Underrated US Cities

[Chin Diesel]

Yeah I started to lose my mind somewhere in Nebraska. Texas blows too. You can drive as fast as you want but it seems like the state goes on forever.

Texas along I-10 is brutal. You can start before sunrise, drive all day and still spend the night in Texas.

 

[Improviser]

I've driven across the country several times, hitting every highway from 10 up to 90. Driving across Pennsylvania is the worst imo, because it always takes longer than you think it's going to take, and you don't feel like you're truly on the road and out of the east until you get to the other side. It's disappointing when the sun is going down and you still aren't through the state.

Similarly, when you're on your way home, you don't feel like you're within range until you hit Pennsylvania, but then next thing you know you're looking for a motel or a place to pull over because you can't get through the damned state.

Before your post, I never realized how wide across Pennsylvania is. From Googling it:

Pennsylvania, officially Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, constituent state of the United States of America, one of the original 13 American colonies. The state is approximately rectangular in shape and stretches about 300 miles (480 km) from east to west and 150 miles (240 km) from north to south.

5 hours sounds about right.

Now, this is Connecticut.

Connecticut
Dimensions
• Length	70 mi (113 km)
• Width	110 mi (177 km)

I haven't flown in a while, but if I would do so anytime, rather than drive 4 hours any place.

But, nothing like a 30 minute drive to the beach. That is something we have in Connecticut for a lot of the population.

 

[storrsroars]

I despised that drive, so you’re a better person than I am. I80 across PA is torture, but once you hit Wilkes-Barre and get into NY and then CT, it was pretty easy.

On the bright side, it's better than the Turnpike and about $80 cheaper these days.

Having done the 376>22>80>287 drive about 90 times, I mentally block off 2 hour increments. Home to Altoona. Altoona to Bloomsburg, Bloomsburg to 287, 287 to final destination. I have regular stops. It's become fairly mindless and not all that bad.

Unless there's an accident or bad construction, it's 5 hours give or take 5 minutes from my house to the NJ border, and it's routinely consistent. From that point on, the variables increase.

 

[superjohn]

Before your post, I never realized how wide across Pennsylvania is. From Googling it:

Pennsylvania, officially Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, constituent state of the United States of America, one of the original 13 American colonies. The state is approximately rectangular in shape and stretches about 300 miles (480 km) from east to west and 150 miles (240 km) from north to south.

5 hours sounds about right.

Now, this is Connecticut.

Connecticut
Dimensions
• Length	70 mi (113 km)
• Width	110 mi (177 km)

I haven't flown in a while, but if I would do so anytime, rather than drive 4 hours any place.

But, nothing like a 30 minute drive to the beach. That is something we have in Connecticut for a lot of the population.

Fly instead of a 4 hour drive? You'll have a way longer day of traveling if you fly.

 

[Guapo]

Never done it but that drive is just under 5 hours as opposed to just under 14 hours. How bad could it be?

my big issue is all you see is the first row of corn. At least with the soybean fields in Ohio and Indiana you can see out.

 

[storrsroars]

Fly instead of a 4 hour drive? You'll have a way longer day of traveling if you fly.

It depends on the airport. If it's a major airport, sure. But a regional or smaller, like HPN (White Plains) or John Wayne (Santa Ana), you can still park 30-45 minutes ahead of your departure, clear security and board on time. Even TF Green wasn't too bad when I was still in Quincy after 9/11. Parking garage is right there, no shuttles to gate, quick security.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

It depends on the airport. If it's a major airport, sure. But a regional or smaller, like HPN (White Plains) or John Wayne (Santa Ana), you can still park 30-45 minutes ahead of your departure, clear security and board on time. Even TF Green wasn't too bad when I was still in Quincy after 9/11. Parking garage is right there, no shuttles to gate, quick security.

Summer 2019 managed a RT flight to Oslo (with a stop in Dublin) from Stewart Airport in Newburgh. Surreal flying across an ocean, land, walk to your car and drive home with none of that typical “airport” stuff.

