Beautiful Small Towns That Celebs Made Famous

Not all movie stars and celebrities live in La-La Land or under the bright lights of New York City. Many of them want to escape the industry and the paparazzi and enjoy a much more serene lifestyle in which to raise their families. 

But even in small towns, it is hard to go unnoticed. With a big name as a neighbor, these towns have found their way into everyday vernacular as fans seek out their favorite icons.

Which small towns have become famous for their famous residents? Consider this your Star Map of the United States.

Charleston, Mississippi

Population: 1,926

Born in Memphis, Tennessee, Morgan Freeman was raised by his grandmother in Charleston, Mississippi. Residing in low-income neighborhoods, Freeman began acting in the late 1960s and was nominated for Best Actor for "The Shawshank Redemption" and "Invictus," and Best Supporting Actor for "Street Smart," "Driving Miss Daisy" and "Million Dollar Baby," the latter earning him the win.

Despite his A-list fame, he chooses to call his small hometown home today, albeit with a bigger and better house.

Where You May Find Him

Freeman owns a 124-acre ranch on land that was once his family's property — and he keeps honeybees.

Known for loving music and dancing the night away at the ripe age of 83, you can find him at his friend and business partner's Ground Zero Blues club and the restaurant Madidi.

Marshfield, Massachusetts

Population: 25,905

This sleepy seaside community located between Boston and Cape Cod in Massachusetts' "South Shore" is home to not one but two famous Steves.

Steve Carrell, born and raised outside of Boston, rose to fame as Michael Scott on TV's "The Office," while Steven Tyler, the legendary frontman of the Boston-based band Aerosmith, grew up in New York City.

Both men choose to live quietly in Marshfield, where Tyler's band members Joey Kramer and Brad Whitford also reside, along with Dicky Barrett, the lead singer of another famous Boston rock band, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones.

Where You May Find Them

Carrell truly gives back to his community as the owner of Marshfield Hills General Store. He purchased the store in 2008 to keep the landmark property going and inspire local shopping, and his sister-in-law runs the shop. The store's webpage even has a "Where's Steve" section to keep up with the actor.

Carrell has been found with his kids sailing in Green Harbor, bowling at the Alley Kay Lane in Kingston and grabbing a Friendly's Fribble when he spends his summers in Marshfield.

Montpelier, Vermont

Population: 7,436

When Sandra and Gesino Bullock were children in Nurnberg, Germany, they probably never guessed one would become one of the world's biggest actresses and the other would become an acclaimed baker.

Although Sandra Bullock calls Austin, Texas, and Los Angeles home, Gesino resides in Vermont's capital city, Montpelier, where she once owned Gesine Confectionary. Proud-sis Sandy touted the bakery often and can still be found in the charming mountain town visiting family.

Where You May Find Her

Gesino Bullock-Prado closed the bakery to, as she puts it, get back to baking instead of running a business. Now she teaches, writes cookbooks and is featured on Food Network's "Baked in Vermont." And Sandy still comes to town to spend time with her sister, enjoying the paparazzi-free life.

Maybe she pops into Lost Nation Theater arthouse theater, takes a walk with her son and daughter in Hubbard Park or enjoys maple syrup from Bragg Farm Sugar House?

Leipers Fork, Tennessee

Population: 650

For a town of fewer than 1,000 people, it sure does feature some A-list musicians and actors! 

Leipers Fork, Tennessee, located outside of Nashville in Franklin County, is where country power duo Tim McGraw and Faith Hill have raised three daughters, crooner Keith Urban and Academy Award-winner Nicole Kidman raise their two girls, and Tennessee-born pop star Justin Timberlake and actress Jessica Biel moved in 2013.

Being less than an hour from Nashville means working and enjoying the spoils of the big city, but it's the small-town charm that is the reason these couples have made this their family homes.

Where You May Find Them

In such a small town it's easy to run into a celeb or two, especially if you visit Puckett's Grocery. 

Dating back to the 1950s, this "downtown" store and restaurant is a spot for catching live music from upcoming singers in the area hoping to make it big like their neighbors someday.

Be sure to grab some breakfast at Country Boy, where celebs may also be spotted makeup-free.

Taos, New Mexico

Population: 5,971

Long before Julia Roberts fell in love with her husband Danny Moder and held her surprise wedding in the outskirts of Taos, New Mexico, she had sought the solace of this community away from glitz and glamour of Hollywood.

The "Pretty Woman" star (among many other roles) purchased her 40-acre ranch in the 1990s and has since raised her three kids away from the spotlight in this mountain town that serves as a makeshift artist's commune that was once home to Georgia O'Keefe.

Where You May Find Her

Most sightings of Roberts are at the grocery store, but the mountains are the main draw here. In a land where the sun shines more than 300 days per year, the Taos Ski Valley features nearly 3,300-foot drops for skiers on its 110 acres of trails.

Of course, taking in the local art at downtown galleries and the Harwood Museum of Art is a must, and you can see the 1,000-year-old Taos Pueblo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and National Historic Landmark.

 

Yellow Springs, Ohio

Population: 3,702

Known as one of the most reclusive celebrities in the business, it's no surprise comedian Dave Chappelle hides away in an idyllic Ohio town known as Yellow Springs. The small town lies east of Dayton, where the Washington, D.C.-born Chappelle would spend his summers after his parents' divorce.

