# The five must visit Cities in USA



## Brummyboy92 (Aug 2, 2007)

Well I am coming over in a few years to go and explore some cities and hopefully go to uni over there, but I am not just going to go to any uni over there because I obviously want to know if I am going to like the city or not.

I am not sure what cities I want to visit yet, now I am not the smartest kid so Im not going to Yale or Harvert, just a good uni that has had good grades in the past.

Also the city must have lots of work avaliable, good nightlife, tonnes of places to visit, good atmosphere, freindly people, safe!

I have came up with three maybes so far, and they are

New York
Boston
L.A

Are they good choices or not, and I need more suggestions really.


----------



## nygirl (Jul 14, 2003)

in order:

Babbit: Nevada
Lubbock: Texas
Bismark: North Dakota
Salem: Oregon
and last but not least

Newark: NJ really is a must see.


----------



## the spliff fairy (Oct 21, 2002)

San Fransisco
NYC
Chicago
Seattle
Boston
Philadelphia
Minneapolis


----------



## Kenni (Jul 26, 2007)

If you're looking for good and varied nightlife, EXCELLENT weather year-round, beaches in the summer and nearby mountains for skiing in the winter. Including world class unis.............

*Los Angeles* is your place.


----------



## ZZ-II (May 10, 2006)

easy for me:

New York
Chicago
Los Angeles
San Francisco
Las Vegas 

also great cities i think:

Miami
Atlanta
Boston


----------



## Darryl (Jan 14, 2007)

nygirl said:


> in order:
> 
> Babbit: Nevada
> Lubbock: Texas
> ...


LOL! :lol:

Actually, I think Trenton, New Jersey is fabulous too. Gives Newark a run for it's money.


----------



## MDguy (Dec 16, 2006)

DC's a good place to check out based on your criteria!


----------



## isaidso (Mar 21, 2007)

5 interesting and unique city experiences:

New York City
San Francisco
Los Angeles
Las Vegas
New Orleans


----------



## ArchiTennis (Jul 3, 2006)

it also depends on what you are studying....so? what are you studying?


----------



## -Corey- (Jul 8, 2005)

1. New York
2. Los Angeles
3. Las Vegas
4. Chicago
5. San Diego


----------



## Bentown (Jan 29, 2007)

isaidso said:


> 5 interesting and unique city experiences:
> 
> New York City
> San Francisco
> ...


Oh! god you are think same me at all.....all of that list is come from my mind too.....anyway I been 3 cities already LA ,Francisco,New Orleans


----------



## jayhawker (Jan 29, 2008)

The American cities that absolutely should be seen are, in order:

1. NYC - no-brainer. America's greatest city in nearly every way.

2. San Fransisco - One of the all-time great spots for a city.

3. LA - Rent a car, see the sights.

4. DC - One of greatest museum cities in the world.

5. Charleston - genteel southern charm 

6. Boston - Our most charming city.

7. New Orleans

8. Chicago


----------



## nomarandlee (Sep 24, 2005)

It sounds like you want a big city and a variety of choices within a metro to look into. I would say

1. San Fran
2. Boston
3. Chicago
4. NYC
5. Then I would tie Wash D.C, L.A., and Miami.


----------



## Big Texan (Jun 4, 2008)

1. Chicago
2. New York
3. Las Vegas
4. DC
5. Go back to Chicago! Buy a house and live there!!!!!


----------



## _00_deathscar (Mar 16, 2005)

New York
Boston
San Francisco
Chicago
Nottafuckingclue


----------



## erbse (Nov 8, 2006)

Boston and Savannah (Georgia) are great. SanFran is on a level of its own (bay area!), while NYC might be one of the greatest cities on our planet. Chicago's a bit cold, but offers some magnificent classical skyscraper architecture (as well as NY). Washington D.C. is boring, so is most of the inner country, except the landscape (Rocky Mountains, Yellowstone, Glacier, Mesa Verde a.s.o.). Most of the coasts (East and West) are worth the journey, thou.

I really liked Miami, great Art Decó and magnificent Ocean Drive - taste the Stone Crabs! Yummy. Key West isn't a city, but you should go there once you're around.
San Diego and the surrounding area is pretty fine as well. You should definitely stumble across some of the lovely vineyards in California.

