SMALL TOWNS, FOUND. PICTURED. CHOSEN.

We make small towns easy to find, easy to picture, and easy to choose.

100
towns scored, one score each

Score your town →

Salem 91·Park City 90·Leavenworth 89·St. George 84·Alexandria 80·Bozeman 79·New Glarus 77·Billings 75·Medora 74·Detroit Lakes 73·Bentonville 71·Cedar City 67·Mackinac 66·Pella 64·Glenwood 60·Anoka 49·Salem 91·Park City 90·Leavenworth 89·St. George 84·Alexandria 80·Bozeman 79·New Glarus 77·Billings 75·Medora 74·Detroit Lakes 73·Bentonville 71·Cedar City 67·Mackinac 66·Pella 64·Glenwood 60·Anoka 49·
Found. Pictured. Chosen.

A quiet town is rarely the worse town. It is the harder one to find.

Two towns an hour apart, same size, same kind of lake or main street. One is booked solid, the other is empty. That difference is almost never luck.

01 Found

Can they discover it

When a traveler asks search or AI for things to do nearby, does your town come up at all.

02 Pictured

Can they imagine it

Photos, video, and a clear story that let a traveler see the trip before they book.

03 Chosen

Is there a reason

Reviews, an anchor experience, and an only here factor that turns a maybe into a weekend.

Towns that found their reason
73Detroit Lakes, MNThomas Dambo’s giant trollsTap to flip ↻
Detroit Lakes, MN

WE Fest turns this lake town into a 72-million-dollar music summer, and Thomas Dambo’s giant trolls now pull families into the woods all year long.

Read the story →

80Alexandria, MNBig Ole and the RunestoneTap to flip ↻
Alexandria, MN

Big Ole the Viking and the disputed Kensington Runestone handed a prairie town a national myth, and road-trippers a reason to stop.

Read the story →

77New Glarus, WIAmerica’s Little SwitzerlandTap to flip ↻
New Glarus, WI

Swiss settlers leaned all the way in: Alpine storefronts, a beloved brewery, and a Wilhelm Tell festival that books the whole town.

Read the story →

71Bentonville, ARMountain biking and Crystal BridgesTap to flip ↻
Bentonville, AR

Walmart’s hometown spent its fortune on the Crystal Bridges art museum and a world-class trail network, turning an HQ town into a destination.

Read the story →

The distribution

Where every town falls.

One hundred towns, plotted on the curve by their Visitor Impact Score. Most sit in the middle. A few are overlooked, a few are leaders, and the distance between them is the opportunity.

See all 86 towns →
Proof story

How a town of 1,400 draws six figures.

Amana Colonies, Iowa

100k+ tourists
a year to a German themed town of 1,400 residents. We break down exactly why it works, and how to borrow it.
See the playbook

From the field

Towns we have profiled.

0/100

New Glarus, WI

On the Map

Strength: America’s Little Switzerland.
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Detroit Lakes, MN

On the Map

Strength: Thomas Dambo’s giant trolls.
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Bentonville, AR

On the Map

Strength: World-class mountain biking and Crystal Bridges.
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Lanesboro, MN

Emerging

Strength: Root River bluffs and the bike trail.
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Alexandria, MN

On the Map

Strength: Big Ole and the Kensington Runestone.
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Rhinelander, WI

Emerging

Strength: The one and only Hodag.
Coming soon

100 Towns Worth Finding

A coffee table book scoring one hundred small towns from Buffalo, North Dakota to St. George, Utah. Each town gets its score, its band, and the one thing that would change everything.

Nominate your town

Creative City Developments
100 Towns Worth Finding
Buffalo, ND to St. George, UT
Watch

The story, on film.

We tell each town’s story the way a traveler would feel it. Browse the films, one town at a time.

Who is behind it

A traveler’s eye, pointed at your town.

I am Matthew Pfeifer, founder of Creative City Developments. I have spent more than fifteen years building growth systems for hospitality and service brands, and I have visited 47 countries and over 200 cities. I know what makes a person stop, stay an extra night, and tell three friends.

47countries
200+cities profiled
15+years in growth

Towns we have profiled

Stillwater, Detroit Lakes, Battle Lake, New Glarus, Bentonville, Amana Colonies, and more. Amana draws about 1.5 million visitors a year. WE Fest turns Detroit Lakes into a 72 million dollar summer. Your town has a version of that story. It is probably just hiding.

Your town, scored

FIND OUT WHERE YOUR TOWN STANDS.

The towns that win the next decade are the ones getting serious about their story now. See your Visitor Impact Score, free.

Get your free score →

For destination marketers

Run a DMO, CVB, or chamber?

We turn your town’s Visitor Impact Score into a short, prioritized plan, the one category to move first, not a binder.

Request a consultation →