The New Mexico Ghost Town That Came Back to Life as an Artist Colony
Madrid, New Mexico is a former coal-mining ghost town on the Turquoise Trail between Santa Fe and Albuquerque, reborn as a funky high-desert artist colony of 40-plus galleries, a legendary 1947 tavern, and a wild rise-fall-rebirth story.
Which U.S. City Matches Your Personality?
Take our free quiz to discover which U.S. city matches your personality — from ambitious New York to easygoing Austin, historic Charleston to offbeat Portland. Answer 7 quick questions and get your perfect city match, plus what to do when you go.
The Oregon River Town That Becomes 'Halloweentown' Every Fall
St. Helens, Oregon, the real-life filming location of Disney's 'Halloweentown,' transforms its historic riverfront into a month-long Halloween wonderland each fall — and pairs the movie magic with a genuinely charming Columbia River town.
Baseball's Spiritual Home Is a Storybook Village on a Glimmering Lake
Cooperstown, New York — home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame — pairs America's baseball shrine with a storybook Main Street, pristine Otsego Lake, a summer opera festival, and a celebrated craft brewery in one tiny upstate village.
Why Americans Are Looking at Windsor, the Canadian City Across from Detroit
Directly across the Detroit River from Detroit, Windsor, Ontario pairs big-city access, publicly funded healthcare, and Canadian affordability into one of the most talked-about cross-border cities in North America.
The Gold Rush Town That Became a Sierra Arts Haven
One of the best-preserved Gold Rush towns in the West, Nevada City, California pairs a Victorian downtown, a thriving arts and music scene, and Sierra foothills nature into one of Northern California's most distinctive small towns.
Why Americans Are Moving to Niagara Falls, Ontario's Wine-and-Water Border Region
Across the river from New York and wrapped in wine country, Niagara Falls, Ontario draws Americans with world-famous scenery, publicly funded healthcare, and housing well below the Toronto market.
How Troy Turned Its Iron-Age Bones Into a Comeback
A cast-iron Victorian downtown, a top engineering university, a Hudson riverfront, and a wave of revitalization have made Troy, New York one of Upstate's most surprising cities to visit and live.
Why New York's First Capital Is Having a Second Act
Three walkable historic districts, a Hudson-meets-Catskills setting, and a wave of creative newcomers have made Kingston, New York one of the Hudson Valley's most dynamic places to visit and live.
How One Museum Turned Beacon Into the Hudson Valley's Coolest Small City
A dead factory town revived by a world-class art museum, Beacon, New York pairs a mile-long Main Street, mountain hiking, and a 90-minute train to Manhattan into one of the Hudson Valley's hottest destinations.
How Paducah Paid Artists a Dollar a House and Became a UNESCO City
A riverfront Kentucky city that lured artists with one-dollar homes and became one of only nine UNESCO Creative Cities in America, Paducah pairs a quilt-and-crafts legacy with a walkable arts downtown.
Where Should You Live in the U.S.?
Take our free quiz to find out where you should live in the U.S. Answer 7 quick questions about cost, climate, career, and lifestyle, and get matched to the American city that fits you — from Austin to Raleigh to Portland, Maine — with the honest trade-offs of each.
Which European City Matches Your Personality?
Take our free quiz to discover which European city matches your personality — from romantic Paris to creative Lisbon, design-loving Copenhagen to electric Berlin. Answer 7 quick questions and get your perfect city match, plus what to do when you go.
How Easton Turned a River Confluence and a Crayon Factory Into a Comeback
At the confluence of the Delaware and Lehigh rivers, Easton, Pennsylvania pairs the nation's top public market, the Crayola factory, a Broadway-caliber theater, and a college downtown into one of the Lehigh Valley's great revivals.
The Mountain Town That Renamed Itself After an Olympic Legend
A Victorian railroad town in a dramatic mountain gorge, Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania — the 'Switzerland of America' — pairs preserved 19th-century architecture with world-class outdoor adventure in the Poconos.
How Owego Became One of America's Coolest Small Towns
A picture-perfect riverside downtown, a thriving antiques and boutique scene, and small-town charm on the Susquehanna have made Owego, New York a Southern Tier gem on the rise.
How Lancaster Became a Food-and-Arts City in the Heart of Amish Country
America's oldest farmers market, a nationally noticed food and arts scene, and a remarkably diverse, walkable downtown have made Lancaster, Pennsylvania one of the most surprising small cities in the country.
How Oneonta, the City of the Hills, Became a College-Town Draw
Two colleges, a walkable Main Street, the birthplace of baseball nearby, and rolling Catskill-foothill scenery have made Oneonta, New York a rising small city in the state's heart.
How the Birthplace of Aviation Is Engineering Its Own Comeback
The birthplace of flight and home to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio pairs an aerospace-and-AI economy, a reviving downtown, and Midwest affordability into one of the region's most underrated cities.
The Most French City in America Is Hiding in Rhode Island
A mill city with the deepest Franco-American roots in the country, Woonsocket, Rhode Island pairs a distinctive heritage, a walkable historic downtown, and real affordability near Providence and Boston.