Regarding LA: I think it's utter crap, sorry. Nice landscape and some impressive mansions around Holly and Beverly Hills, but that's nearly all about it. Was really disappointed by this city, so I decided to stay just 4 days instead of a whole week. Some awesome (foreign) restaurants thou.


Just my touristic :2cents:.


----------



## philadweller (Oct 30, 2003)

New York City - no need to explain why, America is so lucky to have her, she defies everything that autoccentric America is about, an experiment in extreme density, no car required

Chicago - big, bustling, Midwestern nexus, extremely friendly people, great collection of everything you need in a city, incredible neigborhoods, a mighty lake and my favorite gay bar on the planet...no car required

Philadelphia - huge city, America started here, some of the best restaurants and museums in the country, very walkable, vibrant neighborhoods, very affordable, architecturally amazing and going through an glorious renaissance, car not required, many people make the sad mistake of missing this American treasure

New Orleans - Most unique city in America, lots of flavor, mystique, culture and zest, car not required

Los Angeles - if New York is ying... LA is yang, By hitting both cities you can see a great American dichotomy, only drawback is that you need a car, unless you stick to West Hollywood, Santa Monica, Downtown or Hollywood.

then....

Seattle - great marriage of nature and urban fabric, laid back, very walkable for a west coast city, very friendly, great seafood and gay life, no car required

Boston - museum quality city, almost too perfect, a little on the small side but thanks to Cambridge it feels bigger, no car required, people are friendly but witty, smart career town with a streak of decadence.

Miami - am i still in American most foreign feeling city after New Orleans, Art deco candyland with great beaches and colors so bright you will feel high from looking at them, car required everywhere but South Beach.

Washington DC - Parisian layout, lots of great neighborhoods, gorgeous setting and architecture, very walkable, great subway and no car required

San Francisco - everyone loves SF, definitely worth seeing, great neighborhoods, challenging topography, unbelievable setting and Yosemite and the Redwoods are easy to get to.


Fortunately, it is possible to see Boston, NYC, Philly, Baltimore and DC in a long weekend


----------



## Astralis (Jan 28, 2007)

Judging by myself... in this order:

1. NYC
2. Las Vegas
3. LA
4. SF
5. Miami

:cheers:


----------



## philadweller (Oct 30, 2003)

Las Vegas is not my cup of tea. Unless you are into gambling and total glitz you may just like it. I think of it as an amusement park more than a city. Where else in the US do you have a bad reproduction of a cluster of Manhattan, a glass pyramid and the Eiffel Tower? 
I like the originals personally. Las Vegas is the result of rabid capitalism and a brilliant rendition of smoke and mirrors.


----------



## Brummyboy92 (Aug 2, 2007)

ArchiTennis said:


> it also depends on what you are studying....so? what are you studying?


Oh sorry I want to be an Architect, and yes I am looking for a big city feel!

Also is it cheap to live in these cities compared to say, London?


----------



## philadweller (Oct 30, 2003)

Also is it cheap to live in these cities compared to say, London?

Philly and Chicago are the best big city bargains. SF is way overpriced...so is Boston.
NYC can be reasonable for dining if you know where to go but never for rentals or condo sales.

The only city more expensive than London is Moscow.


----------



## Darhet (Dec 13, 2006)

1.Boston
2.New York
3.Chicago
4.San Francisco
5.Seattle
and
Washington DC of course


----------



## charmedone (Aug 31, 2007)

1San Francisco i may be form nre york but this is the place i would love to go to or maby even live it idk what it is about san francisco bbut for some resion i wanna live there when im done with school 

2 New York City
3 Chicago
4 Los Angles 
5 Miami


----------



## PsychoBabble (Apr 4, 2008)

Skip LA
I'd add new orleans and Santa Se NEw Mexico


----------



## brianmoon85 (Oct 14, 2006)

I disagree with some users. Most American cities are NOT walkable. The only city that I would say is walkable is NYC because I've lived there for 10 years and didn't own a car. However, now I live just outside DC and it can get very boring here. I mean it's a great "touristy" capital because of all the museums and stuff but otherwise, not too exciting for a capital city. Also, the subway stations can sometimes be too far away from each other. Philadelphia too I don't think it's a walkable city because it still has that reputation as a dangerous city (I lived there for 2 years just outside Philly in Conshohocken) and not a lot of people want to be in the downtown area of Philly after dark...maybe the only nice area is around UPENN area. But I would really recommend NYC if you have the money but would recommend Philadelphia if you would like to be in the "middle" area, meaning that Philly might be a good choice since it's the 3rd largest city in the US and DC is only 2 hrs away and NYC about 3 1/2hrs away so not too bad.


