Written by Rex Vogel, RVing with Rex explores North America one meaningful place at a time through destination guides, history, slow travel, and thoughtful storytelling. Drawing on years of RV travel and firsthand experience, the site helps readers move beyond simply seeing places to truly experiencing them.
How hot is hot? From New Mexico green chile to habaneros and superhot peppers, explore the Scoville scale, capsaicin, and the fascinating science behind chile pepper heat.
I like chile peppers. Not because I want to prove I can eat the hottest one on the menu but because chile adds something wonderful to food—flavor, aroma, character, and sometimes just enough heat to make you sit up and pay attention.
New Mexico understands this better than most places. Chile is more than an ingredient here; it is part of the culture and a defining flavor of the state’s cuisine. I’ve written about New Mexico’s green chile and Hatch peppers before. This time, I’m taking a different look at one of my favorite foods: how do we measure the heat, and just how hot is hot?
Welcome to the Scoville scale where a pleasant little tingle can eventually lead to, well, Oh dear God, I’m on fire.
In New Mexico, chile isn’t something you simply sprinkle on a dish for a little heat. It is woven into the state’s food, history, agriculture, and culture. Ask a New Mexican about chile and you’re likely to get an opinion—and perhaps a spirited one—about red versus green.
For centuries, chile has been cultivated along the Rio Grande where Pueblo and Hispano communities developed traditions that continue today. Over time, New Mexico’s chile evolved into something distinctly its own with varieties bred for the state’s growing conditions and for the flavors people came to love.
That is what I appreciate most about New Mexican chile. The heat is only part of the story. A good chile has a flavor all its own and the best dishes use that flavor rather than simply trying to make your mouth burn.
But eventually someone had to come along and put a number on that burn.
Before the Scoville scale, there was no simple way to tell someone just how hot a chile pepper was. You could say it was mild, hot, or downright painful but those descriptions were pretty subjective.
That changed in 1912 when Wilbur Scoville, a pharmacist working for Parke, Davis & Company in Detroit, developed a method for measuring the pungency of peppers. His Scoville Organoleptic Test used human taste testers to determine how much a pepper extract had to be diluted before its heat could no longer be detected.
The more dilution required, the higher the pepper’s Scoville Heat Unit, or SHU, rating.
The method sounds rather primitive today—and it was. But Scoville gave us something useful: a way to put a number on the fire.
And once we had numbers, we could start comparing just how much fire was hiding inside those innocent-looking peppers.
So, what do those numbers actually mean? The easiest way to understand the Scoville scale is to put some familiar peppers alongside one another.
A sweet bell pepper sits at zero Scoville Heat Units. There is no capsaicin, no burn, and no need for a glass of water. A jalapeño typically falls somewhere around 2,500 to 8,000 SHU while many New Mexico chile varieties occupy a similar general range.
Then the numbers start climbing. A habanero can reach hundreds of thousands of SHU and the superhot varieties push past one million.
That means the difference between peppers isn’t simply a matter of one being a little hotter than another. We’re talking about an enormous range of heat.
And here’s something worth remembering: New Mexico chile doesn’t have to be painfully hot to be worth eating. In fact, some of the varieties I enjoy most are relatively modest on the Scoville scale.
Which brings up an interesting question: why would anyone want to eat a pepper that’s hundreds of times hotter?
At some point, chile stops being something you add to dinner for flavor and becomes a test of endurance.
Habaneros are where things start getting serious with some varieties reaching well into the hundreds of thousands of Scoville Heat Units. Then come the superhots: the Bhut Jolokia, better known as the Ghost Pepper, followed by varieties such as the Trinidad Scorpion and other peppers whose heat is measured in the millions.
To put that in perspective, a pepper rated at 1 million SHU isn’t simply a little hotter than a 10,000-SHU chile. It represents a dramatically different level of capsaicin.
And yet people deliberately grow them, cook with them and, in some cases, compete to see who can eat them.
I have to admit, that’s not my idea of enjoying chile. Give me a flavorful New Mexico pepper with enough heat to get my attention and I’m happy. I don’t need dinner to become an emergency.
But what exactly is happening inside our mouths when chile makes us feel like we’ve swallowed a blowtorch?
Capsaicin is the compound responsible for the heat in chile peppers. It doesn’t actually raise the temperature of your mouth. Instead, it activates receptors that send a signal to your brain that you’re experiencing heat and irritation.
Your brain doesn’t know—or apparently doesn’t care—that the fire isn’t real. The result is the familiar burning sensation that makes some people reach for a glass of water while others reach for another bite.
And that’s part of the mystery of chile. The same sensation that tells us something hurts can also be pleasurable. For some people, the stronger the burn, the better.
Scientists have also found practical uses for capsaicin beyond the dinner table. Its ability to affect those pain receptors has made it useful in topical pain-relief products.
So the fire in a chile is real enough for our brains to notice, even though we’re not actually being burned.
Which brings me back to why I enjoy New Mexico chile in the first place. It’s not the pain I’m after. It’s the flavor.
Two stages of the same chile, two very different flavors
When New Mexicans ask, “Red or green?” they’re not simply asking which color you prefer. They’re asking which flavor you want.
Green chile is harvested while the peppers are still young. Fresh, bright and slightly grassy, it has a crisp, vegetal character with a distinctive chile flavor. Roasted green chile adds a wonderful smokiness and that combination of flavor and heat is hard to resist.
As the chile matures, it turns red. The flavor changes, becoming deeper, earthier, and somewhat sweeter. Red chile is often dried and ground into a powder or made into a rich sauce. Where green chile seems fresh and lively, red chile has a deeper, more developed character.
Neither is really better. They’re simply different expressions of the same wonderful ingredient.
Personally, I have room for both. That’s one of the pleasures of New Mexico cuisine: the same basic question—red or green?—can lead to two entirely different meals.
And if you can’t decide, there is always the New Mexican answer: Christmas—both red and green.
The Scoville scale gives us a fascinating way to measure chile’s heat but numbers tell only part of the story. A pepper can be mild or insanely hot, yet its real magic is what happens when it becomes part of a meal.
That’s why I keep coming back to New Mexico chile. I’m not looking for the pepper that makes me wonder whether I should call 911. I want the one that adds flavor, character and just enough fire to make the next bite irresistible.
So I’ll happily rate my chile peppers on a scale of 1 to Oh Dear God I’m on Fire.
But when it comes to dinner, I’ll take delicious every time.
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Editor’s note
This article was originally published in September 2026. Information reflects what was accurate at the time of writing. Conditions, access, and amenities may change over time, so please verify current details before planning your trip.
To maintain transparency and editorial independence, this website contains no ads, no sponsored content, and no affiliate links—just firsthand RV travel experiences and practical information for fellow travelers.
Step into the New Year with a fresh dose of wanderlust and a lineup of America’s most unforgettable outdoor experiences
Calling all RVers, roadtrippers, adventurers, hikers, paddlers, campers, photographers, and explorers! In 2026, the nation’s parks, scenic byways, and historic treasures become your personal playground—and they’re throwing down a challenge worthy of your next great journey. Get ready to take on 15 only-in-America experiences that will have you hiking higher, splashing wilder, wandering farther, and exploring deeper than ever before.
From misty mountain sunrises to desert nights under galaxies of stars, this is the year to chase the moments that become stories you’ll tell for a lifetime. Whether you’re charting a multi-state RV odyssey, seeking the perfect trail beneath towering pines, or following hidden byways to places where history whispers from the landscape, 2026 offers endless ways to reconnect with the wild. Pack your curiosity, fuel your sense of wonder, and let the open road guide you to the adventures that await.
1. Arizona – Walk among ancient giants at Petrified Forest National Park
Walk among 225-million-year-old fossilized logs in a rainbow of stone
Step into a landscape frozen in time where the remains of 225-million-year-old trees lie scattered like shards of a rainbow across the desert floor. In Petrified Forest National Park, you’ll wander through surreal landscapes where fallen trunks have transformed into shimmering stone—banded in reds, purples, golds, and oranges thanks to millennia of mineralization. Explore iconic areas like Crystal Forest where sparkling quartz catches the light, and Jasper Forest, home to some of the park’s most dramatic concentrations of fossilized logs. The combination of badland vistas, ancient geology, and kaleidoscopic color makes this one of the most otherworldly experiences in the National Park System.
Best time to visit: Spring (March–May) and fall (September–October) offer ideal temperatures, clear skies, and the best light for photography. Summer can be extremely hot while winter brings stark beauty but colder winds across the open badlands.
Tip: Stay on designated trails and leave every fossil where it lies. Petrified wood is protected—removing it is illegal and diminishes the park for everyone who comes after you.
2. California – Stargaze under one of America’s darkest skies at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Witness the Milky Way under one of the nation’s darkest skies
Venture into the heart of Southern California’s largest state park where the desert opens into an endless dome of stars. As an International Dark Sky Park, Anza-Borrego is one of the premier places in the country to witness the Milky Way in all its glowing brilliance. On moonless nights—especially from March through October—the sky erupts with detail: star clusters, dust lanes, and the faint shimmer of distant galaxies. Nearby Borrego Springs, the only town fully enclosed within a state park fiercely protects its dark-sky status by minimizing light pollution creating a celestial theater unmatched in the West.
Bring a telescope for deep-sky viewing or enhance the experience with a guided night-sky program from California Overland where expert naturalists help you interpret constellations, planets, and seasonal sky phenomena.
Best time to visit: Early winter through early spring (November–April) offers comfortable temperatures and the chance for wildflower blooms during the day. For the darkest skies and optimal Milky Way photography, plan around new moon periods between March and October.
Tip: Allow your eyes 20–30 minutes to adjust to the darkness and use red-light flashlights to preserve night vision while protecting the dark-sky environment.
3. Colorado – Explore the ancient cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde National Park
Explore ancient Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings up close
A UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of America’s most significant archaeological treasures, Mesa Verde National Park transports you into the world of the Ancestral Pueblo people who lived here more than 700 years ago. Towering sandstone cliffs hide remarkably preserved villages—stone-built homes, kivas, towers, and plazas that reveal the ingenuity and community life of this ancient culture.
The most immersive way to experience these cliff dwellings is through ranger-led tours offered from May to October. Each site offers a distinct experience:
Cliff Palace – The park’s largest dwelling with 150 rooms and stunning architecture.
Balcony House – The most adventurous tour, requiring climbing ladders, squeezing through tunnels, and navigating exposed pathways.
Long House – Located on Wetherill Mesa offering a more in-depth, spacious, and less crowded experience.
Square Tower House – A rare opportunity limited to 10 visitors per tour featuring the tallest structure in the park.
Best time to visit: Late spring through early fall (May–October) offers full tour availability, mild weather, and the best access to Wetherill Mesa. Fall brings cooler temperatures and fewer crowds.
Tip: Trails and ladders can be strenuous and the high elevation (over 7,000 feet) may affect visitors with respiratory or mobility challenges. Pace yourself, check current conditions, and carry plenty of water.
4. Louisiana – Explore wild wetlands and Gulf Coast beauty on the Creole Nature Trail All-American Road
Drive 180 miles through marshes, prairies, and Gulf beaches alive with wildlife
Immerse yourself in one of America’s last great natural frontiers along the Creole Nature Trail All-American Road in Southwest Louisiana. Stretching 180 miles through Calcasieu and Cameron parishes, this scenic byway blends raw coastal wilderness with the deep cultural roots of Cajun and Creole country. As you wind through vast marshes, open prairies, and thriving wildlife refuges, you’ll encounter an astonishing diversity of life—from sunning alligators to over 400 species of birds especially during spring and fall migrations. The route culminates at 26 miles of undeveloped Gulf of Mexico beaches where you can spot dolphins offshore, stroll for seashells, or simply relax with nothing but wind, waves, and wide-open horizon.
This is a paradise for nature lovers, birders, photographers, and slow-road explorers offering an easygoing adventure where every turn reveals a new landscape, a new species, or a new slice of authentic Louisiana culture.
Best time to visit: Spring and fall offer the best wildlife viewing—especially for migratory birds—and comfortable temperatures for beach walking and refuge exploration. Winter is excellent for spotting large numbers of waterfowl while summer brings lush marshes and vibrant coastal life.
Tip: Wildlife is abundant but often hidden. Bring binoculars, keep a safe distance from alligators, and consider stopping at the Creole Nature Trail Adventure Point in Sulphur for maps, exhibits, and local insights before you begin your drive.
5. North Carolina – Cruise the Cherohala Skyway and wander the ancient trees of Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest
Scenic mountain vistas paired with ancient virgin forests
Stretching 43 miles from Robbinsville, North Carolina to Tellico Plains, Tennessee, the Cherohala Skyway is one of the South’s most breathtaking mountain drives. Winding through the rugged beauty of the Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests, the Skyway climbs to elevations over 5,400 feet revealing sweeping panoramas of ridge after ridge of forested peaks. With 15 scenic overlooks—including the spectacular Santeetlah Overlook at 5,390 feet—you’ll experience some of the finest long-range views in the Appalachians. In fall (late September to mid-November) the mountains erupt in brilliant color, making the Skyway a top-tier foliage drive.
