Grantsburg, WI

As the Burnett County seat, Grantsburg offers a quiet small-town feel right on the edge of the massive Crex Meadows wildlife refuge. Most days around town are pretty low-key, with people fishing or walking dogs around Memory Lake. That quiet routine gets turned up every July when thousands of visitors arrive to watch snowmobiles race across open water for the World Championship Watercross. Between the local parks, solid community schools, and easy access to hunting, hiking, and river canoeing, it makes a comfortable home base for anyone who loves the outdoors.