With small towns, everyone travels to other bigger towns, or even cities for pretty much everything. I'm even known for it. But what I've learned from being employed at a small coffee shop in Dansville, NY is that most of the time we travel to other towns and cities, we forget what our small towns actually have to offer. So, the next time you think about driving to the city for entertainment, take a minute and think about what local spot you can go to for some hang out fun. Here's some help:

Local Coffee Shop/Cafe

Do you need a place to relax or just chat with some friends? Then go to your small towns coffee shop. Like I said, I work at one in my town, so I know for a fact that it's such a friendly environment to hang out in. Whether you buy coffee or a baked good, go to work on your laptop or read a book, hang out with friends or go by yourself, a cafe is the perfect place for you to go to. I promise you'll walk out with a smile on your face.

Local Movie Theater

Not all small towns have their own movie theater, but I'm lucky enough to have one in mine. Some of the bigger movie theaters in the cities are overwhelming, crowded, and REALLY expensive. This is why I like the idea of going to a local movie theater. It's the perfect place for your friends or even your family to go when you want to do something but don't want to travel that far to do it.

Local Ice Cream Stand

Ice cream is literally the best thing ever, especially during summer. So either during the day, or at night, you have a sudden craving for sweets, go to your local ice cream stand for some custard, and take your friends with you so you can hang out at the picnic tables they have set out. When it's nice out, I catch myself setting there for a long while chatting with friends, even to the point where I think about buying more ice cream...

Your Town's Library

Need quiet time and a calm surrounding for a while? Go to your town's library. Whether it's small or quite large like my town's, it's a great place for you to sit back and relax. Can't really find that in big cities, and quite frankly, sometimes I forget that my town even has a library; I wish took advantage of our library more. It's also a perfect spot for you to get involved such as joining a reading group or even doing arts and craft workshops.

The Park

Obviously you can find parks pretty much anywhere, but they sure are the best when there aren't a lot of people there. So, your small town park is where you can go to have some fun without any expenses. Take some friends and play Frisbee, act like a child and play on the playground, or get a game of kickball or softball going. Just a nice place for you and your friends to spend some time together.

So get to know your small town a little better and go explore! Even if you're from a bigger town, take a trip to a small town near you and discover all the wonderful things they have to offer!