[CaliNative]

I haven't been there, but a I've heard good things about Galena, Illinois on the Mississippi. Gen./Pres. Grant lived there before the Civil War. Supposed to very nicely preserved town. For Mark Twain fans there is Hannibal MO, but it is kind of touristy. Was that really the Tom Sawyer fence etc.? Fun for the kids. They love the cave. In Wisconsin, pick any small town/village on the upper Door Penninsula. In western upstate NY, the village of Chautaqua is nice. The Institute of the same name is also there, and you can take lectures and courses in summer. Many of the small towns and villages in the Finger Lakes region are pretty, as are many of those in the Adirondacks. In PA, I like Gettysburg for the history and current beauty. Of course it was hell for a week in the Civil War. All Civil War buffs must visit. Eisenhower after he retired spent the warmer months there on his farm, and wintered in Palm Desert CA. Many of the small towns/villages on the New England coast and islands are very pretty. Expensive though.