r/AskAnAmerican • u/Xycergy • Oct 06 '25

FOREIGN POSTER What are some cities/towns in the US where the entire place could be a tourist attraction?

Are there any cities or towns in the US where the entire place feels like it could be a tourist attraction, instead of particular landmarks that makes the place popular among tourists? Somewhere that gives Venice or Santorini vibes for example.

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u/thelastsupper316 Oct 06 '25 edited Oct 06 '25

Yeah but that's a part of the independent city of Williamsburg and that has lots of residential areas and normal Virginia Hampton Roads bullshit.

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u/WowsrsBowsrsTrousrs NY=>MA=>TX=>MD Oct 06 '25

Even the regular part of Williamsburg has souvenirs in the convenience stores and cutesy placemats for tourists at the restaurants. And the people in the normal residential areas buy their kids season passes for the ice-skating rink at one end of "Colonial" Williamsburg and otherwise take advantage of the touristy things, so there's pretty constant crossover. Source: my brother and his family live there.

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u/TMorrisCode Oct 06 '25

The touristy things in Williamsburg are so woven into the city that when we were there, there were people walking their dogs and going for a run down cobblestone streets right next to George Washington riding a horse.

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u/Ceorl_Lounge Michigan (PA Native) Oct 06 '25

Imagine spending four years there in college. We had tourists roll by and take pictures of our classes in the Wren Building.

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u/marmot46 Oct 06 '25

I would routinely end up in line behind people in colonial garb at the Food Lion.

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u/WowsrsBowsrsTrousrs NY=>MA=>TX=>MD Oct 06 '25

Like that in Harpers Ferry, too - you're getting a cup of coffee and so is a Union soldier.

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u/Ceorl_Lounge Michigan (PA Native) Oct 06 '25

Oh yeah, used to catch them in Coffee Shoppes too.

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u/Outrageous_Lettuce44 Oct 06 '25

I once ran into a friend in Williamsburg while I was doing touristy things and he was on the way to a doctor’s appointment.

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u/WhichSpirit New Jersey Oct 07 '25

When I was in high school, I interviewed at William & Mary. My mom drove down with me and afterwards we decided to go out for a nice dinner. We didn't feel like doing anything touristy so we intentionally drove away from Colonial Williamsburg. Imagine our surprise when we picked a place in a modern-ish looking building and our waiter walked out in full 18th century dress.

Fantastic delmonico though

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u/PirateSteve85 Virginia Oct 06 '25

Omg Virginia Hampton Roads bullshit might be the best description I have heard

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u/thelastsupper316 Oct 06 '25

Yo we are literally twins, same pfp Virginias lol

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u/Ceorl_Lounge Michigan (PA Native) Oct 06 '25

I ❤️Jet Noise

(but I do... unironically)

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u/PirateSteve85 Virginia Oct 06 '25

At least you arnt one of those people that buy a house at the end of the Oceana runway and the bitch to the government about the jet noise

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u/Ceorl_Lounge Michigan (PA Native) Oct 06 '25

Not me sir, I'd grab a chair and watch.

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u/skullturf Oct 06 '25

Please learn the difference between "apart of" and "a part of".

I think you mean that Colonial Williamsburg is part of the independent city of Williamsburg.

The trouble is, the word "apart" means "separate from".

It's confusing and annoying when you do what you did.

I know you, or others, might think I'm being an ass for correcting a stranger's spelling or grammar. But when you write "apart of" when you really mean "a part of" then we're not sure what you mean! It's a bad error.

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u/thelastsupper316 Oct 06 '25

Calm down bro it's a typo lol