My family has been in LA Crosse Wisconsin for almost 180 years. Beautiful place, three rivers, the La Crosse, the Black, and of course the Mississippi. We are in a valley surrounded by bluffs, and we are part of the Driftless area too. Lots to do here also.
Happy to see Stillwater made the list. My Dad’s side of the family has lived in Stillwater since the beginning of the city. It’s a fantastic city with great scenery. Would recommend it to anyone visiting Minnesota.
Briggs, glad you included Chattanooga. If I was to move, it would definitely be in my top 5…probably top 3. It’s a beautiful up and coming city that is also affordable. I’m surprised it didn’t make your list for Best Cities for Young Adults
I was waiting for Savannah to be #1 and I'm happy I wasn't disappointed. While I've never lived there, I did live in Atlanta and visited Savannah frequently. I love the history and the atmosphere so much. For anyone who hasn't visited, it's a must-see!
Another worth visiting is Madison, Indiana. Once thriving steamboat port and largest town on the Ohio River between Cincinnati and Louisville. Has a huge historic district with very well preserved homes from the early 1800's.
Decent list, but in my opinion, one huge, glaring omission. You left off Missoula, Montana from the list. That town definitely deserves a spot on the list. The book and movie "A River Runs Through It" was set in and around Missoula. While fairly expensive, it wouldn't have been the most expensive town on this list, and it has a lot going for it. Solid food and beer scene, tons of nearby outdoor activities, decent nightlife and music scene, and a university. All nestled into the mountains. What more could you ask?
So happy to get to the end of your list and find out Savannah is #1. I just moved to a suburb of Savannah about 2 years ago and I ADORE going to downtown Savannah and enjoying the sites. It's a fun, beautiful city. (And there's a beach...Tybee Island...not far, too!)
St. Augustine - Be sure to check out their foodie tours. You can visit and sample food from numerous restaurants in the historic section of St. Augustine. A lot of fun and great food too! Savannah - Ghost tours. They’re not only fun to learn of the local lore and legends but you’ll hear of so much interesting history you might not have heard but for the tour. Also, some terrific restaurants.
If you're in the St. Louis area, check out Grafton, IL. It is a small river town on the convergence of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. The flood of 1993 devastated this little town, and its future seemed up in the air. They have come back amazingly. Every time I go back to visit family in the area, something new and great pops up in this town. They have great restaurants, a winery way up on a bluff, specialty shops, antique stores, and a pretty good water park that was built in the bluffs and designed to blend in with the natural beauty. Not only is it an amazing success story that defied the odds, but it is, in its own right, a pretty cool little town that looks and acts like a vacation destination.
We live in N Ohio, Marietta is one of our favorite weekend getaways. So beautiful, historic, peaceful. Love the museums, and a ride on the Ohio River is always a treat.
I agree. Pittsburgh is along 3 rivers, with a great deal of history. It was the gateway to the west in colonial days. It's an affordable place to live with museums and sports. Countryside for outdoor activities is closeby.
It's a clean city now. Wasn't when I grew up there back when they said don't swim in the rivers. Lots of culture, friendly people and not too expensive. I'm not going back because Colorado is home.
Truckee, California. This town sits on the Truckee River, about 30 miles west of Reno, and 15 miles north of Lake Tahoe. It is high in the Sierras (at the foot of Donner Pass) and is served by both Interstate 80 and Amtrak. It was a great hidden gem, back in the 1970's and early 80's. However, I have heard that it has been turned into a playground for the rich---which may be why it didn't make this list.
Wish we coulda seen Cape Girardeau MO in this one (biased because I live in Cape) but glad to see Hannibal bring some attention to The Forgotten State. Great video as always
You gotta check out Mystic, Connecticut! Beautiful old timey New England town with a historical seaport, awesome aquarium, cute little shops, and great food. Plus the Mystic Drawbridge is legendary!
Nice selection. I've visited Savannah, Chattanooga and Dubuque and was impressed by all. As much Idaho love as I've seen on your channel, I'm kind of surprised Idaho Falls didn't get an honorable mention. Can't cover everything, I guess.
I tuned in to this with Dubuque in mind and I'm so glad it made the list. I fell in love with that part of Iowa when my family traveled there from Michigan for a travel baseball tournament. Just like you mentioned in the video, it was a Field of Dreams tournament. My son's team loved the experience so much last year that we are going again this season. It was magical at the Field of Dreams Movie Site in Dyersville. We walked a bit of the riverwalk in Dubuque and I loved it. Very picturesque with the bridges going over the mighty Mississippi River. The overall landscape in Iowa with the farms and fields is very pretty.
Stillwater is an iconic river town. It’s where I grew up and where my parents still live in our family home. I was just there with them at the main cafe for breakfast this past weekend. You can’t ever get sick of Stillwater it has such a nice vibe and it’s almost always hoppin with activity. People are super nice as well, Minnesota nice definitely applies here. Fireworks are great on the 4th and lumberjack days is awesome too in the summer! I highly recommend for anyone coming to Minnesota or the twin cities in general. ❤❤
One thing about Chattanooga... locals pronounce it "Chadda-nooga", not "Chattnooga". Other'n that you're dead on, beautiful place! Also cool to see Helen on this list - I grew up not far from there!
