America’s 10 Best Towns to Visit in 2026: The Emergency Numbers Every Traveler Should Save This Fourth of July – Free in the InfoCons App
On the Fourth of July, the United States marks its Independence Day – and in 2026 the occasion is historic, as the country celebrates 250 years since the Declaration of Independence. It is peak travel season on both sides of the Atlantic, and there is no better moment to talk about how to explore America safely, wherever your road trip takes you.
This summer, CNN Travel published its third annual list of America’s Best Towns to Visit in 2026, spotlighting smaller, less-obvious communities rather than the usual big-city hotspots. Below, InfoCons pairs each of these ten towns with the emergency and consumer-protection numbers you should have on hand – all available, even offline, in the free InfoCons App.
A note on the ranking: this Top 10 reflects the editorial selection of CNN Travel and is not a universal, official, or scientific classification. Other publications and travelers may rank America’s best towns differently.
The InfoCons App: your consumer-protection passport for any trip
The InfoCons Global App is a free digital tool – the only Consumer Protection Passport that links Europe and the United States. Available in 33 languages and bundling 33 apps in one, it is built for every EU citizen traveling to the USA and every American who travels, transits, or does business across the European Union. Install it once and you carry, in the language you understand best, everything you need for your health, your money, and your safety – from scanning barcodes and energy labels to product-safety alerts, a terminology dictionary, and checks on hotels and travel agencies.
The SOS section – safety one tap away, even offline
At the heart of the app is the SOS section of the InfoCons App, which gathers useful and emergency numbers at local, national, and international level: Police, Fire, Ambulance, Consumer Protection, Border Police, public utilities, and more, from over 100 countries. Its most important feature is that it works even offline – so when you land in an unfamiliar town with no signal or no local SIM, the right number is still one tap away. Across the United States, the primary emergency number is 911 (Police, Fire, and Ambulance), while the InfoCons SOS section also lists the national consumer-protection line (202 326 2180) and each state’s own consumer and public-utility numbers.
Top 10 Best Towns to Visit in 2026 – and the numbers to know
For each town, dial 911 for any life-threatening emergency. Below are the state-level consumer-protection and utility lines you will also find in the InfoCons App:
1. Sarasota, Florida
Crowned CNN Travel’s No. 1 town to visit in 2026, Sarasota sits on Florida’s Gulf Coast, where the powder-white quartz sand of beaches like Siesta Key meets warm turquoise water. But this is far more than a beach town: it is a genuine cultural heavyweight, anchored by The Ringling – the vast art museum and former circus estate of railroad magnate John Ringling – alongside a thriving theater, opera, and ballet scene. Add fresh Gulf seafood, lush botanical gardens, and easy boat trips out to the barrier islands, and you get a sun-soaked destination with real depth for families, couples, and culture lovers alike.
- Police / Fire / Ambulance: 911
- Consumer Protection (Dept. of Agriculture & Consumer Services): 1-800-435-7352
- Electricity & Gas emergency: 800-427-7712
- Public Service Commission: 1-800-342-3552
2. New Haven, Connecticut
Perched on Long Island Sound, New Haven blends Ivy League grandeur with a down-to-earth, food-loving spirit. Yale University lends the city its Gothic architecture and a cluster of free, world-class museums, while the historic New Haven Green anchors a compact, walkable downtown full of theaters and green space. It is also a bona fide culinary pilgrimage: the birthplace of American “apizza,” where legendary coal-fired pizzerias draw fans from across the country, backed by a diverse, student-fueled scene of restaurants, cafés, and live music.
- Police / Fire / Ambulance: 911
- Consumer Protection: 1-800-842-2649
- Electricity emergency: 800-286-2000
- Attorney General: 860-808-5420
3. Greenville, South Carolina
Tucked into the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Greenville has transformed a once-industrial center into one of the South’s most charming downtowns. Its showpiece is Falls Park on the Reedy, where the graceful Liberty Bridge – a curved pedestrian suspension bridge – arcs over a natural waterfall in the middle of the city. Tree-lined Main Street brims with independent restaurants, breweries, and galleries, while the surrounding mountains and the popular Swamp Rabbit Trail make Greenville a magnet for cyclists, hikers, and weekend explorers.
- Police / Fire / Ambulance: 911
- Consumer Protection: 1-800-922-1594
- Public Service Commission: 1-800-922-1531
4. Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Founded by Moravian settlers in 1741, Bethlehem wears its history proudly – and keeps reinventing it. The former Bethlehem Steel works have been reborn as SteelStacks, a striking arts-and-music campus set beneath the towering old blast furnaces, home to Musikfest, one of the largest free music festivals in the country. Around the holidays, “Christmas City” glows with markets and lights, while a walkable historic district, craft breweries, and a lively riverside keep it rewarding all year round.