----------



## philvia (Jun 22, 2006)

brianmoon85 said:


> I disagree with some users. Most American cities are NOT walkable.



i also agree!

a lot of those cities on the list on page 1 said "walkable" are barely that. at most they're walkable only in a few districts. 

anyways, i would agree with choosing NYC as #1. its very european(so maybe not such a huge culture shock) and has one of the most extensive subway systems in the world. 

also say you're going for architecture? columbia, pratt, ccuny are the ones off the top of my head, in descending order of price(as well as reputation)


----------



## Brummyboy92 (Aug 2, 2007)

Oh also, In england we finish school alot earlier and go to college for two years then onto Uni, but will I be to young to get in a uni over in America cause I will be eighteen, nineteen when I go to Uni?


----------



## erbse (Nov 8, 2006)

American cities aren't walkable 'cause of their layout. Way too car-centric, straight streets, predominantly commercialised and business-centric - esp. speaking of their 'downtowns'.

NYC hardly is European. Smaller cities and towns/villages may rather have some European appeal to them, due to their oft more 'organic' structure.
Quebec is the most 'European' city in North America to me.


----------



## philvia (Jun 22, 2006)

Brummyboy92 said:


> Oh also, In england we finish school alot earlier and go to college for two years then onto Uni, but will I be to young to get in a uni over in America cause I will be eighteen, nineteen when I go to Uni?


lol no i started college when i was 17


----------



## hellachans (Nov 26, 2007)

Here's my list in no particular order:

Seattle: University of Washington - One of the top schools in the country located in one of the best cities in the country. It's safe, there's lots to do, I could go on, but since I live here I'd never stop. UW is amazing in most areas, but shines in Medicine, Business, Computer Science, Biology, Environmental Sciences, and Marine Studies. Seattle is a great place to live, and I've grown up here my whole life. It's a very cutting-edge, young, diverse place with one of the US' best economies right now. Up here we're still wondering why everyone keeps complaining about a recession, no joke. Also, many people say that Vancouver is better than Seattle, but in my experience Vancouver has a huge problem with employment, because they have no industrial base whatsoever, drugs are rampant with heroine addiction being a major problem currently, and the immigrant communities seem to constantly be butting heads with the local government creating a tense social environment. (and just to clarify, I'm a dual Canadian/American citizen, with much of my family living in Vancouver, so my reason for bringing this up is purely to clarify, rather than to badmouth Canada, which is a great country that I love for a myriad of reasons) 

Boston: Harvard, MIT, Boston U., Boston College, Tufts University, plus too many more. Beautiful city, too many colleges to name, most of them are pretty amazing schools as well.

New York City: Columbia University, New York University, etc... I wouldn't recommend going to school here because the cost of living in Manhattan is astronomical, but do visit, because it's a one of a kind city that captures people's hearts and imaginations. As cliche as it is to say that, I can't think of another way to describe it.

Washington, DC: Georgetown University, American University, etc... Amazing city, lots to see and do, and is very european in character, due to the absence of skyscrapers. (all buildings must be shorter than the US Capitol) Less dangerous than it used to be, but there aren't any points of interest in the less desirable neighborhoods, so you would have to be looking for trouble to find it.

Some other great cities are Portland (Oregon), San Francisco, Santa Barbara (CA), San Diego, Austin (TX), Denver, Chicago, Nashville, Louisville, Providence, Philadelphia, and Atlanta.




erbsenzaehler said:


> American cities aren't walkable 'cause of their layout. Way too car-centric, straight streets, predominantly commercialised and business-centric - esp. speaking of their 'downtowns'.
> 
> NYC hardly is European. Smaller cities and towns/villages may rather have some European appeal to them, due to their oft more 'organic' structure.
> Quebec is the most 'European' city in North America to me.


