Decatur ranked as most charming small town in North America by Betway
DECATUR, Ga. - Decatur has been named the most charming small town in the USA by the online casino Betway.
Betway analyzed a variety of metrics, from positive sentiment to the number of landmarks, museums, and more. Decatur topped the list with 21 parks (the most on their list), 10 art galleries (also the most), 4 museums (second most), and 6 landmarks (third most).
Founded in 1823, Decatur describes itself as a city with big-city vibes and small-town charm, offering buzz-worthy dining and shopping, art all around (with multiple public murals and sculptures in addition to art galleries), live music (home to the legendary Eddie's Attic), and more.
Decatur's Legacy Park is the city's largest park at 77 acres. The park features a pond, 22 acres of forest and wetlands, an extensive trail network, a rolling meadow, the Global Growers kitchen garden, orchard, and more.
The city is also home to several historical buildings and numerous nonprofit tenants, including the Decatur Book Festival, Georgia Arborist Association, Wylde Center, Wild Nest Bird Rehab, Refugee Women’s Network, and Paint Love.
The DeKalb History Center, located in the historic courthouse on the court square, offers walking tours, a lunch-and-learn series, and ever-changing exhibits.
The Michael C. Carlos Museum, located on the campus of Emory University, houses one of the largest collections of antiquities from ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome in the Southeast.
The Fernbank Museum of Natural History is beloved by young and old alike for its forest walk, dinosaur gallery, display of seashells from the state's coastal region, and more.
The Waffle House Museum, located in the building that housed the very first Waffle House restaurant, features a faithful recreation of the original 1955 restaurant, along with several decades of Waffle House memorabilia.
Decatur also hosts several popular festivals, including the annual Fine Arts Festival, Decatur Book Festival, Pan African Festival and Salsa on the Square, Porchfest, and craft beer and wine festivals.
Decatur's historic cemetery, which is just a half mile from the downtown square, comprises 58 acres and is a beautiful and peaceful place to walk and peek into the city's past.
The Square in downtown Decatur is a focal point in the city and hosts a variety of events and festivals throughout the year. Located above a MARTA station and surrounded by local shops and restaurants, the Square features a large bandstand on the west side, a large plaza area, benches, and public art.
Speaking of restaurants, four in Decatur made the first Atlanta Michelin Guide's list of recommended restaurants: Chai Pani, The Deer and The Dove, Kimball House, and The White Bull. The list covers everything from Southern rustic dishes, Indian street food, house-made pasta, fresh oysters, decadent desserts, and, of course, cocktails.
Multiple movie and television productions have chosen Decatur as their backdrop. HBO's Watchmen was filmed on The Square. The marble halls of the historic courthouse can be seen in Marvel's The Falcon and the Winter Soldier series. ABC's Wonder Years filmed in Legacy Park and Columbia Theological Seminary, and Agnes Scott College has appeared in several movies, including Melissa McCarthy's Life of the Party, Sandra Bullock's The Blind Side, and Oprah Winfrey's The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.
Other charming small towns in the USA include Zanesville, Ohio; Bainbridge Island, Washington; Denison, Texas; and Kerrville, Texas.
To see a list of the top 25 small towns in both the USA and Canada, and for a detailed explanation of how Betway came up with the ranking, click here.