America the beautiful, amiright? For its November cover story, National Geographic teamed up with social scientists at Gallup to find the happiest cities in the country. The team behind the study based its measure of happiness on 15 factors, ranging from time spent outdoors and diet to more unexpected factors like regular dental checkups (sadly, no cities were ranked based on the puppy-to-human ratio, which is a crime in our book). Check off the cities you've visited, then perhaps give some thought to visiting ones you haven’t yet been to. Might we suggest San Luis Obispo in Southern California? It. Is. Magical.
This is the happiest city in America, thanks in part to its 300 miles of bikeways.
The central California city has the three B's: beaches, boardwalks and a beautiful bay.
This city's proximity to the Blue Ridge Mountains definitely puts a smile on citizens' faces.
How could the city that inspired Disneyland's Main Street not be a happy place?
Whether you're looking for bike trails or wineries, San Luis Obispo has you covered.
This Silicon Valley hub gets roughly 300 days of sunshine a year.
The outdoor activities you have access to just outside of this city are limitless.
This metropolitan area is close enough to New York for day trips, but without the stress of living in a big city.
It's hard to be a grump when you're living on Cape Cod.
Home to five national parks, consider Anchorage the starting point of your great Alaskan adventure.
Some of the wealthiest people come to Naples for its idyllic beaches and tropical vibe.
This metro area has the best of both worlds, thanks to its beaches and mountains.
Consider this coastal city the laid back cousin to the neighboring Bay Area.
This city and the surrounding towns offer up beaches, art and stunning architecture.
The capital of Hawaii truly proves that island life is the best life.
This thriving college town combines the simpleness of small town living with elements of city life.
It might be one of the most expensive cities in America, but at least it's worth the price tag to live in San Fran.
This town is home to some of the most stunning natural rock formations on the planet.
This city's proximity to Boston, the Atlantic Ocean and the White Mountains makes it an attractive place to live.
Ventura's proximity to a slew of national forests makes it a great place to get lost.
The country's capital has figured out how to stay happy despite being home to weighty political debates.
The Twin Cities are a dream for any winter nature lover, thanks to hundreds of miles of ski trails.
This city is a straight shot 120 miles south of L.A., but its relaxed feel makes it seem like a whole new world.
The northernmost state's biggest city makes life easy for its citizens with walking paths, public beaches and good food.
Maybe it's time for this city to change its motto from "keep Austin weird" to "keep Austin happy."