Big, sexy cities get a lot of the hype in the world of American travel. Millions of people and easily accessible airports will do that. But as cities become prohibitively expensive and vacations get shorter, smaller towns have become appealing options. Talented chefs and creative entrepreneurs are going where the cost of doing business is cheaper, and what results are towns across America where the food, drinks, and general good times are often better than in major metropolitan areas. And, in many cases, these towns have way better access to nature than the big cities.

We took a look at towns with populations under 100,000 in this great land of ours, from a California beach town with some of the best surfing in the world to a tiny farm town in the Hudson Valley with an epic food and drink scene. From the plains of Kansas to the mountains of New Mexico and even out to the Hawaiian islands, we’ve found the ultimate collection of towns where people can have the weekend of their lives — and maybe even stay for good. Throughout these 25 selections (in no particular order), you’ll find some of the coolest places in America that don’t get nearly the attention they deserve, and get inspired for your next under-the-radar getaway.

This year’s list of coolest towns in America was written by Matthew Meltzer, Noelle Alejandra Salmi, and Laura Reilly, with nominations from the entire Matador Network staff.