Underrated US Cities

[HuskyHawk]

Last fall Mrs. Diesel and I had back to back days in Charleston and Savannah. Both days had pretty good weather and gave a glimpse of the similarities and differences. Charleston defininitely had more upscale shopping and a cleaner, old south money kind of feel to it. Felt very preppy and pretentious. The college girls had their sundresses and hats and the boys had their proper polo shirt untucked with khaki shorts and boat shoes. Plenty of retirees as well just aimlessly walking outside. Mrs. Diesel's smart watch put us at over 35,000 steps for the day in Charleston. That being said everything was clean, everything was nice. Food was great. You'd need almost a month to get through all the great eateries.

Savannah is almost a cleaner version of New Orleans. That's not necessarily a compliment. You could definitely see and smell trash in the alleyways behind businesses and you could smell weed in quite a few spots. That being said, it was filled with people walking and enjoying a good day. Savannah also let you grab a drink in a bar and take it out on the streets so long as you were in the entertainment district. Definitely never felt endangered or threatened. Food was plenty good. Watching the caramels, pralines and fudge made in front of you in big copper kettles is a fun site.

I would never live in either city, but I could live in the 'burbs around either area.

That's a fair take. The historic district Squares part of Savannah is plenty clean enough though, just like the Garden District and Uptown are in New Orleans. Down by the river it's less nice. There's not much in the way of "suburbs" of Savannah. Bluffton, SC is booming, just inland from Hilton Head.

Charleston definitely has a preppy side too it. That said, while at the Charleston Classic two years ago, I was surprised by the transformation of King Street. In the evening it was wealthy folks heading to upscale restaurants. But thanks to that overtime game we walked back after midnight. That was very different. There were trucks selling those frozen booze drinks, lots of young people wearing not enough clothing, drunks staggering around, some violence...it was a little bit Bourbon Street like.

 

[TIP-IN]

People are actually nice in the upper Midwest, as opposed to the South where they hide behind the friendly accent.

I am a Yankee, grew up in the Northeast. I have lived in California, Arizona, South Carolina, Florida, as well as the Alabama gulf coast.
There are phony people everywhere, the South, the North, the East & the West. My experiences have proven to me that I have found all types of people in all sections of the country. People in the South are no more phony, than in Hartford or Medford. People are people, geography plays little to no part in it in my experience.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

I am a Yankee, grew up in the Northeast. I have lived in California, Arizona, South Carolina, Florida, as well as the Alabama gulf coast.
There are phony people everywhere, the South, the North, the East & the West. My experiences have proven to me that I have found all types of people in all sections of the country. People in the South are no more phony, than in Hartford or Medford. People are people, geography plays little to no part in it in my experience.

Excellent point and I totally agree. "Authenticity" is not relative to location, it just might be more evident in certain areas due to its micro-culture and/or people's proximity to each other.

 

[oldanintheway]

Kansas City, Mo. First job out of Grad School, with K.C. Convention & Visitors Bureau so I'll spout talking points...., more Boulevard than any other city except Paris, more fountains than any other city except Rome. The Plaza, Westport, area on the Missouri River, and the Royals Chiefs complex off I-70, amazing how well the complex has aged, close to 50(?) years old now. Easy(relatively) entrance-exit.
Ist Pig Roast experience there way back, can get get damn hot in Summer and Freezing in Winter but a good town with good people.

 

[QDOG5]

First cities that came to mind for me were Mke and Cinci as well. Interesting to see how many people have reiterated that in this thread. Mke in particular has it all, and affordable.

I design and install exteriors on multifamily structures. Back when we were in the **C, we were working on a student housing building on the Cincinnati campus. There is a "Go Uconn" underneath the cladding 14 stories up, looking down on those rubes.

Hopefully you put it on Calhoun Hall, which is located on Calhoun Street. My daughter lived there her freshman year.

 

[storrsroars]

I liked Pittsburg.

