A former mining town from California's Gold Rush days, Sonora can be found in the Sierra Nevada foothills. It, too, has a preserved downtown with shops, galleries and restaurants housed within the town's original structures. Kick up your feet at the Inn on the Square between grub sessions at Good Times Brewing at The Mill House and the Cheeseburger House. Bozeman area mountains Bozeman, Montana. Mt. It's the mountains and Deer Lodge National Forest that entertain its visitors, be it in the warm months or when snow-covered. Naturally, its national park is the main reason why people visit Hot Springs, Arkansas. Scottsdale, Arizona. Here, select from one- to four-bedroom condos, and then enjoy a little recreation, including kayaking, fishing and tennis. You'll find the small town if Burley in southern Idaho, near the Snake River. You'll find two quaint villages here as well: Van Deusenville and Housatonic. The town is found in Oregon's Wine Country, and you'll have plenty of wineries in which to visit during your stay. Located in northwestern Colorado, Steamboat Springs has everything you'd want from a mountain vacation in a small-town setting. The hotel offers 15 acres of walking trails and gardens and provides events and activities to ensure guests are fully enjoying Eureka Springs. ), Presidio is home to the Chinati Mountains and Big Bend Ranch State Park, where you'll find two of Texas' tallest waterfalls. The Greek revival stylings on Main Street made it stand out and became a presidential retreat for the likes of Ulysses S. Grant, Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Sample the beer and listen to wild west coast stories. Everybody comes together for a beer downtown, blessed with too many breweries to count. The fun doesn't stop in summer, either: Visitors can enjoy the warmer temps while horseback riding, whitewater rafting or golfing. Mirror Lake Inn Resort and Spa provides a private beach and access to the lake so you can do just that. America's 50 Best Small Towns in the Mountains By Lissa Poirot, updated on December 13, 2022 Getty Images Small towns and wide-open landscapes are great places to be. When you're at the hotel, you can stay outdoors and enjoy the views from the outdoor pool, hot tubs and the plaza's giant lounge chairs (and perhaps partake in a drink or two since it's vacay!). Enjoy Southern charm with a stay at the Ellijay River House Bed and Breakfast. And, when the state's longest pedestrian trail, Palmetto Trail, completes, it will end in Walhalla. Meanwhile, kayakers look to the Class V Green River, and hikers have the highest mountains on the East Coast to explore. Must ride: 18 Road trail system. Summary The property, once the mansion of a gold mine investor, is surrounded by gardens and will have you feeling as if you are sitting in 1927 Sonora. No matter the season, Stowe, Vermont, delivers top-notch views. Other exciting activities include rafting, off-roading, horseback riding and mountain biking. It's known for its vineyards and orchards, so you can expect to savor tasty food and wine during your trip. If you're going to visit a Victorian town, why not stay at a hotel that began in 1886? Within the Green Mountains of Southern Vermont, you'll find Manchester. Its population hovers at 600, and its downtown is just a few blocks, but it has everything you need: a pizza place, a burrito joint, and a brewery. Naturally, such attributes have led to the quintessential problem facing mountain townseveryone wants to move here. The West Coast of the United States holds many hidden gems that make perfect romantic getaway destinations. Point Reyes Lighthouse in California. By no means a tiny town, Hokitika is still a must-stop on any West Coast trip. A town in Wyoming's Jackson Hole valley, there are three ski areas for winter enthusiasts to choose from: Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Snow King Mountain Resort, and Grand Targhee Resort.. You can stay at the 78-acre Chetola Resort in Blowing Rock, just steps from the village town. Located about 80 miles southwest of Denver, this scenic ski town feels like its own mountain oasis. With its elevation and location within the Lincoln National Forest, Cloudland keeps cool during the heat of summer, making it an ideal getaway for New Mexico residents. The adult-only, eco-friendly Airbnb is literally a luxurious treehouse where you'll stay high above the ground. While many hotels in Harpers Valley are run-of-the-mill chains, Hillbrook Inn and Spa is a delightful five-building, home-styled bed and breakfast, situated on land that was originally owned by George Washington. Formerly a bank at the turn of the 20th century, the hotel reclaimed it to transform into a lovely boutique property with a rooftop patio for taking in the mountain views. Some of the best activities to do during the warmer months include hiking to waterfalls, picking fruit at local farms, golfing at the Stowe Country Club and strolling through the historic downtown area. The area is also known for the mass amounts of land . Greylock rises to 3,500 above town. Try a stay at Jacksonville Inn, housed in an original mining-town building with eight rooms. Festivals and top chef dining round out a visit to this intimate mountain town. After the ride, head to the riverside . Nestled at the base of the Great Smoky Mountains and the national park of the same name, Gatlinburg is your entryway into the 520,000-acre park and its miles of trails. Tucked into Vermont's Green Mountains, Chester was named one of the best antique towns in New England, and its Stone Village Historic District