I completely disagree about the downtown comment. The opposite is true in that American downtowns are at a critical-mass of density, while the suburbs are car-centric. The skyscrapers are actually a direct result of the value of the land they sit on. More people want their offices, and recently, their homes located on that land, so the result is that skyscrapers are built to accommodate the demand for that real estate. Cities like Seattle, San Francisco, Boston, New York, Chicago, and Philadelphia are all geographically limited in their buildable area, so the result is the dramatic skylines each of these cities has. Look to Hong Kong for an even better example. Simple economics of supply and demand, or is that not taught in European schools?

It's simply untrue to say that American cities are not walkable. Outside of the downtowns, this is true, but I have yet to go to the city center of a major city without seeing hundreds of pedestrians walking everywhere. This is true for almost all of America's major cities, bar Las Vegas, which attracts tourists and has a terrible quality of life. Even Los Angeles' downtown is walkable, but the city is spread out into many walkable villages such as Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Westwood, Hollywood, Century City, etc... Manhattan is walkable, but due to the sheer amount of people, has spread (incredibly densely) to be so vast in size that walking from end to end would be foolish. It is true that most people commute to work via train, bus, or car, but that is not a qualification for the walkability of a place, because in all countries, urban centers draw the largest, most prestigious employers and thus their employees are spread throughout their respective metro areas.

However, you are right about Quebec, it was built by the French and much of the city is in its original form. However, don't think you can get by here with English, because although everyone speaks it perfectly fine, they resent the fact that most Canadians speak very minimal French, so they refuse to communicate in English.


----------



## MRichR (Jun 30, 2006)

brianmoon85 said:


> I disagree with some users. Most American cities are NOT walkable. The only city that I would say is walkable is NYC because I've lived there for 10 years and didn't own a car. However, now I live just outside DC and it can get very boring here. I mean it's a great "touristy" capital because of all the museums and stuff but otherwise, not too exciting for a capital city. Also, the subway stations can sometimes be too far away from each other. Philadelphia too I don't think it's a walkable city because it still has that reputation as a dangerous city (I lived there for 2 years just outside Philly in Conshohocken) and not a lot of people want to be in the downtown area of Philly after dark...maybe the only nice area is around UPENN area. But I would really recommend NYC if you have the money but would recommend Philadelphia if you would like to be in the "middle" area, meaning that *Philly might be a good choice since it's the 3rd largest city in the US* and DC is only 2 hrs away and NYC about 3 1/2hrs away so not too bad.


Um, Philadelphia is not the 3rd largest city in the US. It's #5, and on its way down as others creep closer to it. Phoenix may have already passed it up.


----------



## Jax419 (Dec 5, 2006)

1.NYC
2.Chicago
3.Miami
4.San Francisco
5.Boston


----------



## Langur (Jan 3, 2008)

1) New York
2) Chicago
3) San Francisco
4) Las Vegas
5) Miami


----------



## Khaw (Aug 17, 2007)

In order of priority:
1) NYC - duh?
2) Chicago - most under-rated global city in the world
3) SF - best city on the western US (sorry LA)
4) Las Vegas - everyone loves Vegas
5) Seattle - runner-up to SF on the west coast


----------



## brightside. (Jan 10, 2008)

1. New York City
2. Washington DC
3. Orlando (or Miami)
4. San Fransico
5. Honolulu (or Fairbanks)


----------



## goschio (Dec 2, 2002)

Naples
Miami
Fort Meyers
Palm Springs
Key West


----------



## PwnedByASkyscraper (Nov 29, 2007)

I'll cover Northern California as it's my home

DO visit San Francisco: I've been there at least 1000 times, its never boring. There's always something to do. Rent a car and drive on the Golden Gate up to Sausalito, you can get a magnificent view of SF from there. 

(I took this in January)








Places to check out: City Hall, Chinatown (walk thru it), Pier 39, BUBBA GUMP'S, Alcatraz, Ghiradelli Square, Union Square, who knows the Bushman might jump you

DON'T go to any of the beaches north of SF, they're all freezing cold. South of Santa Cruz is where the beaches are pretty good.

DO go to Sierra Tahoe during the winter. It's an amazing resort about 90 minutes east of Sacramento on Highway 50. The slopes there are sweet.

DON'T go to Sacramento. There's nothing to see here.

There's my 5 cents on San Fran, so the other 4 cities I'd recommend you see would be:

Los Angeles
Chicago
New York
San Diego (It's just plain awesome. Lots of beautiful girls help to sway one's decision to visit ^__^.)


