USA TODAY 10Best
Saugatuck, Mich. Named Best Small Town Weekend Escape!
Best Small Town Weekend Escape (2016)
Need to get away? We asked 10Best and USA TODAY readers to vote for their favorite small towns weekend escapes — towns with populations of under 25,000 that are all within 150 miles of major metros, making them easily reachable whether you fly and rent a car or live nearby. After four weeks of voting, the results are in!
The top 10 winners in the category Best Small Town Weekend Escape are as follows:
- Leiper's Fork, Tenn.
- Friday Harbor, Wash.
- Middleburg, Va.
- Hudson, N.Y.
- Dahlonega, Ga.
- Estes Park, Colo.
- Lauderdale-by-the Sea, Fla.
- Sedona, Ariz.
- Granbury, Texas
- Saugatuck, Mich.
Photo courtesy of Williamson County
No. 10:
The little village of Leiper’s Fork, 28 miles outside of Nashville, was home to thousands of years of Native American history before its modern story began at its founding in 1801. Quaint inns and cottages make superb home bases from which to explore the town’s galleries and antique shops, as well as its outdoor pursuits. Exploring on horseback is a popular way to see the Tennessee countryside; others prefer sitting pretty at the Lawn Chair Theater, which hosts free, family-friendly outdoor movies.
Photo courtesy of Thinkstock
No. 9:
Friday Harbor, the only real town in any of Washington's San Juan Islands, features a large, well-protected marina where boaters drop anchor. The charming and walk-able seaport 103 miles from Seattle is built atop a hill leading up from the harbor, and its streets are lined with wood-frame shop buildings, art galleries, bed and breakfasts, coffee shops and restaurants. It's a popular base for orca watching excursions during the summer months.
Photo courtesy of CJ / Visit Loudoun
No. 8:
Historic Middleburg, a hotbed of horsing and hunting is home to myriad inns, bed and breakfasts, shops, galleries and upscale boutiques – more than enough to while away a long weekend – and all 43 miles from the nation’s capital. Fans of artisan foodstuffs and other unique items will enjoy perusing the village, which is mercifully devoid of chain stores – a wonderful place for singular gifts and meals worth remembering. Middleburg's Salamandar Resort & Spa often ranks among the best resorts in the South.
Photo courtesy of Daniel Case / Wikimedia Commons
No. 7:
New Yorkers and travelers alike who need a break from the city lights can drive 120 miles north of the Big Apple to the small town of Hudson, a trendy escape teeming with antiques shops, art galleries, modern inns and suburb restaurants run by chefs fleeing New York for greener upstate pastures. The countryside surrounding the town boasts several farms with on-site farm stores where it's possible to pick up local provisions.
Photo courtesy of Georgia Department of Economic Development
No. 6:
The charming town of Dahlonega sits just 66 miles north of Atlanta on the outskirts of the Chattahoochee National Forest. This former gold mining outpost in the hills is now filled with galleries, boutiques, country stores and local restaurants ideal for a weekend visit. A calendar packed full of summer festivals means there's nearly always something going on.
Photo courtesy of Thinkstock
No. 5:
About 70 miles northwest of Denver lies one of Colorado’s most popular vacation destinations, Estes Park. This magical mountain village sits 7,500 feet above sea level and enjoys calendar-worthy Rocky Mountain views. While the town is particularly appealing as a weekend destination for families, with attractions like zip lining, miniature golf and horseback riding, it also serves as a gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park and all the outdoor adventures that go with it.
Photo courtesy of Thinkstock
No. 4:
Located on a beautiful barrier island 7 miles east of Fort Lauderdale, charming Lauderdale-by-the-Sea might be one of the country's easiest beach escapes. The small, family-oriented beach town — no high rises in sight — has a laid back vibe and sense of history that's missing from other, more modernized destinations on the Florida coast. This beach is also a popular diving spot — one of few Florida locations where the magnificent three-tier natural coral reef system is within swimming distance of the shore.
Photo courtesy of Thinkstock
No. 3:
Sedona, located at the heart of Arizona’s stunning Red Rock Country, lies 116 miles north of Phoenix. Cooler summer temperatures certainly add to Sedona’s appeal, but the majestic rock formations, artistic scene and blissful spas make for a fantastic weekend, no matter the temperature. Followers of New Age philosophies believe that the region contains some of the world’s most important energy centers, and that coming here promotes balance and well being. We think it’s worth a shot!
Photo courtesy of QuesterMark / Flickr
No. 2:
In the Texas Plains and Lakes region 69 miles outside of Dallas, the charming town of Granbury makes frequent appearances on “best small town” lists, and it’s easy to see why. The town’s historic square, lined by historic landmarks, makes for excellent shopping, and there are plenty of mom n’ pop restaurants to choose from when it comes time to refuel. The beach at Lake Granbury offers a way to cool off on those hot Texas afternoons, and there’s even a family-friendly boardwalk.
