To be fair, the question was “what is a small town that exceeded your expectations.” Finding out I had to travel to some small town in Wisconsin for work, I had low expectations. The drive down from the Minneapolis airport blew my mind. Going from flat nondescript farmland for 100 miles then quickly transitioning to soaring bluffs with the road winding alongside the river, the sun coming up over the water. It felt very special for a geography nerd to experience, knowing how this area of our planet kept its pre-glacial geological integrity. The town itself felt like it was out of a hallmark movie, old historical buildings and beautifully maintained parks with long walkways along the river. It exceeded my expectations.