----------



## MDguy (Dec 16, 2006)

I think the 5 must visit US cities are


1. New York
2. DC
3. Chicago
4. Boston
5. San Francisco

all the same stuff everyone's mentioned. should also think about

Miami if you want the tropical/sub tropical experience, Anchorage if you want the arctic, Charleston/Savannah for most charming, Seattle or Portland if you want the NW experience, Detroit if you want gritty, and Baltimore if you're in DC, its so close and can be a fun city


----------



## philadweller (Oct 30, 2003)

"Philadelphia too I don't think it's a walkable city because it still has that reputation as a dangerous city (I lived there for 2 years just outside Philly in Conshohocken) and not a lot of people want to be in the downtown area of Philly after dark...maybe the only nice area is around UPENN area. But I would really recommend NYC if you have the money but would recommend Philadelphia if you would like to be in the "middle" area, meaning that Philly might be a good choice since it's the 3rd largest city in the US and DC is only 2 hrs away and NYC about 3 1/2hrs away so not too bad."

False information. UPENN area is not the nicest part....Center City is. I lived in Center City for 11 years and it is safe and happening at night. Also I did not have a car for those years. Philadelphia is very walkable. for the record Philly is #6 in population. Phoenix surpassed Philly but I would not exactly call Phoenix a true dense walkable city. It is mostly sprawl.

"One of the unique factors about Philadelphia is that it is the most walkable city in the US and this factor is well used for the better part of it. Signs like “Walk! Philadelphia” well compliments the cities uniqueness and at the same time guide visitors toward shopping, dining, gallery perusing, cultural enjoyment, local must-sees and public transportation should it need to be taken. The city has two very walkable shopping districts as well as the walkable Benjamin Franklin Parkway, which is home to many museums, including the Franklin Institute and the Philadelphia Museum of Art that was made famous in the Rocky series of movies. "


----------



## Golan Trevize (Dec 3, 2005)

One of my dreams is to travel the US coast to coast alone by car and visiting 48 states. There are a few problems, I think it is very expensive and somewhat unsafe to travel the US alone.


----------



## Saigoneseguy (Mar 6, 2005)

1. New York
2. San Francisco 
3. Washington DC/Philadelphia 
4. Las Vegas/Los Angeles 
5. Chicago/Seattle


----------



## Booyashako (Sep 11, 2002)

New York City
San Francisco
Los Angeles
Washington DC
Las Vegas


----------



## backupcoolmen (Jul 24, 2008)

1. New York City
2. Chicago
3. Boston
4. Seattle or San Fran
5. Charlotte, NC


----------



## dhuwman (Oct 6, 2005)

If you're going to be staying in the city as a student, your options may be, and have to be, different from your options when you're looking for a job, or a place to raise kids, or a place to spend your retirement.

Since you're not looking for a city with the best tourism industry, or the most popular vacation destination, but a place where you're possibly spending next 4 or 5 years of your life, just keep in mind that all the nice views, availability of attactions, skyline, etc are all pluses, but not the most important things you're looking for.

I've spend last several years in Seattle, which is nice, relatively safe, very walkable, relatively ok nightlife, etc. But the drawbacks include its weather (dark & grimmy) and the lack of many options for your education and vocation.

So, every city has its ups and downs. some of the cities I can think of at the moment include : San Francisco Bay Area, New York, Chicago, Austin, Seattle, and L.A. if you have car.

Cost of living may be an important issue for you, so.... good luck :cheers:


----------



## MikaGe (Apr 7, 2006)

1. NYC, no explanation needed
2. Boston, study & to feel true American elegance imo
3. LA, teh lifestyle!
4. Las Vegas, to have whatever-happened-there-stay-there moment. Plus I'm a CSI fan
5. Chicago, skyscrapers, nuthin else


----------



## PanaManiac (Mar 26, 2005)

*In no particular order:*

*New York City*
*Chicago*
*San Francisco*
*Los Angeles*
*Las Vegas*


----------



## Brummyboy92 (Aug 2, 2007)

Ok fanx 4 de comments so far, I hav also been doin research myself and so far New York and Boston is a deffinate.


