The 20 Most Beautiful Small Towns in the USA (With Photos)
From dramatic coastal cliffs to mountain valleys, discover America's most beautiful small towns with stunning natural settings and picture-perfect streets.
Published: 10/22/2025
Towns Featured in This Guide
Woodstock
Classic New England village with four covered bridges and spectacular fall foliage. Historic architecture meets farm-to-table dining in Vermont's most charming town.
Marfa
Remote desert art mecca with Donald Judd installations and mysterious glowing lights. Where contemporary art meets endless Chihuahuan Desert skies.
Mackinac Island
Car-free island frozen in Victorian times where horses and bikes rule the streets. World-famous fudge and the Grand Hotel's 660-foot porch await.
Taos
1,000-year-old pueblo meets artist colony beneath Sangre de Cristo peaks. Adobe architecture and high desert light that inspired Georgia O'Keeffe.
Beaufort
Moss-draped Lowcountry gem where antebellum mansions overlook coastal waterways. Forrest Gump's bench and Pat Conroy's literary home.
Stowe
Vermont's premier ski town beneath Mount Mansfield's 4,395-foot summit. The Von Trapp family chose these mountains to call home.
Camden
Rare coastal gem where mountains plunge into the sea. Windjammer-filled harbor and Mount Battie views define coastal Maine.
Blowing Rock
Mountain village at 4,000 feet where the wind blows upward from a cliff. Blue Ridge Parkway gateway with 75°F summer highs.
Natchitoches
Louisiana's oldest town where Steel Magnolias was filmed along Cane River. 300,000 Christmas lights and famous meat pies since 1714.
Telluride
Victorian mining town in a box canyon with 14,000-foot peaks all around. Free gondola and world-class film, bluegrass, and ski festivals.
Whitefish
Gateway to Glacier National Park with its own 3,000-acre ski resort. Pristine lake and 50+ miles of trails meet Montana hospitality.
Jackson
Four elk antler arches frame the town square gateway to Yellowstone. Million Dollar Cowboy Bar and 7,500 elk winter at the refuge.
Sedona
Red rock cathedral where energy vortexes meet 100+ art galleries. Hike to Bell Rock and Chapel of the Holy Cross.
Mendocino
Victorian village on 90-foot bluffs where Murder, She Wrote was filmed. Whale watching and romantic B&Bs above crashing Pacific waves.
Cannon Beach
Where 235-foot Haystack Rock towers over four miles of sandy beach. Puffins nest in summer, storms rage in winter.
Leavenworth
Cascade Mountains transformed into Bavaria with 500,000 Christmas lights. Authentic German beer gardens and 7,000 nutcrackers year-round.
Put-in-Bay
Lake Erie island where golf carts rule and Perry's 352-foot monument towers. Ferry-only access to wineries and Crystal Cave.