Jerome is a small town between Prescott and Flagstaff, and was once the fourth-largest city in Arizona. Now only about 450 people live here, many of them artists and musicians. It is known as America's most vertical city as well as its largest ghost town. We didn't see any ghosts but can vouch for there being some steep hills. We ate the best burger we ever had at the Haunted Hamburger (thehauntedhamburger.com) on Clark Street.azjerome.com
skymancloudnine
skymancloudnine
East coast
New Jersey Shore
The Jersey Shore is under an hour from New York by ferry. Explore the lovely small towns, from Wildwood with its two-mile boardwalk, 1950s architecture and sweeping beaches, to Long Beach Island, with towns such as Ship Bottom and Loveladies. My favourite is Asbury Park – you can always hope Bruce Springsteen turns up for an impromptu gig at the Stone Pony (stoneponyonline.com).
newjerseyshore.com
troutiemcfish
The Jersey Shore is under an hour from New York by ferry. Explore the lovely small towns, from Wildwood with its two-mile boardwalk, 1950s architecture and sweeping beaches, to Long Beach Island, with towns such as Ship Bottom and Loveladies. My favourite is Asbury Park – you can always hope Bruce Springsteen turns up for an impromptu gig at the Stone Pony (stoneponyonline.com).
newjerseyshore.com
troutiemcfish
Photograph: Alamy
Cooperstown, New York
Cooperstown is a picture perfect town two hours' drive from Manhattan and home to the National Baseball Hall of Fame (baseballhall.org). Its Main Street is like a Norman Rockwell painting, especially in autumn with the leaves turning red and gold and pumpkins in front of the clapboard houses.
thisiscooperstown.com
wendytravels
Cooperstown is a picture perfect town two hours' drive from Manhattan and home to the National Baseball Hall of Fame (baseballhall.org). Its Main Street is like a Norman Rockwell painting, especially in autumn with the leaves turning red and gold and pumpkins in front of the clapboard houses.
thisiscooperstown.com
wendytravels
Photograph: Alamy
Intercourse, Pennsylvania
Immune to sniggers, Intercourse is in Amish country. Black buggies trot along, often full of small, bonneted children. Roadside stalls selling fresh produce abound, as do all-you-can-eat Mennonite and Amish restaurants. Stay in a collection of old railway carriages at the Red Caboose Motel (redcaboosemotel.com), in Strasburg.
800padutch.com/intercourse.shtml
bowbank
Immune to sniggers, Intercourse is in Amish country. Black buggies trot along, often full of small, bonneted children. Roadside stalls selling fresh produce abound, as do all-you-can-eat Mennonite and Amish restaurants. Stay in a collection of old railway carriages at the Red Caboose Motel (redcaboosemotel.com), in Strasburg.
800padutch.com/intercourse.shtml
bowbank
Danville, Pennsylvania
Montour County's seat, population less than 5,000, has revolutionary roots and picturesque churches. Its Main Street has abookstore,a family-owned Five and Dime and a soda fountain/diner where you can read the local paper and try the Pennsylvania take on blood pudding, scrapple, with syrup.
danvillepa.com
Bee Smith
Montour County's seat, population less than 5,000, has revolutionary roots and picturesque churches. Its Main Street has abookstore,a family-owned Five and Dime and a soda fountain/diner where you can read the local paper and try the Pennsylvania take on blood pudding, scrapple, with syrup.
danvillepa.com
Bee Smith
Pink Cadillac Diner, Natural Bridge, Virginia
The diner experience doesn't get any tackier and greasier than this. Wander off the South Lee Highway, get your picture taken next to King Kong and the Pink Cadillac outside the diner, eat a humongous Elvis burger with fries and coleslaw and say yes to all those refreshing pink lemonade refills!
pinkcadillacdineronline.com
canaria
The diner experience doesn't get any tackier and greasier than this. Wander off the South Lee Highway, get your picture taken next to King Kong and the Pink Cadillac outside the diner, eat a humongous Elvis burger with fries and coleslaw and say yes to all those refreshing pink lemonade refills!
pinkcadillacdineronline.com
canaria
South and south-west
Tubing on the Guadalupe river in New Braunfels. Photograph: Alamy
New Braunfels, Texas
This small town has a strong German influence and is home to one of the best water parks in the world, the Schlitterbahn (schlitterbahn.com), where you can take your own coolbox with drinks and a picnic. The park is fed with cold spring water from the Comal river: you can rent a tube and float downriver for hours. For food try Schobels, on the banks of the Guadalupe river. It is an all-you-can-eat home-style buffet. German pastries and coffee are best at Naegelin's Bakery (naegelins.com) on the historic town square. Finish your day at Gruene Hall (gruenehall.com), a famous honky tonk and Texas's oldest dance hall.