Westchester is great but my fastest curb to gate is definitely Billings, MT. I’ve done it in 3 minutes.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

30 years ago, on my first trip to Louisville, my ex-wife left me a voice mail while I was in flight to exit through the main front door and look for her car in the front row of parking, and find the key on the back driver's side tire. It struck me as impossible, but worked.

She also cursed Pennsylvania as "the state that never ends" during the years she semi-regularly drove Louisville to Fairfield County straight through. I did it once: Tracy Kidder's "House" on the trip west, and Garry Wills's "Lincoln at Gettysburg" on the return.

I imagine stopping in Pittsburgh if I were to drive again.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Summer 2019 managed a RT flight to Oslo (with a stop in Dublin) from Stewart Airport in Newburgh. Surreal flying across an ocean, land, walk to your car and drive home with none of that typical “airport” stuff.

Westchester is great but my fastest curb to gate is definitely Billings, MT. I’ve done it in 3 minutes.

Pre-quarantine I was flying back and forth between LA and Miami two or three times a month. One of the signs that I knew I was entering middle age was how excited I was when I found a parking lot at LAX where my car would be about 100 feet from the gate on my return flight. From stepping off the plane to starting my car was about 90 seconds. It made me so excited every time. Sometimes being an adult blows.

 

[Improviser]

Fly instead of a 4 hour drive? You'll have a way longer day of traveling if you fly.

Maybe so.

But I would rather wait in the airport and read, or listen to music on my headphones, or just doze, than driving it.

Even for 2 hours, I hate driving. That's just me, and based on the average age of the survey, you may well be a lot younger than me.

Truth be told, I have not flown for many years. Not out of fear, but out of inertia. In the summer, I pay the fee for a nearby private beach club, drive 30 minutes, sit on the chair, swim in the pool or the ocean, socialize with people, have supper at the restaurant and I'm okay with it.

Lousy Covid put out of business the local Healthtrax, my other recreation spot outside of the summer.

Been to the Caribbean many times over the years, California, Atlanta, Vancouver, Seattle, too.

To each their own.

 

[storrsroars]

Maybe so.

But I would rather wait in the airport and read, or listen to music on my headphones, or just doze, than driving it.

Even for 2 hours, I hate driving. That's just me, and based on the average age of the survey, you may well be a lot younger than me.

Truth be told, I have not flown for many years. Not out of fear, but out of inertia. In the summer, I pay the fee for a nearby private beach club, drive 30 minutes, sit on the chair, swim in the pool or the ocean, socialize with people, have supper at the restaurant and I'm okay with it.

Lousy Covid put out of business the local Healthtrax, my other recreation spot outside of the summer.

Been to the Caribbean many times over the years, California, Atlanta, Vancouver, Seattle, too.

To each their own.

"supper"?

Yeah, you are old. And I'm 65.

 

[husky429]

Fly instead of a 4 hour drive? You'll have a way longer day of traveling if you fly.

My rule of thumb is fly for 8 or more hours unless I'll need a rental car. Then maybe 12 hours. My fiance's family lives in NC and she'll drive like 13 hours to get there instead of flying to Charlotte. It's insane.

 

[HuskyHawk]

It depends on the airport. If it's a major airport, sure. But a regional or smaller, like HPN (White Plains) or John Wayne (Santa Ana), you can still park 30-45 minutes ahead of your departure, clear security and board on time. Even TF Green wasn't too bad when I was still in Quincy after 9/11. Parking garage is right there, no shuttles to gate, quick security.

I usually fly out of Providence. 35 minutes away, mostly short lines, easy cheap parking and quick luggage. Downside is you need a connection almost every time.

 

[Improviser]

"supper"?

Yeah, you are old. And I'm 65.

Old enough to know when I see a distinction without a difference.

