OT: Overrated US cities

[McLovin]

New York City and Las Vegas are incredibly overrated IMO. Spent plenty of time in both and would never step foot in either again if I had a choice.

I get if people don’t like country they probably wouldn’t like Nashville - I live here now so I’m biased - but I think it’s a great city. I like country, but I’m not really a music fan in general. I never step foot on Broadway as a local because it’s just a tourist trap of drunken bars with bands play covers (but used to do it all when we used to visit before we moved here).

Also, as someone who has traveled a bunch (I’ve been to 41 states) the culinary scene here in Nashville is second to none, especially considering the size of the market compared to the renowned culinary cities (LA, Chicago & NYC). The only thing I haven’t found down here is an Italian spot that reminds me of the tri-state area. But then again, I haven’t really tried to find Italian because I don’t think anyone can do Italian like the northeast.

 

[WrenchFan69]

Los Angeles

 

[8893]

Lol. As I was typing about my love of New Orleans I got a notification of a new video memory from this date in 2009 and it’s a montage of an awesome day at Jazz Fest.

Man I miss that.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Lol. As I was typing about my love of New Orleans I got a notification of a new video memory from this date in 2009 and it’s a montage of an awesome day at Jazz Fest.

Man I miss that.

Been to a couple of those and had a blast. First and only place I've ever seen elk meat au jus in a can was at a bodega in New Orleans on a jazz fest weekend.

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

Denver and Boulder. I went there twice in the last few years and was unimpressed. For whatever reason I expected Denver to be in the mountains and be this unique, cool city. No, it's just at the end of the Great Plains up against the Rockies. I found it a bit boring and to lack charm and personality. Boulder was fine but nothing special. I've learned that landlocked cities aren't my thing.

I don't know exactly how "rated" it is but Mrytle Beach was not my cup of tea whatsoever. Hooters and overpriced golf. Many people love that place though.

Orlando is awful, but so is all of Florida outside of Miami, based on my experience so far.

Vegas, you either love it or you hate it. I'm not a fan.

Boston itself is a wonderful city--meaning the architecture, food, history, etc.--but (most of) the people and the accent make it insufferable.

I agree on Denver. You're still an hour or so away from the mountains, the traffic is horrendous and you're competing with everyone else that wants to hike and ski on the weekends on one highway. For ease to get into the outdoors I'd rather live in Boulder or CO Springs although both of those have their drawbacks as well.

 

[WestHartHusk]

Nashville has been hit.

Las Vegas: maybe the worst place on Earth.

Orlando: Ditto.

Ft. Lauderdale: Soulless.

Savannah: The molasses drawl wasted hours of my life.

Detroit: I like an underdog, but this is like a 16 seed that isn’t playing UVA.

 

[Peacefrog]

Also, as someone who has traveled a bunch (I’ve been to 41 states) the culinary scene here in Nashville is second to none, especially considering the size of the market compared to the renowned culinary cities (LA, Chicago & NYC). The only thing I haven’t found down here is an Italian spot that reminds me of the tri-state area. But then again, I haven’t really tried to find Italian because I don’t think anyone can do Italian like the northeast.

My revulsion for country music aside, regarding the culinary scene in Nashville, just no. Sorry, I know you live there and I like the city (travel there about once a quarter), but the culinary scene is not even close to Chicago or NYC. The quality and variety is just not remotely in the same league. Its just not.

 

[Mooch82]

Chicago. The weather sucks, the traffic sucks. Food scene is great, but otherwise meh.

Go between April and October and don’t drive. Follow those rules and it’s the best city in the country imo.

But yes, the winter weather sucks.

 

[upstater]

@WestHartHusk brought up Nashville as most overrated in the other thread and I think I concur. I've only spent a few days there so it's really not fair of me to judge a whole city based on that but I don't understand why it's basically the hottest city in the country...

First off, outside of the Highwaymen and some random songs here and there I really dislike the country music genre and everything surrounding it, at least what Country is now. It seemed to be everywhere in Nashville. Majority of the bars seemed to be gimmicky live music joints which blared the country or rock whether it was live or not live. It seems like a place filled with tourists and trust fund hipsters now and it caters to all of that. Was going to give it another chance before Covid but I can't justify paying more to stay in Nashville than any other city in the country.

