Marietta, Georgia

Looking for a suburban atmosphere with a city feel? Marietta is a small city that can do both. Marietta offers some of the best schools in the Atlanta metro — and Georgia as a whole. That, coupled with the area’s many parks and museums, make it a place built for family life. And the city’s proximity to downtown Atlanta means you're only a 30- to 40-minute drive from some of the best bars, restaurants and shopping in the South. Chock full of history, the city’s beautiful antebellum homes and old downtown streets provide a taste of its pre-Civil War heyday, when Marietta was a prosperous railroad town. Take a stroll through historic Marietta Square, the city’s central park that was once used as a militia training ground. (Chalktoberfest, Marietta’s popular chalk art and craft beer festival, takes place here in October). Speaking of homes, buying one in Marietta averages about $354,000, which is miles more affordable than metro suburbs in places like New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Marietta also offers a lot more bang for your buck: From modest three-bedroom ranches to small mansions sitting on rambling estates, finding your dream home in Marietta (and for the right price) doesn’t have to be a pipedream. Residents have hundreds of acres of protected land and parks to explore, from Kennesaw Mountain and National Battlefield Park to the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area and more. Literature fans can pay a visit to the Gone with the Wind Museum at Brumby Hall, and culture abounds at the city’s multiple art and history museums. On a night out, catch a show at the renowned Strand Theatre and a fancy fried chicken dinner at Spring, a locally-focused restaurant located in Marietta Square. For a late-night snack, Marietta Diner is open 24/7. — Mary Ellen Cagnassola