USA TODAY 10Best
Best small town for culture? Head to Doylestown, Pennsylvania
Best Small Town Cultural Scene (2019)
Bigger isn't always better, especially when it comes to these 10 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.
The top 10 winners in the category Best Small Town Cultural Scene are as follows:
- York - South Carolina
- Guthrie - Oklahoma
- Traverse City - Michigan
- Easton - Maryland
- Paducah - Kentucky
- Media - Pennsylvania
- Staunton - Virginia
- Tarpon Springs - Florida
- Point Pleasant - West Virginia
- Doylestown - Pennsylvania
Photo courtesy of CITY OF YORK
No. 10:
York, located in the western part of the county of the same name, was first settled by Catawba Indians before Scotch-Irish settlers arrived in the mid 18th century. Today, York boasts one of South Carolina’s largest Historic Districts filled with shops, theaters and restaurants, including the 560-seat McCelvey Center and the Sylvia Theater.
Photo courtesy of Ken Kinder / Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
No. 9:
Oklahoma’s territorial capital is home to the largest Historic Preservation District in the country, accessed by a trolley passing through the Victorian-era downtown. Visitors can catch a movie at one of the oldest drive-in theaters in the state, watch a historic gunfight reenactment, catch a rodeo or dive into history at the Oklahoma Territorial Museum.
Photo courtesy of iStock / RiverNorthPhotography
No. 8:
The thriving arts community in Traverse City makes this small Michigan town feel way bigger than it is. The Traverse Symphony Orchestra performs regularly in the City Opera House, while the Interlochen Center for the Arts brings in talent from around the globe. The Dennos Museum Center maintains a permanent collection of art from the Canadian arctic — one of the largest in the world.
Photo courtesy of Mellowcream / Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International
No. 7:
While Easton has a small population of under 20,000 people, it’s cultural offerings rival that of a much larger city. The Talbot Historical Society operates a museum showcasing more than 1,000 historic photographs, in addition to many priceless artifacts, while the Academy Art Museum has been nationally recognized for its collection spanning two centuries of art. The art deco Avalon Theatre maintains a busy calendar of performing arts events.
Photo courtesy of Paducah Convention & Visitors Bureau
No. 6:
Paducah, a designated UNESCO Creative City, is best known for its National Quilt Museum which anchors a thriving fiber arts community. The Lower Town Arts District, the town’s oldest neighborhood, is home to numerous working artists and artists-in-residence whose work can be seen at many galleries and collectives around the city.
Photo courtesy of R. Kennedy for Visit Philadelphia
No. 5:
Media, Pennsylvania calls itself “Everybody’s Hometown,” as it’s easy to make yourself comfortable and stay awhile in this historic corner of Delaware County. Cultural events shine here, including America’s Music Festival Series and summer Dining Under the Stars. The Media Theatre puts on musical productions, concerts and performances just for kids.
Photo courtesy of Staunton Convention & Visitors Bureau
No. 4:
Located in the stunning Shenandoah Valley of Virgina, the town of Staunton is the hometown of President Woodrow Wilson and the location of Beverly Street. This main street, lined by red brick buildings, encompasses one of the highest concentrations of late-19th-century architecture of any town in the country. A highlight is the Blackfriar’s Playhouse, a recreation of Shakespeare's theater in London.
Photo courtesy of iStock / benedek
No. 3:
Visit the small town of Tarpon Springs, and you might feel like you’ve been transported to the shores of the Greek Islands. The city’s Tarpon Arts Program features four cultural venues, the Cultural Center, Performing Arts Center, Safford House and Heritage Museum. Other cultural attractions include the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art, Historic Train Depot Museum and the Sponge Docks Fishing Village.
Photo courtesy of Mason County Convention & Visitors Bureau
No. 2:
Located where the Kanawha and Ohio Rivers meet, the town of Point Pleasant is home of the Mothman — an urban legend — as well as a host of excellent festivals, including Bikes, BBQ & Bluegrass; the Country Fall Festival; Battle Days and of course, the world's only Mothman Festival. This quaint small town also has a vibrant arts community that is the cornerstone of showcasing the area's history — Fort Randolph, the Mansion House Museum and the West Virginia State Farm Museum.
Photo courtesy of iStock / aimintang
No. 1:
This Pennsylvania town is home to the Doylestown Cultural District, where visitors will find both the Mercer Museum and James A. Michener Art Museum — home to a collection of Pennsylvania impressionist works — within steps of Main Street. The art deco County Theater, built in the 1930s, still screens movies.
A panel of experts (listed below) partnered with 10Best editors to pick the initial 20 nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote.
Congratulations to all these 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
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.
Eric Grossman
Eric Grossman is a travel and food/drink writer... Read More
Eric Grossman is a travel and food/drink writer who has visited more than 60 countries. Always up for an adventure, Eric is constantly searching for new and inspiring experiences, with a keen interest in luxury travel and urban exploration. Memorable experiences have run the gamut from discussing the future of food with Ferran Adrià to sharing a stage with Coldplay.
Eric Grossman
Eric Grossman is a travel and food/drink writer who has visited more than 60 countries. Always up for an adventure, Eric is constantly searching for new and inspiring experiences, with a keen interest in luxury travel and urban exploration. Memorable experiences have run the gamut from discussing the future of food with Ferran Adrià to sharing a stage with Coldplay.
Gerrish Lopez
Gerrish Lopez is a food and travel... Read More
Gerrish Lopez is a food and travel writer/photographer whose adventures have taken her 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, including smoked pork jowl in Thailand and 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 whose adventures have taken her 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, including smoked pork jowl in Thailand and whole hog barbecue in South Carolina. Gerrish is always looking for products and services to make her travels easier and more efficient.
Marla Cimini
Marla is an award-winning writer with a passion... Read More
Marla is an award-winning writer with a passion for travel, music, surfing and culinary adventures! An avid globetrotter and guidebook writer, she has covered topics such as the Hawaiian islands (including food trends and luxury beachfront resorts), as well as European getaways and global destinations. Her articles have appeared in many publications worldwide, including USA Today. Marla lives in New Jersey (Philadelphia area) and is a frequent visitor to Hawaii and Southern California, and often covers those destinations. Her travel website is: www.marlacimini.com
Marla Cimini
Marla is an award-winning writer with a passion for travel, music, surfing and culinary adventures! An avid globetrotter and guidebook writer, she has covered topics such as the Hawaiian islands (including food trends and luxury beachfront resorts), as well as European getaways and global destinations. Her articles have appeared in many publications worldwide, including USA Today. Marla lives in New Jersey (Philadelphia area) and is a frequent visitor to Hawaii and Southern California, and often covers those destinations. Her travel website is: www.marlacimini.com