- Police / Fire / Ambulance: 911
- Consumer Protection: 1-800-441-2555
- Public Utility Commission: 1-800-692-7380
5. Fort Collins, Colorado
At the foot of the Rocky Mountains, Fort Collins pairs relaxed college-town energy with serious access to the outdoors. It is one of America’s craft-beer capitals, home to dozens of breweries, and its handsome, historic Old Town is often said to have helped inspire Disney’s Main Street, U.S.A. The Cache la Poudre River and the nearby foothills open the door to hiking, tubing, and cycling, making the city an ideal base for travelers who want culture in the morning and nature in the afternoon.
- Police / Fire / Ambulance: 911
- Consumer Protection: 1-800-222-4444
- Public Utilities Commission: 1-800-456-0858
6. Burlington, Vermont
Set between Lake Champlain and the Green Mountains, Burlington is a compact, walkable lakeside city with a fiercely local soul. The pedestrian-only Church Street Marketplace hums with independent shops, farm-to-table restaurants, and street performers, while the waterfront invites sailing, cycling, and long sunset views across to New York’s Adirondacks. A college town at heart, it is known for craft beer, maple everything, and quick access to four-season adventure, from summer paddling to winter skiing.
- Police / Fire / Ambulance: 911
- Consumer Protection: 1-800-649-2424
- Public Service Commission: 1-800-622-4496
7. Juneau, Alaska
Alaska’s capital is unlike any other in the country: you cannot drive there. Hemmed in by mountains and sea, Juneau is reachable only by ferry or plane – and that isolation is precisely the appeal. The Mendenhall Glacier sits almost at the city’s edge, whales breach in the nearby channels, and rainforest trails and the Mount Roberts Tramway deliver sweeping views over the Inside Passage. It is a rugged, small-town capital where genuine wilderness begins right where the streets end.
- Police / Fire / Ambulance: 911
- Consumer Protection: 1-888-576-2529
- Electricity emergency: 1-800-888-2726
8. Iowa City, Iowa
A UNESCO City of Literature, Iowa City punches far above its size in culture and character. Home to the University of Iowa and its world-famous Writers’ Workshop, it offers a walkable, book-loving downtown packed with independent bookstores, cafés, and a busy calendar of readings, festivals, and live music. Historic neighborhoods, a revitalized riverfront, and a genuinely warm Midwestern welcome make it an easy, unpretentious place to slow down and stay a while.
- Police / Fire / Ambulance: 911
- Consumer Protection (Attorney General): 1-888-777-4590
- Utilities Board: 1-877-565-4450
9. Lawrence, Kansas
A spirited university town on the Kansas prairie, Lawrence carries a proud, independent streak rooted in its turbulent Civil War–era history. Massachusetts Street – known simply as “Mass Street” – forms a vibrant downtown of locally owned shops, restaurants, and one of the best live-music scenes in the Midwest, energized by the University of Kansas. Add museums, galleries, and nearby prairie and lake trails, and you have a welcoming town that consistently surprises first-time visitors.
- Police / Fire / Ambulance: 911
- Consumer Protection (Attorney General): 1-800-432-2310
- Utilities Board: 1-800-662-0027
10. Roanoke, Virginia
Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains along the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway, Roanoke is an outdoor lover’s base camp with an increasingly hip downtown. The city is crowned by the illuminated Roanoke Star atop Mill Mountain and laced with greenways and mountain-biking trails that have earned it a reputation as a Southern adventure hub. A revitalized market district, a strong farm-to-table food scene, and easy access to hiking, rivers, and the parkway make it a rewarding mountain stop for a weekend or a week.
- Police / Fire / Ambulance: 911
- Consumer Protection: 1-800-552-9963
- State Corporation Commission (utilities): 1-800-552-7945
All the emergency and consumer numbers above are available, together with hundreds more, inside the SOS section of the InfoCons App. Numbers can change over time, so always verify locally and dial 911 first in any life-threatening situation.
Download the app before you fly
The InfoCons Global App can be downloaded free of charge from the App Store, Google Play, and AppGallery. Choose your language, save your SOS numbers offline, and set off well-informed – whichever of America’s best towns you visit.
Happy Independence Day, USA – 250 years, with a new atitudine!
Be informed! Take a stand! Choose well, feel well!
Signed: InfoCons – Consumer Protection Communication Department