nassaubay
This small town has a strong German influence and is home to one of the best water parks in the world, the Schlitterbahn (schlitterbahn.com), where you can take your own coolbox with drinks and a picnic. The park is fed with cold spring water from the Comal river: you can rent a tube and float downriver for hours. For food try Schobels, on the banks of the Guadalupe river. It is an all-you-can-eat home-style buffet. German pastries and coffee are best at Naegelin's Bakery (naegelins.com) on the historic town square. Finish your day at Gruene Hall (gruenehall.com), a famous honky tonk and Texas's oldest dance hall.
nassaubay
Photograph: Alamy
Kanab, Utah
Far more B-movie westerns were made in Kanab than in Monument Valley. The wide Main Street has info about the stars, recreations of stage sets and souvenir shops selling Kanab sandstone. Eat at the Mediterranean Table (themediterraneantable.com), or try a cowboy lunch at Frontier Movietown (frontiermovietown.com).
visitsouthernutah.com
magistrate
Far more B-movie westerns were made in Kanab than in Monument Valley. The wide Main Street has info about the stars, recreations of stage sets and souvenir shops selling Kanab sandstone. Eat at the Mediterranean Table (themediterraneantable.com), or try a cowboy lunch at Frontier Movietown (frontiermovietown.com).
visitsouthernutah.com
magistrate
Photograph: Alamy
Cedar Key, Florida
Cedar Key is an island 130 miles north of Tampa on the west coast. The silvery grey shingled houses, often on stilts, contrast vividly with the dark red waters, coloured by the cedar trees. Take a canoe out into the Gulf of Mexico, try the seafood and watch the sunset from the Harbour Master Suites (cedarkeyharbourmaster.com) right on the water.
geriblake
Cedar Key is an island 130 miles north of Tampa on the west coast. The silvery grey shingled houses, often on stilts, contrast vividly with the dark red waters, coloured by the cedar trees. Take a canoe out into the Gulf of Mexico, try the seafood and watch the sunset from the Harbour Master Suites (cedarkeyharbourmaster.com) right on the water.
geriblake
Gainseville, Florida
This small college town doubles in size when the University of Florida is in session, and doubles again on football weekends. For more local colour, on Thursday nights, attend one of the high school football games, or, just sit back in one of the terrace restaurants in the centre. During the day, climb to the bottom of the Devil's Millhopper sinkhole (floridastateparks.org/devilsmillhopper), then take a dip in the crystal-clear, waters of the Ichetucknee river.
visitgainesville.comektosplasmas
This small college town doubles in size when the University of Florida is in session, and doubles again on football weekends. For more local colour, on Thursday nights, attend one of the high school football games, or, just sit back in one of the terrace restaurants in the centre. During the day, climb to the bottom of the Devil's Millhopper sinkhole (floridastateparks.org/devilsmillhopper), then take a dip in the crystal-clear, waters of the Ichetucknee river.
visitgainesville.comektosplasmas
Photograph: Alamy
Lynchburg, Tennessee
A tour of the Jack Daniel's Distillery (jackdaniels.com) is free, and if you're lucky, you get to inhale 120% proof spirit – JD in the making! Lynchburg itself retains enough soul and style to offer a sense of real small town America. Its pretty square with red brick courthouse and porched shops even has a dinky gas station. Sit on a rocker outside one of the stores and play checkers. This is the South. You can do that without buying anything. Then drop into the friendly BBQ Caboose Cafe (bbqcaboose.com) for pulled pork and raspberry lemonade.
mariaglp
A tour of the Jack Daniel's Distillery (jackdaniels.com) is free, and if you're lucky, you get to inhale 120% proof spirit – JD in the making! Lynchburg itself retains enough soul and style to offer a sense of real small town America. Its pretty square with red brick courthouse and porched shops even has a dinky gas station. Sit on a rocker outside one of the stores and play checkers. This is the South. You can do that without buying anything. Then drop into the friendly BBQ Caboose Cafe (bbqcaboose.com) for pulled pork and raspberry lemonade.
