Decorah, about 20 minutes away from me. It's in the Driftless Area (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driftless_Area) and home to Luther College, so it gets the college town vibe. It feels a lot like a mountain town (despite only having hills), and people from the Twin Cities, Chicago, and Des Moines visit pretty frequently due to the world class beer scene (it's where Toppling Goliath is from and there are other local breweries that rock), and the outdoor recreation which is pretty good by Midwestern standards. There's a beautiful paved bike trail the loops around the city, 20+ miles of mountain bike/hiking trails in the bluffs on the north end of town, and plenty of other hiking and biking options within a 40 minute radius. The Upper Iowa River flows through town, and upstream about 15 minutes is some of the top kayaking/canoeing in the Midwest. The college brings in a pretty eclectic mix of people, and there are some really good restaurants, art galleries, etc for a town it's size.