Points, Miles and Martinis is back again to give away a cool 5,000 American Airlines miles. This time it is small that wins BIG! Here at PMM we value redemptions that avoid the usual suspect tourist cities of the world and seek out unique places we could never get to otherwise.
For part II of the Points, Miles and 5,000 mAArtinis Giveaway, we want to know your favorite small towns. For this giveaway, we will define a small town as any city in the world with a population less than 5000.
Contest Entry
- Leave a comment in this official entry post with your favorite small town to visit and the reason why you recommend others visit.
Example: My favorite small town is Marfa, Texas because of the minimalist art museums, West Texas landscape, incredible remoteness, and the Marfa Lights.
Grand Prize – 3,000 American Airline Miles
PMM will select the commenter who best ‘sells’ their favorite small city. The winner will receive 3,000 American Airlines. The miles will be deposited into their American Airlines account.
Prizes – Two Sets Of 1,000 American Airlines Miles
Two winners will be selected at random to each win 1,000 American Airlines. The miles will be deposited into their American Airlines account.
Promotion Rules
- Limited to the first 350 comments
- Limit one entry per person
- Comment must include a small town with less than 5,000 people AND a reason
- Winning comments will be subjectively selected
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About alex
Alex loves to travel and does so a lot. Logging 100,000 flight miles each year over the past 4 years, Alex uses points and miles to power his passion. Alex is continuously striving to experience the far reaches of the globe. In his day job, Alex is a Management Consultant frequently on the road advising Technology organizations. I love thinking about, reading about, and talking about all things travel. Feel free to reach me at pmmalex@gmail.com
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Point Reyes Station, CA: a town of 350 with two competing weekly newspapers (which happen to be supported by the same foundation), one of the best artisan cheese producers in the US (Cowgirl Creamery), an amazing bakery–and all of this a ten minute drive from the beautiful N. California coast: hiking, canoeing, swimming (in Tomales Bay, not the Pacific!). And did I mention that Napa, Sonoma and San Francisco are each about forty five minutes away?
Frisco, Colorado (population almost 3000). About an hour and a half from Denver you’ll find hiking (Mt. Royal), a lake (Lake Dillon), plus the cutest 4th of July Parade ever (think bicycles decorated with red, white, and blue streamers). Go there!
Charlottesville, VA., where Mr. Thomas Jefferson founded the University of Virginia. Hidden sanctuary from nearby big metropolitan areas such as D.C.and Richmond. Representative attractions within a couple of hours: Monticello, blue-ridge mountain, Shenandoah valley…The magnificent natural scenery of Charlottesville have inspired generations of famous poets and authors(e.g. best seller “Magic Kingdom for Sale Sold”) When Queen Elizabeth set her foot on the University Lawn in front of the Rotunda,she was simply amazed by the beauty of the neighborhood! Being a small town, Charlottesville nonetheless provides nearly every convenience big cities have to offer: upscale hotels, restaurants and shopping mall, exquisite lounges and bars,…Charlottesville awaits your visit with open arms!
Genoa Nevada the oldest town in Nevada. A old pony express town next to beautiful Lake Tahoe. a great mountain view with cool crisp mountain air and a small town atmosphre.
Darien Ga . An old unique little shrimping town in Ga. Reminds me how how Georgia used to be.
Aurora, NY. New England charm in the Finger Lakes region of New York State.
Berlin, Maryland, because it is full of turn of the century homes and numerous antique shoppes. It also boasts a turn of the century (19th that is) hotel with a wonderful bar and restaurant. Within fifteen minutes you can be at the beach, an old-fashioned “trotter” racetrack, deep-sea fishing marina or a National Seashore Park. It doesn’t get any better than this in the summer!
Walker, Minnesota: Beautiful lakefront, a great hotel in Chase on the Lake, near Paul Bunyan National Park and endless hours of daylight in the summer. Plus everyone is just so Minnesota nice.
Try Toledo, OH…
Ely Minnesota…ya Minnesota nice and over 1 million acres of wilderness to explore.
Yup!!! Ely Minnesota has it all!!!! The International bear Center,The Wolf Center,Dorothy Molitor museum,End of the Road radio station,Babe’s Bait Shop…not to mention the best July 4th parade in the universe and over a million acres of God’s beautiful creation.
Sitka Alaska as you get the history of the Russian settlers, as well as picturesque wildlife including grizzly bears, bald eagles, and whales. You can also go fishing for king salmon!
Charles Kuralt said it was his favorite little town…ELY Mn.and at one time he owned the radio station…WELY…End of the Road radio station…can’t beat that with a big stick.
Don’t get me started…well ok then…ya sure you betcha…Ely Mn…all year long! Muckluck ball,harvest moon festival,Jim Brandenberg gallery, the Blueberry Festival…fish/sun and a ton of thirsty blood sucking mosquitos…our unofficial state bird. Yes they grow that big!!!!