mariaglp
Prescott, Arizona
Prescott, between Phoenix and the Grand Canyon, has developed around grassy Courthouse Square. On the first Friday evening after the lighting of the large Courthouse Christmas tree, Prescott holds the Acker Music Festival Showcase, a fundraiser for local performing arts, with more than 100 groups performing for three hours. This year it's on 7 December.
ackershowcase.com, visit-prescott.comtoughtina
Prescott, between Phoenix and the Grand Canyon, has developed around grassy Courthouse Square. On the first Friday evening after the lighting of the large Courthouse Christmas tree, Prescott holds the Acker Music Festival Showcase, a fundraiser for local performing arts, with more than 100 groups performing for three hours. This year it's on 7 December.
ackershowcase.com, visit-prescott.comtoughtina
West coast
Petaluma, California
This Victorian town north of San Francisco has been the backdrop for films such as American Graffiti and Pleasantville. The historic centre is small and easily walkable, with boutiques, cafes, antique stores, a Carnegie library (now a museum) and a beautiful 1933 post office. Volpi's on Washington Street is a 1925 grocery store with a prohibition-era speakeasy bar in the back.
visitpetaluma.com
londonpenguin
This Victorian town north of San Francisco has been the backdrop for films such as American Graffiti and Pleasantville. The historic centre is small and easily walkable, with boutiques, cafes, antique stores, a Carnegie library (now a museum) and a beautiful 1933 post office. Volpi's on Washington Street is a 1925 grocery store with a prohibition-era speakeasy bar in the back.
visitpetaluma.com
londonpenguin
Julian, California
Just a couple of hours from San Diego this unspoilt place is great for a night or two. The Julian Hotel (julianhotel.com) on Main Street was opened as Robinson's Hotel in 1897 by a former slave and is super-friendly with great breakfasts, and afternoon teas inspired by 1930s films. The town has plenty of independent shops and restaurants.
julianca.com
Jane Radford
Just a couple of hours from San Diego this unspoilt place is great for a night or two. The Julian Hotel (julianhotel.com) on Main Street was opened as Robinson's Hotel in 1897 by a former slave and is super-friendly with great breakfasts, and afternoon teas inspired by 1930s films. The town has plenty of independent shops and restaurants.
julianca.com
Jane Radford
Volcano, California
The little town of Volcano, population around 115, sits in a bowl-shaped valley at the base of the Sierra Nevada. In the mid-1800s, when it was established, gold miners thought it was the remains of a volcanic crater. It wasn't, but the name stuck. One popular attraction is the four-acre farm of Daffodil Hill (daffodilfestivals.com). Every spring 300 varieties of daffodil carpet the farm's rolling hills. People come to picnic and stroll through the blooms for free.
loverskitchen
The little town of Volcano, population around 115, sits in a bowl-shaped valley at the base of the Sierra Nevada. In the mid-1800s, when it was established, gold miners thought it was the remains of a volcanic crater. It wasn't, but the name stuck. One popular attraction is the four-acre farm of Daffodil Hill (daffodilfestivals.com). Every spring 300 varieties of daffodil carpet the farm's rolling hills. People come to picnic and stroll through the blooms for free.
loverskitchen
Springfield, Oregon
Springfield was recently confirmed to be the real-life inspiration for the Simpsons. You won't find any bright yellow people here, but the museum mentions rivalry with near neighbour Eugene – better known to Simpson's fans as Shelbyville. A guide to the main street points out some gems including the period railroad station and a lovely art deco Buick dealership.
lozster
Springfield was recently confirmed to be the real-life inspiration for the Simpsons. You won't find any bright yellow people here, but the museum mentions rivalry with near neighbour Eugene – better known to Simpson's fans as Shelbyville. A guide to the main street points out some gems including the period railroad station and a lovely art deco Buick dealership.
lozster
Midwest
Raspberries and blueberries at a farmers' market in South Haven, Michigan. Photograph: Alamy
South Haven, Michigan
This part of Michigan supplies a third of the US's blueberries. Heavy winters, cool damp springs and long hot summers suit this fruit. I love the gentle way blueberries are promoted throughout South Haven, culminating in the Blueberry Festival (blueberryfestival.com) in August. It's two hours' drive from Chicago, with a sandy beach on Lake Michigan.
southhaven.org
This part of Michigan supplies a third of the US's blueberries. Heavy winters, cool damp springs and long hot summers suit this fruit. I love the gentle way blueberries are promoted throughout South Haven, culminating in the Blueberry Festival (blueberryfestival.com) in August. It's two hours' drive from Chicago, with a sandy beach on Lake Michigan.
southhaven.org
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