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It is has two motels and a miniature golf course, it isn't a small town. A true Illinois small town has no motels (perhaps one "motor hotel" on the edge of town), two bars, a grain elevator and a church (or 3). Try Ivesdale, Illinois for a true small town.

The cars are before my time, but I remember when town looked like that. I loaded my red wagon with watermelons and sat beside the road. A family from Canada visiting the South bought one and it was beyond exciting to me, people from another country buying my watermelon. I'm such a Gomer Pyle.

It seems just a bit condescending.

No, that sounds pretty boring. My had a farm about 20 min from a really small town and there was really nothing to do. Luckily, we always found things to do on the farm.

I think this is only appealing to foreigners in a different country. The thought of doing that in a small town in Italy *might* appeal to me, but the thought of doing anywhere in the US... well, no thanks.

I guess I don't see it as condescending.
I think it is good when foreign tourists see something outside of the big American cities.

If I visit London, it doesn't mean I've seen England...

And if I'm on vacation, sometimes all the entertainment I need is just to see a new place and wander around to experience the landscape and watch people in their environment.

You've got damn cool friends.

We actually do the same in our home state, going off and exploring the small towns. Sometimes you strike gold. Other times you don't. But it's always an adventure!

Yes I would do this. For all you northeasterners, a great small town to do this in is Cherry Valley, NY. Adorable place, friendly people, and for sports fans, its about 30 mins from Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown or the Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta.

Sidenote: I might be a little wary venturing into small towns in the deep south. I'd be afraid of the anti-semitism and dislike of yankees in states like Alabama and Louisiana.

I love small town America! When I'm on a road trip I always try to find places to eat that may take me a few miles off the highway but are way more interesting and satisfying than the fast food places right at the exits.

Every year I spend a long weekend in Effingham, IL (with a day trip to Nokomis to see a teeny baseball museum and eat a pony-shoe sandwich) as part of a family reunion, and then later a week in New Glarus, WI for a biking vacation - both are fantastic small towns. I love city life in Chicago where I live and I love to visit places like New York, but it's nice to get away and have a totally different experience.

Anti-semitism in the deep south? Sure, it has to exist but I seriously doubt you have to fear being jumped on the outskirts of town or something. And yankees are more of an amusement then anything :)

There are friendly small towns and exclusive and closed small towns above and below the Mason_Dixon line (I call it the sweet tea line), not to mention out west/midwest/Alaska etc.

Oddly enough, one of the most uncomfortable feeling small towns I've had the displeasure of having to stay overnight in was in central Oklahoma. It was very economically depressed and that stress and depression could be felt even at the local Subway. Whereas some of the most friendly small towns I've been in the deep and border south from Georgia to Kentucky.

Oh, the comment on anti-semitism was in response to Kpaige13 and I realized I might have worded it oddly; basically I mean that even if some people in the South hold discriminatory views, it would be a shame to avoid the numerous small towns that make great gateways to state and national parks, have cool little arts scenes or historic sights etc.

One thing I've noticed about many southern towns and cities both is that when someone disapproves of you (for whatever reason), they are likely to still treat you very politely (but not "friendly" per se), no idea why.

I grew up in a town with all the things on the list and looks like a poorer, junkier modern version of the picture. It's not the sort of place I'd suggest anyone to go for any reason ever. I'd also tell them to avoid the one hotel in my town (gross) and opt for one of the many bed and breakfasts (couldn't possibly be grosser than the hotel.)

And just so you know, chances are the locals would likely find this condescending. Those of us who hate our small towns expect you to do so also, those who don't hate their small town will probably (secretly) hate you city folks for invading it.

Small towns go hand in hand with alcoholism and drug abuse because there really is nothing else.

Jeepers. I grew up in a small town (pop. 5000) and sure, there was alcohol and drug use, but mostly among some of the teenagers who were all stupid anyway. There was also an art gallery, and a little homesteader's museum with a candy store and a craft shop, and the best main street bakery ever, and your pick of churches on Sunday morning (plus Saturday evening, if you're Catholic). I don't think all small-town tourism can be painted with the same ugly brush.

If you want to define a what constitutes a small town, when my my parents moved across the country in 1969, my Mum would say, "It's not a town unless it's got a hotel with a bar attached to it."

My dad called this "shun-piking" -- getting off the main road/highway and going local, to see what the interstates have bypassed. He recalled the days before good highways and air travel, when people vacationed closer to home and made due with local entertainment. We ended up in little faded resorts on pleasant lakes, stopping at roadside attractions, poking through antique/junk shops and minor historical sites.

And people were always glad to see us!

If you're queer, small town america is TO BE AVOIDED AT ALL COSTS. Even non-conformist, non-weird people avoid the majority of small towns. I'm ever thankful that my parents were reverse white flight from a 5000 person town known for it's national merit scholars...and drug problems (in Indiana's most GOP county to boot) and hot tailed it back to the inner city and Chicago Public Schools (seriously).

FYI Effingham isn't quite a small town. New Glarus is great, but touristy. AND has excellent cuisine at the Hotel New Glarus - fantastic Swiss-German food (cost for three with tons of booze, less than one entree in a trendy River North/Lincoln Park restaurant and better service to boot).

Mlle Kate, is your mother from Wisconsin? Waukesha in particular?

I would pick a small town if there was something of interest to see, do or hear. It's more than twice the population of Paris, Il, but Clarksdale, MS is high on the list of places to drop by.

As always, one gets out of a vacation what one puts into it. If one is eager to ogle the local yokels and revel in stereotypes, that will be palpably condescending.

if you are traveling with your boyfriend in the bible belt, it might be best to pretend your married. from firsthand experience, there is no quicker way to make friendly folks give you the cold shoulder than by being a brazen hussy in their eyes. ooh i shudder from the memory.

I think small towns vary so widely that any of these absolutes aren't accurate (i.e. "If you're queer, small town america is TO BE AVOIDED AT ALL COSTS.")

I'm gay and have lived, worked, passed through and avoided a variety of small towns and big cities in the 25 or so states I've been to. The one and only time I've ever been threatened (and I use that mildly, it was more of a harassment/yelling thing) was in Philadelphia PA, hardly small town USA. That said, I consider small towns to fit anywhere under about 20,000 people or something smaller than a major state university :)

dn, I missed your comment earlier--my Mum is actually from Nova Scotia and the definition in question was created when my parents and older sisters were moving across the country to Alberta in 1969. Does she sound like someone you know?