10 Small U.S. Cities with Outsized Art, Food, and History
A travel article showcases ten charming small cities in the United States, each boasting walkable historic districts, vibrant arts and culinary scenes, and unique characters. Charleston, SC, established in 1670, is famous for its peninsula, single houses, Lowcountry cuisine, and the International African American Museum (2023). Santa Fe, NM, home to 90,000 people, is filled with numerous galleries and the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum. Founded in 1749, Alexandria, VA, includes Old Town and the Freedom House Museum. St. Augustine, FL, the oldest U.S. settlement since 1565, is anchored by Castillo de San Marcos. Other notable cities include San Juan, PR (established in 1521), Savannah, GA (founded in 1733), Oakland, CA, Lexington, KY, Honolulu, HI, and Pensacola, FL.
Key facts
- Charleston, South Carolina, was founded in 1670 and retains its historic peninsula, with the International African American Museum opening in 2023 at Gadsden's Wharf.
- Santa Fe, New Mexico, has roughly 90,000 residents and several hundred galleries, with a 1950s ordinance mandating Spanish-Pueblo or Territorial Revival architecture in historic districts.
- St. Augustine, Florida, founded in 1565 by Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, is the oldest continuously occupied European settlement in the continental U.S.
- San Juan, Puerto Rico, established in 1521, features Castillo San Felipe del Morro and Castillo San Cristóbal, the largest Spanish fortification in the Americas.
- Savannah, Georgia, was laid out in 1733 by James Oglethorpe and retains 22 public squares; The Grey's chef Mashama Bailey won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southeast in 2019.
- Oakland, California, has a population of about 440,000 and is where Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale founded the Black Panther Party in 1966.
- Lexington, Kentucky, is known for thoroughbred breeding and bourbon, with Keeneland Race Course and the Distillery District among its attractions.
- Honolulu, Hawaii, is home to ʻIolani Palace (completed 1882), the Bishop Museum (founded 1889), and Diamond Head State Monument.
Entities
Artists
- Georgia O'Keeffe
- Mashama Bailey
- Huey P. Newton
- Bobby Seale
- Pedro Menéndez de Avilés
- Juan Ponce de León
- Henry Flagler
- James Oglethorpe
- King Kalākaua
- Queen Liliʻuokalani
- Daniel "Chappie" James Jr.
- Tristán de Luna y Arellano
- Martin Luther King Jr.
- George Washington
- Thomas Jefferson
Institutions
- International African American Museum
- Old Slave Mart Museum
- Charleston Wine + Food
- Georgia O'Keeffe Museum
- Palace of the Governors
- Meow Wolf
- SITE Santa Fe
- Santa Fe Indian Market
- Southwestern Association for Indian Arts
- Torpedo Factory Art Center
- Freedom House Museum
- Christ Church
- Gadsby's Tavern
- Franklin & Armfield
- Castillo de San Marcos
- National Park Service
- Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park
- Flagler College
- San Juan National Historic Site
- Catedral de San Juan Bautista
- The Grey
- First African Baptist Church
- Black Panther Party
- Kentucky Horse Park
- Keeneland Race Course
- Jim Beam
- Maker's Mark
- Bluegrass Distillers
- James E. Pepper Distillery
- Brown Hotel
- University of Kentucky
- ʻIolani Palace
- Bishop Museum
- Diamond Head State Monument
- Naval Air Station Pensacola
- Blue Angels
- National Naval Aviation Museum
- Chappie James Museum
- Gulf Islands National Seashore
Locations
- Charleston
- South Carolina
- United States
- Santa Fe
- New Mexico
- Alexandria
- Virginia
- Washington, D.C.
- St. Augustine
- Florida
- San Juan
- Puerto Rico
- Savannah
- Georgia
- Oakland
- California
- San Francisco
- Lexington
- Kentucky
- Louisville
- Honolulu
- Hawaii
- Oahu
- Pensacola
- Santa Rosa Island
- Bluegrass region
- Folly Beach
- Sullivan's Island
- Ashley River
- Canyon Road
- Railyard district
- San Miguel Chapel
- Ski Santa Fe
- Santa Fe National Forest
- Old Town
- King Street
- Potomac River
- Anastasia Island
- St. Augustine Beach
- Old San Juan
- Condado
- Isla Verde
- Guavate
- Forsyth Park
- Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
- River Street
- West Oakland
- Lake Merritt
- Fruitvale
- Telegraph Avenue
- Chinatown
- Waikiki
- Koʻolau Range
- Lēʻahi
- Diamond Head
- Pensacola Beach
- Seville Square
- Gadsden's Wharf
- Broad Street
- The Battery
- Fort Sumter
- Palace of the Governors
- Keeneland
- Blue Grass Airport
- Manchester Street
- Fayette County
- Clark County
- Brown Hotel
- ʻIolani Palace
- Bishop Museum
- Diamond Head State Monument
- Naval Air Station Pensacola
- Gulf Islands National Seashore
Sources
- Quartz —