Check out Lake City, MN on Lake Pepin (just a wide spot on the Mississippi) where water skiing was invented. Cute little town below the river bluffs across from Wisconsin. Love yur stuff, man! ;-)
I grew up in the Quad Cities: Davenport and Bettendorf, Iowa, and Moline and Rock Island, Illinois. If you want river towns you get a four-for one here! Not only that, but you can get Harris Pizza, the best pizza on the planet. I miss the QC's. I have so many stories from growing up there!
I visited Sunriver Oregon over the summer near Bend, it was pretty amazing. Not only did they have a really nice lazy river I tubed down with my friends but the had really nice walking trails and houses. I guess they got hit hard by a fire few years back so a lot of rebuilding going on, but if you are ever nearby or looking for an experience, I'd highly recommend. Also Bend has a river running through it and it was legit. I've never been to Durango Colorado, but heard from tons of people its a nice river town also.
Sioux City, IA in my opinion is a good river town. It historically has been very important due to its location on the Missouri River and it’s not expensive
My town is historic, picturesque and our city center/downtown was built right on our riverfront ports hundreds of years ago with one of the trading structures still in use called "the Cotton Exchange". Wilmington has so much history here, including underground tunnels from the Cape Fear River running through the city that the pirates used. We have UNCW, Cape fear ports, Azalea Fest, Octoberfest, Riverfest, and Screen Gems Studios. It is a small movie town. A historic tour, ghost walk, civil war grounds museum at Fort Fisher, several local beaches juxtaposing the river which is magical in itself. Wilmington was established in 1760s. I can't believe we didn't make your list.
Not me fast forwarding through the video to see if Wilmington was listed. I'm from Greenville but currently residing in Raleigh. I agree, Wilmington is beautiful! I visit every chance I get.
Briggs, do another list that includes Grand Rapids where the Grand River cuts right through its beautiful downtown. Plus, the Riverwalk on the Detroit River has been voted the best in the US three years running. It is several miles long and also gives a great view of Windsor, Ontario to the South. Yes, to the South.
I loved the Windsor side, they have beautiful areas along the River. That’s memories from the 70’s , I haven’t been back to Detroit sightseeing in the last 20 years.
Add Geneva and Saint Charles to that list. Batavia is interesting too. I personally like Elgin and Aurora too, bigger but really nice older cities with a lot of history.
My wife and I decided to do a quick road trip on a long Forth of July weekend to Dubuque, Iowa. It looked great on the internet so we made reservations and went. Everything depicted on the internet appeared to be as advertised if it was open. This was in the late 90s and most of the attractions were closed for the weekend. They did have public fireworks on the 4th. We left and drove to Wisconsin to visit the House On The Rock in Spring Green. A great attraction for adolescents and a bit of fun for adults entertained by 'what was he thinking' reactions.
As someone who recently moved to Dubuque, I felt validated in my move to hear you mention it on this list....its certainly a unique town by Iowa standards. Keep up the great content, Briggs. If you're ever passing through again, let us subscribers know!
Taking the river theme further, you should have a video on floating home communities. I'm familiar with floating home communities in Vancouver BC, Seattle, Portland, and Sausalito. There must be some floating home communities on the Gulf Coast, East Coast, and inland lakes & rivers.
I want to move to Savannah so badly. There is so much history and culture. The people are so welcoming. The housing prices are reasonable. It is close to the ocean. The problem with Savannah - a lack of high paying jobs. My goal is still to move there.
Senior Briggs, (just kidding, but welcome to middle age) This is absolutely one of the very best video segments that you have ever produced. Thank you, Sir. I was hoping you would mention Hood River. Helen looks nice. So does Dubuque. Hannibal was a a sleeper surprise. Only l am surprised that you didn’t mention Galena, although you might have considered it.
Hudson, WIsconsin is right across the river from Stillwater and is far more affordable. All the benefits, far less cost, and you're _still_ close to the Twin Cities and close enough to Madison to get there if you need to.
Easton PA is a great river town/city lots of history great restaurants of all flavors, 2 rivers meet Lehigh & Delaware River avg home prices just 1.5hrs to NYC & Philly
Been to all three and live in one of them. La Crosse has a lot of things to do and the surrounding area is quite nice but the City of La Crosse is kind of Plain Jane. Of the three Eau Claire us definitely the best..
Another great river town is Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Founded in 1793. South East Missouri State University is located here. Has a casino. Cape is the economic center of South East Missouri
I am very surprised that Fort Benton, Montana, didn’t make the list. That town/city has a LOT of history especially since it’s next to the Missouri River.
Dubuque is pretty nice. Small. But I will say the north east Iowa area is beautiful. It’s as hilly as you can get in Iowa (it’s not a river town but Decorah IA is great too!)
Also, Mason City is LITERALLY the “River City”. This is because it’s the hometown of Meridith Wilson, author of “The Music Man”, so “River City” in the musical is based on Mason City. My eldest first cousin is a former Mayor of Mason City. Fun fact: my cousin’s wife is originally from Stillwater, MN, & that’s where they got married.
Savanah has been a favorite of mine for a long time, as well as Natchez. These are both great cities to even just visit. One thing they have in common, is that their antebellum architecture has always been so awesome that even during the War Between the States the Yankees would not burn them down, like they were so fond of doing in other places. So you can be sure that these are some true historic gems in both these cities.