Just off the eastern end of the Skyway lies the enchanting Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, one of the East’s rare pockets of old-growth. Two loop trails forming a 2-mile figure-eight lead you through a cathedral-like forest of massive poplars, soaring hemlocks, and deep green understory. Named for the poet who wrote “Trees,” this protected grove invites quiet reflection beneath trunks that have stood for centuries.
Best time to visit: Late spring and summer offer lush greenery and clear mountain views. Fall is superb for foliage, while winter—though chilly—provides stark, far-reaching vistas on crisp, clear days.
Tip: Weather changes quickly at higher elevations. Pack layers, carry water for hikes, and plan extra time to enjoy the overlooks—they’re some of the best in the region.
6. South Dakota – Encounter iconic wildlife at Custer State Park
Encounter free-roaming bison, elk, and burros along the Wildlife Loop
Spanning 71,000 acres in the heart of the Black Hills, Custer State Park is a haven for adventurers, families, and wildlife enthusiasts alike. The park’s 18-mile Wildlife Loop State Scenic Byway offers one of the most reliable opportunities in the country to see over 1,400 free-roaming bison up close. Along the way, you may also spot prairie dogs, “begging” burros, pronghorn, elk, deer, and bighorn sheep—all set against the park’s stunning granite outcrops and rolling hills.
Best time to visit: Sunrise and late afternoon are ideal for wildlife activity and photography. Summer brings warmer weather and lush landscapes while spring highlights newborn animals and vibrant wildflowers.
Tip: Allow 1–2 hours for the Wildlife Loop to account for “bison jams” and photo stops. Bring binoculars for birdwatching and remember to keep a safe distance from all animals—especially bison whose movements can be unpredictable.
7. Nevada – Wander the fiery landscapes of Valley of Fire State Park
Hike the Fire Wave and Pink Canyon amid glowing red sandstone
Just an hour northeast of Las Vegas, Valley of Fire State Park is a geological masterpiece spanning 40,000 acres of vivid red Aztec sandstone. These ancient dunes sculpted over millions of years seem to glow like molten fire at sunrise and sunset—an awe-inspiring sight that gives the park its name. The striking rock formations, petroglyphs, and sweeping desert vistas make every corner a photographer’s dream.
For an immersive adventure, tackle the Seven Wonders Loop, a trail that guides you past the undulating Fire Wave, through the narrow corridors of Pink Canyon, and across surreal pastel landscapes that feel otherworldly. Each step reveals layers of geological history etched in color and texture.
Best time to visit: Fall, winter, and early spring (October–April) offer the most comfortable temperatures and full trail access. Summer can be dangerously hot and many trails are closed from May 15 to September 30 for visitor safety.
Tip: Bring plenty of water, sun protection, and sturdy footwear. Check trail status before visiting as closures are strictly enforced during the hottest months. Early mornings and late afternoons provide the best light for photography and fewer crowds.
8. Texas – Hike the iconic summit of Enchanted Rock State Park
Climb a massive pink granite dome for 360-degree Hill Country views
Rising 425 feet above the rolling hills of the Texas Hill Country, Enchanted Rock is a massive pink granite dome and a National Natural Landmark that has inspired legends for centuries. The park’s Summit Trail leads adventurous hikers to the top rewarding every step with 360-degree panoramic views of rugged hills, juniper-studded landscapes, and the endless Texas sky. Sunrise and sunset hikes transform the rock’s surface into a glowing canvas of warm hues perfect for photography or quiet reflection.
Best time to visit: Fall through spring offers the most comfortable hiking conditions. Summer temperatures can soar making early morning or late afternoon hikes safer and more enjoyable.
Tip: The Summit Trail is steep in sections and can be slippery when wet. Wear sturdy shoes, carry plenty of water, and allow time to pause and soak in the expansive views from the top.
9. Virginia – Step back in time at Colonial Williamsburg
Step into 18th-century America with cobblestone streets and costumed interpreters
Experience 18th-century America like never before at Colonial Williamsburg where history comes alive along cobblestone streets lined with meticulously restored buildings. Costumed interpreters portray everyday colonists offering a window into the past through engaging demonstrations of trades such as blacksmithing, wig-making, printing, and more. Wander through shops, meeting halls, and homes as you explore the city’s vibrant colonial culture and stories of the people who shaped early America.
Best time to visit: Spring and fall provide comfortable weather and lively outdoor programming, while summer brings full schedules of reenactments and events. Winter is quieter, perfect for exploring at a leisurely pace.
Tip: Don’t miss the culinary side of history—try colonial-inspired fare at taverns like Chowning’s for classic dishes such as Brunswick stew or enjoy a splurge-worthy candlelit dinner at King’s Arms Tavern for an immersive dining experience.
10. West Virginia – Conquer the rapids of New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
Raft world-class rapids and witness Bridge Day on October 17, 2026
Flowing through one of the country’s most dramatic river gorges, New River Gorge National Park and Preserve is a haven for thrill-seekers and outdoor adventurers. Its 53 miles of whitewater range from gentle Class I–III rapids in the Upper New (perfect for families and beginners, ages 5–6 and up) to adrenaline-pumping Class III–V rapids in the Lower New for experienced paddlers. Guided trips with outfitters like ACE Adventure Resort and Adventures on the Gorge run year-round from half-day excursions to multi-day adventures that include riverside camping. Spring is the peak season when snowmelt swells the river creating the most dramatic whitewater experiences.
Every Bridge Day held on the third Saturday in October—October 17, 2026—thrill-seekers rappel or BASE jump from the New River Gorge Bridge, the nation’s highest single-arch bridge. Even if you’re not jumping the festival offers spectacular views, lively activities, and a once-a-year chance to see the gorge from an unforgettable vantage point.
Best time to visit: Spring brings peak rapids and lush scenery, summer offers warm, family-friendly rafting, and fall provides stunning foliage along the gorge plus the excitement of Bridge Day.
Tip: Book guided rafting trips well in advance especially in spring and for October festival crowds. Bring quick-drying clothing, waterproof gear for electronics, and be prepared for changing river conditions.
11. Utah – Marvel at the Natural Bridges of Cedar Mesa
Marvel at massive stone arches and ancient Ancestral Puebloan ruins
Set against the stark beauty of southeastern Utah, Natural Bridges National Monument is home to three awe-inspiring stone arches—Sipapu, Kachina, and Owachomo—carved over millennia by flowing water through Cedar Mesa sandstone in White and Armstrong canyons. Each bridge named with Hopi terms honoring the Ancestral Puebloans tells a story of geological time and the enduring power of nature in the desert landscape.
Beyond the bridges, the monument preserves Ancestral Puebloan ruins and ancient rock art offering a glimpse into the lives of early desert dwellers. As one of the darkest night skies in the U.S., Natural Bridges also provides unparalleled stargazing opportunities—perfect for night photography or simply marveling at the Milky Way stretched across the desert sky.
Best time to visit: Spring and fall offer mild temperatures and the most comfortable hiking conditions. Summer can be extremely hot while winter delivers crisp air and quiet solitude.
Tip: Trails vary in difficulty with some steep and uneven sections. Bring water, sun protection, and sturdy footwear. For stargazing plan a clear, moonless night and allow your eyes to adjust to the darkness.
12. Florida – Swim with gentle giants in Crystal River
Swim alongside gentle manatees in warm spring-fed waters
In the calm, spring-fed waters of Crystal River, you can get up close with one of Florida’s most beloved wildlife species: the West Indian manatee. This unique sanctuary is one of the few places in the U.S. where humans can legally swim with these gentle giants especially during the winter months when hundreds of manatees gather to escape colder Gulf waters. Guided eco-tours ensure both your safety and the protection of the animals, providing fascinating insight into manatee behavior, biology, and conservation.
Best time to visit: November through March is prime season when manatees congregate in the warm springs. Summer offers fewer sightings but still allows kayaking or boating excursions among these peaceful creatures.
Tip: Follow all guidelines to respect the manatees: keep your distance, avoid touching or chasing them, and wear eco-friendly sunscreen. Snorkeling gear is recommended and a guided tour enhances both safety and educational value.
13. Ohio – Experience timeless traditions in Amish Country
Experience timeless rural life, handcrafted goods, and hearty local cuisine
Step into a slower pace of life in Ohio’s Amish Country, a patchwork of rolling farmland, quaint villages, and historic homesteads in Holmes and surrounding counties. Horse-drawn buggies, hand-carved furniture shops, and family-run farms create an authentic window into Amish culture where craftsmanship and simplicity are celebrated. Explore charming towns like Berlin, Walnut Creek, and Sugarcreek where local bakeries, farmers’ markets, and craft shops invite you to taste, shop, and connect with centuries-old traditions.
Best time to visit: Spring and fall are ideal for scenic drives, farm tours, and outdoor markets while summer brings festivals, craft fairs, and lush farmland views. Winter offers a quiet, cozy experience with festive touches in local shops.
Tip: Respect local customs—photograph people only with permission, drive slowly near horse-drawn buggies, and try local specialties like shoofly pie, pretzels, and homemade cheeses. Consider a guided tour or buggy ride for a deeper cultural experience.
14. New Mexico – Step back in time in Historic La Mesilla
Wander a historic plaza rich in Spanish colonial charm and culture
Nestled near Las Cruces, La Mesilla is a charming historic plaza that captures the spirit of the Old Southwest. Founded in the 1800s, this vibrant town blends Spanish colonial architecture, adobe buildings, and adobe-lined streets with a lively market atmosphere. Explore quaint shops, art galleries, and eateries serving t7raditional New Mexican cuisine, including green chile specialties, sopapillas, and handmade tortillas. The plaza often hosts festivals, music, and cultural events that celebrate its rich Hispanic and Native American heritage.
Best time to visit: Spring and fall provide mild temperatures and pleasant strolling conditions while summer can be hot but offers evening cultural events and outdoor dining. Winter is quiet and peaceful ideal for photography and exploring the historic architecture.
Tip: Take your time wandering the plaza, and stop by La Mesilla Marketplace for local crafts, jewelry, and artwork. Don’t miss historic landmarks like San Albino Basilica, a stunning 19th-century church at the heart of the plaza.
15. New Hampshire – Ride the historic Cog Railway to Mount Washington
Ride a historic train to the summit of New England’s tallest peak
Experience the thrill of ascending New England’s highest peak aboard the Mount Washington Cog Railway, a historic engineering marvel dating back to 1869. This unique train climbs over 3,000 vertical feet along steep tracks offering passengers panoramic views of the White Mountains as the landscape transitions from dense forests to rocky alpine terrain. At the summit, take in sweeping vistas, snap photos of the rugged peak, and explore the historic summit building. In winter, the area transforms into a snowy wonderlandwhile summer provides clear skies and vibrant mountain scenery.
Best time to visit: Late spring through early fall offers the clearest skies and fully operational trains. Fall provides spectacular foliage along the route. Winter trips are available but more limited due to snow and weather conditions.
Tip: Dress in layers—the summit can be significantly colder and windier than the base. Arrive early for prime seating near the front of the train for unobstructed views and don’t forget your camera for incredible photo opportunities.
Concluding thoughts – 15 only-in-America adventures in 2026
Fifteen only-in-America experiences—one epic year
From the glowing petrified logs of Arizona to the star-strewn skies of California’s Anza-Borrego, from the ancient cliff dwellings of Colorado to the wild wetlands of Louisiana, 2026 offers a journey through America’s most unforgettable landscapes and histories. Hike granite domes in Texas, cruise scenic byways in North Carolina, or meet gentle manatees in Florida—each adventure invites curiosity, awe, and the joy of discovery.
You’ll chase sunrise over red rock in Nevada, ride historic trains in New Hampshire, wander Amish farmlands in Ohio, and explore cultural crossroads in New Mexico and Virginia. Conquer rapids in West Virginia, witness iconic wildlife in South Dakota, and marvel at natural wonders in Utah—each stop a reminder of the vast diversity that defines this country.
As Wallace Stegner said, “National parks are the best idea we ever had. Absolutely American, absolutely democratic, they reflect us at our best rather than our worst.”
And as John Muir urged, “The mountains are calling and I must go.”
Can you complete all 15 in 2026? Perhaps! But even if you savor a few, each experience offers perspective, wonder, and a deeper connection to the natural world and our shared history. Pack your curiosity, embrace the open road, and let this year be your invitation to explore America like never before—one incredible adventure at a time.
Enjoyed this article? Share it with friends and your social network to inspire their next adventure!
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in January 2026. Information reflects what was accurate at the time of writing. For topics that may change quickly, please verify current details before planning. To ensure honesty and avoid bias, this website features no ads, no sponsored content, and no affiliate links—just straightforward information for fellow travelers.
Experience America’s past while enjoying the freedom of RV travel. These 12 walkable historic downtowns combine charm, culture, and convenience for the road-weary traveler.
Traveling by RV allows you to explore historic towns at your own pace, parking nearby and stepping right into the streets that tell America’s story. From cobblestone squares in the South to adobe-lined plazas in the Southwest, each town offers a unique blend of architecture, local flavor, and cultural heritage. The beauty of RV travel is that you can pair a scenic drive with a walking tour, savoring history both on the road and on foot.