and Main Street place it on the National Register of Historic Places. READ THIS NEXT: 10 Best Cities in the U.S. for Outdoor Adventures. Right now, the median home price is about $470,000, with an average monthly rent of $1,800. Denver, Colorado Springs, Telluride, Durango and Salida boast an outdoor paradise matched only by their hefty costs of living. The closest you'll come to a hotel in this neck of the woods is actually across the river in Pennsylvania. Take a horseback ride at Shady Grove Dude Ranch, see DeSoto Falls, and book a cabin rental to take in the mountain air. It also has the riches of the Cascade Mountains beckoning from nearby, starting with the Icicle and Wenatchee Rivers, where whitewater paddling and fly-fishing are favorite pursuits, and the powdered peaks of Stevens Pass Ski Area, which can see an astounding 425 inches of snow a year. Some luxury, because love likes it a little cushy. Its tough to say if Bozeman is a fishing town or a skiing town, a boating town or a mountain-biking town. Some of the towns on this list are so damn awesome that theyresuffering from side effectslike crowded trailheads and ridiculous home prices. The truth is, its all of thoseand a college town to boot (go, MSU Bobcats!). Sign up for our newsletter to get honest reviews on top products & services delivered weekly to your inbox. When on the land of the Navajo, consider a stay in a wigwam at the Wigwam Motel. To help, U.S. News rounded up this selection of the best mountain towns to visit in the USA. After an active day outdoors, visitors can stroll the waterfront docks, check out historical buildings and sample traditional Alaskan snacks like reindeer sausage and berry cobbler in downtown Juneau. . Customize your bag with a must-have tag to hold your personal information. But maybe mountain bikers have it best, thanks to the variety of smooth slickrock and technical descents mixed with purpose-built dirt paths. For outdoors-loving students, it's one of the best mountain colleges in California. (Case in point: this speakeasy in the basement of a former church.) When it's warm, hiking and biking trails are plentiful. Deep within the White Mountains and minutes from the Presidential Range, North Conway is the overnight place you'll retreat to when you aren't climbing Mount Washington, skiing Bretton Woods or rafting along the Saco River. The best small towns in the U.S. include: Telluride, Colorado Carmel-by-the-Sea Sedona, Arizona Hudson, New York Beaufort, South Carolina St. Augustine, Florida Kennebunkport, Maine The Blue Ridge Mountains rise directly from downtown, offering immediate access torigorousroad-bike climbs that top out at the Blue Ridge Parkway and 400 miles of flowy singletrack, while the Appalachian Trail skirts the edge of town if youre interested in a 2,000-mile jaunt or a short, scenic stretch of it. Up in Montana's Rocky Mountains, you'll find Bigfork, a town that borders Flathead Lake, the biggest lake in all of Montana. Does it have solidbreweries and aprs food? You can even occasionally catch the aurora borealis from this latitude. Theres a good chance were going to piss you off with our picks. No self-respecting list-maker would omit Lake Tahoe from a compilation of top mountain towns. One of the last of the grand resorts that were once the summer playgrounds of the wealthiest citizens of New York and Boston at the turn of the 20th century, the Omni-owned Mount Washington hotel is an old-school hideaway. 7. Its five hours from the nearest interstate, and cell service is nonexistent unless you hike to the top of Brockway. The Androscoggin River is great for kayaking and canoeing, and if you want to catch some serious views, hike in Grafton Notch State Park. Sun Valley is where the world's first chairlifts were installed in 1936, helping to cement its status as a modern ski resort destination. Here, the British-built Fort William Henry stands as a museum showcasing the area's pre-Revolutionary history. That's why it gives you Stumphouse Mountain Bike Park. Winthrop, Washington oksana.perkins / Shutterstock The West Coast is known for its stunning mountain views, but the town of Winthrop is particularly beautiful, Jessica Schmit, of the travel blog Uprooted Traveler, tells Best Life. Rent your own cabin in the woods through Great Cabins in the Smokies. The hotel has a rich history and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. But in the past ten years, mountain biking has taken prominence, with more than 100 miles of singletrack creating a prime network for cyclists, earning Chattanooga a silver-level Ride Center recognition from the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA). Alyeska Resort may be the best place to stay when skiing, but its mountainside location also makes it perfect for year-round activities with a tram and gondola giving guests an easy ride to the mountaintop. But once youve arrived, the best of the state is just out your back door. In winter, skiers can hit the slopes at any of the surrounding mountains, though Snowmass the town's largest ski area is the most popular. This small town about 65 miles northeast of Portland, Oregon, has something for everyone. Roanoke gets overshadowed because of its blue-collar bones, but its adventure chops are the real deal. Hood. Hokitika. The town itself has its own trails, waterfalls and gardens to explore. There are also many hiking options well-suited for beginners, such as the leisurely and scenic East Glacier Loop Trail. Roseburg Many folks refer to this area as the Land of Umpqua. While most of the trails are easier paths that are