I've been waiting for Savannah to pop up in one of your videos. It took long enough. And it is a great place to live. Incredible restaurants, parks, historic neighborhoods. I actually moved here from Portland, OR. I can tell you it was absolutely an upgrade. Schools are awful unless you can afford private. But, if your kids are out of school... Crime depends almost entirely on what part of town you're in. If you're paying less than $350,000 for your house then you're probably in the wrong neighborhood. Crime may happen. But it's extremely old and ornate and it's the closest thing to a European style of city this country has. And a massive plus is that the city is quite compact. Unlike Portland, everything isn't an hours' drive from everything else. I get so sick of driving when I visit family back in Oregon.
I just drove to Florida and passed by Savannah it might be the most charming city on the east coast./all of the USA. I been to almost every state at this point
In my younger days, I unknowingly happened upon Savannah on a road trip. I was amazed at the beauty of the architecture, the courtyards, and the trees. Never had I seen any city like it before, & still haven't. Gorgeous place.
A couple of thoughts. I lived in Spain and Portugal and in both places, like any place in the US, there are places in each city that were more dangerous and crime ridden than others. In both countries they defended graffiti as artistic expression and it was widely tolerated…a thought process I never got comfortable with. I liked living in both places. We got pickpocketed twice in Spain and probably would have in Portugal but we lived there second and by then were a bit wiser. I never felt all that unsafe in either country and would go back without fear.
Cool video! Helen, Georgia would be interesting to see because it's like Leavenworth, Washington (also on/near a river), but in the South instead of the Northwest. Hood River is nice! My family stayed there for a reunion. I've visited the underground tunnels and heard the Shanghai'ing stories in Portland, Seattle, and Fresno, but not yet Savannah.
Although technically a large city and the capital of Minnesota, St Paul is another cool river town and has some interesting history regarding its foundation. One of the first European's in the area, known as "Pig's Eye Pierre," due to his being blind in one eye, had a foundation in one of the sandstone caves along the Mississippi River known as Fountain Cave, and he set up a distillery inside of the cave. There was a spring of water which he used to support the liquor making process, and for a while the region was known literally as Pig's Eye. Later, a Catholic church would be built and the settlement would become what is today St. Paul. Today you can drive by the area where the caves existed via a road just off of the freeway into St Paul, and I believe there were rumors of "river pirates" camping there at one point, although I am not entirely sure if that is true.
Dubuque, Ia is beautiful. So are all River cities up the Mississippi to St. Paul. Scenic and historic roads go all the way up, and down the Mississippi from St Paul to below New Orleans.
West Bend, Wisconsin. It's a beautiful small town. The Milwaukee River runs through it. Make sure you try some custard AKA ice cream at the West Bend Creamery and eat at the Riverside Brewery and Restaurant, it has great dining outside on the patio which runs along the river.
Fredericksburg Va ❤️ my old home, although that river is probably more like a creek compared to some towns rivers. But I was expecting somewhere in Virginia to be on this list with the big ole Potomac running up the state from the Chesapeake.
I loved Portsmouth! I need to go back and spend a few days there. So happy to see it on this list! PS Hood River is great! It's worth the 4 or 5 hour drive from my house in Edmonds WA
You should take this a step further and cover floating home communities in the US and BC. On the west coast, there are floating home communities in Vancouver, BC. Lake Union & Portage Bay in Seattle. Scappoose, Portland, Astoria, and Troutdale in Oregon. Sand Point in Idaho. Sausalito in California. Most likely some additional floating home communities on the Gulf and East Coasts.
This may be a small town, but right along the Delaware River is New Hope, PA. Roughly halfway distance between Philadelphia, PA and Easton, PA this is a very cute and quiet town. Lots of shops and eatery places right along Route 32.
New Braunfels, TX is awesome and should have been somewhere on this list. There's a group of us that get together and rent a house right on the Guadalupe River every year. It's blast and there is a lot to do. It's especially true when the section of town called Gruene is included. It's also not far from either San Antonio or Austin if you need to go to the big city. SA is the closer of the two.
I know a “river town” video in the US could last hours but you got to include CT and CO. The river towns in CO are completely different than every other town in this list but equally awesome. CT has some very affordable cool river towns
Well...I have to love the list since Georgia was represented twice. A shout out to another Georgia city on a river: Columbus. The home of a rejuvenated downtown, The National Infantry museum and the world's longest urban white water course.
Dubuque is a very nice river town. I went to University of Wisconsin-Platteville for college about 20 miles away from Dubuque and would go there from time to time. I go through there to visit my brother in Omaha and it’s a very scenic area
I would have placed Eau Clare Wisconsin on the list before a lot of these choices. Situated on the Chippewa River it has parks and trail along the river and is fairly inexpensive to live in. It is a beautiful city with a lot to do.
Hey- I’m from Dubuque! We have some newly renovated historic buildings now called the millwork district with excellent restaurants, breweries, and an old style arcade. Highly recommended you to visit again!
I love Savannah and St. Augustine. And Dubuque looks like a cool town. But my heart (and my whole body) is in Richmond, Va. I know it's not a town, but it's the coolest river city around!
Yes!!! My home of Savannah, Georgia #1!!!! It really is a magical place. We have great food, comfortable weather, no shortage of things to do, the beach, the list goes on! And don’t forget about southern hospitality, they don’t call us the hostess city for nothing.
Hood River is nice. A bit expensive. Unfortunately, Hood River is near Portland. The Columbia River Gorge now requires timed use permits to go on the Waterfall Highway. Never used to be that way. Too many people from nearby shitty Portland, Oregon. It has some good brew pubs. Mount Hood looming in the distance. The area relies heavily on tourism.