----------



## bnmaddict (Jan 6, 2005)

My top 5 would be:
1. New-York City, of course, mindblowing
2. Chicago
3. San Francisco (you can have a look at the link in my signature, fantastic city, my sister lives there and is fond of the city)
4. Boston
5. Philadelphia

I wasn't expecting to see Las Vegas and Los Angeles in most forumers list!
I think that we europeans (or french?) are less attracted to cities like LA or Miami, and most of us find Las Vegas funny for a couple of days but not much more, a bit like Disneyworld.


----------



## Brummyboy92 (Aug 2, 2007)

Oh ye lol, I deffinatly do not plan on visting Las vegas, maybe when I am older! But not write now!


----------



## MDguy (Dec 16, 2006)

If NY and Boston are already a definent, than other 5 to check out would be imo ( in no order)

1.LA
2.DC
3.Philly
4.New Orleans
5.San Francisco

Edit: woops, forgot Chicago. Swap it with New Orleans


----------



## Manila-X (Jul 28, 2005)

MikaGe said:


> 1. NYC, no explanation needed
> 2. Boston, study & to feel true American elegance imo
> 3. LA, teh lifestyle!
> 4. Las Vegas, to have whatever-happened-there-stay-there moment. Plus I'm a CSI fan
> 5. Chicago, skyscrapers, nuthin else


There's more to Chicago than skyscrapers. To me, its the most American city in the US.


----------



## Jax419 (Dec 5, 2006)

MikaGe said:


> 1. NYC, no explanation needed
> 2. Boston, study & to feel true American elegance imo
> 3. LA, teh lifestyle!
> 4. Las Vegas, to have whatever-happened-there-stay-there moment. Plus I'm a CSI fan
> *5. Chicago, skyscrapers, nuthin else*


Nothing else? Why do people talk about things they dont know?


----------



## MDguy (Dec 16, 2006)

MikaGe said:


> 5. Chicago, skyscrapers, nuthin else


I wonder what city i was in than :?


----------



## WeimieLvr (May 26, 2008)

Jax419 said:


> Nothing else? Why do people talk about things they dont know?


I think there's a lake in Chicago...and a museum...maybe even a baseball team...and a basketball team...and pizza...etc...etc...


----------



## houstonskyscraper (Aug 19, 2008)

you should come to Houston,
Houston has alot to offer, 
Check Out this videos of Houston and you will see all the great things that Houston has to offer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7im9ndoTEJg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s056tSc0zz8


----------



## JuanPaulo (Feb 26, 2004)

1. New York
2. Chicago
3. San Francisco
4. New Orleans
5. Las Vegas


----------



## WeimieLvr (May 26, 2008)

There are too many great cities in the U.S. to only see five. You should have a specific reason to visit each city you choose unless you can visit more than five.


----------



## ZtBoy (Jan 26, 2007)

IMO:

1) NYC
2) Washington, DC
3) Chicago
4) Miami
5) Los Angeles


----------



## nygirl (Jul 14, 2003)

How about this you have 5 months to visit 5 American cities. One month per city...which would you see and why?


----------



## ZtBoy (Jan 26, 2007)

nygirl said:


> How about this you have 5 months to visit 5 American cities. One month per city...which would you see and why?


1) Miami: I need to get my beach and sun on!!!
2) Los Angeles: Get the contrast of east-west coast cultures and finally get a "real" feel for the city.
3) Chicago: Enjoy the phenomenal architecture while eating great food.
4) Washington, DC: Visit the landmarks and take pictures for SSC forums.
5) NYC: I ran outta money. Gotta' get back to work...


----------



## ames (Aug 10, 2007)

New York
Chicago
Los Angeles
San Francisco
Las Vegas


----------



## railway stick (Jan 16, 2005)

Boston, Mass.
New York City, NY.
Washington, DC.
San Francisco, Cal.
Seattle, Wash.


----------



## CITYofDREAMS (Jan 20, 2007)

philadweller said:


> "LA is best avoided, hollywood is tacky and places like downtown though nowhere near as bad as say 10 years ago is still not tourist friendly, santa monica and universal studios are not enough reasons to visit LA if you can only choose 5 cities"
> 
> Call me nuts. I disagree. LA is an ever changing laboratory of innovation. If there ever was a city that is the ultimate product of US mass consumerism it would be LA. LA is a sociological wonder and I suggest that everyone sees it. Aside from LA being every bit as beautiful as San Francisco there is an energy about the place which is indescribable.


 I could't agree with you more...


