Wanna check out one of the lovliest cities in the country? You won't have to travel far. For the second year in a row, Forbes Traveler magazine has pegged Maryland's capital city as one of the nation's 20 prettiest spots in the U.S.
Here's an expcert:
"As the sun casts its autumnal glow on thousands of picturesque U.S. cities and towns, it's the perfect time to recognize the proverbial winners of the country's civic-beauty contest. Some you may recall from last year, others are brand sparkling new.
Like all such pageants, this is a subjective one�but we've received help from several experts with keen eyes for architecture, aesthetics, and small-town charm. This year's pretty-town pickers include Salt Lake City-based architectural photographer Alan Blakely; residential designer Erin Anderson; and painter John Vander Stelt.
We left the definition of "pretty" up to the judges themselves. Photographer Blakely said he was drawn to places that were "fairly pure, architecturally�without a lot of commissioned residential architecture, but rather, structures built by private builders or the occupants themselves."
Greg Melville, co-author of 101 Best Outdoor Towns, explains the criteria he used in making his choices: "Each of these places is among the most picturesque (in the country)�whether it's the natural surroundings, the architecture, or more likely a combination of the two."
Melville's list includes the Chesapeake Bay-side town of Annapolis, Md.
'Annapolis is somehow able to maintain ties to its historic colonial and maritime past without seeming hokey,' says Melville"
Read the full article here.