I love to get out and explore small towns, especially when traveling to different regions throughout America. Having lived in the Washington D.C. area for over ten years, I’ve traveled all over the Mid-Atlantic region, and have visited some of its great small towns. These towns all offer charming but lively downtown districts, cultural and historic attractions, great restaurants, hotels and shopping, and beautiful surrounding scenery, making them a perfect place to visit for a weekend. Below is a list of just some of the many great small towns in the Mid-Atlantic region worth exploring.
Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania
Nestled in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania is the picturesque town of Jim Thorpe, also known as the “Little Switzerland of America.” Originally called Mauch Chunk, it was founded in 1812 as a company coal town. In 1954, the town was renamed in honor of the American athlete and Olympic gold medalist. The beautiful downtown is separated from the main part of the town on the east side of the Lehigh River. Broadway Street winds its way up a hill, lined with beautiful Victorian architecture, and full of great shops, restaurants, galleries, antique shops and bed and breakfasts. The Mauch Chunck Museum and Cultural Center provides a history of the town’s coal mining past. The Mauch Chunck Opera House, built in 1881, is one of America’s oldest vaudeville theaters. Each October, the town hosts an annual Fall Foliage Festival. Jim Thorpe is the perfect spot to use as a base to explore other activities in the Pocono Mountains, such as hiking, biking, horseback riding and whitewater rafting. Nearby, visitors can take a ride on the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway, especially popular during the fall foliage season.
Easton, Maryland
Easton, located on what is called the Delmarva peninsula, has been named one of the best small towns in America by Smithsonian. The downtown area is a great place to stroll, shop, dine, ride a carriage, go antiquing, visit a museum or observe art in one of the many galleries. Easton harkens back to a small American town of yesteryear – Its tree-lined streets are filled with Colonial and Victorian architecture, historic cemeteries and granite built, gothic styled churches. Nearby residential areas contain beautiful old homes with large porches, lush beautifully landscaped lawns, and quaint bed and breakfasts. One may have seen glimpses of Easton from the 2005 film, “Wedding Crashers”, which was filmed at the Ellenborough Estate, currently privately owned. Famous abolitionist, Frederick Douglass was born twelve miles north of Easton, and enslaved at the nearby Wye Plantation, and Harriet Tubman was born south of Easton, in nearby Dorchester County. There are numerous scheduled events throughout the year, but one of the more popular is the Waterfowl Festival, held three days in November coinciding with the opening of goose hunting season. Since its founding in 1971, this annual festival attracts thousands of visitors, showcasing wildlife art, food, music, and demonstrations related to waterfowl calling, raptors, retriever dogs, and fly fishing. Proceeds from the Festival go toward environmental, conservation and education projects throughout the Delmarva Peninsula to preserve wildlife, waterfowl, habit, and heritage. Other notable festivals include the Chesapeake Bay Balloon and Wine festival (held in early August), and the Plein Air Event, the largest juried art competition in the U.S., with paintings made in the fresh air.
Lititz, Pennsylvania
Lititz is a beautiful small town located just north of Lancaster, founded during the 18th century by German Moravians seeking religious freedom. The goal of the Moravians was to establish a model community based on the ideology of the Moravian religion, the oldest Protestant religion in the world. Until the 19th century, only Moravians were allowed to live in the town. Today, the charming downtown is filled with boutiques, antique shops, galleries, restaurants, bed and breakfasts, as well as numerous historic buildings and churches. Colorful flowers are displayed in the parks, hanging baskets, and within street medians, and large Victorian homes line the surrounding residential streets. Lititz is home to the oldest pretzel factory in America, Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery, and visitors can get a hands-on lesson in pretzel twisting. In the center of town is the beautiful Lititz Spring Park, home of the weekly farmer’s market, and where numerous annual events are held, such as the outdoor art show and Christmas in the Park. While in Lititz, make sure to visit the many attractions in Lancaster, as well as the sites in the beautiful Amish countryside located to the east of Lancaster.
New Hope, Pennsylvania
New Hope is located in tranquil Bucks County, just outside of Philadelphia along the west bank of the Delaware River. Travel + Leisure named New Hope one of the country’s coolest suburbs worth a visit. New Hope is known for its arts scene and provides a great day trip for visitors exploring Philadelphia. Historically, New Hope was where many Broadway theater shows were ‘tested and fine tuned’ especially at the Bucks County Playhouse. Main Street is lined with galleries, craft shops, great restaurants and boutiques. Nearby, visitors can walk on trails that follow the old canal and locks that run parallel to the Delaware River, or ride in a steam locomotive through the picturesque countryside on the New Hope Railroad. Annual events include the Arts and Crafts Festival, the Pride Week and Parade, and the Winter Festival. Just across the river, accessed by a pedestrian bridge, is Lambertville, New Jersey. This historic and attractive town founded in 1705 is known as “The Antiques Capital of New Jersey.” The quaint downtown is filled with numerous antique shops, galleries, coffee shops, restaurants, museums and more.
Nearby is Washington Crossing Historic Park, commemorating the site where George Washington led his troops across the icy Delaware River in 1776 to defeat the British during the Revolutionary War. Fifteen minutes west of New Hope is Peddler’s Village, an attractive shopping, dining and entertainment complex comprised of colonial style buildings and gardens, with regular festivals and events.