Obviously not enough to include the 'h'. That kind of carelessness will get you ostracized here in a hurry ;-)

 

[Sibeerian]

Having multiple breweries to choose from is a must in my opinion. And don't forget, not every region does it well. You can't get a NEIPA in North Carolina or Arizona. I don't go to breweries outside of New England...they just are not the same. Call me a regional beer snob. And people have been predicting the bubble pop for awhile now...perhaps that's just what beer and consuming it has become. More people I know are into it every year it seems.

Hope the microbreweries are here to stay. Feels like breweries have become to America what Irish pubs are to Ireland.

 

[NJHusky]

I enjoyed my visit to Steamboat Springs but good lord it is not easy to get to (flew into Denver).

Many airlines have seasonal service into Steamboat...United did pre covid

 

[Waquoit]

Yard Goats tickets on sale today. Try the Bud Sky Bar, all the fun of Monster seats at 1/10 the price!

 

[Hoophound]

I've spent a lot of time in Savannah and never smelled sewage and never been scared. The idea that Savannah is a scary place is weird to me, the city is based on tourism. Downtown is all trolleys, people on leisurely strolls, and tour groups. Sure there's poor areas with crime like any other place...I

I've been to the hood during the day but there's no reason to ever go there at night, there's no reason to ever go to any hood at night unless you have to live there. Just use common sense in Savannah like you would any other place and you'll be fine.

Savannah definitely has the sewage/urine/trash smell going in summer here and there around town. It has even been a news story multiple times and is commented about on TripAdvisor often. It is also fairly sketchy in the evening. Lots of loiterers in front of pizza shops, homeless on sidewalks etc. It is one of those places where you can be the only person out and about at 9pm and will then suddenly have to walk by some very unsavory looking people to get where you are going. My youngest daughter wanted to go to Savannah. She was disappointed. Her exact words were, “I don’t really feel safe here”.

 

[TyroneShoo]

Milwaukee

 

[AZHuskiePop]

I didn't like Sedona either. I can't really tell if it was just because it was so GD hot though. The hikes were awesome... less so the town.

The scenic nature of Sedona is the attraction. If you don’t find the red rock spectacular than I feel sorry for you. The town itself is a tourist trap. The Golf course in Oak Creek is amazing. The front nine rises 3000 feet
The views from the 9 and 10 are great.
I actually parred the uphill 9 only to be destroyed coming down the hill . Club selection on a drop like that is key.
The town attracts a wide assortment of eccentrics . There is a tour that guarantees you will see a UFO
But my wife thinks it more e spectacular than the Canyon. A little of both places go a long way for me. But it’s a shorter drive.
Actually I prefer Flag as quick summer getaway as it’s cooler or a trip to see snow and you could always take 89a back which takes you through Sedona.
You can go to snow cover as you start your decent to 60 in Sedona in the winter. 7000 to 4000 feet.

 

[husky429]

The scenic nature of Sedona is the attraction. If you don’t find the red rock spectacular than I feel sorry for you. The town itself is a tourist trap. The Golf course in Oak Creek is amazing. The front nine rises 3000 feet
The views from the 9 and 10 are great.
I actually parred the uphill 9 only to be destroyed coming down the hill . Club selection on a drop like that is key.
The town attracts a wide assortment of eccentrics . There is a tour that guarantees you will see a UFO
But my wife thinks it more e spectacular than the Canyon. A little of both places go a long way for me. But it’s a shorter drive.
Actually I prefer Flag as quick summer getaway as it’s cooler or a trip to see snow and you could always take 89a back which takes you through Sedona.
You can go to snow cover as you start your decent to 60 in Sedona in the winter. 7000 to 4000 feet.

I loved the hikes and the red rocks in the area. I had already been to Arches, Zion, Bryce, Canyonlands, and Capital Reef at that point, so I may just have been "red rocked out." There was a great swimming hole I went to though I'm forgetting where or what it's called. The town itself is super lame.

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

I loved the hikes and the red rocks in the area. I had already been to Arches, Zion, Bryce, Canyonlands, and Capital Reef at that point, so I may just have been "red rocked out." There was a great swimming hole I went to though I'm forgetting where or what it's called. The town itself is super lame.

