What places come to mind when you think of small towns with big city advantages? (college, vs)

[pj0145]

That's it basically. Small places that somehow have the amenities that usually only larger cities have. Thanks!

[Tom Lennox 70]

Branson, Missouri
Morgantown, West Virginia (I consider Charleston WV a small city vs a small town)
Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Key West, Florida
Houma, Louisiana

[ckhthankgod]

Many college towns are like this. What is the criteria for a small town in this case though?

[kyle19125]

Asheville NC is a prime example with a population of 91K. Others I would include are Wilmington DE (population 71K) and Santa Fe NM (population 83K).

[SEAandATL]

Gatlinburg, TN
Pensacola, FL
Morehead City, NC

[cebuan]

Any city that is a more than two hour drive from a larger metro. Not many on the east, bot places like:


Amarillo, Lubbock, San Angelo TX
Marquette MI
Fayetteville AR
Grand Junction CO
Tallahassee FL
Boise ID
Wichita KS
Springfield MO
Sioux Falls SD
Spokane WA

[sub]

Sheboygan, Wisconsin.
50k.
Bus system.
Art museum.
Symphony orchestra.
Children's museum.
Major golf courses for the PGA.
Somewhat of a tourist spot along Lake Michigan.
Not a suburb of anything, but is an hour's drive through open country to Milwaukee.
Feels like a miniature Milwaukee.
Only drawback (or perhaps a plus), is that it doesn't have as much retail as similar sized cities across the country, but that's kind of a Wisconsin thing. They support local to a fault, and don't seem to change habits much. I like that about it.

[sonofaque86]

Charleston

[Heel82]

Morehead City is such an odd choice.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by cebuan

Any city that is a more than two hour drive from a larger metro. Not many on the east, bot places like:


Amarillo, Lubbock, San Angelo TX
Marquette MI
Fayetteville AR
Grand Junction CO
Tallahassee FL
Boise ID
Wichita KS
Springfield MO
Sioux Falls SD
Spokane WA

What is the criteria for a larger area? I ask because a lot of Eastern areas could fit.