When his father became ill in 1998, Chappelle found himself traveling to the state so much that he decided to buy a house. When he ended "Chappelle's Show," he decided to make it his full-time home in 2006.

Where You May Find Him

The Dayton suburb provides an outdoor playground for its nearby city and is home to the Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve, John Bryan State Park and Glen Helen Nature Preserve.

The sleepy town is so charming it has its own covered bridge and a Little Art Theatre and features eclectic restaurants like Ye Olde Trail Tavern, HaHa Pizza and Winds Cafe and Bakery, where you just may run into Chappelle.

Westerly, Rhode Island

Population: 17,435

Darn Taylor Swift for letting the world in on a little-known secret. The country-turned-pop singer has 140 million followers on Instagram and often shares photos from her summer retreat: The iconic grand house that stands at the peak of Watch Hill Beach.

Purchasing the $17.75 million house in 2013, Swift hosts a huge Fourth of July party every year, bringing A-list guests to town and the surrounding beach.

 

Where You May Find Her

Swift's home has its own path to Watch Hill Beach, which is open to the public (although Swift did try to make it a private beach but was denied).

Misquamicut State Beach, Dunes Park, East Beach and Napatree Point Conservation Area are other summer staples for the town where if you cannot stay with Swift, you can enjoy living like she does with a stay at the grande Ocean House iconic hotel.

Ketchum, Idaho

Population: 2,827

Ketchum, Idaho, has been luring Hollywood's elite for generations.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, who grew up in the snow-covered mountains of Austria, may feel he's back in his homeland here. Perhaps that is why this has been his second home for decades?

And you may spot long-lasting Hollywood couple Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, who use Sun Valley as a getaway from Los Angeles. California-girl Wilson was once a member of her high school ski club!

Where You May Find Them

Schwarzenegger is so often on the Sun Valley Resort slopes that a black diamond run has been named for the blockbuster actor, bodybuilder and former governor of California. Give Arnold's Run a try if you dare, or simply pick from a number of trails on the 2,154-acre resort with a summit of 9,150 feet.

Wilson may be spotted on the slopes as well, but with her singing career, you will often find her performing songs at The Argyros.

 

Westport, Connecticut

Population: 28,115

Fairfield County, Connecticut, is a perfect place for celebs who want to be close to New York City yet live a "regular" life with their families, and you'll find Westport to be a quaint New England coastal town that fits the bill.

Anne Hathaway and her family have been staples for years, while Bradley Cooper used the pandemic to purchase his home and spend quiet and safe days with his daughter here. (He even entertained pal Leonardo di Caprio over the summer.)

Where You May Find Them

Westport's name is a giveaway to what this town does best: This is a boating haven with sailing and fishing boats enjoying the Long Island Sound.

Hathaway has been caught riding a bike, visiting the beach and shopping in the pedestrian-friendly Saugatuck area.

Both thespians, Cooper and Hathaway may also be spotted checking out performances at the Westport County Playhouse or Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts.

Montecito, California

Population: 8,965

Everything Oprah Winfrey touches turns to gold. The same holds true for Montecito, California, home to media mogul and Academy Award-winning actress Oprah Winfrey for nearly 20 years.

The Santa Barbara-area community enjoys both the Pacific Ocean and its beaches and the Santa Ynez Mountains, with Ms. O's "Promised Land" neighbors including Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, Drew Barrymore and Rob Lowe.

The star-studded community welcomed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle this past summer.

Where You May Find Them

The seaside home to the stars can be found about an hour north of Los Angeles, and what makes this a great celeb retreat is beautiful weather, upscale shopping, Michelin-worthy restaurants and plenty of off-the-beaten paths to enjoy without being bombarded.

Hike in Toro and Mission Canyons; sample the wines of Summerland Winery, Jaffurs Wine Cellars or Folded Hills; and keep calm if you spot a star sitting at the next table at Cava Restaurant, Lucky's or Trattoria Mollie, Oprah's favorite.

Bangor, Maine

Population: 31,997

True fans of author Stephen King know that the fictional Castle Rock is based on his coastal hometown of Bangor, Maine.

Selling more than 350 million books, the writer once-upon-a-time welcomed residents and visitors to an annual Halloween party at his home.

Where You May Find Him

Of course, visitors love to get a look at Stephen King's home, where a wrought iron fence features a spiderweb gate and ornamental bats.

Continue the somber tour with a meander through Mount Hope Garden Cemetery, bike the 5-mile trail in Bangor City Forest, and take a photo with the giant-sized Paul Bunyan statue.

Aspen, Colorado

Population: 7,365

"Dances With Wolves" director and actor Kevin Costner really does prefer to live in the wide-open expanse of the American West. That's why he calls Aspen, Colorado, home. The Academy Award winner has said he wants to be buried on his 165-acre ranch.

But he's not the only A-lister in this old mining town that has become a winter ski retreat for the wealthy. Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell have long called this Rocky Mountain town a vacation destination, raising their children here.

Where You May Find Them

With its Rocky Mountain location near the Continental Divide, hiking, skiing and enjoying the great outdoors is the main feature of Aspen. 

Then again, with so many celebs popping into town, the high-end shopping and dining are almost as spectacular as the scenery.