If all I'd ever seen is rednecks in pickup trucks picking up milk from the gas station, I guess I'd think it was cute.
Visit a hamlet in the UK some time, tell me what you think then.
I'll second this. Vermont was extremely charming when I drove back roads one summer. Another wonderful drive was the 1A up coastal New Hampshire, all the buildings and infrastructure were quaint and humble.
It was probably Maine (or Massachusetts). In New Hampshire we probably only have a few miles of 1A that is like this (Rye). It is basically the beach, Rye, then you hit Portsmouth and you are in Maine.
Driving along the coast in Maine would be a really long trip
I live in a small town in NH. In our part of the state it is all small towns. Western Mass is also all small towns.