----------



## mhays (Sep 12, 2002)

New York
Boston
Chicago
San Francisco

I'm having trouble coming up with #5. I wasn't going to say Seattle, because I live here, but I'll say: 

Seattle

PS, Phoenix isn't bigger than Philly. Dear god. Metro is what counts here, not city limits.


----------



## doubleno7 (Feb 19, 2008)

San Francisco 
New York
Chicago
Boston 
Washington


----------



## eomer (Nov 15, 2003)

ames said:


> New York
> Chicago
> Los Angeles
> San Francisco
> Las Vegas


I agree with your list. You can add Miami Beach, Dallas, New Orleans and Boston if you want.


----------



## El Mariachi (Nov 1, 2007)

NYC
Washington D.C.
San Francisco
Chicago
New Orleans


----------



## Astralis (Jan 28, 2007)

Difficult to say bc it depends on one's interests but I'll try to name 5 cities of my choice.

NYC is definitely a must and it's better to visit just NYC than visit 20 other cities in US without visiting NYC. Other 4 cities would be:
San Diego
Honolulu
Miami Beach
Las Vegas

:cheers:


----------



## Rizzato (Dec 13, 2006)

philadweller said:


> Again why Boston and not Philadelphia? Both are a must see. What does Boston have that Philadelphia does not besides a better waterfront? This thread should be titled 5 must visit cities east and west of the Mississippi River.


Dont you realize everyone has different opinions?? 

are you going to ask this question to everyone who picks Boston and leaves Phillie off their list? good luck

Heres my list.... NYC Chicago San Fran Boston Philadelphia


----------



## Taiki24 (Dec 1, 2008)

nygirl said:


> in order:
> 
> Babbit: Nevada
> Lubbock: Texas
> ...


LOL, since there is so much to see in Babbit. I think that if he went on the tour you propose he would think that America was a very sad place indeed!


----------



## 1692mono (Nov 11, 2008)

new york
chicago
miami
las vegas
LA


----------



## Jaborandi (Nov 19, 2006)

New York
Chicago
San Francisco
Boston
Philadelphia


----------



## miguelquirarte (Apr 11, 2008)

1- New York City
2- Los Angeles
3- Chicago
4- Las Vegas
5- San Francisco
6- Washington
7- Miami
8- Honolulu
9- Boston
10-Eagle Pass,TX :nuts: :lol:


----------



## l'eau (Jul 7, 2008)

NYC
LA
honolulu
las vegas
san fransisco


----------



## CanadianSkyScraper (Sep 5, 2008)

New York
San Francisco
Chicago
Seattle 
Boston


----------



## isaidso (Mar 21, 2007)

I won't name any names, but someone can't count. Oh dear! My niece is bad at it too, but she is 3 years old.


----------



## nygirl (Jul 14, 2003)

hehe. 

my true 5 must visit cities in the USA. The other list was a joke Taiki.

- New York City
- Chicago
- San Francisco
- Los Angeles
- Washington D.C.

there are so many other great cities in the country when you break it down, however the top 5 to visit and get a real sense of urban "greatness" are those 5. 

Boston, Philadelphia, B-more, Pittsburgh would be fine visits in the Northeast
Minneapolis, St. Louis, Cincinatti, Detroit in the Midwest
Atlanta, Dallas, New Orleans, Miami/Sobe, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Charleston in the south
and Las Vegas, San Diego, Portland, Seattle, Denver in the west

are all terrific places but I'd say the top 5 I chose would be ideal. All 5 would simply blow your mind as a first time traveler to the United States.


----------



## isaidso (Mar 21, 2007)

My list is similar to yours, but I'd substitute Las Vegas and New Orleans for San Francisco and Chicago. Nothing against those last 2 cities, but if you only visit the US once, it would be nice to see as much variety as possible. At least one city in the US south is important and then Vegas; it's too iconic and unique to pass up.

New York City
Washington
Los Angeles
Las Vegas
New Orleans


----------



## nygirl (Jul 14, 2003)

Oh yeah, no doubt. I am thinking more along the lines of "wow-factor".

Definetly keep Chicago on any list and get there in July.


