Little Europe: Charming U.S. Towns With a Continental Feel
You don’t always need a passport to discover cobbled lanes, café terraces, and buildings with centuries-old charm. Scattered across the United States are towns that carry the soul, or at least the silhouette, of Europe.
Some were built by immigrants longing for the architecture and rhythm of their homelands. Others borrow flavors, festivals, and design details that were meant to transport us to another place and time.
Whether it’s a Bavarian village nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains or a tiny corner of New England that channels the English countryside, these places offer a little European escapism without the jet lag.
Leavenworth, Washington
Did you know you can stroll through an Alpine village without traveling to southern Germany? Tucked into the Cascade Mountains, this Washington town was completely remodeled in the 1960s to resemble a Bavarian hamlet, and it commits to the look.
Imagine gingerbread trims, wooden balconies overflowing with flower boxes, and murals of lederhosen-clad musicians.
While you’re here, you can dine on schnitzel and bratwurst at Andreas Keller Restaurant, sip steins of beer at Icicle Brewing Company, or browse the shelves at the Nutcracker Museum, which is delightfully quirky and one-of-a-kind. Come during Oktoberfest for folk dancing and accordion music in the streets, or visit in winter when the whole town glows with Christmas lights like a snow globe bursting into life.
Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
Carmel is part English village, part Mediterranean escape, beautifully wrapped in the soft sea air from California’s central coast.
Its storybook cottages and ivy-covered galleries feel like the Cotswolds, but there’s also a sun-kissed charm reminiscent of coastal France or Italy.
Here, there are no street addresses, no neon signs – just winding lanes, hidden courtyards, and a slow, romantic pace.
You can spend your morning wandering Ocean Avenue’s artisan shops and tasting rooms, then walk down to Carmel Beach for those creamy white sands and crashing waves.
Dinner at Casanova, a European farmhouse-style restaurant inside a former home, is a must. For more old-world elegance, you can stay at La Playa Hotel or L’Auberge Carmel. At night, you’ll blissfully fall asleep to the sound of the sea just outside your window.
New Glarus, Wisconsin
Founded by Swiss immigrants in the 19th century, New Glarus embraces Switzerland with gusto. Here, you’ll see Alpine-style chalets, red-and-white Swiss flags fluttering in the breeze, and murals that depict scenes from the old country.
The town even calls itself “America’s Little Switzerland.”
New Glarus Brewing Company is reason enough to visit. Their Spotted Cow ale is legendary and only sold within the state. There’s also buttery rösti, fondue, and bratwurst at the New Glarus Hotel & Restaurant, coming in 2026, and folk festivals like Swiss Volksfest that bring yodeling and alphorns to the streets.
When you’re ready for an even deeper look into the town’s roots, take a hike along the Sugar River Trail before exploring the Swiss Historical Village.
Holland, Michigan
For a brief moment every spring, Holland, Michigan turns into a Dutch fairytale. Over four million tulips bloom during the annual Tulip Time Festival, carpeting the town in color and scent.
Even outside festival season, the city carries its heritage proudly with traditional windmills, Dutch bakeries, and canal-style streets.
You can visit Windmill Island Gardens to see an authentic 250-year-old Dutch windmill in action, and sample stroopwafels and saucijzenbroodjes (spiced sausage rolls) at DeBoer Bakkerij. The entire downtown is walkable and welcoming, with shops and cafés that seem to be lifted from a Dutch postcard.
For modern comfort with a nod to local history, you’ll enjoy a stay at the Tulyp Hotel right on E. 7th Street.