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This weekend we featured a midwestern capital city that is far quirkier than you might expect. Madison, Wisconsin—best-known as a picturesque college town and Democratic stronghold—is delightfully quirky, as Brandon Withrow reported in the latest installment of It’s Still a Big World. Great food, great drinks, great sights, and beautiful lakeside views.

That piece is a good reminder of how America has so many charming smaller cities worth visiting. Amid a travel boom, both domestic and foreign, and with over-tourism taking a noticeable toll on some major cities, it’s crucial to consider some underrated and overlooked destinations.

For example, there’s Jacksonville, Florida, a “misunderstood” sprawl city with “sublime nature” and the perfect slice of pie. A great coastal Floridian city that’s “a little more colorful” than others—“a place still on its way to becoming something,” as William O’Connor wrote in his feature.

And there’s Redding, California, a surprising treat in a state full of mondo popular destinations. At the northernmost tip of the Sacramento Valley, bumping up against the south end of the Cascades, Redding is the perfect combo of adventure and relaxation. “Here you can kayak, hike, hunt, and fish, while also rewarding yourself with good food at the end of the day,” Withrow reported.

And here’s one that may come as a shocker: Fort Wayne, Indiana. I had no idea it’s chock full of architectural wonders. “Most of us would be pressed to point on a map to this city of a quarter million people,” O’Connor wrote upon visiting. “But it has a collection of works by some of the last century’s most important architects.”

Enjoy!

— Andrew Kirell, Senior Editor

This Overlooked Midwest City Is Full of Hidden Treasures

Most of us would be pressed to point on a map to this city of a quarter million people. But it has a collection of works by some of the last century’s most important architects.

This Midwest Capital City Is Quirkier Than You Think

Here’s why Wisconsin’s second-largest city is more than just a college town.

Is America’s Largest City Also Its Most Misunderstood?

Florida’s northernmost metropolis is also one of its most southern cities, which sounds contradictory. But then, Jacksonville abounds in delightful contradictions.

One of California’s Best-Kept Secrets Is an Outdoors Haven

Redding might be known for the horrific Carr Fire in 2018, but it is still a world of outdoor activities and escapes, while also snagging good food at the end of the day.

“Madison is a city where its people try to own what it is—where the people will call out their own problems. It’s quirky. It’s delicious. It’s never short on alcohol. It has its issues and its problematic history. It’s many things, but it’s never simple.”

—Brandon Withrow on the charms of Wisconsin’s capital city.

This Carry-On Uses Its Wheels In More Ways Than One

While I might not always be the most practical packer, one thing I can certainly appreciate is a piece of luggage that can take me wherever I need to go—quite literally. The SOMODE Scooter Luggage isn’t only a stylish, easy-to-use carry-on bag that you can take on the road and on flights across the world, but it also functions as a ride-on scooter that both adults and kids alike can ride. Both fun and functional, there’s nothing not to like about the SOMODE Scooter Luggage.

—Scouted by Mia Maguire

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Travel Inside Menorca’s Chicest Houses

For the first time visitor, the seeming monotony of Paris’s streets is part of its appeal—block after block of taste made manifest. But over time you begin to notice differences. Some are flamboyantly embellished while others are simple with only shutters as adornment. Some have balusters of dense, elaborate metalwork, while others are skeletally elegant.

The Facades of Paris: Windows, Doors, and Balconies, our latest selection for Just Booked (our series on gorgeous coffee table books) captures this variety in page after page of smartly rendered watercolors. Even those who are familiar with the city’s subtle variety will likely be surprised by how much they’re likely to sweep past without noticing.

Don’t miss our other selections for our series on gorgeous travel-related coffee table books, Just Booked.

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