Every place I've lived has been a River Town/City: first 18 1/2 years in Fremont, Nebraska (Platte River to the South & Elkhorn River to the East, plus the Rawhide Creek going through town); 4 years while in college in Sioux Falls, South Dakota (Big Sioux River); 2 years in Omaha (in addition to the Missouri River, the Papillion Creek has a nice bike trail); & the last 18 1/2 years in Topeka, Kansas (Kansas River North of downtown, plus a nice bike trail along the Shunganunga Creek going through town).
Ya might look at Ft Smith, Arkansas on the Arkansas River. Lots of history including the hanging Judge Parker and it was where the Trail of Tears ended before they received their last supplies before going into the Oklahoma Indian Territory. Little bit of crime. Homes I’ve seen on the net, livable, for low $200k. Some really nice historic homes.
I've actually been through that town by accident. My dad gave me a paper map and I refused to pay the tolls and wound up at Ft Smith! My phone connection was very bad driving though the mountains until I arrived to Ft. Smith...the best place for wifi was next to their McDonald's.
I live in the Chicago area and went to College in NE Iowa. Most every time I went to college and back, we went through Dubuque. It's beautiful. Once, when I went to a friend's wedding in Iowa, I made time to stop at the Field of Dreams. It was fun. I would have really enjoyed going to the White Sox game there a couple years ago, but they weren't selling tickets to people outside of the Dyersville area. And just the go and watch it on a big screen in the middle of town didn't seem worth it to me. I saw the game on TV.
One cool river town here in Oklahoma is The town of Mannford which actually has three bodies of water is very beautiful it has Keystone Lake for outdoor people wanting to go camping and fishing and then it has the Cimarron River which dumps into the Arkansas river which itself dump into the Mississippi River The River is north and east of the town. I highly recommend putting in your next video of River towns
My family has been in LA Crosse Wisconsin for almost 180 years. Beautiful place, three rivers, the La Crosse, the Black, and of course the Mississippi. We are in a valley surrounded by bluffs, and we are part of the Driftless area too. Lots to do here also.
Beautiful area, fished the Mississippi in your area for years
My sister lived there for a short time a few years ago and liked it.
La Crosse is a nice town but the City is rather Plain Jane. Are you a Swanson or Kechel?
Happy to see Stillwater made the list. My Dad’s side of the family has lived in Stillwater since the beginning of the city. It’s a fantastic city with great scenery. Would recommend it to anyone visiting Minnesota.
My parents had their home beside a river. Emphasis on had. Flooding is a real concern to look at when you buy these properties.
I really love Bend Oregon. Perfect mix of nature sites. Mountains, waterfalls, Smith rock, crater lake, and of course the Deschutes river.
And cold as shi...t
6 months of year
Couldn’t believe Bend wasn’t on the list
I love their beer!
Savannah is such a beautiful & charming town with so much history. One of my favorites.
Not a southern city anymore
Marietta, Ohio definitely belongs on this list. Such a great town!
Briggs, glad you included Chattanooga. If I was to move, it would definitely be in my top 5…probably top 3. It’s a beautiful up and coming city that is also affordable. I’m surprised it didn’t make your list for Best Cities for Young Adults
I was waiting for Savannah to be #1 and I'm happy I wasn't disappointed. While I've never lived there, I did live in Atlanta and visited Savannah frequently. I love the history and the atmosphere so much. For anyone who hasn't visited, it's a must-see!
Love Savannah but too many mosquitoes
My take on river-front property: That river that flows through your back yard in Summer, may be flowing through your living room, come Winter.
Another worth visiting is Madison, Indiana. Once thriving steamboat port and largest town on the Ohio River between Cincinnati and Louisville. Has a huge historic district with very well preserved homes from the early 1800's.
Just looked this up on google maps on a whim.
WOW…what a gorgeous place that I would have never known of! Now it is on my list!
Yea. My cousins live there. It’s great and per my indications, getting even better
Decent list, but in my opinion, one huge, glaring omission. You left off Missoula, Montana from the list. That town definitely deserves a spot on the list. The book and movie "A River Runs Through It" was set in and around Missoula. While fairly expensive, it wouldn't have been the most expensive town on this list, and it has a lot going for it. Solid food and beer scene, tons of nearby outdoor activities, decent nightlife and music scene, and a university. All nestled into the mountains. What more could you ask?
Don't forget about surfing in the Clark Fork
I live in Missoula MT and I totally agree with you
@@vrp406Brenden's wave!
Missoula is awesome!
I was thinking the same
So happy to get to the end of your list and find out Savannah is #1. I just moved to a suburb of Savannah about 2 years ago and I ADORE going to downtown Savannah and enjoying the sites. It's a fun, beautiful city. (And there's a beach...Tybee Island...not far, too!)
St. Augustine - Be sure to check out their foodie tours. You can visit and sample food from numerous restaurants in the historic section of St. Augustine. A lot of fun and great food too!
Savannah - Ghost tours. They’re not only fun to learn of the local lore and legends but you’ll hear of so much interesting history you might not have heard but for the tour. Also, some terrific restaurants.
If you're in the St. Louis area, check out Grafton, IL. It is a small river town on the convergence of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. The flood of 1993 devastated this little town, and its future seemed up in the air. They have come back amazingly. Every time I go back to visit family in the area, something new and great pops up in this town. They have great restaurants, a winery way up on a bluff, specialty shops, antique stores, and a pretty good water park that was built in the bluffs and designed to blend in with the natural beauty. Not only is it an amazing success story that defied the odds, but it is, in its own right, a pretty cool little town that looks and acts like a vacation destination.
