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3 local towns make list for 'Must See' small towns
Three local towns made a Thrillist list for 'Must see' small towns.
PHILADELPHIA - While it's tempting to travel to a big city or a suburban offshoot, sometimes you need a small town to shake up mundane travel destinations.
Thrillist, a popular travel website, recently curated a list of ‘must-visit’ small towns for every state – and three are just a short drive from Philadelphia.
"We looked from coast to coast at villages, townships, and even islands, where the living is easy and the pace reliably slow," the outlet explained.
These small towns, often defined as less than 5,000 people, offer a "respite from big-city life, and, often, a gateway to outdoor adventure."
Ambler, Pennsylvania
Located just 15 miles from Philadelphia, Ambler has all the makings of a quaint small town feeling that those tired of city living crave.
"Old brick buildings, pubs, boutiques, a dance company, painting studio, and a playhouse that puts on spectacular live productions – Ambler has the quintessential small-town Main Street, only better," Thrillist editor Erin Weaver wrote about the town of about 6,800.
The Ambler Theater, which hosts live plays and shows a variety of movies, was highlighted as one of the town's main attractions. Like any good small town, the local fare includes house-turned-microbrewery at Forest and Main, and "some of the best barbecue around" at The Lucky Well.
Street fairs and farmers markets held throughout the year help capture the small town vibe, and well-known local lore about an over-century-old train wreck shows how deep Ambler's roots run.
Sea Bright, New Jersey
Beachgoers all have an opinion about which Jersey Shore town is best, but none capture the small town atmosphere quite like Sea Bright.
The town of around 1,500 people isn't just an escape from city life, it's a getaway from the unsavory shenanigans sometimes found at the shore.
"Sea Bright isn’t overwhelmed by kitschy tourist traps and saltwater taffy stands," Thrillist editor Wil Fulton said. "This is where people from New Jersey go when they go to the Shore."
Flanked by the Navesink River and the Atlantic Ocean, the seaside retreat boasts over a mile of "bars you actually want to visit" and beaches for locals and out-of-towners alike.
Lewes, Delaware
While sometimes forgotten about, Delaware's seaside community offers gems that will charm hard-nosed beach snobs from either coast.
"One summer in Lewes enchanted me for life," travel writer and California native TM Brown wrote for Thrillist.
With a population of about 3,300, Lewes follows through on the hard-kept promise of finding "something for everyone," Brown wrote.
The team behind Dogfish Brewery in nearby Milton, De. runs a quaint hotel in Lewes, and local eateries like Matt's Fish Camp and Heirloom would give "any farm-to-table spot in Soho or Venice Beach a run for its money."