Photo courtesy of Thinkstock
No. 1:
Weekend trippers to Saugatuck, located on the coast of Lake Michigan 139 miles from Chicago, come for its artistic community, local dining, numerous B&Bs and plentiful outdoor options, including relaxing on the beaches of the lake or conquering the area sand dunes. The downtown streets of Water and Butler are lined with cute shops and galleries, while the stretch of the Blue Star Highway just south of town is famous for its antiquing.
A panel of experts picked the initial 20 nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote. Experts Larry Bleiberg (LarryBleiberg.com), Deborah Fallows (American Futures), Anna Hider (Roadtrippers), Libby McMillan and the 10Best team of Local Experts were chosen based on their extensive knowledge of American travel.
Other towns nominated for the title Best Small Town Weekend Escape included Beaufort, S.C.; Dundee, Ore.; Fernandina Beach, Fla.; Fredericksburg, Texas; Healdsburg, Calif.; Julian, Calif.; Key Largo, Fla.; Lambertville-New Hope, Penn./N.J.; Ojai, Calif. and St. Michaels, Md.
Congratulations to all our winning small towns!
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
10Best Local Experts
10Best Local Experts provide users with original,... Read More
10Best Local Experts provide users with original, unbiased, and experiential travel content of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world. No business pays to be listed. Our Local Experts are well-traveled and well-educated group who are not only experts in their fields - and their cities - but discriminating in their tastes. These local experts live in the city they write about, with constantly updated content.
10Best Local Experts
10Best Local Experts provide users with original, unbiased, and experiential travel content of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world. No business pays to be listed. Our Local Experts are well-traveled and well-educated group who are not only experts in their fields - and their cities - but discriminating in their tastes. These local experts live in the city they write about, with constantly updated content.
Anna Hider
Anna is a writer and social media manager for
Anna is a writer and social media manager for Roadtrippers, the coolest trip-planning site and app on the planet, where she's spent two years digging up the coolest off-the-beaten-path things for travelers to see and do. She loves hiking, exploring, and sometimes even getting lost in a good state park, and is definitely a sucker for any place with a waterfall, a ghost town or a beach.
Anna Hider
Anna is a writer and social media manager for Roadtrippers, the coolest trip-planning site and app on the planet, where she's spent two years digging up the coolest off-the-beaten-path things for travelers to see and do. She loves hiking, exploring, and sometimes even getting lost in a good state park, and is definitely a sucker for any place with a waterfall, a ghost town or a beach.
Deborah Fallows
Deborah Fallows is a writer and a linguist. She is... Read More
Deborah Fallows is a writer and a linguist. She is the co-author with her husband, James Fallows, of the national best-selling book, Our Towns: A 100,000-Mile Journey into the Heart of America, published in May, 2018. Our Towns, the HBO documentary based on the book was released in April, 2021. They recently launched the Our Towns Civic Foundation to support renewal efforts of communities across America. Deb has written extensively on language, culture, travel, and China for The Atlantic, National Geographic, Slate, The New York Times and The Washington Monthly. Her previous book, Dreaming in Chinese: Mandarin Lessons in Life, Love, and Language, is based on her 3-year experience living and working in China.
Deborah Fallows
Deborah Fallows is a writer and a linguist. She is the co-author with her husband, James Fallows, of the national best-selling book, Our Towns: A 100,000-Mile Journey into the Heart of America, published in May, 2018. Our Towns, the HBO documentary based on the book was released in April, 2021. They recently launched the Our Towns Civic Foundation to support renewal efforts of communities across America. Deb has written extensively on language, culture, travel, and China for The Atlantic, National Geographic, Slate, The New York Times and The Washington Monthly. Her previous book, Dreaming in Chinese: Mandarin Lessons in Life, Love, and Language, is based on her 3-year experience living and working in China.
Larry Bleiberg
Larry Bleiberg, a veteran journalist with... Read More
Larry Bleiberg, a veteran journalist with magazine, newspaper and web experience and a member of the Society of American Travel Writers, has spent much of his career living in, and writing about, the South. The Virginia native is former travel editor of the Dallas Morning News and Coastal Living magazine and founder of CivilRightsTravel.com. He served on a Pulitzer Prize team, is a seven-time Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Award winner, and was honored for producing the best newspaper travel section in North America. Learn more at LarryBleiberg.com or facebook.com/larry.bleiberg.
Larry Bleiberg
Larry Bleiberg, a veteran journalist with magazine, newspaper and web experience and a member of the Society of American Travel Writers, has spent much of his career living in, and writing about, the South. The Virginia native is former travel editor of the Dallas Morning News and Coastal Living magazine and founder of CivilRightsTravel.com. He served on a Pulitzer Prize team, is a seven-time Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Award winner, and was honored for producing the best newspaper travel section in North America. Learn more at LarryBleiberg.com or facebook.com/larry.bleiberg.
Libby McMillan
Longtime travel journalist Libby McMillan often... Read More
Longtime travel journalist Libby McMillan often escapes on weekends via car or plane. She's personally visited many of this category's nominees and now has the rest on her bucket list.
Libby McMillan
Longtime travel journalist Libby McMillan often escapes on weekends via car or plane. She's personally visited many of this category's nominees and now has the rest on her bucket list.