And Alton.
All American cities are shitholes
To me you have to include Marietta Ohio. It's a true Town. Lots of History, Shops, Things to do and places to eat and it's Very Clean.
We live in N Ohio, Marietta is one of our favorite weekend getaways. So beautiful, historic, peaceful. Love the museums, and a ride on the Ohio River is always a treat.
@tjme I live up the River in West Virginia. We go down to Marietta all the Time.
River towns. Memphis is a big city.
Stroudsburg, PA is a must see. Tons of amenities alongside the Appalachian Trail and the Delaware River.
Savanna is another great historical city, especially the waterfront.
How does Pittsburgh not make this list? Three rivers! Fantastic place
It's not a town, smart guy.
@@GeeEm1313 Then why is Chattanooga Tennessee
on this list? It is also a city like Pittsburgh.
Probably because it's smaller than Pittsburgh? @@Bbabybear02
I agree. Pittsburgh is along 3 rivers, with a great deal of history. It was the gateway to the west in colonial days. It's an affordable place to live with museums and sports. Countryside for outdoor activities is closeby.
It's a clean city now. Wasn't when I grew up there back when they said don't swim in the rivers. Lots of culture, friendly people and not too expensive. I'm not going back because Colorado is home.
Truckee, California. This town sits on the Truckee River, about 30 miles west of Reno, and 15 miles north of Lake Tahoe. It is high in the Sierras (at the foot of Donner Pass) and is served by both Interstate 80 and Amtrak. It was a great hidden gem, back in the 1970's and early 80's. However, I have heard that it has been turned into a playground for the rich---which may be why it didn't make this list.
Yep, I Zillowed it after reading your comment, it is very expensive to buy a home in Truckee
Wish we coulda seen Cape Girardeau MO in this one (biased because I live in Cape) but glad to see Hannibal bring some attention to The Forgotten State. Great video as always
I'm very surprised not one city on the Ohio River. Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Louisville, Wheeling, etc.
You gotta check out Mystic, Connecticut! Beautiful old timey New England town with a historical seaport, awesome aquarium, cute little shops, and great food. Plus the Mystic Drawbridge is legendary!
Good pizza!
Nice selection. I've visited Savannah, Chattanooga and Dubuque and was impressed by all. As much Idaho love as I've seen on your channel, I'm kind of surprised Idaho Falls didn't get an honorable mention. Can't cover everything, I guess.
I tuned in to this with Dubuque in mind and I'm so glad it made the list. I fell in love with that part of Iowa when my family traveled there from Michigan for a travel baseball tournament. Just like you mentioned in the video, it was a Field of Dreams tournament. My son's team loved the experience so much last year that we are going again this season. It was magical at the Field of Dreams Movie Site in Dyersville. We walked a bit of the riverwalk in Dubuque and I loved it. Very picturesque with the bridges going over the mighty Mississippi River. The overall landscape in Iowa with the farms and fields is very pretty.
There is more to our town than the baseball scene but I'm glad you dug it here.
@@GodzillaHQ91: Spent 15 years in DBQ. Still miss it.
I grew up an hour west of Dubuque. By far my favorite part of Iowa. Love the rural scenery and the people are fantastic
East of the river is Galena, Illinois which is a lovely fun town too
Michigan is a beautiful state. Getting a compliment from you means a lot.
Stillwater is an iconic river town. It’s where I grew up and where my parents still live in our family home. I was just there with them at the main cafe for breakfast this past weekend. You can’t ever get sick of Stillwater it has such a nice vibe and it’s almost always hoppin with activity. People are super nice as well, Minnesota nice definitely applies here. Fireworks are great on the 4th and lumberjack days is awesome too in the summer! I highly recommend for anyone coming to Minnesota or the twin cities in general. ❤❤
One thing about Chattanooga... locals pronounce it "Chadda-nooga", not "Chattnooga". Other'n that you're dead on, beautiful place!
Also cool to see Helen on this list - I grew up not far from there!
Check out Lake City, MN on Lake Pepin (just a wide spot on the Mississippi) where water skiing was invented. Cute little town below the river bluffs across from Wisconsin. Love yur stuff, man! ;-)
I grew up in the Quad Cities: Davenport and Bettendorf, Iowa, and Moline and Rock Island, Illinois. If you want river towns you get a four-for one here! Not only that, but you can get Harris Pizza, the best pizza on the planet. I miss the QC's. I have so many stories from growing up there!
I visited Sunriver Oregon over the summer near Bend, it was pretty amazing. Not only did they have a really nice lazy river I tubed down with my friends but the had really nice walking trails and houses. I guess they got hit hard by a fire few years back so a lot of rebuilding going on, but if you are ever nearby or looking for an experience, I'd highly recommend. Also Bend has a river running through it and it was legit. I've never been to Durango Colorado, but heard from tons of people its a nice river town also.
Bend is awesome, but it became super popular and struggled with growth and now is too expensive.