perfect for families, there are also more challenging options available farther west in the Ouachita Mountains, such as Eagle Rock Loop. A wraparound porch with rocking chairs looks upon the Presidential Range, and multiple restaurants, activities and a spa make the resort a place you may never want to leave. Nearby, enjoy the lake with water skiing, wakeboarding and boat rentals, or hike and bike in the hills. Just be prepared to sit in traffic if you want to ski Stowe Mountain on a Saturday. Its architecture is more Victorian than mining camp, the food scene is legit, and the summer is punctuated by big events like the Telluride Bluegrass Festival and Telluride Blues and Brews. Then, visit one of the town's breweries or restaurants to wind down with a local brew. The sleepy high-desert town is near Drake Park and has far more award-winning breweries than any other mountain hideaway. Pilot Butte, an urban park popular for recreation, offers seven miles of trails and a summit with stunning views. (Note: Some of the below destinations may be affected by the coronavirus outbreak. If you cant make the jaunt to Alaska, Idaho will do. No, Taos isnt a secret, and youre going to have to share the goods with a few other people (though not as many as some of the other towns on this list), but can you blame them for showing up? If you're going to visit a ski town during the winter months, there isn't anything better than a ski-in, ski-out home away from home. Additionally, the town is home to its namesake lake, a quaint entertainment district and Big Bear Mountain Resort, which boasts 50-plus ski trails and kid-friendly amenities like a bike park, a zip line course, a climbing wall and a tube park. Overall Score: 8.09 You'll find one-bedroom cabins and up to meet accommodations for every group. Like Moab and Sedona, the Grand Valley is a popular early-season and fall destination. Cost of living, quality of life, healthcare access, and recreational activities are important considerations when choosing where to retire. Of course, this bodes well for a winter getaway with nearby skiing, but visit during the fall for Oktoberfests with German beer or in the summer when Washington's vineyard wineries are producing crisp white wines. The Chisos Mountains hit 8,000 feet, rising from the dusty Chihuahuan Desert, and the entire stretch is contained within the one-million-acre Big Bend National Park. You'll feel as if you've stepped back in time at this grand hilltop property that still offers a taste of its historic offerings. At the Taconic Hotel in Manchester, you will also find a lovely front porch to sit and enjoy the surroundings like a true New Englander. Not only does Taos house a popular ski resort, but this northern New Mexico town also offers an exciting arts scene, natural beauty galore and plenty of history. This scenic California town sits within the Sierra Nevada mountain range and offers fun activities for people of all ages. You can sample bison burgers at hip area restaurants and sip cocktails perched upon horse saddles at the well-known Million Dollar Cowboy Bar. West Virginia's mountain towns are more than just launchpads for Appalachian adventures.From the charming towns of Fayetteville and Lewisburg to historic Harpers Ferry, the state's favorite mountain communities (and small cities) are also amazing spots for immersing in arts and culture, studying local history, relaxing in nature, and digging into delicious local fare. It's also just 10 minutes from Whitefish Mountain for skiing (it even provides a free shuttle). The conversation about Telluride starts with the ski resort of the same name, which drops 4,000 vertical feet across 2,000 acres just upslope of downtown (a gondola connects the town center with the resorts mountain village). 2. craft breweries, Ska. Easily accessible from Boston or New York, this is your quintessential New England town that is filled with colonial homes, white-picket fences and old-growth trees that turn vibrant colors throughout the fall. Travelers can look forward to the scent of fresh pines and the chance to spot wildlife like mountain lions and bears. Tell us where we went wrong in the comments. The town is surrounded by the Black Hills for outdoor explorations. As hip as the town it calls home, the Penn Stroud is an Ascend Hotel Collection property. The best mountain resorts start between $144 and $399, are well-rated, and have excellent amenities. Williamstown is in Berkshire County. In the North Georgia Mountains, this "Apple Capital of Georgia" is found at the southernmost end of the Appalachian Trail. 3. Summiting 13,161-foot Wheeler Peak in summer is a must, as is pedaling the high-altitude singletrack on the north side of the ski valley, followed by the mixed-sausage plate (bratwurst, Nrnberger, and Debrezinar in one serving!) Maybe. Travel Bend sits on the dry side of the Cascade Range, so the powder is fluffy during the cold months and the trails are buff in the warm ones. Throw in some great schools, an unfeasibly low crime rate, and . Fishing and paddleboarding on alpine lakes, like the 1,500-acre Redfish Lake, are common practicewithin the Sawtooth National Recreation Area, as is wildlife watching for bighorn sheep and elk. Plus, this town is home to great events like the Telluride Jazz Fest, Telluride Mountain Film Fest and Telluride Bluegrass Festival. Located in the heart of Chester is the Fullerton Inn, which dates back to 1885. Each wigwam, with two queens or two double beds, has its own bathroom, heat, air-conditioning and cable TV. 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