A couple summers ago I flew into Denver and stayed with family and drove to grand junction to do the national monument. Then drove to Arches, Canyonlands, dead horse, stayed in Moab. And then drove across to Capitol Reef and then up to Salt Lake city to see another buddy. I def got canyoned out after going to those places in a row in the middle of July (not the ideal month to be staying in the desert). Arches is swamped with tourists especially since you can drive to each view point and see everything (exception is delicate arch). Canyonlands is so massive, the only way to really see it is to actually get in there either hiking or ATV. Capitol Reef is def an off the beaten path park in Utah that isnt as popular as the other but is really cool.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

A couple summers ago I flew into Denver and stayed with family and drove to grand junction to do the national monument. Then drove to Arches, Canyonlands, dead horse, stayed in Moab. And then drove across to Capitol Reef and then up to Salt Lake city to see another buddy. I def got canyoned out after going to those places in a row in the middle of July (not the ideal month to be staying in the desert). Arches is swamped with tourists especially since you can drive to each view point and see everything (exception is delicate arch). Canyonlands is so massive, the only way to really see it is to actually get in there either hiking or RV. Capitol Reef is def an off the beaten path park in Utah that isnt as popular as the other but is really cool.

' I def got canyoned out ' hehe.

 

[Northbound]

Very underrated. KC has just about everything you could want. They don’t have NHL or NBA.

The only problem with KC is it's stuck in the center of the country - it's a great city though, lived there for 5 years.

 

[The Funster]

I love Pittsburgh. Been there a couple of times.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

If you're going to pitch Buffalo, I'll add Rochester. Both get a bad rap because of snow without skiing, but, yes, there's lots to like for those who live there or visit.

Queens, in particular, is underrated. If the path along (or beneath) the 7 train out to Flushing isn't the most ethnically diverse place on the planet any longer, it's still in the top 5.

@karstenkibbe, you might as well add Douglaston to Jamaica Estates and Forest Hills Gardens, and then properly consider them a component of the borough's staggering variety of cultures, from the north to south shore.

North Stamford, in parts, is indistinguishable from back country Greenwich and New Canaan.

One thing that has genuinely distinguished Stamford from other CT cities is that it united what we're once separate places into a unified city even before the redeveloped downtown that has been mentioned. As pointed out elsewhere, many US cities have done similarly, annexing adjacent towns and even entire counties (like done or all of Louisville, Columbus, San Antonio, and Indianapolis have), and become healthier for it.

Someone similarly noted that West Hartford, Glastonbury would be interesting, wealthy, tax-revenue contributing neighborhoods in such metropolitanized cities, but Conbecticut's cities suffer in part because only in Stamford do the wealthy and poor have to share resources & responsibilities. Stamford also hugely benefitted from CT's more attractive tax structure when major corporations departed from NYC a half century ago.

'As pointed out elsewhere, many US cities have done similarly, annexing adjacent towns and even entire counties (like done or all of Louisville, Columbus, San Antonio, and Indianapolis have), and become healthier for it.'
u forgot the other side of this point, ie, the complete opposite.
people just don't like crime, particularly when they feel their government isn't doing a darn thing to fix the problem. imagine that.
'Atlanta is now partly surrounded by breakaway cities, from South Fulton on its southwestern edge, Sandy Springs to the north and Brookhaven just east of Buckhead.'
'Arguments for creating an independent Buckhead have leaned heavily on what some say is uncontrolled crime throughout Atlanta.'
City of Buckhead: Data shows what proposed Buckhead City would look like (ajc.com)
and not an uncommon trend nowadays. i very much like Atlanta the way it is, but i don't count, cuz i don't actually live there.

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

The pirates stadium has one of the nicest views in baseball.

 

[8893]

The pirates stadium has one of the nicest views in baseball.

