Naples

Naples

Naples brings wealthy retirees to the Gulf coast for genuinely some of the prettiest beaches in Florida, and the sunsets at the pier are a community ritual (everyone gathers, no one talks). The downtown along Fifth Avenue is pastel and breezy. Mercato has the upscale restaurants. The Everglades' western edge starts just south of town. Affluent, sunny, and quieter than the east-coast Florida cities.

Little Rock

Little Rock is the Arkansas River curving past downtown, the Clinton Presidential Library lit up at night (it's a striking modernist building), and a state capitol modeled directly on the U.S. Capitol. The River Market district is the food and bar center. Pinnacle Mountain on the western edge is a quick hike with a view of the whole valley. It's smaller and friendlier than its reputation.