Charming Cities and Towns
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New Hope, PA
New Hope is so impossibly quaint, it pulls off being somewhat of a tourist trap. Despite crowding, parking problems, and overpriced antique shops, it still manages to charm. It’s a walkable town, with art galleries, craft breweries, and canalside restaurants. Full of interesting architecture, it is the type of town where you can see the past, and almost feel like you were there. Originally part of a King’s Grant given to William Penn, the area was first settled by non-natives around 1700. Given its prime location on the west bank of the Delaware River, 35 miles north of Philadelphia, it was soon home to several mills. In 1722, Old York…
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Skaneateles, NY
The town of Skaneateles is impossibly quaint. It is also almost impossible to pronounce if you are not from New York, or a frequent Finger Lake visitor. I am neither. For the record, it is close to skinny-atlas, although this is debated by the camp who prefer something closer to skan-e-at-las. Either way, perched on the shores of a impossibly clear glacier carved lake, it is a town you should visit. The almost impossible name is Iroquois for “long lake,” which perfectly describes the 16 mile body of water which is frequent less than a mile wide. It very much looks like a scratch in the landscape, or I suppose…
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Salzburg, Austria
Salzburg may just be the most beautiful city in all the land. It certainly looks like something out of a fairy tale, complete with a castle perched on high. It is easy to explore on foot, and has something for everyone. Beautiful scenery, glorious gardens, amazing architecture, and charming cafes…not to mention the music. It is, in short, magical. Settlement of the area can be traced back to Celts in the 5th Century BC; today’s city however dates to a later Roman occupation, which was awarded township status around 45 AD. Although there were periods of decline, the area has been continuously inhabited since it was founded. That means lots…
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Little Washington- Washington, VA
Washington, Virginia is impossibly quaint. It is a tiny town, so picturesque it could easily be a movie set. It was also surveyed by George Washington himself in 1749, and is the very first town in the country to be named in his honor. Today, it’s known as much for its world renowned Michelin rated restaurant as for its history. If you are feeling particularly flush, be sure to partake in their tasting menu- it is supposed to be life changing. If not, it is still a beautiful town to stroll around, following in the footsteps of a Founding Father. In the 1700s, the area around present day Washington, Virginia…
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Geneva-on-the Lake, OH
I absolutely adore nostalgic beach towns. Small towns, with no chain hotels or restaurants. Towns that were thankfully missed by developers, and their hulking high-rises. Relics from another era, virtually preserved in amber. Geneva-on-the-Lake, Ohio is one such place. A not so sleepy little enclave on the shores of Lake Erie, where it is always magnificently mid-century. Geneva-on-the-Lake as a destination dates back to 1869, when Cullen Spencer and Edward Pratt purchased land on Lake Erie, and opened a public picnic park with beach access. Soon people started camping at the park, which was seen as an escape from the surrounding smog filled industrial cities of the day. It even…