These downtowns are compact, pedestrian-friendly, and packed with character. You’ll find inviting shops, historic museums, cozy cafés, and vibrant markets, all easily accessible without a car. Whether it’s exploring Revolutionary War landmarks in Boston, wandering Victorian streets in Bisbee or enjoying the culinary delights of Breaux Bridge, these towns are built for strolling and discovering hidden gems around every corner.
Beyond the sights, historic downtowns provide a glimpse into the lives and stories that shaped each region. Walking their streets lets you feel the pulse of history—from the frontier tales of Tombstone to the artistic legacy of Santa Fe. For RV travelers, the combination of mobility and walkable charm makes these towns ideal destinations for immersive, leisurely exploration.
Each stop on this list is chosen not only for its historical significance but also for its accessibility, atmosphere, and the memorable experiences that await those willing to slow down, park the RV, and step into the past. Whether you’re a history buff, a foodie, or a lover of architecture, these walkable historic downtowns offer something for every traveler.
Key highlight: Antebellum architecture and Southern charm
Must-see stops: King Street, The Battery, Historic churches, Waterfront Park
Walking tips: Cobblestone streets; early morning to avoid crowds; comfortable shoes recommended
Nearby RV Parks: James Island County Park, Mount Pleasant KOA, Oak Plantation Campground
Charleston’s historic downtown is a quintessential Southern treasure. Cobblestone streets wind past pastel antebellum homes, historic churches, and bustling waterfront markets. Visitors can enjoy boutique shopping, sample Lowcountry cuisine, or stroll along the Battery with views of Charleston Harbor. The city’s blend of history, architecture, and walkability makes it an essential stop on any southeastern RV route.
Take a walk along Rainbow Row’s colorful historic homes, explore the hidden gardens tucked behind centuries-old buildings, or enjoy a carriage tour through the cobblestone streets to see iconic landmarks from a unique perspective. From sampling shrimp and grits at local eateries to catching the sunset over Waterfront Park, these experiences highlight why Charleston embodies the essence of Southern hospitality, history, and charm for visitors arriving in their RV.
Key highlight: Picturesque squares draped in Spanish moss
Must-see stops: Forsyth Park, River Street, Colonial Park Cemetery, Historic city squares
Walking tips: Flat and shaded streets; bring water during hot days; leisurely pace recommended
Nearby RV Parks: Skidaway Island State Park, CreekFire RV Resort, Red Gate Farms RV Resort
Savannah’s historic downtown feels like stepping into a Southern Gothic novel. Its leafy squares, centuries-old churches, and historic mansions create an atmospheric setting perfect for walking. River Street offers lively markets and waterfront views, while Jones Street is lined with stately homes. The city balances quiet, reflective corners with vibrant streets filled with culture.
Centennial Park, Bonaventure Cemetery, and the hauntingly beautiful Colonial Park Cemetery reveal Savannah’s storied past while a slow stroll through Chippewa Square or Lafayette Square captures the timeless charm featured in your bucket list. Add in must-do experiences like exploring City Market, touring historic homes such as the Owens-Thomas House, or savoring Southern comfort food at classic Savannah eateries and you’ll understand why the city appeals to those drawn to its blend of history, mystery, and irresistible Southern grace.
Key highlight: Pueblo-style adobe architecture and rich art scene
Must-see stops: Santa Fe Plaza, Palace of the Governors, Canyon Road galleries, Loretto Chapel
Walking tips: Watch for uneven adobe sidewalks; mornings are quieter; good walking shoes recommended
Nearby RV Parks: Santa Fe Skies RV Park
Santa Fe’s downtown plaza is a vibrant hub of culture, art, and history. Visitors can wander galleries along Canyon Road, admire adobe buildings, and explore the Palace of the Governors. The plaza hosts markets and events that showcase the city’s unique blend of Indigenous and Spanish influences. Its compact, walkable streets reward those who explore on foot.
The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, a must-do on your list, provides an intimate look at the life and work of one of America’s most iconic painters while a stroll through the mesmerizing galleries of Canyon Road showcases why Santa Fe remains a world-class art destination. Visitors can also trace the city’s spiritual heritage at San Miguel Chapel or admire the mysterious staircase inside the Loretto Chapel.
With its rich cultural tapestry, deeply rooted traditions, and effortlessly walkable streets, Santa Fe proves again and again why it never goes out of style—especially for RV travelers eager to immerse themselves in the Southwest’s most enduring cultural gem.
Key highlight: Revolutionary War history and the Freedom Trail
Must-see stops: Freedom Trail, Faneuil Hall, Beacon Hill
Walking tips: Streets can be crowded; plan your route along the Freedom Trail; comfortable shoes a must
Nearby RV Parks: Normady Farms Campground
Boston’s historic downtown combines colonial charm with modern city life. Walking the Freedom Trail takes visitors past taverns, monuments, and revolutionary landmarks while Beacon Hill offers cobblestone streets and brick rowhouses.
Highlights such as Paul Revere’s House, the Old North Church, Faneuil Hall, and the Old State House bring the drama of the American Revolution vividly to life. Stops like the USS Constitution, Boston Common, and Granary Burying Ground—final resting place of Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and Paul Revere—add powerful context to the country’s founding story.
Whether you’re tracing the steps of early patriots along the Freedom Trail or exploring Boston’s must-visit landmarks, this walkable downtown offers an unmatched journey into America’s origins, all easily accessible to travelers arriving by RV.
Walking tips: Streets are steep; good shoes essential; start at the top of town
Nearby RV Parks: Bisbee RV Park at Turquoise Valley, The Shady Dell
Nestled in the Mule Mountains, Bisbee’s downtown is compact and colorful with steep streets lined with Victorian homes and galleries. Walking rewards visitors with stunning views, creative shops, and unique cafés. The town’s elevated layout provides both charm and a gentle workout for adventurous walkers.
Bisbee rewards those who linger. Beyond the postcard-worthy hillside homes and the iconic Copper Queen Hotel, the town reveals itself through its layered stories—miners who shaped the land, artists who revived it, and wanderers who stayed because they couldn’t bear to leave. Stroll past restored 19th-century facades to find cafés tucked into former saloons, murals blooming along stair-stepped alleys, and galleries that feel more like living studios than shops.
Whether you’re savoring the cool mountain air from a terrace perch or wandering the winding lanes that seem to unravel in delightful surprise, Bisbee invites you to slow down, look closer, and enjoy a destination that feels fiercely authentic and wonderfully offbeat.
Key highlight: 19th-century iron-front buildings and Gulf Coast history
Must-see stops: The Strand, Galveston Railroad Museum, Seawall, Bishop’s Palace
Walking tips: Flat streets; early morning/late afternoon ideal for photos; bring sun protection
Nearby RV Parks: Galveston Island KOA, Dellanera RV Park, Jamaica Beach RV Resort, Galveston Island State Park
Galveston’s Strand Historic District offers a vivid glimpse into the city’s maritime past. Visitors can stroll the ornate streets, explore museums, and enjoy fresh seafood at waterfront restaurants. Walking along the seawall adds coastal views to the historic experience.
Galveston unfolds like a coastal anthology—equal parts seaside escape, architectural treasure, and living museum of Gulf Coast heritage. As you explore, you’ll recognize many of the highlights celebrated in Top 10 Things to See & Do in Galveston: Beaches, History & Family Fun from its broad sandy beaches to its grand Victorian landmarks. But it’s The Strand that anchors the experience, a district whose charm and historic character captured so vividly in The Strand Historic District: Galveston’s Timeless Heart.
Wandering these streets, you can feel the island’s past humming beneath the ornate iron balconies and weathered brick storefronts, each building telling stories of resilience, trade, and salt-sprayed adventure. Galveston invites RV travelers not just to visit but to linger—to stroll, to savor, and to soak in a rhythm that blends maritime spirit with warm Southern ease.
Temecula’s Old Town is lined with wooden boardwalks and restored storefronts offering a mix of history, boutique shopping, and local dining. Wine tasting rooms and farmers’ markets add to the leisurely walking experience, making it a perfect stop for RV travelers looking to combine history with relaxation.
Temecula rewards the slow traveler—especially those rolling in by RV—with a blend of Old West charm and vineyard elegance that feels both surprising and perfectly natural. As you meander through wooden boardwalks and century-old storefronts, you’ll recognize many of the gems highlighted in Exploring Old Town Temecula: 11 Must-See Stops for RV Travelers, from artisan shops to historic buildings lovingly preserved in place.
Yet Temecula’s story extends beyond its rustic downtown. Just a short drive away, the hills open into the pastoral beauty of Temecula Valley Wine Country where sun-drenched vineyards, tasting rooms, and scenic overlooks offer a graceful counterpoint to Old Town’s frontier vibe. For RVers, this dual personality—heritage and harvest—creates an experience that invites lingering afternoons, unrushed strolls, and the kind of discovery best enjoyed when home is parked just down the road.
Key highlight: French, Spanish, and Creole heritage; Mardi Gras traditions
Must-see stops: Historic squares, Mobile Carnival Museum, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Exploreum Science Center
Walking tips: Squares are ideal for strolls; bring sun protection; leisurely pace recommended
Nearby RV Parks: Meaher State Park, All About Relaxing RV Park
Mobile’s downtown streets preserve a rich mix of cultural influences. Visitors can explore historic squares, museums, and waterfront parks often punctuated by live music and vibrant festivals. The compact layout makes walking enjoyable and convenient.
Mobile greets travelers with a spirited mix of history, coastal culture, and Southern warmth—an atmosphere that RVers quickly discover is as welcoming as it is intriguing. Many of the city’s most memorable experiences echo those featured in 14 Awesome Things You Can Do in Mobile + Alabama Beaches where centuries-old forts, leafy squares, and shoreline views form the heart of exploration.
But the Ultimate Guide to Mobile, Alabama reveals an even deeper rhythm: the birthplace of America’s original Mardi Gras, a port city shaped by diverse influences, and a downtown where historic architecture meets waterfront breezes. Walking Mobile’s streets, you feel that blend of heritage and modern energy—colorful, storied, and unhurried—inviting RV travelers to pause, wander, and immerse themselves in a city that’s both timeless and constantly evolving.
Key highlight: Old Southwest plaza and adobe architecture
Must-see stops: Mesilla Plaza, Basilica of San Albino, artisan shops, La Posta de Mesilla
Walking tips: Plaza is compact; watch for uneven brick sidewalks; casual pace recommended
Nearby RV Parks: Hacienda RV Resort, Sunny Acres RV Park
Mesilla’s plaza captures the essence of Old Southwest charm. RV travelers can stroll cobblestone streets, visit local shops, and enjoy traditional restaurants. Regular cultural events add to the experience making Mesilla a lively and accessible historic destination.
Mesilla invites travelers into a world where history feels strikingly alive, something captured in La Mesilla: Where History and Culture Become an Experience. As you wander its storied plaza and linger beneath the deep-shaded portals, the town reveals the quiet power of place—adobe walls that have witnessed empires shift, legends like Billy the Kid, and the long arc of frontier life that shaped the region.
Old Mesilla: Where Time Stood Still echoes through every step reminding RVers that this is a destination best savored slowly. Whether you’re sampling authentic New Mexican cuisine, admiring handcrafted art, or simply sitting in the soft glow of late-afternoon sun, Mesilla offers a rare gift: the feeling that the past isn’t behind you at all but woven into the rhythm of the moment.
Breaux Bridge’s downtown streets reflect the town’s Cajun heritage. Visitors can enjoy local cuisine, music, and small-town charm, particularly during festival season. The compact streets are perfect for strolling at any time of day.
Breaux Bridge delivers the kind of cultural immersion that makes RV travel unforgettable—a place where food, music, and community blend into an atmosphere as warm as a Cajun kitchen. Authentic Breaux Bridge: Crawfish Capital of the World captures the town’s unmistakable spirit from its legendary crawfish dishes to the way locals turn every gathering into a celebration.
That same infectious energy shines through in I’m Going to Cajun Country! a reminder that Breaux Bridge is more than a stop—it’s an invitation into a living, breathing culture. Strolling through its historic downtown, RVers encounter the rhythms of zydeco, the aroma of spicy étouffée, and the charm of bayou life that seems to flow right through the heart of town. It’s a place where travelers don’t just observe Cajun heritage—they feel part of it.
Key highlight: Legendary Wild West town and OK Corral
Must-see stops: OK Corral, Bird Cage Theatre, Allen Street, Courthouse State Historic Park
Walking tips: Compact downtown; sturdy shoes for wooden sidewalks; casual pace fine
Nearby RV Parks: Tombstone RV Park & Campground, Tombstone Territories RV Park
Tombstone’s Old West history is preserved in its downtown streets. Wooden storefronts, saloons, and reenactments make walking through town feel like stepping into a frontier movie. RV travelers enjoy easy access to the heart of this historic locale.
Tombstone invites RV travelers to step directly into the legend of the Wild West, a town where history and storytelling are alive on every street. The dusty sidewalks, wooden storefronts, and reenacted gunfights on Allen Street give visitors a sense of the frontier’s grit and drama. Beyond the famous OK Corral there are hidden gems to discover—historic saloons, museums, and quirky shops that preserve the spirit of the 1880s. Walking through Tombstone you feel the echoes of resilience and adventure that earned the town its reputation making it clear why this small Arizona outpost has survived, thrived, and captivated generations of travelers.
