BY KAREN BOSSICK
Ketchum has landed on another Best list.
This time, the town of 2,800-plus residents has been named the Best Small Town in Idaho by Insider.
“There’s a reason Ernest Hemingway settled in Ketchum, Idaho, and made it his final home,” wrote Insider writer Frank Olito. “With the Bald Mountains (sic) of Sun Valley towering over the small town and wilderness wrapping itself around the rest, the town has become an idyllic destination for all types of travelers. Once a mining town, Ketchum has become a popular ski destination. The entire town seems like an idyllic ski cabin, perfect for the winter getaways. But residents are also able to hike, hunt and trail ride during the warmer months.”
Other “best small towns” include Helen, Ga., which has turned itself into a Bavarian alpine town near the Chattahoochee River and Chattahoochee National Forest. DeFuniak Springs, Fla., a Victorian town founded in the 1800s as a resort for railroad travelers, was lauded for its Chautauqua Hall of Brotherhood, a 4,000-seat 19th century auditorium.
Crested Butte, Colo., known for its Wildflower Festival, got the nod. So did Los Alamos, Calif., an 1876 town where starry-eyed couples get married at the 1880 Union Hotel. Wamego, Kan., was praised for its state park, Dutch mill, historic museum, prairie town village and its famed Oz Museum, which boasts many of the props from the 1030 movie “The Wizard of Oz.”
Whitefish, Mont., was noted for its winter carnival and snow sculpture competitions; Depoe Bay, Ore., for its whale watching; Green River, Utah, for its Melon Days Festival, cave hunting in nearby Goblin Valley and whitewater rafting. And Port Townsend, Wash., was praised for its Victorian mansions, arts and nearby state park.
Insider looked for towns that have a plethora of activities for locals and visitors.
“While cities are known for being culture hubs and centers of entertainment, small towns often have just as much to offer,” Olito wrote. “Across America small towns are becoming art havens, fine dining meccas and top destinations. AND “researchers have found that people living in small towns are happier than those living in more urban environments.”
See more at www.insider.com/best-small-town-in-every-state-2018-12