What Cities Have You Never (or Hardly) Been To That You Know You Would Love?

[bilbao58]

For me, right off the bat, I think of Philadelphia. I KNOW I would love Philadelphia, yet have never been there. Another is Atlanta. Two more are Charleston and Savannah. And Montreal. I've spent only a partial day in both Boston and Los Angeles...both of which I would love to spend much more time in.

[Pedestrian]

Originally Posted by bilbao58

For me, right off the bat, I think of Philadelphia. I KNOW I would love Philadelphia, yet have never been there. Another is Atlanta. Two more are Charleston and Savannah. And Montreal. I've spent only a partial day in both Boston and Los Angeles...both of which I would love to spend much more time in.

You should go. IMHO you'd be disappointed in both Philadelphia and Atlanta. Of the two, Philadelphia has more local color but still it's something of a New York wannabee. But you should see them and decide for yourself. Have you been to Boston? If not, that's the "not New York" northeastern town you should visit.

I've been to just about all the major towns in the US I have any interest in though there are one or two where I'd like to spend more time than I have and both Charleston and Savannah are in that category as is Seattle.

What I'd like to visit (in the US) but never really have are some small towns, especially college towns, in rural New England.

Outside the US, there's Buenos Aires, Naples, Montreal, Palermo, London and I need to spend more time in Paris though I have been there. Hong Kong would definitely have been on the list but not now due to politics.

[LA21st]

I've been to most cities. But for this question-

Seattle, Honolulu. New Orleans.

For the world? I probably can't even list them all.

[Centropolis]

contemporary new orleans, mid-century paris, late twentieth century san francisco, mid 21st century beijing. these are the places in my heart.

i’ve more or less been to these places many times.

[JManc]

In the US, all I am missing are Seattle, Portland (OR), Minneapolis, St. Louis and Detroit as far as major cities. Want to visit Shanghai, Sydney, Moscow, and Vancouver plus revisit Tokyo and Toronto.

[Centropolis]

Originally Posted by JManc

In the US, all I am missing are Seattle, Portland (OR), Minneapolis, St. Louis and Detroit as far as major cities. Want to visit Shanghai, Sydney, Moscow, and Vancouver plus revisit Tokyo and Toronto.

i want to see japan before it declines too much. it’s weird how much more expensive it has been to land in tokyo vs shanghai.

vancouver feels like a remix of cities but it also functions as the entirety of canadas west coast so theres a lot going on in that way.

[iheartthed]

New Orleans for me as well. Never been but I think that I'll at least like the food.

[Centropolis]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

Also New Orleans for me. Never been but I think that I'll at least like the food.

i’ve been to new orleans many times but never would commit to moving there because i thought (coming from st. louis of all places) that the drinking culture (and hot summers) would destroy me.

i’m convinced that there is a portal that goes between san francisco and new orleans across time like the supposed portal between new york and detroit across time.

[SIGSEGV]

Sadly, I've never been to Jacksonville.

[JManc]

Originally Posted by Centropolis

i’ve been to new orleans many times but never would commit to moving there because i thought (coming from st. louis of all places) that the drinking culture (and hot summers) would destroy me.

i’m convinced that there is a portal that goes between san francisco and new orleans across time like the supposed portal between new york and detroit across time.

The drinking thing is overblown. Sure, bourbon street is obnoxious all year round and unbearable during holidays but the city does have a lot of soul and character that doesn't involve getting ripped from watered down hurricanes in plastic cups. My wife would like to retire there at some point.

[bilbao58]

Originally Posted by JManc

The drinking thing is overblown. Sure, bourbon street is obnoxious all year round and unbearable during holidays but the city does have a lot of soul and character that doesn't involve getting ripped from watered down hurricanes in plastic cups. My wife would like to retire there at some point.

And the worst of Bourbon Street is EASILY avoided and doesn't even really negatively affect the experience of being elsewhere in the Quarter. Must admit I've never been to NOLA during Mardi Gras. I'm guessing it's a whole different animal at that time.

[pj3000]

Originally Posted by JManc

The drinking thing is overblown. Sure, bourbon street is obnoxious all year round and unbearable during holidays but the city does have a lot of soul and character that doesn't involve getting ripped from watered down hurricanes in plastic cups. My wife would like to retire there at some point.

Well... kind of. Drinking is a major part of the culture there. Not in the getting blackout drunk every night in the Quarter sort of way, but it’s a very present part of life in New Orleans.

As someone who lived there for around four years, I can attest to the fact that it probably isn’t the best place for someone who has a tendency to “overindulge”. Living there is living in a party scene... music, food, drinks... it’s fully accepted and expected. I know what you’re saying though... once you become a local, Bourbon St., while still an awesome experience, is not a very common part of life. It’s a much more relaxed scene, but still quite heavy on the liquor.

[Crawford]

Re. Philly, I wouldn't go so far as to say it's a "NYC wannabe", but they're close enough in culture and feel that if you like one, you probably like the other, and the inverse would also be true. Philly is like a much smaller, less cosmopolitan, less gentrified NYC, with rowhouses instead of apartment blocks.

[homebucket]

Originally Posted by SIGSEGV

Sadly, I've never been to Jacksonville.

I've never been either but I'm not sad about it.

[Metro-One]

In Canada Calgary (always just been there on a rushed work assignment or just driven through) and Toronto (same deal).

In the US Las Vegas (only been once pre 21...) and Chicago ( just there for a day ).

In the world Taipei ( just spent a few hours out of the airport on a lay over) and Hong Kong ( same situation, though I am less motivated to go to Hong Kong now that it has been shat on by the Winnie the Poo )

[homebucket]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

New Orleans for me as well. Never been but I think that I'll at least like the food.

I've been. It's worth it to go for the food alone.

[JManc]

Originally Posted by pj3000

Well... kind of. Drinking is a major part of the culture there. Not in the getting blackout drunk every night in the Quarter sort of way, but it’s a very present part of life in New Orleans.

As someone who lived there for around four years, I can attest to the fact that it probably isn’t the best place for someone who has a tendency to “overindulge”. Living there is living in a party scene... music, food, drinks... it’s fully accepted and expected. I know what you’re saying though... once you become a local, Bourbon St., while still an awesome experience, is not a very common part of life. It’s a much more relaxed scene, but still quite heavy on the liquor.

People go there to party, absolutely and locals also like to have a good time but I get the impression those unfamiliar with NO equate it to Bourbon St. on a Saturday night. The local vibe is upbeat and they certainly aren't teetotalers.

[pj3000]

Originally Posted by JManc

People go there to party, absolutely and locals also like to have a good time but I get the impression those unfamiliar with NO equate it to Bourbon St. on a Saturday night. The local vibe is upbeat and they certainly aren't teetotalers.

Yes, very true. Like you say, it seems that people often think it is nonstop hurricane-drinking-show-your-tits-and-puke-all-over-the-place-and-then-do-more-shots type of partying all the time. But yeah, it’s not like that. I was just suggesting that it can be a pretty drinking-dominated social scene though. It just has a very long history as a very “let the good times roll” type of place.

[Centropolis]

yeah i mean i’ve been there enough times that ive wandered across uptown in the june night and drank with houston geologists in snake and jakes until the sunrise

the quarter is just where you have breakfast

[Centropolis]

i do fear what i love and cling to what i hate