Key highlight: Gold Rush-era town with Victorian storefronts
Must-see stops: Main Street, Amador County Museum, local wineries, historic buildings
Walking tips: Short, flat streets; combine with scenic drives; casual shoes fine
Nearby RV Parks: Jackson Racheria Casino RV Resort, Far Horizon 49ers Village
Sutter Creek is a charming Gold Rush-era town where visitors can stroll brick sidewalks, explore antique shops, and enjoy nearby wineries. The compact downtown encourages leisurely walks with the added pleasure of scenic California foothills surrounding the town.
Sutter Creek offers RV travelers a charming step back into California’s Gold Rush era where brick sidewalks, Victorian storefronts, and boutique shops invite slow, immersive exploration. As highlighted in Sutter Creek: The Hidden Gem of California’s Sierra Nevada Foothills, the town’s scenic streets and local eateries capture the essence of small-town California charm.
Meanwhile, Towns along the Gold Rush Trail: Amador City & Sutter Creek underscores the historical significance of this region, reminding visitors that every corner carries stories of prospectors, pioneers, and the flourishing communities they built. Walking through Sutter Creek, travelers can savor wine tasting rooms, antique shops, and historic architecture—all framed by the surrounding foothills—making it a quintessential stop for those seeking history, scenery, and a welcoming pace.
Conclusion & reflection
Stepping back in time while moving forward on the open road
Exploring these historic downtowns on an RV journey allows travelers to experience the best of America’s past at a relaxed pace. Each town offers its own story—from cobblestone streets in Charleston to Wild West legends in Tombstone—and walking them lets history come alive.
Traveling by RV adds flexibility and adventure, letting you pair scenic drives with strolls through vibrant, walkable streets. As John Burroughs said, “I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.” On the road through America’s historic downtowns, that sense of calm and discovery extends to streets, plazas, and squares, where the past still feels alive for every traveler willing to stroll back in time.
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in December 2025. Information reflects what was accurate at the time of writing. For topics that may change quickly, please verify current details before planning. To ensure honesty and avoid bias, this website features no ads, no sponsored content, and no affiliate links—just straightforward information for fellow travelers.
If you’re dreaming of where to travel to experience it all, here are my picks for the best places to RV in October
Everything in nature invites us constantly to be what we are.
—Gretel Ehrlich
In the 1970s, travel writer and poet Gretel Ehrlich spent several years living in rural Wyoming following the death of the man she loved. Drawn to the rugged landscape and its equally resilient people, she compiled the essay collection The Solace of Open Spaces about her time there. “I came here four years ago,” she wrote. “I had not planned to stay, but I couldn’t make myself leave.”
In this quote from her essay “On Water,” Ehrlich contemplates the ebbs and flows of nature and the capriciousness of life. Comparing the human experience to a river that weightlessly carries both death and life, she wrote, “We can drown in it or else stay buoyant, quench our thirst, stay alive.”
Drawing from Ehrlich’s metaphor of the river, RV travel mirrors the human experience as a journey along an ever-shifting current where the road becomes a conduit for both life’s highs and lows. Just as a river carries the weight of its contents effortlessly, an RV carries its travelers through vast landscapes offering moments of serene beauty—sunsets over desert horizons or quiet mornings by a mountain stream—while also presenting challenges like mechanical breakdowns or unpredictable weather.
Embracing RV travel means accepting this duality: the freedom to roam and the vulnerability to the unknown. Like staying buoyant in Ehrlich’s river, RV travelers learn to adapt finding sustenance in the journey’s unpredictability, quenching their thirst for adventure while navigating the ebbs and flows of life on the open road.
Planning an RV trip for a different time of year? Check out my monthly travel recommendations for the best places to travel in August and September. Also check out my recommendations from October 2024 and November 2024.
Route: Waynesboro, VA to Cherokee, NC | Distance: 469 miles | Duration: 5-7 days
The Blue Ridge Parkway often called “America’s Favorite Drive” is a 469-mile journey through the heart of Appalachian beauty connecting Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina. This winding road offers an abundance of autumn scenery punctuated by charming mountain towns and wilderness areas where visitors can explore waterfalls and hiking trails.
During your drive, you’ll snake through miles of Appalachia surrounded by a huge array of plants and gorgeous, sweeping mountain views—plus some serious fall foliage this month! Black bears and other local animals are often spotted along the parkway.
And of course, the fact that the parkway has plenty of campgrounds available makes this one of the best places to go in an RV. The route features extensive RV support infrastructure as well making it a great choice for new RVers.
It seems Crowley is best known for two things: producing one of the country’s largest rice crops and throwing one of southwest Louisiana’s oldest parties! The International Rice Festival has been celebrated since 1937 and participants can look forward to a rice-eating contest, carnival, queen’s pageant, parade, live music, and more.
Plan to attend the 88th annual International Rice Festival October 16-19, 2025.
Prescott offers a completely different side of Arizona filled with ponderosa pine forests, granite cliffs, and four distinct seasons. This mountain town is a favorite for those who want to trade the desert heat for cool alpine air.
Granite Dells is one of the area’s most recognizable landscapes with massive, rounded rock formations that rise from calm, blue lakes. This is a perfect spot for kayaking, rock scrambling, or simply watching the sunset reflect off the water.
Just outside of town, Lynx Lake offers peaceful trails and paddleboarding while Thumb Butte Trail rewards hikers with sweeping views of the Prescott Basin. For those who crave wide-open forest trails, the Prescott National Forest surrounds the town with hundreds of miles of hiking and biking paths. With its refreshing climate, diverse terrain, and scenic lake views, Prescott is a paradise for nature lovers who crave variety and tranquility in the outdoors.
Famous for its highly walkable Historic Landmark District, Savannah is one of those rare cities just as beautiful in person as it is in stylized, perfectly lit pictures. Its cobbled streets, tree-lined squares and parks, and gorgeous 18th- and 19th-century buildings make it one of the South’s most photogenic cities—not to mention its culinary scene is one of the best in the region. Be sure to grab an espresso from The Paris Market Cafe, pick up a new novel from E. Shaver Booksellers, go on a ghost tour, and tuck into a meal at James Beard Award-winning chef Mashama Bailey’s The Grey.
Mesilla’s sun-baked plaza instantly carries me back to 19th-century Mexico and the twin towers of the Basilica of San Albino complete the timeless scene. Built on the site of an earlier 1850s mission, the current church showcases stained-glass windows imported from France and locally fired adobe bricks.
Between low-slung portales, boutiques sell hand-tooled leather and chilé ristras while La Posta restaurant dishes out legendary sopaipillas inside an 1840s stagecoach stop. Evening strolls reveal brass mariachi notes swirling under fairy-lit trees, an ambiance perfect after a day touring San Albino’s interior.
If you crave quieter moments, the lesser-known Chapel of Our Lady of Guadalupe sits a block away, its simple altar honoring the area’s earliest settlers. Mesilla demonstrates how mission heritage can thrive amid lively shops, cafés, and late-night serenades.
This hidden gem protects the largest remaining old-growth bottomland hardwood forest in the Southeast featuring champion trees that tower above the 2.6-mile accessible Boardwalk Loop. October through early November offers the perfect visiting conditions with beautiful fall colors, active wildlife, and significantly fewer mosquitoes than summer months.
The park charges no entrance fees though camping runs $10-25 depending on your site choice. Backcountry camping requires a permit requested 72 hours in advance. Don’t miss the chance to paddle Cedar Creek for a unique water-level perspective of the ancient forest canopy. If you’re visiting in mid-May to early June, enter the lottery for a chance to witness the magical synchronous firefly display, one of only a few places in North America where this phenomenon occurs.
Always check the Mosquito Meter at the visitor center and current flooding conditions before heading out on trails, as late winter and spring floods can submerge even the elevated boardwalk.
Murphys feels like stepping back to Gold Rush California but with wine glasses in hand. History is visible around every corner. The Murphys Historic Hotel constructed in 1856 still operates and welcomed guests like Mark Twain and Ulysses S. Grant. Meanwhile, Mercer Caverns is a short drive north. Guided tours take you through marble caves adorned with stalactites and frostwork over 208 steps down and back up.
The Ironstone Vineyards hosts concerts, daffodil shows, and a classic car show each fall. If not visiting in the fall you can still book a lunch, tour, or tasting here. A really cool spot is the Forest Meadows Golf Course & Sports Bar. There is a 9-hole course, golf simulators, and a Summer Green music series. The Dunbar House Inn is worth the price in its 1880s Greek Revival property.
8. Jekyll Island Shrimp & Grits Festival on Jekyll Island
Chow down on one of the coast’s most famous dishes at the Shrimp & Grits Festival October 24-25, 2025. Held every fall, the event features various interpretations of the dish along with family-friendly entertainment, an artist market, live music, and craft beer.
Enjoy outdoor adventure, community festivities, and scenic fall beauty all in one
Walking across the New River Gorge Bridge on Bridge Day is a thrilling experience as it’s the only day each year—typically the third Saturday in October with Bridge Day 2025 set for October 18—when pedestrians can traverse the 3,030-foot span of this iconic West Virginia landmark. Held annually since 1980, Bridge Day is the state’s largest single-day festival and one of the world’s biggest extreme sports events drawing thousands to walk the bridge’s roadway, watch BASE jumpers leap 876 feet into the gorge below, and see rappellers ascend or descend the catwalk. The bridge, the fifth-longest single-arch bridge globally offers stunning views of the New River Gorge National Park’s rugged cliffs and vibrant fall foliage.
If you miss Bridge Day when the New River Gorge Bridge is open to pedestrians there are plenty of alternative activities near the bridge in Fayetteville to experience the stunning New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. The Fayette Station Road, an 8-mile loop (40 minutes) descends into the gorge, crosses the Tunney Hunsaker Bridge, and offers views of the New River Gorge Bridge from below.
The New River and Gauley River offer world-class rafting. Fall is ideal for the Gauley (September–October, “Gauley Season”) with intense Class IV-V rapids due to dam releases. The New River has gentler options (Class II-IV). Outfitters like Adventures on the Gorge offer half- or full-day trips.
Bisbee, nestled in the Mule Mountains near the Mexican border is one of Arizona’s most artistically offbeat destinations. The community began as a booming mining town in the early 1900s but over the years Bisbee has reinvented itself as a hub for artists, eccentrics, and history buffs. Its hilly terrain creates a quirky layout with narrow winding streets, colorful staircases, and converted miner homes turned into art studios and boutiques.
The Copper Queen Hotel boasts haunted ghost tours adding a touch of the paranormal while the immersive Copper Queen Mine Tour lets you don a hard hat and ride a railcar deep into the mountain. Public art installations are everywhere—murals, sculptures, and mosaic-covered walls line the alleys. When it’s time for dinner, be sure to try The Copper Pig, a local fine dining establishment that is a culinary dream. (It is only open a few days a week and you’ll need a reservation, because it is that good.)
If you love the outdoors, enter the annual Bisbee 1000 Stair Climb (October 18, 2025), an athletic event that also celebrates the town’s idiosyncratic charm. This 4.5-mile course will test even seasoned athletes with its nine staircases, 1000 steps, and difficult 1,175-foot ascent.
Please note: This article was first published September 2025. Articles apply to the date they were written. Please refer to current information for quickly changing subjects.
Worth Pondering…
I wish that every day was Saturday and every month was October.
With foresight and determination, city leaders have worked hard for over a century to preserve our Old West history in the most famous Western towns
Some people rescue abandoned dogs, beached whales, or wild mustangs.
Then there are those inspired individuals with the foresight to rescue history before it escapes our collective memories.
These three true western towns are examples of places where history lives and the spirit of the Old West is still alive thanks to crusaders like Edna Landin who led an effort to save the 1882 Tombstone Courthouse and designate the town as a National Historic District.
Sharlot Hall was another rescuer of history in Prescott where she served as Territorial Historian from 1909 until 1912.
Often, it’s a collective effort to establish a historical society to preserve the vintage buildings, photos and artifacts that tell the stories of how their towns developed.
I salute these rescuers and encourage readers to visit these three true western towns to experience what they have preserved. Plus, put on your cowboy boots and also stop at the other towns where there’s a whole lot of history happening.
“The Towns Too Tough to Die” primarily refers to Tombstone, Arizona, a historic town famed for its resilience and legendary Old West legacy. Tombstone earned this nickname due to its survival against numerous adversities such as gunfights, fires, Indian wars, economic declines including the Great Depression, and social upheavals, yet it remained a vibrant community rather than becoming a ghost town.
The phrase is also notably associated with the 1942 Western film “Tombstone, the Town Too Tough to Die” which dramatizes the events leading up to and including the famous Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. The film stars Richard Dix as Wyatt Earp, Kent Taylor as Doc Holliday, and features other historical figures like the Earp brothers and the outlaw Curly Bill Brocious. It portrays Wyatt Earp’s transformation into lawman and his battle against the outlaw Clanton gang to restore order to Tombstone
Famous for its mining boom, legendary gunfight, and enduring Wild West legacy
Frontier justice was quick in Tombstone in the 1880s. Five men were hanged March 28, 1884 at the Tombstone Courthouse for their part in a failed robbery and murder of four in the so-called Bisbee Massacre of December 8, 1883.
