Outsides Best Towns 2004 100-Proof Americana Drop in for a day, stay a week, or put down roots for a lifetime. In these soulful, just-under-the-radar hideouts, distilled small-town pleasures still go down smoothly.
Downtime along the Syllame Mountain Bike Trail in Mountain View, Arkansas. (Ryan Donnell)
Seeking an underpopulatedand undiscoveredslice of paradise? Drop in to any of our 20 adventure towns, from burly Haines, Alaska, to serene Cedar Key, Florida, where you'll find cush, affordable base camps for spontaneous long weekends or a lifetime of wild fun. By Mike GrudowskiPLUS: If you're moving to that rustic retreat, you'd better mind your mannersauthor and small-town guy Michael Perry shares his secrets for fitting in; our troubleshooting guide to home buying in dreamland; living on the edge in America's best border towns; and more.