Grass Valley is a small town of about 12,000 near Nevada City, Auburn, and about 50 miles from Sacramento in California.  The town was an important part of the original California Gold Rush. It is in the foothills of the Sierra. Photo of The Josiah Royce public library, (as Grass Valley was the the birthplace and early home of philosopher…...

Puerto Vallarta is a popular tourist and retirement city on the west coast of Mexico, below Mazatlan and north of Acapulco. The city  is situated on the Pacific Ocean's Bahía de Banderas. The 2010 census reported Puerto Vallarta's population as over 250,000, which makes it the second largest city in the state of Jalisco. Once a  small fishing and agricultural…...

Laguna Vista is a small residential community on the coast near beautiful South Padre Island, Harlingen and Port Isabel, Texas. This popular resort area at the southern tip of Texas has a very warm winter climate, and is increasingly home to many retirees as well as vacationers....

Ruskin is a small town south of Tampa on Florida's west coast (population 28,620 in 2020). It is an unincorporated community that is part of Hillsborough County. Fed up with over development, the area has petitioned the state to allow it to become a separate, incorporated city. Ruskin was founded as a utopian socialist community inspired by John Ruskin....