Note from 10Best: Someday, we’ll all be ready to pack our suitcases again and head out on our next adventures. In the meantime, we’ll keep supporting the places that inspire us.
When you want to get away from it all, it’s hard to beat a small town getaway. Whether you’re interested in history, culture, outdoor adventure, retail therapy, food or a lazy day on the water, there’s a small town for you.
We asked our network of contributors to nominate their favorites across six categories, and now we need you to vote for your favorites. You can vote once per day, per category until voting ends on Monday, June 29 at noon ET.
Click on each category below to vote:
Best Coastal Small Town
Enjoy a waterside getaway in these small towns — Photo courtesy of iStock / DenisTangneyJr
Move over L.A., Miami and Honolulu! Our 20 nominees for Best Coastal Small Town offer uncrowded, unpretentious and affordable seaside or lakeside fun in small packages that prove bigger isn’t always better.
Vote: Best Coastal Small Town »
Best Historic Small Town
History comes alive in these nominated towns — Photo courtesy of iStock / peeterv
The USA has a rich and exciting history, and visiting the places which most affected it is so much more fun than reading about it. These 20 nominees for Best Historic Small Town have big histories and small populations, making them fun and affordable ways to dive into our nation’s past.
Vote: Best Historic Small Town »
Best Small Town Cultural Scene
These small towns are big in culture — Photo courtesy of Sheridan Travel & Tourism / Shawn Parker
What each of these small towns lacks in size, it makes up for with a big cultural punch – museums, art galleries, performing arts and busy event calendars.
Vote: Best Small Town Cultural Scene »
Best Small Town Food Scene
Come hungry to these small towns — Photo courtesy of iStock / monkeybusinessimages
Tasty things sometimes come in very small packages. These 20 small towns – each with a population of under 25,000 – have big food scenes with chef-driven restaurants, local flavors and plenty of variety, especially given their small size. Which is your favorite?
Vote: Best Small Town Food Scene »
Best Small Town for Adventure
These small towns serve as bases for getting outdoors — Photo courtesy of iStock / svetikd
These 20 towns might be small, but they’re big on outdoor adventure, from hiking and mountain biking to kayaking and rock climbing. Which is your favorite small town gateway to adventure?
Vote: Best Small Town for Adventure »
Best Small Town for Shopping
Where would you go on a shopping spree? — Photo courtesy of iStock / huePhotography
Eclectic boutiques, art galleries, antiques stores and farmers markets – these small towns with populations of less than 25,000 are perfect destinations for some retail therapy.
Vote: Best Small Town for Shopping »
Remember, you can vote once per day in each category. The 10 nominees with the most votes in each category will be announced on 10Best.com on Friday, July 10.