Vote for your favorite small town for culture!
Bigger isn't always better, especially when it comes to these 20 small towns, each with a population of fewer than 30,000 people (as of the last census). What each lacks in size it makes up for with a big cultural punch – museums, art galleries, performing arts and busy event calendars. Vote for your favorite once per day until voting ends on Monday, May 14 at noon ET. The 10 winning small towns will be revealed on Friday, May 18. Read the official Readers' Choice rules here.
Bigger isn't always better, especially when it comes to these 20 small towns, each with a population of fewer than 30,000 people (as of the last census). What each lacks in size it makes up for with a big cultural punch... Read More
Best Small Town Cultural Scene Nominees
The Experts
Marla Cimini
Marla is a journalist with a passion for travel,... Read More
Marla is a journalist with a passion for travel, music and culinary adventures (combining all three whenever possible)! An avid globetrotter, she has covered topics such as exotic Tahitian getaways; Santa Fe’s chocolate trail; Argentine wines; and Japan's Washoku cuisine. Marla is co-author of the book, A Century of Hospitality, a historical exploration of US hotels. Her articles have appeared in numerous publications worldwide. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter or see more of her work at USA TODAY.
Marla Cimini
Marla is a journalist with a passion for travel, music and culinary adventures (combining all three whenever possible)! An avid globetrotter, she has covered topics such as exotic Tahitian getaways; Santa Fe’s chocolate trail; Argentine wines; and Japan's Washoku cuisine. Marla is co-author of the book, A Century of Hospitality, a historical exploration of US hotels. Her articles have appeared in numerous publications worldwide. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter or see more of her work at USA TODAY.
Beth D'Addono
Beth D'Addono is a food and travel writer obsessed... Read More
Beth D'Addono is a food and travel writer obsessed with flavor, exploring cultures, street music and the city of New Orleans. Beth writes about New Orleans and other destinations for outlets including USAToday, AAA Traveler, Philadelphia Inquirier, Taste, Country Roads and others. Her new book 100 Things To Do in New Orleans Before You Die delivers an authentic New Orleans experience for lifelong New Orleanians, transplants and visitors. Take an audio tour here. She also wrote The Hunt New Orleans, a local's guide to restaurants, shops and experiences.
Beth D'Addono
Beth D'Addono is a food and travel writer obsessed with flavor, exploring cultures, street music and the city of New Orleans. Beth writes about New Orleans and other destinations for outlets including USAToday, AAA Traveler, Philadelphia Inquirier, Taste, Country Roads and others. Her new book 100 Things To Do in New Orleans Before You Die delivers an authentic New Orleans experience for lifelong New Orleanians, transplants and visitors. Take an audio tour here. She also wrote The Hunt New Orleans, a local's guide to restaurants, shops and experiences.
Deborah Fallows
Deborah Fallows is a writer and a linguist. For... Read More
Deborah Fallows is a writer and a linguist. For the last five years, she and her husband, the writer James Fallows, have been crisscrossing the country in their small plane, reporting on the reinvention of small towns. Their book on the project, Our Towns: A 100,000 Journey into the Heart of America, was published in May, 2018. 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 2010 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. For the last five years, she and her husband, the writer James Fallows, have been crisscrossing the country in their small plane, reporting on the reinvention of small towns. Their book on the project, Our Towns: A 100,000 Journey into the Heart of America, was published in May, 2018. 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 2010 book, Dreaming in Chinese: Mandarin Lessons in Life, Love, and Language, is based on her 3-year experience living and working in China.
Eric Grossman
Eric Grossman is a travel and food writer based in... Read More
Eric Grossman is a travel and food writer based in Boston and New Orleans. He has edited dozens of DK Eyewitness Travel guides, and is constantly on the road searching for new and inspiring experiences. Having traveled to 50-plus countries, Eric is always up for an adventure; memorable experiences have run the gamut from sharing a stage with Coldplay to discussing the future of food with Ferran Adrià.
Eric Grossman
Eric Grossman is a travel and food writer based in Boston and New Orleans. He has edited dozens of DK Eyewitness Travel guides, and is constantly on the road searching for new and inspiring experiences. Having traveled to 50-plus countries, Eric is always up for an adventure; memorable experiences have run the gamut from sharing a stage with Coldplay to discussing the future of food with Ferran Adrià.
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.
Gerrish Lopez
Gerrish Lopez is a food and travel... Read More
Gerrish Lopez is a food and travel writer/photographer based in her hometown of New Orleans. A true travel enthusiast, she enjoys experiencing the flavors and cultures of the world. Her adventures have taken her far and wide, from tiny islands (Isle of Man, Lanai) to mega-cities like Mexico City and Hong Kong. A former vegetarian, Gerrish has grown to appreciate carnivorous fare through sampling the best meats in the world, from smoked pork jowl in Thailand to whole hog barbecue in South Carolina. Gerrish is always looking for products and services to make her travels easier and more efficient.
Gerrish Lopez
Gerrish Lopez is a food and travel writer/photographer based in her hometown of New Orleans. A true travel enthusiast, she enjoys experiencing the flavors and cultures of the world. Her adventures have taken her far and wide, from tiny islands (Isle of Man, Lanai) to mega-cities like Mexico City and Hong Kong. A former vegetarian, Gerrish has grown to appreciate carnivorous fare through sampling the best meats in the world, from smoked pork jowl in Thailand to whole hog barbecue in South Carolina. Gerrish is always looking for products and services to make her travels easier and more efficient.
Chelle Koster Walton
Chelle Koster Walton – the Local Expert for... Read More
Chelle Koster Walton – the Local Expert for Naples, Florida and the Caribbean – has been covering the destination for 30 years. Her top-selling Sarasota, Sanibel Island, and Naples guidebook (Countryman Press) is in its sixth edition. She was contributing editor for Caribbean Travel & Life for 12 years and has written guidebooks on the Bahamas. A veteran travel writer, Chelle has published thousands of articles for Miami Herald, USA TODAY, Latitudes; has written/contributed to a dozen guidebooks, and produces travel shows for the local PBS station.
Chelle Koster Walton
Chelle Koster Walton – the Local Expert for Naples, Florida and the Caribbean – has been covering the destination for 30 years. Her top-selling Sarasota, Sanibel Island, and Naples guidebook (Countryman Press) is in its sixth edition. She was contributing editor for Caribbean Travel & Life for 12 years and has written guidebooks on the Bahamas. A veteran travel writer, Chelle has published thousands of articles for Miami Herald, USA TODAY, Latitudes; has written/contributed to a dozen guidebooks, and produces travel shows for the local PBS station.