Handbook: Small Towns of the USA
To tour the United States is to cross a world of differences.
Yes, there are the obvious homogenies that exist across this land, particularly if you choose to follow the path well worn…aka the Interstate. Should you choose to venture a bit out of the way every now and then though, you’ll find a passion for keeping it local, a rusty old neon sign every now and then, and the chance at a perfect conversation on some little brick porch hanging off of a bar where if they didn’t know your name when you walked in, you can be sure to leave with a few new friends.
This is Small Town America.
Featured Articles
Small Town National Parks
Diving into the best small towns near national parks of the United States.
Chasing Autumn: Small Towns, State Parks and National Forests in Pennsylvania
Touring the best Pennsylvania has to offer come the changing of the leaves.
Small Town Roundup
Our picks for the five best small towns in the US.
Truly Small Towns in Texas
Our definition of a small town, not a lot of people, but interesting ones, little to no chain stores, and a whole lot of history.
I Left My Heart on the 395: Guide to the Eastern Sierras
From Lone Pine to Lee Vining, Mono Lake to Mt. Whitney, we cover where to find the best hot springs, campgrounds, restaurants and more.
Small Towns and National Parks of Southern Utah
Exploring the national parks and small towns of Southern Utah in Issue #202 of Wand’rly Magazine.
More Articles on Small Towns
Thomas, WV
Exploring East Avenue in Thomas, West Virginia and the surrounding Autumn forest.
Walking Upright Through Nederland, Colorado
A collection of short stories recanting the recollections of the author on friendships, passers-by and the general atmosphere of Nederland, Colorado.
Nearby Nederland
Hiking, skiing, and roadhouses near and around Nederland, Colorado.
Nederland, Colorado
Short tales of the variety of people in Nederland, CO, their ways, and what the town boasts in offerings.
A Day in the Life of Astoria, Oregon
We walk you up and down the streets of Astoria, Oregon, from breakfast to dinner and a movie, an old fashioned trolley and a woodland hike.
Wand’rly Loves Astoria, Oregon
Wand’rly returns to Astoria, Oregon to dig further into just why this grungy little fishing town is so rife with the kind of real living that is nearly impossible to find in the United States today.
Van Tassel
W. Anderson Lee happens upon the smallest town in America, until he heads down the road and finds…
Beaufort, SC
The quintessential small southern coast town.
Folly Beach, South Carolina
A pair of sunglasses takes us from coffee to beach day to evening drinks on beautiful Folly Beach, South Carolina.
Floyd, VA
Floyd Fest attracts some 12,000 fans of everyone from Levon Helms to Leftover Salmon. Not too shabby for a town with a population of 432.
Fayetteville, WV
A town so desirable, yet still small, that you can’t even rent an apartment here if you’d want to…
Bryson City, NC
Ride an antique train in this tiny foothills of the Smoky Mountains town.
Ohiopyle, PA
White water rating in this town with a population of less than 60!
Las Ruinas & Terlingua, TX
A tent hostel in a ghost town near the Texas / Mexico border. Photos galore.
Liquid Bisbee, AZ
A recounting of various outings at the bars around Bisbee, Arizona. A collection of short stories.
Bisbee, Arizona
Discovering the hangover town trapped in time and beauty between the Mule Mountains.
Pizza in Trumansburg, NY
Trumansburg is one of those small towns that actually is still a small town. No chains, quintessential Main Street. Like they don’t make ’em anymore.
Ithaca, New York
A rare haven for lovers of local culture in the Northeast, Ithaca, NY and the surrounding farms and Lake Cayuga are gorgeous, progressive, and ever so family friendly.
Ancient Astoria, Oregon
Museums, national parks, big city living in a small town.
America’s Best IPA Lives in a Mason Jar at Fort George Brewery
A chat with Fort George Brewery’s Jack Harris where we discuss IPAs, Astoria’s history and recycling your beer.
The Oregon Coast
Take a drive through the along US Highway 101 along the Oregon Coast from Manzanita to Astoria, OR.
Day Hikes in Montreat, North Carolina
Quaint little town with an extensive trail system, old stonework, and good people.
Blog Posts About Small Towns
Greetings from Fort Davis and the Davis Mountains National Park!
Dark night skies illuminated with the glow of the moon, golden evergreens and other conundrums in beautiful Davis Mountain State Park.
Christmas in Key Largo with the Ones You Love
I’m two days late, but it was on December 21st, 2009 that our lovely mama Renée finally made the decision to hop into a 1978 Volkswagen Bus with Tristan and I to float around this world. That’s a lifetime away now, another fuzzy memory different world I’m not sure even fully existed except now as […]
Greetings from the Mountains of Western North Carolina!
Returning to Asheville, North Carolina.
Happy Halloween, from Beautiful Black Mountain, North Carolina!
Captain Hook, his pirates, Peter Pan and a creepy looking silver masked guy take to the streets for Trick or Treasure!
Greetings from Ohiopyle, PA!
The hippest little mountain town in PA. Whitewater rafting, hiking and rolling green hills galore.
Spring Arrives in Astoria, Oregon
A man is sitting on a stoop several blocks up the hill that is 11th Street in Astoria, Oregon. His long shadow pours down the hillside, a completely blue sky above to match his simple t-shirt and jeans. As a news report tells of some polar vortex transforming most of the nation into some science […]
Loving Astoria, Oregon
Why have we decided to stay in Oregon for nearly three months now? And why has most of that time been in this little coastal town of Astoria? And is it true we may be staying yet another month? But perhaps most importantly, are we really “full-time travelers” if we’re not moving around daily? To […]
Greetings from Cannon Beach on the Oregon Coast!
IPAs over crackling fires, needles stand tall with their oceanic haystacks, and this small coastal town breathes life with the changing tides.
Postcard from Ten Sleep, Wyoming
A gas station, finally. Not that there weren’t options miles back the road at a quarter tank, but when your entire family of six is asleep and you’ve got mountain views and open road ahead, you don’t stop and risk ruining the silence of a thick scenery drive. Pulling into the Pony Express gas station […]
Where to Rent Surfboards on the Oregon Coast
Places to rent scooters, bicycles, motorcycles, surfboards and more from Manzanita to Astoria, Oregon.
Sunset over Tombstone
Bob Dylan, a few beers and my Lady dances as the sun sets thick along the road, south of Tombstone, Arizona.
To Texas and Back, a 3 Day Excursion
A jaunt to Texas means 1000 miles in one day, in a rented KIA toy car.
A Great Place to Raise a Family
Lyons, Colorado is somewhat of a dream for young parents with kids, as the town affords venues where mom or dad can have a drink or two while watching a band and the kiddos can play good fun games.
Motel Winter Week
A week of living in a motorlodge tucked into the heart of Main Street, Lyons, Colorado will serve as our finale to these past few months of Colorado living, at least for this calendar year.
Adventures in Bisbee
Climbing mountains in an RV with a temper tantrum prone transmission is always a blast. A 3 mile walk through the winter Arizona night and a kind offer from an ex-firefighter later, though, and we were safely back on our way to Bisbee, AZ.
The American Picnic
Tristan and I took a bike ride to a beautiful little county park tucked away in the desert between the cattle and their ranches. We went for the bike ride, a solid 10 miles roundtrip, but alas, revelations are always there for those who would have them.
Piloting an RV
Regaling the adventure that is actually driving the RV, maneuvering America’s back roads, taking it as slow as she wants and otherwise thoroughly enjoying the scenery. America can be a great and diverse place, a land utterly sheer in beauty and opportunity for exploration, if only you know where to look (not to mention to actually look.)