There’s something different about Columbus, Indiana. Somewhat improbably, this small city of 40,000—happens to house 60 gems of 20th-century architecture. The story I heard is J. Irwin Miller, Founder of Cummins Inc., the diesel engine manufacturer, instituted a program in which the company paid the architects’ fee, provided the client selected a firm from a list compiled by Miller. The plan was was so successful that Miller decided to defray the design costs of schools, fire stations, public housing, and other community structures. Never has a small town had such great and famous architecture from the Mid-Century great Architects. It’s a must stop for every Architect or design enthusiast.
Go for a walk around the historic town of Mendocino, on the Coast of Northern California. The entire town, with fewer than 500 residents in the downtown, is an historic district. This lumber town, which nearly became a ghost town by the late 50s, was revitalized by a cadre artists and new settlers who left the San Francisco Bay Area, starting in the 1960s.
To the west and south is Mendocino Headlands State Parks, and to the east is 7,000 of State Parks, encompassing Mendocino’s Big River. While there check out “Catch a Canoe and Bicycles Too,” and eat dinner at MacCallum House.
Oops. That would be “7,000 acres of public land at Big River State Parks, encompassing Mendocino’s Big River.”
If you go to Mendocino on Fourth of July Weekend, check out the town’s festive and eccentric parade, as well as the world’s largest salmon BBQ, held eight miles to the north, in Fort Bragg’s Noyo Harbor.
My favorite small town would be Lompoc, California. I like it because it is very peaceful and easy to get to. One could relax at the beach or play a round of golf at the La Purisima Golf Course. There are many places to visit in and around the town to have a leisurely time. The La Purisima Mission, one of the oldest California missions, records the activities of the missionaries in the area and the training provided to the native Americans. The Lompoc Museum houses the native American artifacts from the area and has exhibits to document the archeology and history of the Lompoc Valley. Within a short driving distance is the neighboring town of Solvang, which showcases Dutch culture and offers leisurely walks on its narrow streets. There are several wineries in the area for a wine tasting tour. Even though Lompoc is small in size, it does have nice hotels and restaurants for the comfort of visitors. For vacationers who might want to go for a quick shopping trip, the cities of Santa Maria to the North and Santa Barbara to the South have some fine shopping malls. A kangaroo farm houses these Australian rabbits for the amusement of city folks. With all the amenities, parks, beaches, places to see and things to do, it is my favorite small town.
My favorite small town is St. Germain, WI. It has hundred of small, accessible lakes perfect for fishing, water-skiing and relaxing in during the summer. During the winter, thousands of miles through of snowmobile trails wind around the community, connecting people to the great Northwoods. Whether it’s a quiet, cabin getaway with a significant other, or a resort weekend vacation with the family, St. Germain is beautiful, remote town to escape life in the fast lane.
Petrolia, CA. This small town (one store), is off the beaten path, but nicely positioned on the Lost Coast of northern California, one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world, IMO.
Hanceville, Alabama…….very beautiful monastery shrine there! Te Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament, located at Our Lady of the Angels Monastery in Hanceville, Alabama, is truly an amazing and awe-inspiring place.
Located on 400 acres of lush farmland southeast of Cullman, the medieval-style monastery and the Shrine itself are a wonder one could hardly expect to experience outside of Old World Europe, much less to find in the rural southeastern United States.
With a population of less than 15,000 People, my favorite small American town, without question, is Williamsburg, Virginia. Besides it’s historic colonial past, it has outstanding restaurants, a luxury outlet mall, and a Busch Gardens Theme Park.
Being from New Zealand I have a lot of great small towns to chose from. I think I’ll have to go with Whitianga (pop. 4100) on the Coromandel Peninsular. Nestled in Mercury Bay, Whitianga has golden sandy beaches and gorgeous native forest replete with soothing bird songs.
Come over summer (that’s December to February in that part of the world) to enjoy the sunny weather. Even if it’s not too warm you can head to Hot Water Beach with a shovel, dig a hole in the sand and lounge in thermal spring water.
If you’re more of a winter person, come and enjoy the annual scallop festival in August. Film buff? Visit Cathedral Cove, where they filmed some of The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.
Did I mention that this is just one great town on the Coromandel Peninsular? There are many more to see and all but one have a population of under 5,000. Small town life doesn’t get much better than this.
I would recommend everyone visits a little town called Calico Ghost Town – Located in the Calico Mountains of the Mojave Desert region of Southern California. I always stop by on my way to Las Vegas. It’s super cool to see the giant letters spelling CALICO on the Calico Peaks behind the ghost town from the freeway, and I will honestly say the place is haunted, I’ve seen weird things there :@)
Ann Arbor, Michigan – So diverse and so liberal it is…addictive!
Lake Placid, NY
Beautiful setting in the Adirondack mountains and home to the 1980 Winter Olympics.
Navarre, Florida. Beautiful beaches and close to everything.
Gimmelwald, Switzerland (pop. 130). “If heaven isn’t what it’s cracked up to be, send me back to Gimmelwald.” Only way to get there is by taking a gondola up the Alps or by backpacking. Real people live here 365 days a year and they are very kind to backpackers and daytrippers alike. Lots of cows with the bells around their necks and plenty of Alp cheese, too. It is incredibly serene and the views cannot be explained in mere words. You must experience it. It is easy to do so if you are taking the gondola to the top of Schilthorn (007 movie: On Her Mountains Majesty Secret Service). No phones, no internet, amazing…
It has to be Leggett, CA. Beautiful HUGE redwoods, small, homey town…great place to visit!