The mastermind of the holdup, John Heath, got a life sentence in Yuma Territorial Prison. But outraged Tombstone citizens broke Heath out of jail at the courthouse, got a rope and hung him from a nearby telegraph pole. Five weeks later, the others dropped to their deaths at the courthouse gallows, according to Curtis Miles, Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park manager.
That violent tale is just one of many told at the courthouse which is an essential stop in Tombstone. In addition to accurate portrayals of the O.K. Corral shootout, the state historic park has a recreated gallows outside the red brick Victorian building.
The courthouse was abandoned after the Cochise County seat moved to Bisbee in 1929 just as the Great Depression tanked the Tombstone economy. The town had already been suffering as mining declined over several decades.
But Tombstone soldiered on, earning its nickname The Town Too Tough to Die.
The big renaissance of Tombstone followed development of the motion picture industry and the invention of the Western film genre. That led to 40 or 50 Western-themed shows on three networks in the 1950s and ’60s. Those movies and TV shows captured the attention of generations of viewers now drawn to Western outposts like Tombstone.
A half century ago, one of Prescott’s many Victorian-era homes was facing demolition to make way for a Jack in the Box restaurant.
But a grassroots campaign raised $25,000 to move the 160-ton Bashford House built in 1877 eight blocks to the Sharlot Hall Museum. It was restored two years later and sits near the Territorial Governor’s Mansion, a modest 1864 log cabin.
“People here have always had that kind of appreciation for the history of Prescott and preserving it. That’s just what makes it so special” said Kathy Mancino, sheriff of the Prescott Corral of Westerners International.
The 50-year-old Prescott Corral, with 225 members, is one of the largest groups of Westerners International which was founded in 1944 and has 60 U.S. chapters and 20 abroad.
The Prescott organization whose purpose is to preserve authentic Western history is among a slew of groups and local museums celebrating stories of the Old West. That includes historical societies, Arizona Rough Riders, Whiskey Row Renegades, Prescott Regulators, Elks Opera House Guild, and Yavapai Cowbelles, a ranchers group established in 1949.
Prescott’s museum scene is impressive for a city its size. It includes the above- mentioned Sharlot Hall Museum, Phippen Western Art & Heritage Museum, Museum of Indigenous People, and storefront Western Heritage Center on Whiskey Row.
The 1916 Yavapai Courthouse Plaza is the hub of the Prescott visitor experience along with Whiskey Row. A monument honoring Rough Rider Buckey O’Neill graces the plaza.
Whiskey Row’s most prominent watering hole is the Palace Restaurant and Saloon which was rebuilt in 1901 after a disastrous fire leveled the 1877 saloon. The infamous Earp Brothers and Doc Holliday drank at the old Palace.
Doc’s common-life wife known as Big Nose Kate is buried at the Prescott Pioneer Home Cemetery—just down the hill from Sharlot Hall.
Prospector Johnny Moss first mined the area for gold in the 1860s staking claims to two mines, one named Moss, the other Oatman after Olive Oatman who was kidnapped by Apache warriors, sold to Mojave Indians, and released after five years near the current townsite in 1855.
Gold mining would have its ups and downs in the Black Mountains until the early 1900s.
Oatman got a boost with a major gold discovery in 1908 but it wasn’t until 1915 when two miners struck a $14 million gold find that led to one of the West’s last gold rushes.
By summer of 1916 over two hundred mines were operating in the Oatman district.
At the conclusion of World War I many ex-soldiers flooded into the Oatman area both in search of employment at the mines and reportedly to take advantage of Arizona’s dry climate to rehabilitate from being gassed in the war.
By 1930, it was estimated that 36 million dollars worth of gold had come from the mines. The town boasted two banks, seven hotels, 20 saloons, and 10 stores. By the mid 1930s, the boom was over and in 1942 the last remaining mines were closed as nonessential to the war effort.
Oatman was more fortunate than other former mining towns as it was located on U.S. Route 66, known as The Main Street of America, a popular and important road for travelers. Clark Gable and Carole Lombard stopped at the town during their 1939 honeymoon. Gable fell in love with the town and returned frequently to play cards with the locals. The Oatman Hotel still features the Gable Lombard Honeymoon Suite.
In the late 1980s, Route 66 again became a popular destination for tourists from all over the world. Oatman started becoming very lively again.
Oatman today is a tourist town. The main street is lined with shops and restaurants. Wild burros, descendants of those brought by long-ago miners wander the streets. Gunshots are heard as the Ghostrider Gunfighters perform daily displaying blazing six-gun shootouts in the middle of Main Street.
An exhibit at the New Mexico History Museum honors the 100-year history of Santa Fe’s Indian Market. Another exhibit explores the legacy of the Fred Harvey Company.
Ride the Grand Canyon Railway to the national park including special steam-powered runs on 11 dates in 2023. In town, enjoy the relics of Route 66 and the World Famous Sultana Bar.
Route 66 gets a lot of attention here but the Mohave Museum of History and Arts and nearby ghost town of Chloride are worth a visit.
Medora, North Dakota
This historic city is the gateway town to Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Summertime is best to tour the local historic sites and attend the ever-popular Medora Musical.
This former mountain mining community earned the nickname The Wickedest Town in the West during its heyday when rich copper ore deposits attracted miners, merchants, madams, and more to the Arizona Territory.
The heart of the picturesque village of Mesilla is much the same as it was one hundred years ago. Thick walled adobe buildings which once protected residents against Apache attacks, now house art galleries, restaurants, museums, and gift shops.
Amador City’s oldest structure, built around 1855, is the center portion of the Amador Hotel. Up Main Street is the stone Fleehart Building (now the Whitney Museum) that dates from the 1860s. The original mining-era buildings are now home to unique shops.
Bisbee, Arizona
Bisbe proved to be one of the richest mineral sites in the world producing nearly three million ounces of gold and more than eight billion pounds of copper not to mention the silver, lead, and zinc that came from these rich lands. By the early 1900s Bisbee had become the largest city in the Arizona territory.
Keystone is a town with a split personality. Most visitors come to know New Keystone which is a mile-long retail district stretched along US-16A, the main route to Mount Rushmore. But Old Keystone or Old Town is the original gold mining settlement along east-flowing Battle Creek.
Worth Pondering…
You damn dirty cow thief, if you’re anxious to fight, I’ll meet you!
—Wyatt Earp to Ike Clanton before the fight at the O.K. Corral
If you’re dreaming of where to travel to experience it all, here are my picks for the best places to RV in December
Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love!
—Hamilton Wright Mabie
While not a household name today, Hamilton Wright Mabie was well known in his lifetime as an influential essayist and editor. His prolific works included a regular column in Ladies’ Home Journal. He was also a popular speaker celebrated by Mark Twain and eulogized by President Teddy Roosevelt.
Here he offers a jubilant, timeless take on the holiday season reflecting on the collective energy so many of us feel as the festivities approach. Through the gatherings of friends and family, familiar carols on the radio, holiday festivals, and beloved traditions, here’s hoping we all find ourselves a little more likely to show.
The saguaro cactus, native only to the Sonoran Desert in southern Arizona and northern Mexico has the ability to store tons of water during rainy season. It only grows up to 1 inch during its first 13 years but will eventually reach 35 feet with an average life span between 150 and 175 years.
Saguaro National Park was established to protect this giant cactus and the desert, mountain, and riparian habitats within the associated Sonoran Desert and Sky Island. This land encompasses a wide range of elevations that support extraordinary biodiversity and preserves significant cultural resources and places important to Indigenous peoples.
From cactus-covered desert to pine-cloaked mountain heights, the Saguaro Wilderness Area in the Rincon Mountains protects the last roadless mountain range in southern Arizona. The park has two districts geographically separated by the city of Tucson: the Rincon Mountain District often referred to as Saguaro East and the Tucson Mountain District often referred to as Saguaro West.
Short on time? The two scenic drives (Cactus Forest Drive and Bajada Loop Drive) are the best way to optimize your time at the park. You can drive along the road and make frequent stops to get closer to the cacti.
Sprawling out across a stark expanse of 600,000 acres about an hour south of Indio, California’s largest state park (and second-largest in the lower 48) is a crown jewel of America’s state park system. By day it has 110 miles of hiking trails to explore and 12 designated wildlife areas and by night the huge desertscape delivers some of the best stargazing in America. The park is also a site of great geological importance as it has been found to contain over 500 types of fossils that are up to 6 million years old.
If you can’t picture the prehistoric vibes on your own there are also 130+ giant metal animal sculptures that pop up out of nowhere as you roam the park’s unforgiving terrain.
3. Utah’s stunning state park alternative to the Grand Canyon
Arizona may have the famous Grand Canyon but its northern neighbor may actually have a stronger claim to being the “canyon capital of the US.” Utah’s landscape is dotted with amazing and unique canyon formations most of which serve as the central feature of prominent parks.
Utah national parks like Canyonlands, Bryce Canyon, and Zion are, of course, all famous for canyon systems that even rival the Grand Canyon for sheer picturesque beauty. But many state parks have their fair share of incredible, if underappreciated, Utah canyon hikes even better than places like Zion. And no canyon in Utah’s state park system is a more worthwhile destination than the central feature of Snow Canyon State Park.
Despite its name conjuring up images of a white winter snow cover, Snow Canyon displays an impressive formation of the red Navajo sandstone that has made the landscape of Utah and Arizona so famous.
Much of the canyon sits in the remains of a long-extinct volcano. Visitors can explore not only the impressive canyon walls but also preserved lava tubes and flows that add a more thrilling character to the mesmerizing landscape. As if that wasn’t enough, the park’s many hiking trails also circle past large sand dunes.
Snow Canyon sits in southern Utah just north of the Arizona border. Here, the park is actually within a three-hour drive of Grand Canyon National Park. This makes it a great alternative destination for travelers who want to experience the grandeur of the region’s many canyons while avoiding the crowds and expenses of the Grand Canyon itself.
Joshua trees are not actually trees—they’re members of the Agave family. But in their dry desert ecosystems these spiny Yucca brevifolia plants are fondly considered trees of the desert.
Joshua Tree National Park lies at the intersection of two deserts, the Mojave and the Colorado. The trees are critical to the ecosystem as they provide food and habitat to local species. Indigenous peoples recognize their usefulness weaving the leaves into baskets and sandals and adding flower buds and seeds to their diet.
More than 50 species of mammals, 40 species of reptiles, and 700 species of plants have been identified in the park. It’s a monzogranite rock wonderland for climbers, geologists, and desert dwellers alike. Take advantage of the frequent free activities in the park to learn about Joshua trees, geology, and rock climbing, or take a ranger-guided tour of Keys Ranch (fee required).
Mesilla radiates energy and warmth in southern New Mexico. Settled in the 19th century, the historic town thrived in commerce becoming the largest in between San Diego and San Antonio and a transportation hub at the intersecting point of two important trade routes. With neighbors like Las Cruces the railroad shifted next door in 1881 lending Mesilla a tourist-friendly vibe for generations of visitors who seek out a place at a relaxed pace.
Starting from the heart of the Mesilla Plaza and Basilica of San Albino the charms extend across art galleries, boutique shops, and restaurants over a few building blocks. Mesilla’s various year-round events and fiestas include Cinco de Mayo and the Diez y Seis de Septiembre parade. Visitors will adore these events as they showcase cultural roots among Mexican, Native American, Spanish, and Anglo-American origins.
Outside of the paved streets, Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park sprawls the banks of the scenically vast Rio Grande to explore the shore over a weekend of fishing, boating, and even swimming after a hot summer hike. Furthermore, the Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument pokes the sky with peaks like Organ and Organ Needle, a canyon, and woodland trails perfect for horseback riding, camping, and mountain biking. After spending some time with nature, Hacienda de Mesilla offers traditional hospitality to unwind and recharge at its famous cantina and grill.
Ahhh…Palm Springs, where mid-century hipster ambiance mixes with iconic architecture, desert panoramas, and the preppy golf-loving culture like no other place in the west.
Ride the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway for sweeping views of the surrounding desert and visit the Living Desert Zoo & Gardens for its mix of native flora and fauna.
Every Thursday night the Villagefest attracts hundreds of visitors and locals with handmade crafts and high-end art. In addition to all the culture and fun, the food scene in Palm Springs is on fire! Try Birba for modern pizza and pasta, Workshop Kitchen + Bar for seasonal menus and cocktails, and Over The Rainbow Cupcakes for delectable sweet treats.
The southwest desert is always a sure bet if you’re looking for a rain-free winter RV travel destination. Mild, dry weather can be expected during the winter months in Yuma with a side of plentiful sunshine thrown in to sweeten the deal.
Naturally, this means there will be plenty of time to enjoy outdoor activities. Activities like hiking some of the nearby trails such as Telegraph Pass and the Laguna Mountain Ridge. Or, renting an OHV (off-highway vehicle) for a wild afternoon spent zooming around the wind-sculpted sand of the Imperial Sand Dunes.
When you’re ready to get out of the sun, take a history lesson while touring Yuma Territorial Prison State Park. Or learn about development around the Colorado River Basin at the Yuma Quartermaster Depot Historical Park.
