Schools, shmools. There are other things that make suburban towns great. Here are our nominees of towns that distinguish themselves in unusual ways. Send us your suggestions, as we continue to comb the country for suburban towns like no other.

Why the Best:  Beautiful town on gorgeous lake (Michigan), home of one of America's best universities (Northwestern), minutes from one of America's best cities (Chicago). Evanston is near perfect. Cosmopolitan enough...read more.

Why the Best: Home of the NJ Table Tennis Club, one of the "hottest," most popular table tennis centers in the country. The Club is home-base to multiple Olympians and top competitors. Yet it's also a place where everybody in town goes, beginners on up...read more.

Why the Best:  Soho NY meets Silicon Valley on the Iowa prairie.  Fairfield is something you almost couldn't make up if you tried -- and if you did, you couldn't sell it to Hollywood because they'd tell you it's too fantastic (in addition to being too interesting and sophisticated ...read more.

Why the Best: Street festival capital of the world. This beautiful boardwalk beach town has more crazy, out there, fun festivals and fairs than all other towns combined. How about the Doodah Parade (featuring beach chair drill teams); Mollusk Day (honoring NJ's deserving shell fish); Miss Crustacean Hermit Crab Beauty Pageant ...read more.

Why the Best: Home of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Factory. The only place in America where you can gorge on all of Ben & Jerry's new, experimental flavors before anyone else. Many of the flavors will never make it to stores. All are great. Some are phenomenally great, like the chocolate-coffee-espresso-bean we tried over the summer...read more.