'America's Favorite Small Towns To Visit' List Includes 3 Virginia Communities

VIRGINIA — Three Virginia communities have made the list of America's favorite small towns to visit. FamilyDestinationsGuide.com surveyed 3,000 families to pinpoint the top 150 towns across the country where they'd like to vacation this year.

No. 1 happens to be the tiny village of Holualoa in Hawaii while No. 2 is Ely, Nevada. Rounding the top 5 towns are No. 3 Anna Maria Island, Florida; No. 4 Old Koloa Town, Hawaii; and No. 5 West Yellowstone, Montana.

These are the Virginia cities on the list:

No. 7 Chincoteague: An Eastern Shore town,where wild ponies roam and breathtaking sunsets over Assateague Island await. Chincoteague is Virginia's only resort island and is the gateway to the Virginia portion of Assateague Island and the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, home of the famous Chincoteague wild ponies. Visitors can relax on the beach or watch rocket launches by NASA from nearby Wallops Island. Chincoteague gained national fame in 1961 when the movie "Misty of Chincoteague," was released, based on author Marguerite Henry's award-winning children's book Misty of Chincoteague, which she wrote in 1947 while staying at Miss Molly's Inn on the island, the visitors guide says.

No. 37 Cape Charles: On the shores of the Chesapeake Bay, Cape Charles is on the National Register of Historic Places and has one of the largest concentrations of turn-of-the-century buildings of any East Coast city, the visitors guide says. Once a busy railroad town, Cape Charles faded as cars and trucking become more important. But in the last 30 years a resurgence has restored old structures and drawn new residents and visitors. Its deep-water harbor, pristine beaches, and Victorian architecture have attracted many visitors.

No. 82 Warrenton: The Fauquier County seat began as a colonial trading post. At the time of the Revolution, a settlement had begun, and by 1790 the first courthouse was built and a jail was erected. Richard Henry Lee donated 71 acres of land for the county seat, which was incorporated as the Town of Warrenton in 1810. Warrenton is the gateway to Virginia’s Piedmont Region — where wineries and horses abound. The town has preserved its historic character, including a home dating back to the French & Indian War. Old Town Warrenton draws Civil War buffs, where visitors can walk where the “Gray Ghost” John S. Mosby once raided, lived and is buried. And tour the Old Jail Museum, complete with exhibits from the Fauquier Historical Society. The county hosts some of the largest equestrian events in the country, including the nation’s longest-running horse show, Olympic trials, and the Virginia Gold Cup steeplechase races.

See the full 150 Best Small Towns in America in 2023 list.