spaces, ball courts, picnic facilities, a reservoir for swimming, and beautifully landscaped areas at the free-to-access Japanese Garden. Mingle with local vendors at the Rogue Valley Growers and Crafters Market, where you can browse the broad array of fresh produce, flowers, artisan products, and handmade crafts. The market is a favored experience for locals and tourists alike, and even features live music.
Sedona, Arizona
Sedona is a welcoming arts community surrounded by red rock buttes and canyons in central Arizona. The Tlaquepaque Arts and Shopping Village is an outdoor mall designed after a traditional Mexican village, detailed down to cobblestone paths and vine-covered stucco walls. It houses over 40 speciality shops and galleries, such as Rowe Gallery, where you can often observe and interact with area artists doing demonstrations on the first Friday of every month. The Sedona Plein Air Festival further highlights Sedona’s status as an art colony through a week-long event of workshops, free events, and live artists’ demonstrations as they create work inspired by the Arizona landscape. Visitors and locals alike are invited to get in touch with their spiritual side at Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park, an outdoor venue offering guided prayer and meditation for people of all faiths.
Palisade, Colorado
The town of Palisade is settled on a premier agricultural site in western Colorado, which is optimal for wine growing. This is evident from the 30+ wineries, vineyards, wine tasting rooms, and fruit orchards in the area. Sample wines from the tasting room at Colterris at the Overlook from June through September while you tour their vineyard and take in panoramic views of the Colorado River. If you are in town in September, be sure to swing by Riverbend Park, which hosts the annual Colorado Mountain Winefest. As the largest wine festival in the state, it brings growers, winemakers, and wine lovers together to listen to live music, participate in lawn games, and observe ice carving demonstrations. Riverbend Park is worth visiting any other day of the year and draws people in for picnics, frisbee golf, and enjoying recreation by and on the water, as there is also a boat launch in the park.
Gulf Shores, Alabama
From the desert to the Gulf of Mexico, Gulf Shores is a beach town lined with white sandy coastline. The whole community kicks off summer together every year over three days in mid-May at the Hangout Music Festival, while Waterville USA is a great day out that brings the whole family together with lots of activities to keep them entertained for hours, including water slides, a lazy river, a wave pool, mini-golf, and an arcade. The Catch is a versatile restaurant right on the beach that pairs classic southern staples with handcrafted cocktails while taking in views of the ocean rolling onto the sand.
Port Angeles, Washington
Like Millinocket to Mount Katahdin and the Appalachian Trail, Port Angeles is an ideal basecamp for accessing Olympic National Park, which is the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Pacific Northwest, paired with waterfront views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The natural landscape has created a tight-knit community that comes together to celebrate their cultural traditions and maritime heritage at the Dungeness Crab Festival. Crab Fest draws in over 12,000 visitors who come to sample fresh seafood from local restaurants and vendors while taking in live music and other free community events. Hollywood Beach is accessible right from downtown Port Angeles and has many options to sunbathe, walk along trails adjacent to the beach, or even picnic with views of the Olympic Mountains in the distance. To educate yourself about the region's coastal habitats, visit the Feiro Marine Life Center and engage with naturalists who will guide you through hands-on exhibits and touch tanks containing a diverse variety of marine life.
Beaufort, South Carolina
Beaufort’s historic downtown is an inviting place that regularly holds festivals and events throughout most months of the year. Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park is the social core of the town. It attracts visitors and locals alike due to its proximity to downtown Beaufort and is lined by many of downtown’s dining options, stores, and galleries, such as Saltus River Grill, a fine-dining restaurant featuring fresh, local seafood. Waterfront Park hosts events in Beaufort year-round, such as the Oyster Festival, which spans ten days and celebrates South Carolina’s seafood heritage with oyster feasts served every way, from raw on the half shell to fried, roasted, and steamed. Meanwhile, the Beaufort Water Festival takes place over ten days in July at Waterfront Park and is one of the largest events of its kind on the East Coast.
Abilene, Kansas
Abilene has an Old West vibe that caters to those interested in one-of-a-kind photo opportunities at quirky roadside attractions, like the World’s Largest Belt Buckle. Alternatively, the Central Kansas Free Fair, which includes the Wild Bill Hickok PRCA Rodeo, further immerses visitors in classic experiences. The fair is a family-friendly event that also includes a demolition derby, parade, and agricultural exhibitions. The fair takes place on the grounds of Eisenhower Park, which is an inviting place on its own. It is laced with walking paths, benches and picnic tables, a gazebo, a water fountain, and manicured flower beds that bloom throughout the spring and summer months.
Millinocket, Maine
Millinocket is regarded as Maine’s biggest small town because of its ample outdoor recreational opportunities and its big-hearted community. As the gateway to Mount Katahdin and the end marker for the Appalachian Trail, the town celebrates through-hikers who complete the trail in September. The Trails End Festival includes three days of free live music, family activities, and outdoor games. For a true wilderness experience and a chance to get up close to Mount Katahdin, venture into Baxter State Park. The park has over 215 miles of hiking trails, which range in difficulty from gentle trails for casual walkers to challenging summits for more experienced enthusiasts. Grab a bite to eat at the Appalachian Trail Café, where the hungriest of hikers can feast on all-day breakfast to recover and refuel for their next adventure.
These United States Towns Welcome You
From towns like Palisade, Colorado, that invite you to share in their harvest bounty, to Ashland’s Shakespeare Festival that seeks to delight and entertain, each of the towns on this list has something that makes them proud, whether it be their local businesses, unique natural landmarks, or signature attractions. All across the United States, these neighborly sweet spots are waiting to welcome you in.