I was there for a game on fireworks night a couple years ago and it was awesome. Walking out over Roberto Clemente Bridge to a seemingly never-ending grand finale that sent beautiful bursts over the river while a guy wailed Katy Perry's "Firework" in the middle of the bridge was an amazing, indelible memory in a 36-hour trip that packed a lot of punch on a number of levels. The Warhol Museum is great and there is a lot of good food and drink. Morning run along the river and the ballparks gives a nice perspective on the city, and there is a ton of building going on.

The only problem is that it has a bit of a "Can't get there from here" problem if you can't get a direct flight from Hartford. When I went there was some small carrier making one flight in each direction once each weekday, but none on weekends. The direct flight down was easy peasy; connecting to come home makes it a much longer trip than it should be. I don't think that airline is even operating any more, which means that there really is no easy way to get to Pittsburgh from here.

My daughter was looking seriously at both Pitt and Duquesne (both accepted her and the latter offered a ton of merit aid) and ultimately the logistics of getting there essentially knocked both off her list.

Baltimore, by comparison, is easy by train or plane, and the drive isn't even that bad.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Obviously not enough to include the 'h'. That kind of carelessness will get you ostracized here in a hurry ;-)

Been reading Foote's Shiloh. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[storrsroars]

The only problem is that it has a bit of a "Can't get there from here" problem if you can't get a direct flight from Hartford. When I went there was some small carrier making one flight in each direction once each weekday, but none on weekends. The direct flight down was easy peasy; connecting to come home makes it a much longer trip than it should be. I don't think that airline is even operating any more, which means that there really is no easy way to get to Pittsburgh from here.

It definitely sucks. Back when I started coming here regularly in the late 90s, this was one of the three USAirways hubs and you could literally get a direct flight from all three NYC airports, plus HPN, BDL, PVD, BOS and MHT, and prices were reasonable. When I moved here in 2002, we could get most anywhere on a direct flight from here through 2004, and we did. It was fantastic. Then USAir abandoned PGH as a hub (after we built them a new billion dollar terminal) and it's sucked since.

I have no idea what prices will be, but supposedly direct flights to LGA, JFK, EWR and BOS will resume on May 5, in most cases 3 flights/day.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I noticed that Nashville hasn't appeared on this list. I expected it might, but maybe it isn't underrated but properly highly rated. I have not been, but just booked flights last Friday to go down in late September with another couple. Kicking off our quasi empty-nest life.

 

[Pgh2Storrs]

I was there for a game on fireworks night a couple years ago and it was awesome. Walking out over Roberto Clemente Bridge to a seemingly never-ending grand finale that sent beautiful bursts over the river while a guy wailed Katy Perry's "Firework" in the middle of the bridge was an amazing, indelible memory in a 36-hour trip that packed a lot of punch on a number of levels. The Warhol Museum is great and there is a lot of good food and drink. Morning run along the river and the ballparks gives a nice perspective on the city, and there is a ton of building going on.

The only problem is that it has a bit of a "Can't get there from here" problem if you can't get a direct flight from Hartford. When I went there was some small carrier making one flight in each direction once each weekday, but none on weekends. The direct flight down was easy peasy; connecting to come home makes it a much longer trip than it should be. I don't think that airline is even operating any more, which means that there really is no easy way to get to Pittsburgh from here.

My daughter was looking seriously at both Pitt and Duquesne (both accepted her and the latter offered a ton of merit aid) and ultimately the logistics of getting there essentially knocked both off her list.

Baltimore, by comparison, is easy by train or plane, and the drive isn't even that bad.

When I was at UConn I believe there were one or two direct flights to Pittsburgh a day through Southwest, but I usually opted for Independence Air which connected thru Dulles or Philly and was much cheaper. It’s definitely not an easy trip anymore.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

I loved the hikes and the red rocks in the area. I had already been to Arches, Zion, Bryce, Canyonlands, and Capital Reef at that point, so I may just have been "red rocked out." There was a great swimming hole I went to though I'm forgetting where or what it's called. The town itself is super lame.

Slide Rock right off of 89a in Oak Creek is popular. Its just north of Sedona. It’s a natural water slide.
Bryce and Zion are suppose to beautiful.
i’ave never gotten to either place .