Sioux City, IA in my opinion is a good river town. It historically has been very important due to its location on the Missouri River and it’s not expensive
Is it still heavy with crime there
I live in Sioux falls and I don't know anywhere I or anyone else hates more than Sioux City haha
My town is historic, picturesque and our city center/downtown was built right on our riverfront ports hundreds of years ago with one of the trading structures still in use called "the Cotton Exchange". Wilmington has so much history here, including underground tunnels from the Cape Fear River running through the city that the pirates used. We have UNCW, Cape fear ports, Azalea Fest, Octoberfest, Riverfest, and Screen Gems Studios. It is a small movie town. A historic tour, ghost walk, civil war grounds museum at Fort Fisher, several local beaches juxtaposing the river which is magical in itself. Wilmington was established in 1760s. I can't believe we didn't make your list.
He did say if you have ears...that this list is where he visited. And his opinion
Not me fast forwarding through the video to see if Wilmington was listed. I'm from Greenville but currently residing in Raleigh. I agree, Wilmington is beautiful! I visit every chance I get.
I hope Hood River, Oregon is on here. Such a cool little town with a solid brewery.
I saw your post right when he said Hood River haha
Hood River is great! Kite surfing is extremely popular there. And it's a great day trip from Portland.
A huge issue I have with Chattanooga is you have to pay to park anywhere downtown it's crazy. Even at most restaurants.
Where do you not have to do that in ALL cities? I was in Savannah last week and parking was a nightmare....
Briggs, do another list that includes Grand Rapids where the Grand River cuts right through its beautiful downtown. Plus, the Riverwalk on the Detroit River has been voted the best in the US three years running. It is several miles long and also gives a great view of Windsor, Ontario to the South. Yes, to the South.
I loved the Windsor side, they have beautiful areas along the River. That’s memories from the 70’s , I haven’t been back to Detroit sightseeing in the last 20 years.
Hey Briggs, I am shocked you left off Memphis, Tennessee, my home town. Just Shocked. However I will continue to be a loyal viewer!
I appreciate that
West and East Dundee IL and Algonquin, IL are beautiful quaint villages on the Fox River.
Add Geneva and Saint Charles to that list. Batavia is interesting too. I personally like Elgin and Aurora too, bigger but really nice older cities with a lot of history.
My wife and I decided to do a quick road trip on a long Forth of July weekend to Dubuque, Iowa. It looked great on the internet so we made reservations and went. Everything depicted on the internet appeared to be as advertised if it was open. This was in the late 90s and most of the attractions were closed for the weekend. They did have public fireworks on the 4th.
We left and drove to Wisconsin to visit the House On The Rock in Spring Green. A great attraction for adolescents and a bit of fun for adults entertained by 'what was he thinking' reactions.
Probably has changed since then?
My favorite river town is Salida CO but it is out in the middle of nowhere. Maybe that is why I liked it so much, lol.
New Bern, NC is another hidden gem! Definitely recommend visiting sometime!
I love Herman MO. Nestled on the Missouri River and a big producer of wine and adult beverages. They seem to always have something going on.
As someone who recently moved to Dubuque, I felt validated in my move to hear you mention it on this list....its certainly a unique town by Iowa standards. Keep up the great content, Briggs. If you're ever passing through again, let us subscribers know!
Heck yeah I live in the Parish right across from Natchez Mississippi. If you live in the area you sometimes think it's boring but Natchez is beautiful
Really nice list. Definitely have to agree with Savannah. It's one of the prettiest towns in America.
Taking the river theme further, you should have a video on floating home communities. I'm familiar with floating home communities in Vancouver BC, Seattle, Portland, and Sausalito. There must be some floating home communities on the Gulf Coast, East Coast, and inland lakes & rivers.
I have thought about that. I’ve also looked into buying a floating home
Fantastic video Mr.Briggs!, may you do a video on the best states and or cities for self employment? thank you !
I want to move to Savannah so badly. There is so much history and culture. The people are so welcoming. The housing prices are reasonable. It is close to the ocean. The problem with Savannah - a lack of high paying jobs. My goal is still to move there.
You should check out Quincy,CA. It's in the Sierra Nevada. The river goes thru several towns in that area.
From the Midwest, I'd like to go to the High Sierra music festival there someday. I've been through Truckee many years ago, it was lovely.
I grew up on the Hudson River. Used to be a big whaling passageway to the east in early American times. Beautiful River and towns .
Senior Briggs,
(just kidding, but welcome to middle age)
This is absolutely one of the very best video segments that you have ever produced.
Thank you, Sir.
I was hoping you would mention Hood River. Helen looks nice. So does Dubuque. Hannibal was a a sleeper surprise. Only l am surprised that you didn’t mention Galena, although you might have considered it.
Hudson, WIsconsin is right across the river from Stillwater and is far more affordable. All the benefits, far less cost, and you're _still_ close to the Twin Cities and close enough to Madison to get there if you need to.
We live on the New River Trail in Fries, VA Lovely!!! Come visit!!!
Easton PA is a great river town/city lots of history great restaurants of all flavors, 2 rivers meet Lehigh & Delaware River avg home prices just 1.5hrs to NYC & Philly
Iowa has a bunch of nice river towns. Regardless of size. Waterloo/cedar falls, Waverly, cedar rapids, independence, Manchester to name a few
La Crosse, Eau Claire and Green Bay, Wisconsin!
Been to all three and live in one of them. La Crosse has a lot of things to do and the surrounding area is quite nice but the City of La Crosse is kind of Plain Jane. Of the three Eau Claire us definitely the best..
I was about to nominate Hood River ... and, then, you caught it. Lovely town. Stunning area.
Dubuque and that Mississippi River museum were ++. The downtown is struggling but trying. Iowa is a nice change from Illinois.
