Tennessee’s Most Charming Small Cities Named

The online travel magazine TravelMag.com invited more than 100 travel writers, photographers and selected professionals to name the Tennessee towns they consider the most appealing. Those surveyed were asked to choose their top three towns and cities with populations of less than 100,000 people. All of the votes were then tallied to produce the final selection.

Tennessee stretches through the heart of the American south to the banks of the mighty Mississippi River. And while its big cities such as Memphis and Nashville are the main draw, this land of Appalachian Mountains, 10,000 caves, and river-fed plains is also home to hundreds of small city and town wonders as well.

Among those that made our list is Franklin. Located just south of Nashville, the city was founded in 1799 and boasts a charming historic Downtown: a well maintained, 16-block district that’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Victorian architecture on vibrant streets full of shops, restaurants, and antiques stores surround the town square. Franklin is also known for its annual festivals and parade that take place at regular intervals throughout the year.

Situated in Maury County, the city of Columbia also boasts a scenic downtown offering plenty of shopping and a picturesque, café-lined square. There’s also a thriving art scene centreed around the Colu-mbia Arts District, which was established as a haven for artists and artisans. For the historically inclined traveller, Columbia also claims the former home (now a museum) of James K. Polk, who served as the 11th U.S. President from 1845-49.