A panel of travel writers for USA Today have included Cape Girardeau as part of their latest list of the Top Ten Small College Towns.In their latest “10 Best” series article, the writers focused on towns with populations of 50,000 or less. Their criteria for rankings included where best to spend a visit to enjoy local activities, dining and shopping options, and cultural offerings. Cape Girardeau was eighth out of ten. The articles highlighted Cape’s “trails and parks, from nearby Trail of Tears State Park to the mural-filled Riverfront Park. Same goes for the varied culinary offerings found all around town.”