My favorite river town is Grants Pass Oregon on the Rogue River
Another great river town is Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Founded in 1793. South East Missouri State University is located here. Has a casino. Cape is the economic center of South East Missouri
I like Hood River but the only thing that sucks it's always windy.
I am very surprised that Fort Benton, Montana, didn’t make the list. That town/city has a LOT of history especially since it’s next to the Missouri River.
Dubuque is pretty nice. Small. But I will say the north east Iowa area is beautiful. It’s as hilly as you can get in Iowa (it’s not a river town but Decorah IA is great too!)
Also, Mason City is LITERALLY the “River City”. This is because it’s the hometown of Meridith Wilson, author of “The Music Man”, so “River City” in the musical is based on Mason City. My eldest first cousin is a former Mayor of Mason City. Fun fact: my cousin’s wife is originally from Stillwater, MN, & that’s where they got married.
Savanah has been a favorite of mine for a long time, as well as Natchez. These are both great cities to even just visit. One thing they have in common, is that their antebellum architecture has always been so awesome that even during the War Between the States the Yankees would not burn them down, like they were so fond of doing in other places. So you can be sure that these are some true historic gems in both these cities.
I've been waiting for Savannah to pop up in one of your videos. It took long enough. And it is a great place to live. Incredible restaurants, parks, historic neighborhoods. I actually moved here from Portland, OR. I can tell you it was absolutely an upgrade. Schools are awful unless you can afford private. But, if your kids are out of school... Crime depends almost entirely on what part of town you're in. If you're paying less than $350,000 for your house then you're probably in the wrong neighborhood. Crime may happen. But it's extremely old and ornate and it's the closest thing to a European style of city this country has. And a massive plus is that the city is quite compact. Unlike Portland, everything isn't an hours' drive from everything else. I get so sick of driving when I visit family back in Oregon.
Great city! We love it EXCEPT for July and August!
I moved to Richmond Hill 2 years ago and love to go to Downtown Savannah!
I just drove to Florida and passed by Savannah it might be the most charming city on the east coast./all of the USA. I been to almost every state at this point
In my younger days, I unknowingly happened upon Savannah on a road trip. I was amazed at the beauty of the architecture, the courtyards, and the trees. Never had I seen any city like it before, & still haven't. Gorgeous place.
Congrats on moving away from the toilet that is Portland.
A couple of thoughts. I lived in Spain and Portugal and in both places, like any place in the US, there are places in each city that were more dangerous and crime ridden than others. In both countries they defended graffiti as artistic expression and it was widely tolerated…a thought process I never got comfortable with. I liked living in both places. We got pickpocketed twice in Spain and probably would have in Portugal but we lived there second and by then were a bit wiser. I never felt all that unsafe in either country and would go back without fear.
Cool video! Helen, Georgia would be interesting to see because it's like Leavenworth, Washington (also on/near a river), but in the South instead of the Northwest. Hood River is nice! My family stayed there for a reunion. I've visited the underground tunnels and heard the Shanghai'ing stories in Portland, Seattle, and Fresno, but not yet Savannah.
Although technically a large city and the capital of Minnesota, St Paul is another cool river town and has some interesting history regarding its foundation. One of the first European's in the area, known as "Pig's Eye Pierre," due to his being blind in one eye, had a foundation in one of the sandstone caves along the Mississippi River known as Fountain Cave, and he set up a distillery inside of the cave. There was a spring of water which he used to support the liquor making process, and for a while the region was known literally as Pig's Eye. Later, a Catholic church would be built and the settlement would become what is today St. Paul. Today you can drive by the area where the caves existed via a road just off of the freeway into St Paul, and I believe there were rumors of "river pirates" camping there at one point, although I am not entirely sure if that is true.
St Paul is a City not a Town tho
@@KidRivera1115@CesarRivera-tg4fh Savanna and Chattanooga are also cities.
Sounds beautiful 😍! Definitely a destination to see in the summer. Their winters are BRUTAL !!
surprising to hear any place in my home state of Florida, but I'm glad you brought up St. Augustine. great, beautiful place. very vibrant history.
I would add: Greenville, SC, Charleston, SC, and Rome, GA. Have not lived in any of these but stayed on long-term vacations in each and loved them.
I lived in or around Rome, Ga for the first 41 years of my life.
A little surprised Richmond didn't show up given its history on the James, but still so many great cities here
The Susquehanna River starts in Cooperstown NY. That same towns sits on Otsego Lake and the rivers begins there next to the hospital.
Trinity river, California ❤ town of 500 something, called Hyampom. It's untouched beauty.
I would love to see a video of the best places/small towns to raise a family in the south 😊
Columbia Falls, Montana
Estes Park, Colorado
Tionesta, Pennsylvania
Sand point Idaho would be on my list. I lived there for six months while working for the Army in the area.
Dubuque, Ia is beautiful. So are all River cities up the Mississippi to St. Paul. Scenic and historic roads go all the way up, and down the Mississippi from St Paul to below New Orleans.
West Bend, Wisconsin. It's a beautiful small town. The Milwaukee River runs through it. Make sure you try some custard AKA ice cream at the West Bend Creamery and eat at the Riverside Brewery and Restaurant, it has great dining outside on the patio which runs along the river.
St Augustine is a beautiful city. We vacationed there last year. Great beaches, a lot of history and, of course, great seafood❤
Good list. I honeymooned in Helen Georgia. My favorite river town is Jacksonville Florida. Got a river and a beach. Lots of cool bridges.