Frenchtown, New Jersey
Located along the Delaware River about an hour north of Philadelphia, and just north of New Hope is tiny Frenchtown. Frenchtown was recognized by USA Today as one of “America’s Top 10 Best Small Towns for Shopping.” The lovely town also boasts a vibrant arts scene, rich history, and plenty of Victorian architecture. The area was settled during the early 18th century by Huguenot refugees seeking religious freedom. Later, Paul Henry Mallet-Prevost, a Swiss refugee from the French Revolution settled the area in 1794, and many French families followed. Visitors can explore the many shops, boutiques, galleries, antique shops and restaurants in the small downtown focused along Bridge Street. The historic National Hotel offers luxury suites and upscale dining. Another activity is to hike a towpath to a canal that once linked New York and Philadelphia at the Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park. Frenchtown also enjoys a good celebration. Annual festivals include Frenchtown Riverfest streetfair, French themed Bastille Day, Eco Week and Green Fair, and the Frenchtown Zombie Crawl.
Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
Nestled in the mountains of the eastern panhandle of West Virginia, where the Potomac and the Shenandoah Rivers meet is Harpers Ferry. The historic compact town at the confluence of the two rivers is characterized by cobblestone streets, historic buildings, Victorian homes, and old railroad bridges crossing the Potomac, all surrounded by steep mountains. An easy drive less than two hours west of Washington D.C., Harpers Ferry is known for its significant role in American history. John Brown, a famous abolitionist, led a raid on the town in 1859 to acquire weapons to free local slaves. This event was a major catalyst leading to the Civil War. John Brown’s fort built in 1859 was used as a base of operations for his raid on the local armory. The fort is now a National Historic Landmark and is open to the public. The town’s strategic location resulted in both the Unionists and Confederates striving to control the town during the war. Harpers Ferry National Historic Park, operated by the National Park Service, commemorates the site of the 1862 Battle of Harpers Ferry, which was one of the first battles of the Civil War. Another nearby attraction is the Appalachian Trail, and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy Visitor Center is the perfect place to start a journey on the trail. The area is also home to numerous recreational companies such as Harpers Ferry Adventure Center, offering opportunities for canoeing, kayaking, ziplining, mountain biking, river tubing and whitewater rafting.
Middleburg, Virginia
About an hour west of Washington D.C. near the Blue Ridge Mountains is the beautiful quaint town of Middleburg, Virginia. Established in 1787, Middleburg is known as the Nation’s Horse and Hunt Capital and is a popular spot for people visiting the numerous wineries throughout the beautiful surrounding countryside. The town also offers museums, historic landmarks, numerous antique shops and fine cuisine. During early December, the town hosts a Charles Dickens style Christmas Parade. Prior to the parade is the Hunt and Hounds review. Hounds, horses and riders dressed in red and blue colored hunting gear march along Washington Street. The display is a spectacular site on a snowy day. Other activities held during the same weekend include a tree lighting ceremony, carols, a nutcracker ballet performance, and Christmas pageant. The surrounding area is also home to dozens of wineries, quaint bed and breakfasts, horse farms and resorts including the award winning Salamander Resort and Spa.
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
Rehoboth Beach, known as America’s Summer Capital, is a popular Mid-Atlantic beach town that attracts visitors throughout the year because of its beaches, trails, state parks, arts, festivals, shopping, and great restaurants. Rehoboth Avenue is the main street within downtown, and is lined with numerous shops, galleries, restaurants, and other services. A bandstand sits at the end of the street, and is a focal point for many of the festivals that occur each year, such as the Sea Witch Festival. Just beyond the bandstand is the mile long boardwalk and main beach The wide boardwalk itself is lined with shops, restaurants, ice cream stands and arcades. Rehoboth Beach offers accessibility to many other regional attractions. Cape Henlopen State Park situated within a former military base long the Delaware Bay, allows visitors to enjoy forests, marshes, sand dunes, hilltop view points, abandoned military towers and relics, a light house, nature center, and beautiful wide beaches.
Cape May, New Jersey
Cape May sits at the far southern tip of New Jersey at the entrance to the Delaware Bay. This quaint seaside community has been a popular resort area since the 18th century when it began hosting vacationers from Philadelphia. Cape May is recognized as America’s oldest seaside resort and is known for its plethora of gingerbread Victorian style homes and buildings, many facing the wide sand beach. In fact, the entire city is a National Historic District, with over 600 preserved Victorian buildings including the Emlen Physick Estate. The center of activity is focused on the Washington Street pedestrian mall, lined with dozens of shops, restaurants, cafes, galleries and more. Another must see spot is the Cape May Lighthouse. After climbing nearly 200 steps to the top, visitors are rewarded with a panoramic view of the Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay. The arts are very active in Cape May. Popular events include the Cape May Jazz Festival, the Cape May Music Festival, and the Cape May Film Festival. Live theater is available at the East Lynne Theater Company. A fun way to reach Cape May is by taking a one hour ferry ride across the Delaware Bay from Lewes, Delaware.
Rhinebeck, New York
Upscale and historic Rhinebeck, located in the Hudson Valley north of New York City, is a cultural mecca, known for its galleries, boutiques, bookstores, theaters, performing arts, historic homes and mix of Victorian, Colonial and Tudor style architecture. Historic preservation is an important element of local pride in Rhinebeck. Country Living Magazine called it one of the Ten Most Charming Small Towns in America. The quaint downtown is centered at the intersection of Mill Street and West Market Street, and offers great dining, shopping, entertainment and other services. These features have made Rhinebeck a popular destination for day-trippers and transplants from New York City, as well as an increasingly sought after retirement destination. Events in Rhinebeck include the annual Dutchess County Fair, and the Rhinebeck Farmers Market (held 10am-2pm on Sundays between May and December). The Rhinebeck Center for Performing Arts provides theater performances, a dance studio, and workshops throughout the year. Major attractions include the Wilderstein Historic Site, the historic Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn and Tavern and the Antique Market, home to 30 antique dealers.
