Long-touted as the prettiest small town in the south, Edenton has earned a national distinction for its beauty and charm from Travel+Leisure.
The popular vacation-planning website has rated Edenton as one of the 20 most beautiful towns in the entire United States, according to a story published January 29.
More from New York City-based writer and editor Carrie Dennis:
“Where to begin? Perhaps the postcard-perfect 1886 Roanoke River Lighthouse? The Georgian architecture of the 1767 courthouse? Tree-lined streets and gardens throughout town? Harbor views with moss-draped bald cypress trees? Colonial-era Edenton is as steeped in history as it is stunning. “For all its head-turning beauty, Edenton is anything but prim and proper,” said Wit Tuttell, executive director of Visit North Carolina. “The town has spirit… You’ll find it reflected in lively shops and restaurants, and the stories of the people who perpetuate Edenton’s unending appeal.”
Visit NC said that when the PR team was contacted by Dennis, they offered several unique suggestions, and she selected Edenton.
Also on the list are Girdwood, Alaska; Sedona, Arizona; Avalon, California; Palisade, Colorado; Little St. Simons Island, Georgia; Lanai City, Hawaii; Wallace, Idaho; Bardstown, Kentucky; Camden, Maine; Fishtown/Leland, Michigan; Taos, New Mexico; Medora, North Dakota; Joseph, Oregon; Leavenworth, Washington; Bayfield, Wisconsin; Cody, Wyoming; Galena, Illinois; Hermann, Missouri; and Cape May, New Jersey.
The title Prettiest Small Town in the South was bestowed upon Edenton in a 2011 article in Forbes. Travel+Leisure also named it one of the 12 best small towns in North Carolina last October.