Helen, Georgia... We spent our honeymoon there 38 years ago. Lots of great memories going there from age 11.
Fredericksburg Va ❤️ my old home, although that river is probably more like a creek compared to some towns rivers. But I was expecting somewhere in Virginia to be on this list with the big ole Potomac running up the state from the Chesapeake.
Marietta, Ohio. 2 rivers and amazing architecture. The first town in the Northwest Territories founded in 1788. Definitely worth a visit!
Richmond , VA
I loved Portsmouth! I need to go back and spend a few days there. So happy to see it on this list! PS Hood River is great! It's worth the 4 or 5 hour drive from my house in Edmonds WA
Portsmouth is charming!
You should take this a step further and cover floating home communities in the US and BC. On the west coast, there are floating home communities in Vancouver, BC. Lake Union & Portage Bay in Seattle. Scappoose, Portland, Astoria, and Troutdale in Oregon. Sand Point in Idaho. Sausalito in California. Most likely some additional floating home communities on the Gulf and East Coasts.
This may be a small town, but right along the Delaware River is New Hope, PA. Roughly halfway distance between Philadelphia, PA and Easton, PA this is a very cute and quiet town. Lots of shops and eatery places right along Route 32.
He forgot the Hudson. I’m from a tiny Hamlet that both hugs it’s shore and overlooks it on top of the Palisades. New Hope is charming 👍
The band ween is from New Hope!
New Braunfels, TX is awesome and should have been somewhere on this list. There's a group of us that get together and rent a house right on the Guadalupe River every year. It's blast and there is a lot to do. It's especially true when the section of town called Gruene is included. It's also not far from either San Antonio or Austin if you need to go to the big city. SA is the closer of the two.
I know a “river town” video in the US could last hours but you got to include CT and CO. The river towns in CO are completely different than every other town in this list but equally awesome. CT has some very affordable cool river towns
Well...I have to love the list since Georgia was represented twice. A shout out to another Georgia city on a river: Columbus. The home of a rejuvenated downtown, The National Infantry museum and the world's longest urban white water course.
Dubuque is a very nice river town. I went to University of Wisconsin-Platteville for college about 20 miles away from Dubuque and would go there from time to time. I go through there to visit my brother in Omaha and it’s a very scenic area
I would have placed Eau Clare Wisconsin on the list before a lot of these choices. Situated on the Chippewa River it has parks and trail along the river and is fairly inexpensive to live in. It is a beautiful city with a lot to do.
I will be visiting a couple small towns on the Missouri River soon, in particular Hermann. I'll be curious to see how it measures up.
Hey- I’m from Dubuque! We have some newly renovated historic buildings now called the millwork district with excellent restaurants, breweries, and an old style arcade. Highly recommended you to visit again!
I love Savannah and St. Augustine. And Dubuque looks like a cool town. But my heart (and my whole body) is in Richmond, Va. I know it's not a town, but it's the coolest river city around!
Yes!!! My home of Savannah, Georgia #1!!!! It really is a magical place. We have great food, comfortable weather, no shortage of things to do, the beach, the list goes on! And don’t forget about southern hospitality, they don’t call us the hostess city for nothing.
Hood River is nice. A bit expensive. Unfortunately, Hood River is near Portland. The Columbia River Gorge now requires timed use permits to go on the Waterfall Highway. Never used to be that way. Too many people from nearby shitty Portland, Oregon. It has some good brew pubs. Mount Hood looming in the distance. The area relies heavily on tourism.
Every place I've lived has been a River Town/City: first 18 1/2 years in Fremont, Nebraska (Platte River to the South & Elkhorn River to the East, plus the Rawhide Creek going through town); 4 years while in college in Sioux Falls, South Dakota (Big Sioux River); 2 years in Omaha (in addition to the Missouri River, the Papillion Creek has a nice bike trail); & the last 18 1/2 years in Topeka, Kansas (Kansas River North of downtown, plus a nice bike trail along the Shunganunga Creek going through town).
The Bruisers were from Portsmouth, NH.
With Hood River, it's the windsurfing capital of the US. It also has a really cool car and airplane museum.
Ya might look at Ft Smith, Arkansas on the Arkansas River. Lots of history including the hanging Judge Parker and it was where the Trail of Tears ended before they received their last supplies before going into the Oklahoma Indian Territory. Little bit of crime. Homes I’ve seen on the net, livable, for low $200k. Some really nice historic homes.
I've actually been through that town by accident. My dad gave me a paper map and I refused to pay the tolls and wound up at Ft Smith! My phone connection was very bad driving though the mountains until I arrived to Ft. Smith...the best place for wifi was next to their McDonald's.
I live in the Chicago area and went to College in NE Iowa. Most every time I went to college and back, we went through Dubuque. It's beautiful. Once, when I went to a friend's wedding in Iowa, I made time to stop at the Field of Dreams. It was fun. I would have really enjoyed going to the White Sox game there a couple years ago, but they weren't selling tickets to people outside of the Dyersville area. And just the go and watch it on a big screen in the middle of town didn't seem worth it to me. I saw the game on TV.
One cool river town here in Oklahoma is The town of Mannford which actually has three bodies of water is very beautiful it has Keystone Lake for outdoor people wanting to go camping and fishing and then it has the Cimarron River which dumps into the Arkansas river which itself dump into the Mississippi River The River is north and east of the town. I highly recommend putting in your next video of River towns
I forgot all about Tahlequah that's a good one