Happiest Towns in the Mountains: Our Readers Have Spoken, with a Smile "Big cities" like Roanoke, Asheville and Harrisonburg, mid-sized towns like Boone, Charlottesville and Staunton have only one thing on tiny mountain towns like Lewisburg, Blowing Rock and Floyd: Just a little bit more mass in terms of the friendly, welcoming vibe that defines all nine of our reader-voted happiest towns. By Nan K. Chase May/June 2016 33