6 Undiscovered Towns Worth the Trip

Crab Cake Central:
Chestertown, Maryland
Maryland’s Eastern Shore that squiggly coastline along Chesapeake Bay has always been a favorite destination for vacationers from Philadelphia and Washington, thanks to the area’s historic villages, picturesque harbors, unspoiled coves and the best crab cakes in the country.

Colonial Chestertown has all that and more. It is the site of Washington College, founded in 1782, which means that there’s an especially high concentration of coffeehouses, good restaurants -- try the Blue Heron Cafe (blueheroncafe.com) in town or Fish Whistle (410-778-3566) by the water -- eclectic galleries and small shops like the wonderful Compleat Bookseller lining its red-brick sidewalks. At the foot of High Street are park benches and families of waddling geese. Settle in and enjoy the view of the Chester River, the bobbing boats and the stately brick 18th-century mansions along Water Street.

After exploring, relax just outside of town at the elegant Brampton Bed and Breakfast Inn (bramptoninn.com; rooms from $195), a former peach plantation. In warm weather you’ll find porch swings and pitchers of ice tea on the veranda; in winter sip hot chocolate by the fireplace in your room. Information: chestertown.com.

By: Kathleen Beckett

New England Meets the Midwest:
Grand Marais, Minnesota
The North Shore of Lake Superior feels more Maine than Midwest: seagulls, lighthouses, endless water-and-sky vistas. And the village of Grand Marais would be a good stand-in for a classic Maine seaside town, if it weren’t so deeply connected to the natural, historical and artistic traditions of this remote part of Minnesota.

About 260 miles northeast of Minneapolis, it’s home to the North House Folk School, where you can learn how to weave birch bark or harvest wild rice, and it’s a jumping-off place for trips into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, one of the loveliest stretches of water and forest on the planet.

But the oldest art colony in Minnesota is here too, and along with it, a large community of artists. Among the canoe outfitters you’ll find serious galleries, as well as ambitious restaurants like the Angry Trout Cafe (angrytroutcafe.com), with its locally caught fish and organic vegetables, and The Crooked Spoon Cafe (crookedspooncafe.com).

Top-of-the-line lodgings include the Best Western Superior Inn and Suites (bestwestern.com, rooms from $89), which is right on the big lake, and the MacArthur House Bed and Breakfast (macarthurhouse.net, rooms from $74), near the Folk School. Spring is a festive time to visit -- it’s still chilly, but winter is over, and northern Minnesotans are practically giddy with relief. Information: grandmarais.com.

By: Jon Spayde

A River Runs Through It:
Salida, Colorado
Picture a small Colorado town set in a broad valley ringed by mountains. A tree-lined river runs right through downtown, the streets are filled with century-old, red-brick buildings that house a couple dozen art galleries, and new restaurants are popping up in landmarked storefronts and converted gas stations. Excellent skiing is 30 minutes away, and endless rafting, hiking, biking, camping and fishing are right out the door. Oh, and the weather is famously mild -- those 14,000-foot peaks to the west block out the worst of winter.

Is it Aspen? Telluride? No, it’s Salida, population 5,500, about 150 miles southwest of Denver. There’s not a fur shop or upscale time-share to be found, but Salida is no backwater. Outside magazine named it a “Best Town” in 2004, and it was included in the guidebook, “America’s 100 Best Small Art Towns.”

Refuel from rafting or biking at Bongo Billy’s Salida Cafe (salidacafe.com). Don’t miss dinner at The Butcher’s Table (719-530-9909), where former chef Kurt Boucher offers sophisticated farm fare. Tuck in for the night at the suburban-style Tudor Rose Bed and Breakfast (thetudorrose.com, rooms from $81), which is quiet and far less precious than its name.

By: Tom Passavant

Laid-Back Beach:
Bald Head Island, North Carolina
Just 30 minutes from Wilmington, N.C., is the ferry to Bald Head Island, one of the country’s most beautiful and unspoiled barrier islands. Not only does it have bluffs, rolling sand dunes and 14 miles of beaches, but there’s also a huge swath of pristine maritime forest.

Other natural attractions abound. The island is the state’s largest nesting site for loggerhead turtles -- book a nighttime tour with the Bald Head Island Conservancy -- and it’s a birders’ delight with more than 226 species. No visit is complete until you watch a spectacular sunset from the top of Old Baldy, North Carolina’s oldest standing lighthouse.

Visitors frequently stay in one of the many rental vacation homes on Bald Head, many of which have gracious front porches and boardwalks to the beach. Since there are no cars allowed on the island, each house comes with its own golf cart. Or you can book a room at the romantic Theodosia’s Bed and Breakfast (theodosias.com, rooms from $225).

Though the island has limited development, the amenities are top-notch. Have a Low Country seafood boil at Eb and Flo’s (910-457-7217), or a more elegant dinner at The River Pilot Cafe (910-457-7390). Visitors can also enjoy golf, tennis, croquet, sailing, spa, eco-camps for kids and swimming pools. A true island vacation, no passport required. Information: baldheadisland.com.

By: Virginia Holman

Desert Chill:
Bisbee, Arizona
This is one cool town, thanks to altitude and attitude. Tucked into a mile-high valley in the Mule Mountains, 90 miles southeast of Tucson, Bisbee seldom swelters. Artists and nature lovers have transformed the old copper-mining town of 7,000 in recent years, turning it into a pocket-size version of Sedona. Quirky galleries and shops line Main Street, where you can belly up to the bar at the Copper Queen Hotel (circa 1902) or climb the staircase “side streets” to the turn-of-the-20th-century mansions and miners’ shacks terraced into the red hills. Go underground on a train ride through the defunct Queen Mine. Or tour the high desert countryside with the Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory, stalking hawks or -- in winter -- sandhill cranes by the thousands.

You can dine on delicate king salmon at Cafe Roka (caferoka.com). Accommodations include the Copper Queen Hotel (copper-queen.com, rooms from $89), or opt for The Shady Dell (theshadydell.com, rooms from $90), an enclave of restored vintage trailers that is the hippest hostelry in town. A snazzy 1957 Airfloat, for example, features twin beds, a full -- if miniaturized -- bath, kitchen and sitting area, plus tapes of period music and movies for $124 a night. Information: discoverbisbee.com.

By: Lynn Langway

Art Amid the Mountains:
Eureka Springs, Arkansas
Etched into the face of the Ozark Mountains in the far northwestern corner of Arkansas, this historic little town (population 2,500) has the feel of a European hamlet, complete with narrow streets and a vibrant arts scene.

Thanks to the popularity of its “healing waters,” Eureka Springs, founded in 1879, became a thriving resort in the Victorian era. Today its well-preserved downtown is on the National Register of Historic Places. Visitors stroll through art galleries and specialty shops dedicated to local and out-of-town artists.

Those in search of the town’s Victorian heritage will want to stay at the Cliff Cottage Inn (cliffcottage.com, from $189), built in the 1880s and now a bed and breakfast. It offers a classic period look -- sharp triangular roofs, brilliant colors and large welcoming parlor windows. If you’d prefer a hotel, try the 1886 Crescent Hotel (crescent-hotel.com, rooms from $143), a landmark that’s worth a visit even if you don’t stay overnight. Stop by its Crystal Dining Room (crystaldiningroom.com) for a relaxed brunch or a hearty steak dinner.

Outside of town, the Ozarks, with their gentle slopes and steep, rocky overlooks, offer plenty of outdoor adventure. Go camping, climbing or hiking in the hills or sign on for a float trip or a trail ride amid all the amazing beauty of the mountains surrounding Eureka. Information: eurekasprings.com.

By: John Worthen