No matter how you choose to spend your time, Yuma is sure to please with its sunny, mild desert climate. The city also holds the Guinness World Record as the Sunniest City on Earth with an average of 11 hours a day of sunlight every day. Read more about Yuma here.
Not far from Zion National Park, the town of St. George boasts a mix of restorative scenery and creature comforts. The mild weather and red-rock backdrops make for an ideal golf setting with a number of courses available.
And, a short distance from town, Snow Canyon State Park explodes with dramatic geology perfect for your outdoor adventure—and photo opportunities.
Activities for kids include the St. George Children’s Museum and Pioneer Park where aspiring canyoneers can explore the pint-size slot canyon known as The Crack. Pioneer Park is also home to Utah’s first desert conservation garden, Red Hills Desert Garden, five acres of beauty with a 1,150-foot stream. Luxury spas, shopping, and a busy arts scene that is anchored in part by the Kayenta Art Village, complement the natural beauty and outdoor activities.
The Indio International Tamale Festival taking place every December (32nd annual; December 7-8, 2024) is the largest festival in the world dedicated solely to the steamed savory treat.
Embark on a culinary journey along the famous Tamale Trail. With vendors showcasing a delicious variety of tamales from traditional recipes to creative new sabores there’s something to satisfy every palate. Whether you love classic savory fillings or have a sweet tooth, you’ll find the perfect tamale to enjoy. Follow the trail, explore diverse offerings, and celebrate the rich heritage behind this iconic dish.
The Indio International Tamale Festival isn’t just about tamales—it’s a full celebration filled with live music, dancing, and family-friendly entertainment. At the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino Community Stage, enjoy vibrant cultural showcases and energetic musical performances throughout the festival. Whether you’re looking for fun activities for the kids or a place to enjoy great music and dancing, the festival offers something for everyone to enjoy.
10. Experience the great migration of the sandhill cranes as they return to New Mexico
Celebrate the return of the sandhill cranes at the 35th annual Festival of the Cranes, December 11-15, 2024. Join birding experts from near and far for a chance to learn about Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge and many of New Mexico’s overwintering birds. The Festival offers over seventy creative workshops in the field at Bosque del Apache and indoor workshops at New Mexico Tech.
The festival celebrates the survival and yearly migration of the enigmatic sandhill crane. The sandhill crane is an ancient species of waterfowl that migrates from Canada and the northern U.S. to winter in the Rio Grande Valley of New Mexico.
Both cranes and snow geese begin arriving in smaller numbers at the refuge in late October. By early December, tens of thousands of cranes and snow geese make the Middle Rio Grande Valley their home until they migrate back north in mid-February.
Sandill cranes can also be seen in large numbers at Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico and Whitewater Draw near Wilcox, Arizona.
Worth Pondering…
Once again, we come to the Holiday Season, a deeply religious time that each of us observes, in his own way, by going to the mall of his choice.
—Dave Barry, Christmas Shopping: A Survivor’s Guide
From sea to shining sea, these are 15 of America’s best historic landmarks
Since 1960, the National Historic Landmark program has marked around 2,600 locations of special significance to the foundation and development of the United States. The sites range from The Alamo in San Antonio to the Historic Williamsburg in Virginia.
Almost all locations are found within the U.S., its territories, or areas the U.S. used to control such as the Federated States of Micronesia. Only one site lies in a completely sovereign nation that has never experienced any U.S. administration—the North African country of Morocco.
Morocco was one of the first countries to recognize the U.S. as a sovereign nation by order of Sultan Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah on December 20, 1777. Due in part to the treaty of peace and friendship the two nations signed in 1786 (which created the longest unbroken diplomatic relationship in U.S. history), Morocco bestowed a sprawling mansion (now called the Tangier American Legation) upon the young nation in 1821.
The mansion is situated in the medina or walled city of Tangier, once Morocco’s diplomatic capital. The building has served many purposes throughout the years including acting as a consulate, espionage headquarters, and Peace Corps training facility. It became a historic landmark in 1982 and is still officially owned by the U.S. It is leased to the Tangier American Legation Institute for Moroccan Studies which continues the nearly 250-year friendship between the two countries.
National Historic Landmarks Program
National Historic Landmarks are historic properties that illustrate the heritage of the United States. The over 2,600 landmarks come in many forms: historic buildings, sites, structures, objects, and districts. Each National Historic Landmark represents an outstanding aspect of American history and culture.
Description: In 1853, Captain Richard King purchased a creek-fed oasis in the Wild Horse Desert of South Texas. King now covers 825,000 acres—more land than the state of Rhode Island. Over 160 years, King Ranch led some of the first cattle drives, developed the Santa Gertrudis and Santa Cruz breeds of cattle, bred the finest Quarter Horses, and produced champion Thoroughbreds—all under its iconic Running W® brand. Today’s King Ranch is a major agribusiness with interests in cattle ranching, farming (citrus, cotton, grain, sugar cane, and turfgrass), luxury retail goods, and recreational hunting.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: July 4, 1961
Location: Tombstone, Cochise County, Arizona
Description: It would be hard to get more Old West in Arizona historical towns than Tombstone (The Town Too Tough To Die). It is one of the most frequented destinations in the state for history buffs since this is home to the famous OK Corral where the Earp brothers and Doc Holliday gunned down the ornery Clanton-McLaury gang. But there’s a lot more to Tombstone including a rich silver mining history and clashes with the Apaches.
Tombstone has done much to preserve its Old West atmosphere. The main street is still dirt and cars must share the road with horses, Western wear shops, restaurants, and saloons line the wooden sidewalks. Historic sights include the Birdcage Theater and Tombstone Courthouse.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: December 8, 1987
Location: Newport, Newport County, Rhode Island
Description: The second largest bastioned fort in the US, Fort Adams was the key to Narragansett Bay area defenses, from 1799 to 1945. It was designed to be the most heavily armed fort in America and to garrison 2,400 troops. Three tiers of guns defended Narragansett Bay’s East Passage. Situated at the mouth of the Newport Harbor, the fort offers a panoramic view of both Newport Harbor and the East Passage of Narragansett Bay.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: July 31, 1903
Location: Corpus Christi, Nueces County, Texas
Description: The Fore River Shipyard of Quincy Massachusetts built U.S.S. Lexington for the US Navy in the early days of World War II with the ship being commissioned in 1943. Named to commemorate the earlier Lexington which had been lost in the Battle of the Coral Sea, Lexington would serve the US Navy until the 1990s. Lexington was decommissioned in 1991. During its career, it received eleven Battle Stars and the Presidential Unit Citation. It was donated as a museum ship and is moored in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: October 12, 1994
Location: Newport, Newport County, Rhode Island
Description: The Breakers is a Vanderbilt mansion located on Ochre Point Avenue along the Atlantic Ocean. The Breakers is the grandest of Newport’s summer cottages and a symbol of the Vanderbilt family’s social and financial preeminence in the turn of the century America. Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt (1794-1877) established the family fortune in steamships and later in the New York Central Railroad which was a pivotal development in the industrial growth of the nation during the late 19th century.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: December 19, 1960
Location: San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas
Description: In San Antonio, five missions were constructed between 1718 and 1720. Appropriately, the first of these was Mission San Antonio de Valero, later to be known as the Alamo. Remember the Alamo! It was the battle cry of Texas freedom fighters during the decisive Battle of San Jacinto led by Sam Houston against Mexico in April 1836. It was a memorial to the doomed defenders of the Spanish mission-turned Texas fort. The Alamo became a bloody battlefield and a hallowed final resting place for those who would never leave these grounds alive.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: October 9, 1960
Location: Williamsburg (City), Virginia
Description: Colonial Williamsburg is the world’s largest living history museum with 301 acres featuring iconic sites, working tradespeople, historic taverns, and two world-class art museums. The city was founded as the capital of the Virginia Colony in 1699 and it was here that the basic concepts of the United States of America were formed under the leadership of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, George Mason, and many others.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: October 6, 2008
Location: Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
Description: The historic 105-mile Skyline Drive, a National Scenic Byway, traverses Shenandoah National Park, a beautiful, historic national treasure. The mountain-top highway winds its way north-south through Shenandoah’s nearly 200,000 acres along the spine of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. 75 scenic overlooks offer stunning views of the Shenandoah Valley to the west or the rolling Piedmont to the east. While you are gazing out at the views, keep a close eye on the road too, as deer, black bear, wild turkey, and a host of other woodland animals call Shenandoah home and regularly cross Skyline Drive in their daily travels.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: May 28, 1987
Location: Navajo County, Arizona
Description: In its almost 100 years overlooking the Painted Desert, the inn has undergone many changes. The original building from the early 1920s was made of petrified wood. Today’s adobe facade dates to the 1930s renovation of the Painted Desert Inn.
The national historic landmark functions only as a museum now, with no overnight accommodation and food service. Interior displays highlight the building’s history, Route 66, and Civilian Conservation Corps. There are also restored murals by Hopi artist Fred Kabotie.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: June 24, 1986
Location: Carroll, Coos County, New Hampshire
Description: While the Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods is tucked away from the main drag, it’s almost impossible to miss it with Mount Washington hovering over like a halo. Once you walk into the lobby, you’re transported back to 1902 when the hotel first opened. It’s even rumored that the owner’s wife, Carolyn, still lives in the hotel (don’t worry, a friendly tenant), and ghost aficionados jump at the opportunity to book her old quarters in Room 314.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: October 9, 1960
Location: Santa Fe, Santa Fe County, New Mexico
Description: Downtown Santa Fe’s Palace of the Governors on the plaza is one of the most iconic sites in the city. The oldest continuously inhabited building in the United States, it’s perhaps best known for the Native American market beneath its portal. But inside is a historic gem as well—the New Mexico History Museum which covers centuries of life in Santa Fe and hosts exhibitions related to the tri-culture of the Native Americans, Spanish, and Anglo peoples and cultures of New Mexico.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: May 11, 1976
Location: Galveston, Galveston County, Texas
Description: Galveston’s Historic Strand District, or The Strand, is the heart of the island and a great place to shop, dine, and be entertained. Fronting Galveston Bay, The Strand is a National Historic Landmark that harkens back to Galveston’s heyday in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Many of the buildings here are more than a century old, stunning in their detail and craftsmanship. Storefronts here are a mix of antique shops, art galleries, souvenir shops, and more. The Strand serves as the commercial center of downtown Galveston. Places of interest include the Ocean Star Offshore Energy Center and Museum, Pier 21 Theater, the Texas Seaport Museum, and the tall ship Elissa.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: December 24, 196767
Location: Goliad, Goliad County, Texas
Description: Presidio La Bahía is a fort located in Goliad, Texas. Its official name is Presidio Nuestra Señora de Loreto de la Bahía and it was built and utilized by the Spanish Army. The fort was originally founded in 1721 and it was home to many Texas Revolution conflicts including the Battle of Goliad and the Goliad Massacre.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: July 4, 1961
Location: La Mesilla, Dona Ana County, New Mexico
Description: Mesilla did not become part of the United States until the mid-1850s but its history begins with the end of the Mexican-American War and the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe. Soon after, the sleepy border town would become one of the most important towns in the West, playing a key role in Western expansion. By the mid-1800s, Mesilla’s population had reached 3,000 making it the largest town and trade center between San Antonio and San Diego and an important stop for both the Butterfield Stage Line and the San Antonio-San Diego Mail Lines.
The past itself as historical change continues to accelerate has become the most surreal of subjects—making it possible to see a new beauty in what is vanishing.
From sea to shining sea, these are America’s best historic landmarks
What are some bucket list national historic landmarks that you want to see during your lifetime?
I will give you my list of the 15 National Historic Landmarks you’ll want to see in your lifetime. Maybe you’ve already been to a few of these incredible sites. There’s no reason why you can’t go back, however. Or you might want to see some of the ones you haven’t been to yet.
This list includes American landmarks which are managed by the National Park Service as well as others which are not.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: May 28, 1987
Location: South Rim, Grand Canyon National Park, Coconino County, Arizona
Description: This celebrated historic hotel located directly on the rim of the Grand Canyon first opened its doors in 1905. El Tovar was one of a chain of hotels and restaurants owned and operated by the Fred Harvey Company in conjunction with the Santa Fe Railway. The hotel was built from local limestone and Oregon pine. It cost $250,000 to build and many considered it the most elegant hotel west of the Mississippi River.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: January 14, 1986
Location: Mobile, Mobile County, Alabama
Description: The submarine USS Drum (SS-228), a World War II veteran with 12 Battle Stars is credited with sinking 15 ships, a total of 80,580 tons of enemy shipping, the eighth highest of all U.S. submarines in total Japanese tonnage sunk. USS Drum is the oldest American submarine on display in the world.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: May 16, 2000
Location: Versailles, Woodford County, Kentucky
Description: Woodford Reserve Distillery is an award-winning distillery that produces a range of whiskeys including limited-edition releases like the Kentucky-only Distillery Series. Established by Elijah Pepper in 1812 the distillery is one of the oldest distilleries in Kentucky and is listed as a National Historic Landmark and on the National Register of Historic Places. Formerly known as the Old Oscar Pepper Distillery and later the Labrot & Graham Distillery, the distillery produces several whiskeys including Woodford Reserve Bourbon.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: December 19, 1960
Location: Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
Description: Designed by Charles Bulfinch, the new and current State House has served as the seat of the Massachusetts government since its opening in 1798. Holding the legislative and executive branches, it sits adjacent to the former site of the historic Hancock mansion.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: December 19, 1960
Location: Santa Fe, Santa Fe County, New Mexico
Description: The Santa Fe Plaza, part of the Santa Fe Historic District is the heart of Santa Fe. It has been the social, political, commercial, and public center of Santa Fe since it was established in 1610 by Don Pedro de Peralta.