----------



## amidcars (Mar 26, 2009)

1. New York
2. San Francisco
3. Washington DC/Philadelphia
4. Las Vegas/Los Angeles
5. Chicago/Seattle


----------



## DFDalton (Jul 16, 2009)

1) New York City - Do I really have to explain why? OK. When you return home, people will inevitably ask you about NYC. You can be blase and tell them it's crowded, noisy, dirty and very overrated. People will think you're being smug, but you'll really just be telling the truth. 
2) Washington D.C. - You've seen it blown up in countless movies. See it now lest it happens for real. 
2) Chicago - The only midwest city that is a must see. Go to the top of the Sears Tower to get an idea of what a billiard table the size of three large states would look like. If you are studying architecture, a trip to Chicago and its surroundings should be considered a pilgrimage. When you return home, you can tell people you visited Chicago and they'll ask, "Where?" 
3) Las Vegas - An all-out celebration of American excess and tackiness. But in a good way. Should you see Celine Dion, a French circus act, a gay magician duo, or just gamble away the mortgage money? Tough choice... 
4) San Francisco - Drive over the Golden Gate Bridge. Take a boat ride around the bay. Then get out of there and go to Yosemite.
5) Tucson - Yes, I said Tucson.

To avoid: 

- New Orleans. I can't understand why so many are recommending it. Pity, perhaps? I visited the city several times and found it to be a dilapidated, filthy toilet of a city. And that was _before_ Katrina. Unless it's Mardi Gras and you're an idiotic binge-drinking college student I see no reason to bother with it.

- Miami. Unless you're a gay Cuban, I don't get the appeal. There are so many more attractive, safer places further north up the coast. Frighteningly, a brief visit to Jacksonville hasn't altered that opinion. Better yet, try the Carolinas.

- Los Angeles. You've seen it nuked, burned by lava flows, flooded, pelted with meteorites, attacked by space aliens, or shaken into oblivion in countless movies. No big loss.

- Salt Lake City. I agree with the previous post. The city is boredom personified. I mean, just think: The most thrilling place to visit is a Mormon temple. The only advantage to Salt Lake City is you'll never get lost. It's near-perfect cartesian grid system assures you of that. (I used to work at 3959 West, 1820 South.)


----------



## desertpunk (Oct 12, 2009)

^^^
I like Salt Lake City! Very friendly and beautiful place!

__________________________

That said, you asked for it, you got it:

New York, obviously.

Chicago, obviously.

San Francisco, obviously.

Philadelphia -which is more regional, but also a very authentic blue collar town, not unlike your native Birmingham. And it's loaded with great art, great nightlife (better than NYC), and lots to see and do!

Seattle -because you're young and you need a great place to get messed up and hang out!


----------



## engineeringcivil (Oct 27, 2009)

I think
1. New York
2. Los Angeles
3. Las Vegas
4. Chicago
5. Miami


----------



## krazeeboi (Jan 21, 2005)

Without having looked at any other responses:

NYC
Los Angeles
DC
Miami
New Orleans

2nd string

Charleston
Santa Fe
Manchester
Jamestown
St. Augustine


----------



## krazeeboi (Jan 21, 2005)

DFDalton said:


> - New Orleans. I can't understand why so many are recommending it. Pity, perhaps? I visited the city several times and found it to be a dilapidated, filthy toilet of a city. And that was _before_ Katrina. Unless it's Mardi Gras and you're an idiotic binge-drinking college student I see no reason to bother with it.


Culture, cuisine, and the fact that it's usually the only Southern city that people recommend (Miami, obviously, doesn't really count in this sense). 

It may be a "dilapidated, filthy toilet of a city" (I don't think so), but there's no place like it.


----------



## WeimieLvr (May 26, 2008)

Large Cities:
1. Washington D.C.
2. Chicago
3. NYC
4. San Francisco
5. Philadelphia

Smaller Cities:
1. Savannah
2. Key West
3. Charleston
4. Annapolis
5. Asheville


----------



## JmB & Co. (Jan 5, 2008)

Hi everyone!
Im visiting NY next year. I would be very pleased if you could help me with some data-

-When to go? (month)
-Hotels
-Is it enough a week to visit the main places in NY ?
-Must seen places


Thanks in advance!!


----------



## TheManishaYadav (Apr 19, 2020)

My List:
1. New York
2. Los Angeles
3. Las Vegas
4. Chicago
5. Miami 

Don't Miss:
1. Savannah
2. Key West
3. Charleston
4. Annapolis
5. Asheville


----------