Princeton, NJ. In addition to being home to the university, the town also has a world-class art collection. They also have a musical festival that takes place this month.
Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica. This small fishing village is also a base for some small, scale gold panners, and the gateway to Corcovado National Park. The primary rainforests and wildlife of Corcovado are unsurpassed. Just outside of Puerto Jimenez, en route to Corcovado, Backwash, Pan Dulce and Matapalo are 3 perfect point breaks, while “Disneyland” is an inside point perfect for learning how to surf. Whales and dolphin cavort in the Golfo Dulce. And scarlet macaws hang out in town’s tall trees.
A trip to Alpine, CA is perfectly charming. Eat at a local cafe and swing over the the Anza Borrega Desert for mountain biking or to view spring time flowers in an unbelievable environment.
Tupelo, MS to start a drive on the Natchez Trace Parkway
Nanty-Glo, Pennsylvania, what a great name! also passed it all the time on my drive to PSU during college.
Fayetteville, Arkansas. Always impressed by how that little town has so much to offer- art, culture, good restaurants and outdoor activities. It’s also naturally beautiful. And expensive to fly into so those extra miles will make all the difference.
Monhegan Island is one of those rare places of solitude and of beauty. It’s a small, rocky Island off the coast of Maine and about a square mile in area. It is accessible only by boat/ferry that keeps its year round population to typically less than 100 people, but has been a summer destination for artists (it’s been home to 3 generations of Wyeths; Edward Hopper; Rockwell Kent, and others who love the unspoiled woodlands where if you look carefully will be able to find fairy houses, but must be mindful not to step on or disturb them. You can’t bring a car and you can’t bike on the trails, but you can spend countless hours hiking or just admiring the rocky landscape and the lighthouse or visiting the studios of artists or making friends with a lobster fisherman for some of the best lobster you’ll ever eat. It’s awesome.
Cassody Ks, City population 129, is in the middle of the flint hills, a plus in Kansas (flatland) they host a bike run. First Sunday of every month March through November. As many as 5000 bikers meet in what’s become a summer tradition for motorcycle enthusiasts.
Dyersville, Iowa (population 4,000) – home of the field of dreams! and home to my great-grandmother!
“If you build it, he will come”
San Juan de Abajo, Nayarit, Mexico – a great little place with superb street food, an excellent tortilleria, and a chicken grill where the potatoes and peppers are roasted in the chicken drippings. Delicious!
Waupaca, WI
Known for its chain o Lakes, 22 connected lakes, with great fishing and boating. Also has a great bar you can drive your boat up to and get food and drinks, usually has live music. Take a caneo trip down the cryistal river, camp, and hang with family. Been going here for 20 years every summer…always a great time!
Klammath Falls, OR. Small and quaint town, plus I was born there! 🙂
Granbury, Texas is a great place with nearby rivers and lakes for activities, small town offers weekly music productions at Granbury Live, has an old Opera House that has productions and lots of antique stores.
Radiator Springs in Cars Land – California Adventure. Amazing rides, especially the Racers and awesome anthropomorphic cars that look identical to the movie.
My wife, our 3 year old son, and I went yesterday for a early preview and loved it. We would move there if we could. For certain our favorite small town.
West,TX—just north of Waco on IH 35. #1 reason? Kolaches and other homemade goodies at The Czech Stop…and Little Czech Bakery! It is the must stop place if you’re traveling (by car) between Austin and Dallas. Yum, yummm! They even heat your goodie up for you :-). What an awesome pit-stop.
Gozo, Malta. While the other students in our study abroad group tanned by the pool, we explored Malta, including Gozo, the tiny island off the coast. We asked a local taxi driver to give us a tour of the Island which included Kalypso’s cave and a plethora of beautiful cliffs and churches. We also saw the colorful fishing boats of Malta and learned how its cultural history is a mix of Arabic, Turkish, French, and Italian influence due to various periods of occupation. Lastly, we sipped a glass of wine while overlooking the Mediterranean. You’ve been to Italy, Greece, maybe even Turkey but I bet you haven’t been to Malta. You NEED to go to Malta. It’s breathtaking! And historic looking-Troy and parts of the Gladiator were filmed there.
Bald Head,NC. It’s an island with no cars allowed. It gives a great feel of being truly ok a vacation with nothing to do and no where to be.
Moss Landing, California (population 204)- is a small fishing harbor located on the picturesque Monterey Peninsula. Visitors can often purchase fresh fish and crabs directly from commercial fisherman right at the dock as they return to port with their daily catch. Alternately, visitors can stop by Phil’s Fish Market which has an extensive seafood menu including their famous Cioppino in a Bun. A handful of good antique stores too.
Amana Colonies in Amana, Iowa are historical and interesting to tour, especially with a family.
My favorite small town is Pampa, Texas, because of the coney island. A legendary cafe that serves the best chili hot dogs around.
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Cap d’Aile, southern France – for the nearly empty beach of fine black pebbles set off against cliffs