Each year, USA Today hosts its annual Readers’ Choice Awards.
How the event works is that a panel of experts compiles nomination lists across multiple categories. This year, these categories include small towns, department stores, and hot air balloon rides, among others.
From these compiled lists, readers vote for their favorite nominees, and the ten top-picked choices from each category are revealed in a series of listicles on USA Today’s website.
California is home to three out of the ten best small towns in the West, according to USA Today’s ‘10BEST’ small towns listicle.
The California-based small towns included Healdsburg, in Sonoma County; Solvang, in Santa Barbara; and Big Bear Lake, in San Bernardino County.
Solvang
Santa Barbara’s Solvang, the self-proclaimed ‘Danish Capital of America,’ is home to around 6,100 residents. It was ranked as one of Orbitz’s top five U.S. vacation spots with “international flair.”
The town was founded by Danish immigrants in 1911 after leaving the Iowa plains to settle down in California.
“Stroll down Copenhagen Drive tasting Aebleskiver and other Danish pastries, or sampling wine in the shade of windmills. Solvang is a sun-soaked slice of Danish culture in the Santa Ynez Valley, where California wine cellars mix with European bakeries and shops,” the front page of the town’s website tells its visitors.
More than 1 million people across the nation stop by the hidden gem each year.
Visitors and locals alike love to attend its signature 700-seat theater, the Solvang Theaterfest. Solvang also attracts visitors near and far for its variety of boutique shops, galleries, museums, and diverse dining options.
Healdsburg
Despite its small size, Sonoma County’s Healdsburg has earned an international reputation as a wine country destination. It is the place to go for a relaxing getaway.
The heart of this small town is the Healdsburg Plaza. If you’re looking to get tipsy at a wine-tasting, stock up your wardrobe, or find locally-crafted jewelry, this is the spot to go.
On the way in or out, visitors make sure to visit Lulo. Whether one is looking for ceramics, sculptures, paintings, or even rings, the gallery has it waiting.
The Healdsburg Center for the Arts is also generous in its scope of creative works, and is where residents and visitors of Healdsburg attend the town’s annual art festival.
Big Bear Lake
If you love the outdoors, San Bernardino’s Big Bear Lake should be on your bucket list. The sky island forest is merely two hours away from Los Angeles, home to the San Bernardino National Forest.
Both visitors from across the country and locals see it as their go-to for skiing, mountain biking, hiking, and other outdoor pursuits.
After a day of fun, guests love to visit Big Bear Lake’s performing arts theater. Featuring a mix of original performances and renditions of beloved classics, it is the perfect way to end the night.
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