Boston never really did it for me, it's not a bad place by any means but the name recognition of the city never seemed to match up with what the city actually offers. Not a great nightlife or food scene, it has a ton of history but is fairly boring architecturally. I went there with some friends a few years ago who had never been and they were left a little disappointed. It feels small and I never felt like the city took advantage of the water as well as they should have. I think a lot of what makes Boston cool is that it's the major city in an area that offers a lot, you are close to a lot.

I’m generally scratching my head at your depiction of Boston since architecturally it has a very old world feel. Brownstones, colonials, city streets that are not designed for automobiles (obviously) and it also does have a lot of nightlife. Where were you guys hanging out? It’s a neighborhood city. If you were downtown I can see it

 

[UConn_Top_Dog]

I don’t understand all this hate for Florida. Beautiful weather most of the year, best beaches in the lower 48, great food, and a ton of things to do. Apart from the bugs and dangerous wildlife and the occasional political extremist, it’s one of the best quality of life states in the country. Maybe northerners are just jealous?

 

[Skiblets]

San Fran. Charlotte. New Orleans.

 

[Fatroony5]

As someone who lives in Charlotte and seeing multiple people cite that as an overrated city (as a city that’s not a major city like NYC, Boston etc) I feel personally attacked Lolol. I get it tho, I enjoy living here but it’s not a world class city or anything. Visit me next time and I’ll show ya a good time tho ha! But Raleigh, that’s the overrated city ?

Los Angeles for me 100%. Was not impressed when I’ve been out there. Definitely agree on Orlando and a lot of the Florida cities really. Myrtle beach, not sure why people call that a good beach town. All the surrounding cities around DC I think are overrated. I love DC, but once you get into VA and Maryland, just not a fan.

 

[huskypantz]

Wall Drug.
Wall Drug.
Wall Drug.
Wall Drug.
Wall Drug.
Wall Drug.
Wall Drug.

FIFY

 

[husky8273]

West Hartford

 

[huskiesNhoos]

Denver and Boulder. I went there twice in the last few years and was unimpressed. For whatever reason I expected Denver to be in the mountains and be this unique, cool city. No, it's just at the end of the Great Plains up against the Rockies. I found it a bit boring and to lack charm and personality. Boulder was fine but nothing special. I've learned that landlocked cities aren't my thing.

I don't know exactly how "rated" it is but Mrytle Beach was not my cup of tea whatsoever. Hooters and overpriced golf. Many people love that place though.

Orlando is awful, but so is all of Florida outside of Miami, based on my experience so far.

Vegas, you either love it or you hate it. I'm not a fan.

Boston itself is a wonderful city--meaning the architecture, food, history, etc.--but (most of) the people and the accent make it insufferable.

I take issue with your first thought...love it here in denver (boulder sucks)

Then I completely agree with the rest of your thoughts. Actually came on here to post myrtle beach...although spring break there was a blast...

 

[superjohn]

I’m generally scratching my head at your depiction of Boston since architecturally it has a very old world feel. Brownstones, colonials, city streets that are not designed for automobiles (obviously) and it also does have a lot of nightlife. Where were you guys hanging out? It’s a neighborhood city. If you were downtown I can see it

It wasn't my first time in Boston, I've probably hung out there 50 times when I was younger. The city has always closed early, lines for bars and covers, cr@ppy public transportation which shuts down early. We stayed in the new Seaport District which was a mistake, lame generic new big box neighborhood but hung out all over the city...north end, downtown, back bay, fenway area, Somerville etc.

 

[auggie22]

Raleigh. Sprawling and boring with little character.

 

[Palatine]

I used to love San Francisco. Now there are literally human feces on Market Street, bums sleeping on the floors the BART stations at all hours of the day, much of the charm is gone. Not saying it can't be great again. But it has gotten pretty bad. Very sad.

