Here we go again! Online publication Thrillist – which has written positively about Eau Claire in at least two other articles – has included Eau Claire on a list of "America's Best Small Cities to Move to Before They Get Too Popular." I guess this is the natural evolution of this kind of coverage.

It's not a huge write up, and it's a pretty superficial look at the city, but it's the latest in a long list of national and state publications turning a spotlight on Eau Claire for a number of reasons – as both a travel destination and a place to live. Some stories are more in-depth than others (and some are downright clickbaity) but you can't deny that we've been getting a lot of attention lately.

If you're wondering exactly what the means to us as locals – and if you should care – check out an editorial written by Volume One Editor/Publisher Nick Meyer: Eau Claire Is Making National Headlines. Here's What That Means and Why You Should Care.

In the meantime, here's what Thrillist has to say …

Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Beer, trails, and a world-class music festival at your doorstep
Population: 68,300

If you want to make friends in this life -- real friends, the sort you’ll hang with for the rest of your days -- then spend a few winters two hours from Minneapolis. The upper Midwestern folks here have a knack for making the most of that dreary, dark season. You’ll still see bikes (with snow tires) commuting in negative temperatures, which at first may seem insane but eventually... you kind of get it. Duck out of the snow and into a warm, toasty bar -- Water Street is saturated with them -- for a pint of Lazy Monk IPA or New Glarus Spotted Cow. Eat some cheese curds, play a board game or 200, and let the winter roll on by, as it always manages to do.

Once spring rolls around, everyone starts peeling the sleeves off their pale-ass torsos and preparing to smash their way into a temperate, gorgeous summer together. The Chippewa River runs through this city, with loads of trails, parks, even beaches, and a shiny waterfront downtown is rolling in locally owned shops and locally sourced eats. June brings about the Eaux Claires music festival, started in 2015 by Wisconsin’s own Justin Vernon, where local artists share a bill with such little-known acts as Vernon's Bon Iver, Wilco, and Paul Simon. -- Kylie Maxcy