The last meal of the day whatever you call it.

Read on if you so choose.

Has ‘supper’ always meant ‘dinner?'

The answer is waiting for you and it is still hot.

www.merriam-webster.com

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Big Improviser guy. Lot of equanimity in these posts.

 

[LIuconn]

Pre-quarantine I was flying back and forth between LA and Miami two or three times a month. One of the signs that I knew I was entering middle age was how excited I was when I found a parking lot at LAX where my car would be about 100 feet from the gate on my return flight. From stepping off the plane to starting my car was about 90 seconds. It made me so excited every time. Sometimes being an adult blows.

as a fellow angelino (7 year transplant) any win at LAX is huge. Worst airport situation for any global city. The biggest reason why I have LA as overrated

 

[storrsroars]

Old enough to know when I see a distinction without a difference.

The last meal of the day whatever you call it.

Read on if you so choose.

Has ‘supper’ always meant ‘dinner?'

The answer is waiting for you and it is still hot.

www.merriam-webster.com

Which basically confirms use of "supper" = you're old.

 

[methodology]

Providence belongs on the underrated list for sure. The whole state of Rhode Island is underrated.

Agreed Rhode Island is the only other state I'd live in New England

 

[methodology]

You may be right but I just can't bring myself to do it. Whenever I am outside of New England and I see or hear "brewery," all I think about is how I live in beer country and they couldn't possibly do it better. It would be like living in Las Vegas and traveling to experience a casino...or living in Hawaii and traveling to experience the beach. Then the locals try to tell you “this is the best beach.” Right.

I agree to extent on the NEIPA as I've tried many across the country and they aren't the same level.

Vegas is Vegas was other reasons than the casinos it's everything it can offer.

I've been to Hawaii one of my favorite places but I've been to better beaches in the Caribbean. If you are talking surfing then it's different

 

[Kitaman]

Pre-quarantine I was flying back and forth between LA and Miami two or three times a month. One of the signs that I knew I was entering middle age was how excited I was when I found a parking lot at LAX where my car would be about 100 feet from the gate on my return flight. From stepping off the plane to starting my car was about 90 seconds. It made me so excited every time. Sometimes being an adult blows.

When I was young I would go to stadiums and park near the entrance. Was pretty sweet to be go right in (no walk) and quickly get my beer and stuff. Also no long line, cuz I'm right there. Problem always was leaving, and hoping to beat the rush at the end of games.

Nowadays I park as close to the exit as I can, even if they wave me forward. When the game is over, I'm walking by hundred or more cars stuck, waiting to get out. I walk pass them, hop in my car, and simply drive right out of the lot. Saves about 30 minutes or longer.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Pre-quarantine I was flying back and forth between LA and Miami two or three times a month. One of the signs that I knew I was entering middle age was how excited I was when I found a parking lot at LAX where my car would be about 100 feet from the gate on my return flight. From stepping off the plane to starting my car was about 90 seconds. It made me so excited every time. Sometimes being an adult blows.

Speaking of middle age.....I just try to remember where I parked. A few years ago I discovered a technology on cell phones called a camera.

 

[upstater]

Again for curiosity without argument, are these people concentrated in Humanities, Social Sciences, STEM, or Professional schools.

Here, I'm asking because the New Haven people I had in mind were in Law, Education, Sociology, and Fine Arts, and the only person I ever knew who was at UCSD was a college suitemate who did post-doc training in his medical specialty back when UCSD was much younger and more science/research-focused, which I believe has been balanced over time.

Humanities.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Humanities.

Would have been my guess, imagining less lab work for research and more idea-exchange up the coast.

 

[Kitaman]

Speaking of middle age.....I just try to remember where I parked. A few years ago I discovered a technology on cell phones called a camera.

When finding my car at night, I discovered another technology (thanks to my daughter), its called the panic button on the key fob.

 

[Jaker]

If you haven't hung out in Elko, you are missing out.