Other stories in "Favorite places"

• Chasing the Top 10
  Darling town, oh so small/Who's the fairest of them all?
• Best of summer
  The season is short, so make the most of it.
• Best boutique towns for weekenders
  Cute, compact, accommodating — these are good spots for girlfriend getaways.
• Best little towns that charm the tourists
  Ten places have personality to spare.
• A thousand times, go
  With a new book, daydream believers get another life list to work on.
• 100 best places
  Here's one traveler's life list for the Upper Midwest.

Best up-and-coming towns to get to know

They're on the sidelines now, but nearly ready for their closeup.

Some nifty little towns just haven't made the A list — or any list, so far (See Chasing the Top 10).

That means now is a good time to explore them, before the other tourists flock in.

Tops on this list is Viroqua, a southwest Wisconsin town that caught the eye of expatriates from Madison long ago but recently has become more tourist-friendly with the opening of Main Street Station. This indoor public market houses a cafe, organic ice-cream parlor, shops and the Greenman Music Hall, which holds regular concerts and events. And the Driftless Folk School teaches classes in such homespun arts as spinning and sausage-making. Once, Viroqua was notable mainly for having the only stoplights in scenic Vernon County; those days are over. Details: www.viroquapublicmarket.com.

It's easy to breeze through Ashland, Wis., on the way to Ironwood, or to skip it completely on the way to Bayfield. But this town on Chequamegon Bay has a lot to offer: an old-fashioned downtown lined with superb murals, a folk school and a good restaurant, coffeehouse and bakery. Details: www.visitashland.com.

Across the bay, Washburn, Wis., is another up-and-coming spot, with its old brownstones, coffee shop/bookstore and very fine restaurant. Both towns are close to great hiking and skiing trails, and in February they host the candlelight ski tour Book Across the Bay. Details: www.washburnchamber.com.

In the shadow of Mount Hosmer, whose top offers one of the great views of the Mississippi, Lansing, Iowa, is starting to get noticed. The little northeast Iowa town is off the beaten path but has an incomparable setting, and fine inns and shops are popping up. Don't miss a pontoon-boat tour of the sloughs. Details: www.lansingiowa.com.

Up the river in Minnesota, Wabasha boasts the National Eagle Center and its brand-new building and an old-fashioned downtown lined with shops, including one that sells kimonos. Details: www.wabashamn.org.

On the Wisconsin side of the St. Croix River, St. Croix Falls is starting to attract visitors to the shops and eating spots in its tidy little downtown, which also boasts a theater/concert hall. There's a new winery to the north, a bike trail to the east, a state park to the south and a national scenic riverway to the west. Oh, and the Ice Age National Scenic Trail goes through town. Details: www.scfwi.com.

You can't really call Dubuque, Iowa, a little town. But it's definitely on the upswing, with a wonderful new river museum, river walk and riverfront resort with indoor water park. It already had a spectacular setting and one of the region's finest collections of Victorian houses; now, it can get the tourists it deserves. Details: www.dubuquechamber.com.

Last updated on September 14, 2008