Today the Santa Fe Plaza is popular for tourists who are interested in Spanish, Native American, and Mexican cultures. Throughout the Plaza, one can find native jewelry, art, designs, music, and dances. Many annual events are held at the Santa Fe Plaza including Fiestas de Santa Fe, the Spanish Market, the Santa Fe Bandstand, and the Santa Fe Indian Market.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: October 12, 1994
Location: Newport, Newport County, Rhode Island
Description: The Breakers is a Vanderbilt mansion located on Ochre Point Avenue along the Atlantic Ocean. The Breakers is the grandest of Newport’s summer cottages and a symbol of the Vanderbilt family’s social and financial preeminence in the turn of the century America. Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt (1794-1877) established the family fortune in steamships and later in the New York Central Railroad which was a pivotal development in the industrial growth of the nation during the late 19th century.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: November 11, 1971
Location: Dorchester County, South Carolina
Description: Middleton Place is a 65-acre, 18th-centuryth -century rice plantation. The plantation is the birthplace of Arthur Middleton, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. The plantation is now a National Historic Landmark and home to America’s oldest landscaped gardens. The Middleton Place House Museum was built in 1755 as the gentlemen’s guest quarters and is the only structure still standing of the original three-building residential complex.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: December 19, 1960
Location: Jeff Davis County, Texas
Description: Set in the rugged beauty of the Davis Mountains of West Texas, Fort Davis is the best surviving example of an Indian Wars frontier military post and one of the best preserved Buffalo Soldier forts in the Southwest. Fort Davis was strategically located to protect emigrants, mail coaches, and freight wagons on the Trans-Pecos portion of the San Antonio-El Paso Road and the Chihuahua Trail, and to control activities on the southern stem of the Great Comanche and Mescalero Apache war trails.
Fort Davis is important in understanding the presence of African Americans in the West and the frontier military; the 24th and 25th U.S. Infantry and the 9th and 10th U.S. Cavalry, all-black regiments established after the Civil War, were stationed at the post. When not chasing renegade bands of Apache or bandits, the soldiers helped build roads and telegraph lines.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: October 6, 2008
Location: Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
Description: The historic 105-mile Skyline Drive, a National Scenic Byway, traverses Shenandoah National Park, a beautiful, historic national treasure. The mountain-top highway winds its way north-south through Shenandoah’s nearly 200,000 acres along the spine of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. 75 scenic overlooks offer stunning views of the Shenandoah Valley to the west or the rolling Piedmont to the east. While you are gazing out at the views, keep a close eye on the road too, as deer, black bear, wild turkey, and a host of other woodland animals call Shenandoah home and regularly cross Skyline Drive in their daily travels.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: May 28, 1987
Location: Navajo County, Arizona
Description: In its almost 100 years overlooking the Painted Desert, the inn has undergone many changes. The original building from the early 1920s was made of petrified wood. Today’s adobe facade dates to the 1930s renovation of the Painted Desert Inn.
The national historic landmark functions only as a museum now, with no overnight accommodation and food service. Interior displays highlight the building’s history, Route 66, and Civilian Conservation Corps. There are also restored murals by Hopi artist Fred Kabotie.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: May 5, 2003
Location: Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
Description: The Union Oyster House located on the Freedom Trail enjoys the unique distinction of being America’s oldest restaurant. This Boston fixture, housed in a building dating back to Pre-Revolutionary days started serving food in 1826 and has continued ever since with the stalls and oyster bar, where Daniel Webster was a constant customer, in their original positions.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: November 4, 1993
Location: Roma, Starr County, Texas
Description: Over two centuries of Texas borderland heritage surrounds the plaza in the historic river town of Roma. The plaza’s surviving structures as well as surrounding buildings trace Roma’s heritage back to its Spanish Colonial roots, providing a visual reminder of the beautiful border architecture once thriving throughout the region.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: October 9, 1960
Location: Pima County, Arizona
Description: Mission San Xavier del Bac is a place both historical and sacred that no visitor to Southern Arizona should miss. San Xavier is one of the finest examples of Spanish colonial architecture in the U.S. The oldest intact European structure in Arizona, the church interior is filled with marvelous original statuary and mural paintings.
The mission’s white walls and soaring bell tower can be seen for miles around and the site attracts tens of thousands of visitors a year. Plan to spend an hour or two walking the grounds of the mission and exploring the interior. I was awed by the glowing white walls against the deep blue sky—all set off by rugged desert terrain.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: October 9, 1960
Location: Essex County, New York
Description: Fort Ticonderoga, formerly Fort Carillon is a large 18th-century star fort built by the French at a narrows near the south end of Lake Champlain in northern New York. It was constructed between October 1755 and 1757 during the action in the North American theater of the Seven Years’ War often referred to in the US as the French and Indian War.
The fort was of strategic importance during the 18th-century colonial conflicts between Great Britain and France and again played an important role during the Revolutionary War. The name Ticonderoga comes from the Iroquois word tekontaró:ken meaning “it is at the junction of two waterways”.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: July 4, 1961
Location: La Mesilla, Dona Ana County, New Mexico
Description: Mesilla did not become part of the United States until the mid-1850s but its history begins with the end of the Mexican-American War and the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe. Soon after, the sleepy border town would become one of the most important towns in the West, playing a key role in Western expansion. By the mid-1800s, Mesilla’s population had reached 3,000 making it the largest town and trade center between San Antonio and San Diego and an important stop for both the Butterfield Stage Line and the San Antonio-San Diego Mail Lines.
The past itself as historical change continues to accelerate has become the most surreal of subjects—making it possible to see a new beauty in what is vanishing.
From sea to shining sea, these are 12 of America’s best historic landmarks
National Historic Landmarks are America’s most exceptional historic properties. Their stories reflect the breadth and depth of the American experience and capture the uniqueness of our communities by recognizing their most important historic treasures. Landmarks are conspicuous objects known to many through either their remarkable appearance or their compelling stories.
America’s historic landmarks include places where significant events occurred, where important Americans worked or lived, that represent the ideas that shaped the nation, that reveal the past or that are outstanding examples of design or construction.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: October 9, 1960
Location: Elmore County, Aabama
Description: In 1717, when this region was part of French Louisiana, the French built a fort near the strategically vital junction where the Tallapoosa and Coosa Rivers form the Alabama River. The fort was primarily a trading post where Indians exchanged fur pelts for guns and household items. There were no battles at the post as French diplomacy forged allies with the natives. The surrounding Indians wanted peace so they could trade with both the French and British.
A re-creation of the last or 3rd French fort built between 1749 and 1751, the outside walls are constructed of split timbers that were not strong enough to stop a cannon shot but were ample protection against musket fire. Fences enclose the sides and rear of the building. On the inside, posts sunk into the ground were joined with mortise and tenon joints. There were two barracks in the fort each had four rooms for use by the troops. Along the southern wall is an igloo-shaped bread oven.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: August 20, 1985
Location: Mohave County, Arizona and Clark County, Nevada
Description: Linking Arizona and Nevada, Hoover Dam is one of America’s great engineering marvels to date and a fantastic Arizona road trip. Completed in 1935, this massive and hard-to-miss structure crosses the Colorado River and sits at a total of 726 feet high and 1,244 feet long. You can drive or walk across the dam for free or take a tour of the dam. The visitor center provides information on the tours and has a café where you can stop for some basic grub.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: November 28, 1972
Location: Hyannisport, Barnstable County, Massachusetts
Description: When the Kennedys needed to get away from the hectic world of politics for some peace and quiet, there was one place they always went to: Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. The Cape Cod destination has a rich history that first began in 1928 when Joe and Rose Kennedy purchased a family home in the area. After JFK, his brother Ted and his sister Eunice purchased the three surrounding estates, the Kennedy Compound was officially born.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: July 4, 1961
Location: La Mesilla, Dona Ana County, New Mexico
Description: Mesilla did not become part of the United States until the mid-1850s but its history begins with the end of the Mexican-American War and the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe. Soon after, the sleepy border town would become one of the most important towns in the West, playing a key role in western expansion. By the mid-1800s, Mesilla’s population had reached 3,000 making it the largest town and trade center between San Antonio and San Diego and an important stop for both the Butterfield Stage Line and the San Antonio-San Diego Mail Lines.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: November 13, 1966
Location: Jacksonville, Jackson County, Oregon
Description: Jacksonville got its start as a gold rush town. Gold was first discovered at Rich Gulch in 1851. Within months, thousands were scouring the hills hoping to stake a claim. A thriving mining camp emerged along the gold-lined creekbeds and before long, the bustling camp was transformed into a town named Jacksonville.
More than 100 buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1966, the entire town of Jacksonville was designated a National Register of Historic Landmark.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: October 9, 1960
Location: Essex County, New York
Description: Fort Ticonderoga, formerly Fort Carillon is a large 18th-century star fort built by the French at a narrows near the south end of Lake Champlain in northern New York. It was constructed between October 1755 and 1757 during the action in the North American theater of the Seven Years’ War often referred to in the US as the French and Indian War. The fort was of strategic importance during the 18th-century colonial conflicts between Great Britain and France and again played an important role during the Revolutionary War. The name Ticonderoga comes from the Iroquois word tekontaró:ken meaning “it is at the junction of two waterways”.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: May 11, 1976
Location: Newport, Newport County, Rhode Island
Description: Bellevue Avenue or The Avenue as it’s known to some of the older locals is teeming with history. Its only 2½ miles long but it contains more history and elegance than just about any other avenue in the nation. Bellevue Avenue was home to many of America’s elite during the Gilded Age. Its residents included the Astors, Vanderbilts, Morgans, and other members of the Four Hundred (New York’s premier social list), who made Newport Rhode Island their summer home.
The Avenue is home to many Newport Rhode Island attractions, including International Tennis Hall of Fame, Redwood Library (oldest in the nation), Newport Art Museum, and Newport Tower.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: October 9, 1960
Location: Charleston, Charleston County, South Carolina
Description: Charleston is home to one of America’s most intact historic districts. Nestled along a narrow peninsula—where the Ashley and Cooper rivers meet and empty into the Atlantic Ocean—it exudes Deep South charm. With very few tall buildings, Charleston instead offers quaint cobblestone roads, colonial structures, a unique culture, and gobs of history.
More than 300 years ago, Charleston was originally named in honor of King Charles II of England. Charles Towne, as it was known, was founded in 1670 at Albmarle Point, a spot just across the Ashley River. Since that time it has played host to some of the most historic events in US history including the first major battle of the American Revolution, and the start of the Civil War.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: September 25, 1997
Location: Bastrop, Bastrop County, Texas
Description: Bastrop State Park is the site of the famous Lost Pines, an isolated region of loblolly pines and hardwoods. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) designed and constructed buildings and facilities in many Texas parks including Bastrop. Bastrop State Park earned National Historic Landmark status in 1997. This was due largely to the enduring craftsmanship and landscape work of the CCC. Only seven CCC parks in the nation have this recognition.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: December 30, 1970
Location: Montpelier, Washington County, Vermont
Description: The Vermont State House is one of the oldest and best preserved of our nation’s state capitols. After nearly 160 years it remains an icon in Montpelier, the smallest capital city in America. Its House and Senate chambers are the oldest active legislative halls in the United States that have preserved their original interiors.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: November 13, 1966
Location: Jerome, Yavapai County, Arizona
Description: An old mining town-turned ghost town-turned tourist attraction, Jerome sits on a mountainside just above the desert floor. Jerome is unique and quirky, to say the least with the Sliding Jail in Jerome that was originally built around 1928 and was built on a clay slick; it soon began to slide and now sits 2,500 feet from its original location. While you’re there, you can visit the town’s most appreciated historical landmarks including the Gold King Mine Museum and the Jerome State Historic Park.
Date recognized as a National Historic Landmark: January 20, 1961
Location: Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts
Description: Built around 1680, the Paul Revere House owned by the legendary patriot from 1770-1800 is the oldest remaining structure in downtown Boston and also the only official Freedom Trail historic site that is a home. Tour his home and hear about 18th-century family life. In the new education and visitor center, enjoy displays and artifacts related to Revere’s many business ventures and learn the real story of his midnight ride presented in his own words.
The past itself as historical change continues to accelerate has become the most surreal of subjects—making it possible to see a new beauty in what is vanishing.
From coastal towns to southern gems, these idylls are worth a visit
I am always dreaming of taking a road trip, somewhere, anywhere. Do you ever find yourself staring out the window and wishing you could hop in the RV and drive away?
When you find yourself having moments like this, where do you imagine yourself driving? Do you envision a desert town or a beachfront campground? Or maybe it’s the drive itself you’re most jazzed about.
One of my favorite road trip destinations is traveling to pretty small towns that offer a unique experience in a lovely setting without necessarily having to brave a gazillion people once I get there.
