Top 10 "Lesser Known" Cities to Visit

Not usually on the radar for tourists but great places to visit for a few days:

1. Moab, UT
This quirky town sits near two National Parks -- Arches and Canyonlands. If you go, though, arrive early in the day to find a place to stay or make reservations ahead of time. It's a great place for people who like to mountain bike, hike, or whitewater raft. We got there late in the day and could not find a place to stay. We were at a phone booth calling around when a policeman stopped and even tried to help us. People were calling neighbors with basement bedrooms, etc. to try to help. We finally found a place 15 miles outside of the town in the middle of nowhere. But when we woke -- WOW!! What a view. That day we headed into town early.
2. Woodstock, VT
At every corner, my head was turning to look at the charm. Many B & B's and little locally owned shops. We were there in late spring and it was just full of green. Don't plan to go to anyplace in a hurry here.

3. Cedar Key, FL
One of our favorite nearby hideaways. This is a fishing village first, and a visitor's spot second. There are several choices of lodgings -- from little Mom and Pops to lofts for rent. My favorite was the haunted Island Inn! The floors aren't straight and the furnishings are comfortable and not plush. If you stay there, eat breakfast at the Inn. There are many seafood restaurants along the small waterfront. Lots of fishing, hiking, canoeing and kayaking. There are even quirky artsy shops. Every year they host a seafood festival (fall) and an arts show (spring). Those are the only weekends it's not quiet.

4. Friday Harbor, WA
You have a take a ferry or a boat to get to this unique town. It's located in the Puget Sound, on San Juan Island. Great food, great lodgings, great shops. You can also go to other parts of the islands if you want to see orcas and other wildlife. Again, we were summer visitors. Accessibility is problematic in the winter, from what they told me.
5. Dillsboro, NC A great place to visit in the fall. There are tons of places to stay within 20 miles of this town. It's one of the stops of the regional railroad line. I love to visit the crafts shops there. They have a great "family style" restaurant, The Jarrett House, that also serves as an inn. But you can snack through the town's 2 main streets and have some great food. People are friendly and helpful.
6. Corvallis, OR
This is my idea of a college town. Oregon State University is probably the biggest employer in town. It's in the "heart of the valley" (what Corvallis means), the Multanomah Valley. In the summer time, when the students aren't there, you can move around easily and find rooms that are reasonable. Be sure to visit the campus, but go through main street and check out the shops and the cafes. Take a walk along the river, too.

7. Chautauqua, NY
I'd heard of this town almost all my life and equate it with "culture." We stopped in on a Sunday afternoon and had to park in a public lot across the main highway. Unless you are a resident (and if you are, you are a lucky thing!), you will pay to enter -- unless it's a Sunday, when admission is free! The only cars allowed in the town are those of the residents. The houses range from modest to mansion. There are houses for seasonal rent, but also rooms at the inn. The real draw of Chautauaqua are its cultural offerings -- from weekend concerts by the likes of Tony Bennett, Carole King, etc. to classes on "Pop Culture and Literature." Something is there for everyone -- from pre-schoolers to senior citizens. Just walking through there made me feel smarter. It has a lovely lake and several public parks. You have to see it to believe it.
8. Cooperstown, NY
Located in the Andirondacks, Cooperstown is most noted for the Baseball Hall of Fame. Yes, it's there and it's fabulous, even for the non-baseball fan (such as me). But the town itself is so interesting. It's one of the older settlements and it has preserved a lot for history. It's located on a beautiful lake (referred to as "Glimmerglass" by James Fennimore Cooper, the man for whom the town is named). There are several lodges, inns, B & B's and motels available in the area. Again, the little restaurants and cafes give you an eclectic choice of food. I can't imagine a more "American" town.

9. Boothbay Harbor, ME
On our way up to Bar Harbor, the more well-known of Maine's harbors, we stayed a night in Boothbay. What a delight. Not one street is straight -- or horizontal. Quirky little houses and shops pop out in the strangest places. The waterfront is a little touristy, but nothing like Bar Habor. The only problem I had was that the sun comes up really, really early in the summer (because it is so far east from most of the cities on the East Coast). Worth a couple days stay.
10. Berlin, Ohio
Yes, Lancaster County, PA gets all the credit for Amish country, but this area of Ohio actually is the biggest settlement of the Amish and Berlin is in the center of it. Several places to stay for modest prices -- and of course, Amish food. Lots of arts and crafts (some hand made, some not). You will see horse and buggies parked next to Lexuses and Mercedes. The people were friendly but reserved. Drive around the countryside to see some of the farms and visit other craft shops. Just don't expect to find much night life -- the sidewalks roll up usually by 7 p.m. That's the time to curl up with a good book or sit down and write some letters. I guarantee you'll sleep well.

Any other small towns you'd like to tout? Make a comment below: