The USA is one of my favourite travel destinations because of the country’s regional diversity, so much so that I’ve spent a total of three months travelling the USA, and also moved here, at the start of 2019. While most of my favourite travel destinations in the USA are vibrant major cities, I’ve loved having the chance to explore the country’s cute and quirky small towns from coast to coast.

Despite having visited five US states, so far I’ve only visited small towns in California and New York. I’ve started this post with my favourite Californian and upstate New York small towns that I’ve visited so far, but will keep updating as I travel around more of the USA’s small towns this year. Please leave me any tips or recommendations you have, in the comments!

Related: The Most Beautiful Places in California to Visit

Carmel-By-The-Sea

Carmel-by-the-Sea is a wealthy seaside town in Northern California, between San Francisco and Big Sur. Originally an artist community, today it’s a well-preserved but conspicuously well-heeled seaside town, that’s claim to fame includes having Hollywood actor Clint Eastwood as its former mayor. I

The town’s Romantic Spanish Revival and Arts & Crafts architecture has been meticulously preserved, giving the town a storybook quality. I visited Carmel when David & I drove the Pacific Coast Highway in 2018, and while it took what felt like an age to find a park in the height of summer, it was worth the detour. While the summer tourist crowds are less fairytale-like, it’s still one of the prettiest and most unique small towns I’ve visited in America.

Solvang

Another quirky stop on our Pacific Coast Highway road trip, strolling around Solvang feels like you’ve left America entirely. In the late 19th century, there was an influx of Danish immigrants to the Midwest. In 1910, an enterprising and sun-seeking band of Danes decided to put brutal Midwest winters behind them, and set up a Danish colony in Southern California. In the 1940s, it was enterprising town planners who decided to honour the town’s heritage with Danish-style buildings, including a couple of windmills that loom over the town. There are more bakeries than you can poke a stick at, too.

Sonoma

Napa Valley might be America’s most famous wine region, but I’d argue that neighbouring Sonoma is more charming. Sonoma is a well-regarded wine region in it’s own right, plus it has a pretty town which is a great spot for a lunch break in between a day of wine tasting in Napa & Sonoma. The town is very small and walkable, and has a handful of great restaurants, like Della Santina’s. It’s also a short drive from one of America’s most famous restaurants, French Laundry, in Yountville.

Monterey

Once upon a time, Monterey’s claim to fame was the Monterey Aquarium and for being the setting of John Steinbeck’s novel, Cannery Row. These days, it’s better known as the wealthy seaside setting for murders, intrigue and Big Little Lies, thanks to Reese Witherspoon’s award-winning television show (which I have to add, is based on Australian author Liane Moriarty’s book of the same name!). We made a brief stop in Monterey during our Big Sur road trip, and spotting sea lions from the jetty while we stretched our legs was one of the highlights of our day.

Beacon

The Hudson Valley in Upstate New York is dotted with charming small towns that feel a world away from New York City. Beacon has both small town charm and cultural clout, with a quintessential American Main Street dotted with independently owned shops and cafes, as well as being home to modern art gallery Dia: Beacon. It’s a pleasant train ride from Grand Central Station in New York to Beacon, and makes a perfect day trip.

Read more: A Day Trip to Beacon & Cold Spring

Cold Spring

Another favourite in the Hudson Valley, Cold Spring is not far from Beacon and deliver similar small town charm, with the added bonus of a beautiful waterfront along the Hudson River. I loved whiling away an afternoon at Split Rock Books, at a long lunch at Le Bouchon and still finding time for ice cream from Moo Moo’s Creamery before hopping on a train back to the city.

What’s your favourite small town in the USA? Do you want to visit any of the towns in this post? Let me know what you think in the comments!