PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Move over, Portland and Seattle. Oregon and Washington’s small towns are in the spotlight for a change, courtesy of a travel magazine that has highlighted the U.S.’s more quaint destinations in no particular order.
Travel + Leisure shared what it considers to be the 20 Most Beautiful Small Towns in the U.S. earlier this week. Towns from coast to coast, with populations of under 20,000 people, were included on the list.
Joseph, Ore., was placed at No. 13. In its reasoning for why the small town earned its spot, Travel + Leisure quoted Travel Oregon’s Allison Keeney, who raved about Joseph’s “snowcapped mountains, pastoral green field, and the beautiful Wallowa Lake.”
Outside of Joseph’s Mother-Nature-made attractions, the magazine recognized the town’s Main Street. Main Street stretches through the center of Joseph and is the home of art galleries, cafes, breweries, gift shops and boutiques. Joseph also has a Bronze Artwalk that features seven sculptures of historical figures.
Immediately after Joseph at No. 13, Washington town Leavenworth was placed at No.14. Leavenworth was previously recognized by other outlets for its Christmas lights display and for being a “winter wonderland.“
Travel + Leisure praised the town between Seattle and Spokane for leaning into being somewhat similar to a traditional German Town.
“In the 1960s, the townspeople decided to drum up tourism by collectively agreeing to theme the town like a Bavarian village,” the magazine said. “It’s on the sunny side of the state, which means you can revel in Bavarian traditions amid remarkable river and mountain views any season you like.”
Sedona, Arizona, Palisade, Colo., and Hermann, Mo., are among the other small towns highlighted by Travel + Leisure.