 

[LIuconn]

I tend to think tier 1 cities are overrated:
SF (rather be in Portland)
LA (too sprawling, difficult to get around)
Dallas (aside from a couple fun pockets it’s devoid of soul)
Vegas, bc Vegas

 

[tdrink]

I lived in SF almost 30 years ago and it was a great city then, especially if you avoided the tourist traps. When I visited recently it wasn’t the same. Friends who still live there blame the tech companies. The employees buy up all the houses but essentially live on the tech campus and spend no money in the local community.

Still, I wouldn’t put it on the list because it’s better than LA, Vegas, Orlando, and NYC.


Honestly it’s not really fair to judge a city without living in it for awhile.

 

[HooperScooper]

I lived in SF almost 30 years ago and it was a great city then, especially if you avoided the tourist traps. When I visited recently it wasn’t the same. Friends who still live there blame the tech companies. The employees buy up all the houses but essentially live on the tech campus and spend no money in the local community.

Still, I wouldn’t put it on the list because it’s better than LA, Vegas, Orlando, and NYC.


Honestly it’s not really fair to judge a city without living in it for awhile.

My brother lived in San Fran for 20 years and just recently moved up to Oregon. He said it's not the same city he moved to. He said all the millennials with money from starts ups and tech companies have ruined the city.

 

[superjohn]

My brother lived in San Fran for 20 years and just recently moved up to Oregon. He said it's not the same city he moved to. He said all the millennials with money from starts ups and tech companies have ruined the city.

The techies seem to ruin every place they go.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Detroit: I like an underdog, but this is like a 16 seed that isn’t playing UVA.

Yeah, but who exactly is rating Detroit highly?

That said, 10 years ago, on a whim, I jumped at the opportunity to volunteer myself off an overbooked flight, because I'd just spent 4 nights at conference marooned at an airport hotel in Romulus, and I'd gotten zero Detroit, and otherwise only a single, large party at a single table Middle Eastern meal in Dearborn.

My game pieces were a hotel room a $100 gift card, a voucher for a future flight sometime in thnext year, and anel early-enough next morning flight. I was a man on a mission.

I instantly rented a sporty Fiat 500 that, by size comparison, was categorized the same as a low end Chevy with roll-up windows, whereupon I hit the highways with not much more than intuition and adrenaline.

For my efforts, I emerged with a solid photo album of 1.3 megapixel flip phone snapshots that I know included Eero Saarinen's Cranbrook Schools campus in Bloomfield Hills, some late vestiges of the annual Woodward Dream Cruise of classic cars, Comerica Park and Ford Field, several of the various Grosse Pointes, a circumnavigation of Belle Isle Parl, GM's new & old headquarters buildings along with the downtown elevated Detroit People Mover, a bit of Eight Mile in homage to Slim Shady, an iconic roadside giant tire, vast tracts of vanished buildings punctuated by clusters of 20-story empty & windowless brick shells with twenty-foot tall trees sprung like overgrown weeds on mid-level roofs, large & solid city mansions on blocks that were otherwise 75% leveled to the ground with empty adjacent streets beyond the empty lots, enormous decommissioned buildings for rent or sale that once housed great manufacturing & warehousing concerns, the Eastern Market (though closed on Sunday), Detroit Institute of Arts and other civic glories, and even a bunch of photos from on-foot wanderings around the Heidelberg Project, explored for the change of pace.

The Heidelberg Project

The Heidelberg Project is an outdoor art environment in the heart of an urban area and a Detroit based community organization with a mission to improve the lives of people and neighborhoods through art.

www.heidelberg.org

And, keep in mind, that's just what I can remember. Everything was finished before darkness, whereupon I drove back to my hotel, got a good night's sleep, and then flew back to NYC the next morning. It probably added up to 6-7 hours, and I totally loved it.

NOW you can say it was overrated.

 

[tzznandrew]

Man I love both New Orleans and San Francisco. Lived in San Francisco for a year and still visit regularly.

Have been to New Orleans probably twenty times. Never anything remotely approaching a bad visit.

New Orleans is all about food and music. Get amazing food and go to Frenchman street (avoiding the French Quarter) and you'll just get sucked in.

Also, have always enjoyed my time in San Fran. Easy base for Sonoma.