If that is something to which you can relate, I’ve done a little research on some of the prettiest little towns in America. Let’s take a quick photographic tour. Cuz hey, even if you can’t head out on the open road immediately, you can at least make some travel plans so you’re ready to launch when you are.
And research shows that even just PLANNING a trip can be a mood booster. Isn’t that an encouraging thought? I think so! And while many others could be added to this list, let’s simply start with these.
OK, here are 25 of the prettiest little towns you ever did see.
Known as the Folk Arts and Crafts Capital of Kentucky, Berea is a dynamic spot for creators and craftspeople working across a variety of media. Many sell their wares at galleries along Chestnut Street and in both the Artisan Village and the Kentucky Artisan Center.
Put your finger on the middle of a map of Alabama and you’re likely to land on Wetumpka. Just north of Montgomery, this town is known as the The City of Natural Beauty and it’s easy to see why: Visitors love canoeing and kayaking on the nearby Coosa River and enjoying the green spaces on walks and picnics. Don’t miss Swayback Bridge Trail (for hiking), Corn Creek Park (for birding, fishing, and waterfall watching), and William Bartram Arboretum (to see local flora and fauna).
Known by the Navajo as Kinteel (wide horse), this town’s names come from Escalante’s misguided notion during his visit to the San Juan Basin. He stumbled across the ruins of the Aztec National Monument and thought it was built by the Aztec Indians (though they were built by the Anasazi).
History lives here at Aztec, especially along its downtown core which is complete with a host of historical buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Otherwise, this San Juan County community is packed with natural wonders and historical monuments, perfect for activities such as fishing, mountain biking, or hiking.
Known as the town that’s halfway to everywhere, Schulenberg is a great small town between Houston and San Antonio. This quiet, cozy spot of just over 2,600 people is usually used as a stopover for those long road trips in Texas but it deserves more time on any itinerary.
Schulenberg was founded by Czech, Austrian, and German settlers in the mid-nineteenth century making it the perfect home for the Texas Polka Museum and a great place to try Czech kolaches (I recommend Kountry Bakery) or German schnitzel.
Downtown, you can dance the night away at Sengelmann Hall, a fully restored Texas dance hall that still has its original pinewood floors from 1894!
One of the local highlights is a stunning series of Painted Churches that some say rival the cathedrals of Europe.
In California’s historic Gold Country, Murphys is nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and boasts a historic Main Street lined with wine bars and tasting rooms, restaurants, and boutiques. The picturesque town park is a popular place to have a creekside picnic after visiting several of the town’s historic sites where you can delve into the history of the Gold Rush. Don’t miss the Murphys Hotel whose famous guests have included writer Mark Twain.
Bisbee is a funky artist haven with copper mining town roots. It sits nearly a mile high in the Mule Mountains which means it’s 10 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit cooler in the summer here than it is in Arizona’s major cities. Victorian homes and buildings are perched precariously on the town’s steep mountainside which has over 350 staircases carved right into it for access.
Discover Bisbee’s past by visiting the Bisbee Mining and Historical Museum and taking the Queen Mine Tour. The tour will bring visitors underground to explore the mine on an ore ride while they learn more about the stories of the miners who worked here. Those who have an interest in the paranormal can book one of several ghost tours in Bisbee to hear the eerily fascinating reports of unexplained happenings and even sightings of spirits donning Victorian attire. Public art features prominently throughout town, from colorful murals and mosaic walls to cars that have been transformed into unique works of art.
Chaves County’s community of Roswell is known among tourists for the reported site of an extraterrestrial sighting and spacecraft crash in 1947. Believers of the extraterrestrial flock to Roswell every July for the UFO Encounter Festival.
Visitors can admire the extensive UFO memorabilia and related activities at Roswell including exhibits at the International UFO Museum and Research Center and the souvenirs at the Invasion Station Gift Shop.
Besides being famous as an alien town, Roswell is also a hub of cultural activities and local history given it was once the original homeland of the Mescalero Apaches and the Comanche’s hunting grounds.
While Mesilla exists as a small New Mexico town today, it was once a major stop for traveling between San Antonio and San Diego. Once visitors step into Mesilla they will feel like they stepped in time as the town remains mostly unchanged since its heyday in the 1800s!
Explore the San Albino Church in the town plaza, which stands as Mesilla Valley’s oldest (and still active) church. This town is also lively thanks to its offerings of unique boutiques, galleries, wineries, and specialty eateries!
Once a haven for hunting and fishing enthusiasts arriving by steamboat to escape chilly northern winters, today’s visitors flock to Mount Dora just 40 minutes northeast of bustling Orlando to play on 4,500-acre Lake Dora and see wildlife but also to shop for antiques, soak up the vibrant art scene, and stroll the historic downtown.
With its live oaks, lovely inns, and quaint shops, Mount Dora offers a nostalgic taste of Old Florida. Head to Palm Island Park to stroll a boardwalk surrounded by old-growth trees and lush foliage or spend an afternoon hitting the many nearby antique shops.
Just a bit north of Palm Island Boardwalk is Grantham Point Park, home to one of Florida’s few freshwater lighthouses. The 35-foot-tall lighthouse is one of the city’s most prominent landmarks and a great place to watch boaters and enjoy the sunset.
When Otis Redding sat down to pen The Dock of the Bay he may have been dreaming about Fairhope. The bayside spot is populated by ethereal live oaks, brilliant azalea bushes, pastel-colored bungalows, and brick sidewalks traversing a lively downtown.
There are many reasons to visit Fairhope, especially in the off-season. If you love the Gulf Coast, there are few places more scenic with historic homes on streets lined with live oaks and a charming, walkable downtown. Fairhope sits on bluffs that overlook Mobile Bay, so you’re never far from a view of the water.
Given the millions of people who visit this area every year, the actual size of Gatlinburg which comes in at fewer than 4,000 residents escapes many travelers. Despite the high-season influxes, it’s the area’s homey Appalachian charm that helps draw all of the visitors here in the first place. The village has continued to evolve with a variety of new attractions joining the perennially popular pancake houses, candy shops, and craft galleries.
The South holds its own in terms of small towns packing more than their weight in charm—but Helen, Georgia, really hammers that point home. With around 550 residents and only 2.1 square miles, it’s undoubtedly tiny. But the steeply pitched roofs, quaint cross-gables, and colorful half-timbering make the authentic Bavarian village enchanting. It looks straight out of fairytale dreams but sits in the mountains of Georgia.
Helen’s Oktoberfest celebrations have been going on for more than 50 years involving multiple weeks of traditional dancing, food, and beer from September through October. Held in the city’s riverside Festhalle, the permanent home of the festivities, the celebration is the longest-running of its kind in the United States. Helen’s Oktoberfest runs from Thursday to Sunday through September and daily from September 28 to October 29, 2023.
Nestled in the high desert on the base of the Sacramento Mountains in Otero County, this southern New Mexico community gets an average of 287 days of sun giving visitors plenty of sunlight to enjoy a collection of thrilling activities.
Play a round of golf at the Desert Lake Golf Course, admire the mechanics of the F-117 Nighthawk at the Holloman Air Force Base, or feel the soft sands at the nearby White Sands National Park. This New Mexico destination is also home to several family-friendly attractions, including the Alameda Park Zoo and the New Mexico Museum of Space History.
Rand McNally and USA Today called it the Most Beautiful Small Town in America. But Bardstown, Kentucky, is much more than just a pretty face. This Bourbon Capital of the World is home to six notable distilleries. Kentucky’s Official Outdoor Drama, one of the country’s most highly regarded Civil War museums, and one of the most recognized structures in the world is here at Federal Hill, better known as My Old Kentucky Home.
If you’re looking to get away and take it easy for a couple of days or longer or for a home base for your pilgrimage along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, this is the ideal location.
Speaking of beloved American beverages… Shiner, Texas is home to 2,069 people, Friday’s Fried Chicken, and—most famously—the Spoetzal Brewery where every drop of Shiner beer is brewed. Tours are offered throughout the week where visitors can see how every last drop of their popular brews gets made.
Tours and samples are available for a small fee. Founded in 1909, the little brewery today sends more than 6 million cases of delicious Shiner beer to states across the country. Founder, Kosmos Spoetzal, would be pretty proud! To which we say “Prosit!”
Just 51 miles away from the one-of-a-kind hub that is New Orleans, Bay St. Louis couldn’t feel further from the hustle and bustle. The town’s prime spot on the Mississippi Sound, an embayment of the Gulf of Mexico, provides a glorious stretch of white-sanded beach with virtually no crowds. This strip of shoreline is known as Mississippi’s Secret Coast.
Just off of Beach Boulevard, you’ll find Old Town Bay St. Louis, a walkable area full of local shops and eateries. Spend an afternoon strolling through Old Town, browsing the beach boutiques and art galleries. Plan your trip to be in town on the second Saturday of each month when Old Town puts on a giant art walk complete with live music, local merchants, and other special events.
The oldest town in Ohio, Marrieta gets its name from the infamous Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France. Marietta was the first settlement of the Northwest Territory which was all of the land west of Pennsylvania, northwest of the Ohio River, and east of the Mississippi River. The end of the Revolutionary War saw the establishment of this territory in 1787.
A group of pioneers settled and founded Marietta in 1788. The town was easy to access by boat due to its placement on the banks of two major rivers. One of the early industries of the area was boat-building. Boats built in Marietta made their way down to New Orleans and often into the Gulf of Mexico. The town also made steamboats and furniture but much of their industry began to focus on brickmaking, sawmills, iron mills, and, eventually foundries.
Hurricane Harvey caused major damage here in 2017, but nothing can keep this resilient coastal town down. Port A remains one of the state’s main spots for deep-sea fishing and dolphin watching and its 18 miles of beautiful beaches continue to attract returning visitors and new residents.
This impossibly quaint Green Mountain town has all the makings of a Norman Rockwell painting—right down to the general store. But there’s more to Stowe than simple pleasures. Not only does Stowe have Vermont’s tallest peak making it one of the East Coast’s most popular (and powder-friendly) ski destinations, but it’s also home to the Trapp Family Lodge, an Austrian-style chalet owned by the family immortalized in The Sound of Music.
Have a sweet tooth? The Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream Factory is nearby in Waterbury. Be sure to book a maple syrup tasting at one of the local sugar farms to get a real sense of Vermont’s long and storied maple sugaring industry.
Enjoy the quaint yet lively Breaux Bridge. Known as the Crawfish Capital of the World, the small town of Breaux Bridge offers rich history, world-class restaurants, and a very lively Cajun and Zydeco music and art industry.
Breaux Bridge is also home to the world-famous Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival which is celebrated every May (May 5-7, 2023). This is to pay homage to the sea creature that brought fame and wealth to the town.
Aside from being a popular stopover, you might also want to stay in the quaint town for a couple of days.
The quaint New England village of Woods Hole lies at the far southwestern tip of Cape Cod with Buzzards Bay to its west and Vineyard Sound to its east. Because of its excellent harbor, Woods Hole became a center for whaling, shipping, and fishing before its dominance today through tourism and marine research.
Woods Hole is a small village and is easily strolled. The village is a world center for marine, biomedical, and environmental science. It houses two large, private organizations: the Marine Biological Laboratory and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. A total of 49 Nobel Laureates have taught, taken courses, or done research at the Marine Biological Laboratory.
To assume that Woodstock is only notable for its namesake 1969 music festival would be a major blunder—the festivities weren’t even held within city limits. In reality, Woodstock is a quaint little Catskills oasis where residents prop up an art, religion, music, and theater scene worthy of national attention. The Woodstock Byrdcliffe Guild continues to attract artists hoping to retreat from city life and hone their craft and visitors can tour the grounds and see where magic was made.
One would think getting Broadway-quality performers to spend their summers in the middle of nowhere, North Dakota would be tough. But it’s barely a chore when you’re drawing them to quaint Medora, home of the Medora Musical and gateway to Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
The once-depressed cattle town was brought back to life when businessman Harold Shafer sunk millions into it turning it into an Old West Revival that avoids being too campy. Saloons and steakhouses offer stellar food; day hikes along the Pancratz Trail, just outside the Badlands Motel offer sweeping views; and a trip to the Burning Hills Amphitheater—a sort of Hollywood Bowl in the Badlands—is a must for musicals and steak-on-a-pitchfork dinner. The entire town obliterates expectations of what one would expect to find in North Dakota.
Life slows a pace or two in quaint, historic Jacksonville. Steeped in history, the entire town of Jacksonville is designated a National Historic Landmark. Explore the roots of the area from the days of the 1850’s gold rush to now through a variety of historical tour options including a self-guided walking tour as well as trolley and haunted history tours. A quintessential western town, you’ll find yourself enthralled in how things used to be.
La Conner is one of those places in Washington State that people love to visit—time and time again. The reasons are many, but one that stands out is that La Conner is a quaint, historic waterfront village.
This riverfront town has a lovely setting located on the Swinomish Channel overlooking Fidalgo Island with plenty of waterfront restaurants.
Downtown La Conner has a wonderfully preserved Historic District with 27 vintage buildings from the 1860s to the early 1900s. Many of these were constructed during La Conner’s heyday in the 1890s when it was a major steamboat hub between Seattle and Bellingham.
