National Geographics's 30 Best Small Cities in the United States

[UglyCasanova]

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/features/best-small-cities-united-states/

Pittsburgh, PA
Boulder, Colo.
Greenville, S.C.
Anchorage, Alaska
Annapolis, Md.
Hagerstown, Md.
Pensacola, Fla.
Omaha, Neb.
Columbia, S.C.
Hickory, N.C.
New Orleans, La.
Madison, Wisc.
Reno, Nev.
Healdsburg, Calif.
Santa Cruz, Calif.
Charleston, S.C.
Olympia, Wash.
Spokane, Wash.
Albuquerque, N.M.
Rapid City, S.D.
Ann Arbor, Mich.
Asheville, N.C.
Honolulu, HI
Kansas City, Mo.
Lakeland, Fla.
Newport, R.I.
Portland, Maine
Louisville, Ky.

 

[UglyCasanova]

Grasping at straws here

Baton Rouge, La.

Black-and-red linoleum floors and vintage swivel chairs summon up the 1920s founding of the historically African-American Webb’s Barber Shop in Louisiana’s capital city. It’s one of an unusually high number of hair salons and grooming spots that let the good-looking times roll in this relaxed town sprawled along the Mississippi River. Louisiana State University students—a well-dressed lot known for donning frocks and cowboy boots or ironed polos for football games—often get shaves and haircuts at Mercer Supply Co.

 

[Zeze]

Lol Reno NV

That cigarette smelling trash hole. I visited there during my roadtrip in 2009.

Literally shacks of poverty and D-rate casinos. All super worn down and depressing looking.

RENO, NEVADA

A large total of butchers, delis, and steak restaurants per capita helps make this mountain city among the meatiest in the U.S. Take Harrah’s Steak House, where they’ve been serving fillets and T-bones since 1937. While the red-meat palace (in Harrah’s casino) has had modern renovations, tuxedoed waiters and retro dishes (baked Alaska, oysters Rockefeller) keep the place feeling decidedly nostalgic. A forward-looking food-and-drink scene stakes its claim with Nothing to It!, a cooking school/gourmet deli, and the Eddy, a popular new outdoor hangout and beer garden with a synthetic-turf lawn and recycled shipping containers

Wtf am I reading. Is this why it's top 30 small cities in USA? A steakhouse and bars???

 

[FeuerFrei]

I'm pretty sure New Orleans does not qualify.

But I've not been there, or even wanted to be there.

 

[IronWing]

Albuquerque, N.M. is not a small city and it's a dump.
Given location, Reno ought to be nice but it's depressing.
Louisville isn't small either.

 

[PJFrylar]

Made the list, sort of. I live in Middleton, but it is practically attached to Madison. Middleton usually does pretty well in Money Magazine's rankings of best places to live. It came in at #1 at least once, 2007, if I remember correctly.

 

[Herr Kutz]

They have an interesting definition for small city.

 

[Thebobo]

Hagerstown MD? Seems a stretch, really its a truck stop.

 

[lxskllr]

Hagerstown MD? Seems a stretch, really its a truck stop.

I've never been there, but the picture they provided didn't inspire me. Cumberland would have been a better choice. Annapolis is nice, and worth a visit, especially if you aren't driving/parking. That's a nice place to teleport to, and walk.

 

[UglyCasanova]

I'm pretty sure New Orleans does not qualify.

But I've not been there, or even wanted to be there.

NO is great, NYT listed it as the top place to visit in 2018

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/travel/places-to-visit.html

 

[UglyCasanova]

They have an interesting definition for small city.

Mid size really

 

[Thebobo]

I've never been there, but the picture they provided didn't inspire me. Cumberland would have been a better choice. Annapolis is nice, and worth a visit, especially if you aren't driving/parking. That's a nice place to teleport to, and walk.

Cumberland is on the top of my list for retirement.

 

[lxskllr]

Cumberland is on the top of my list for retirement.

I love the mountains. The mountains, and south central PA. Whenever I go to either place, I immediately feel at home. I'm kind of firmly rooted. I expect I'll die around here. I'm used to everything, even though I like it less and less as years go on. It's just one disappointment after another, as nice old farms fall to shitbox subdivisions :^(

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Pittsburgh PA, NOLA, and Honolulu are considered "small" with populations over at almost 400,000!

Healdsburg CA has a population of 12,000 - now that is small!

List is whack!

Reno is actually pretty decent - all the Californians moved there and classed up the place trying to escape the absurd cost of living. Avoid the downtown strip casinos - off strip casinos are fine. Peppermill, Atlantis, Grand Sierra.
Lots of outdoor activities in the winter and summer, tons of live concerts and shows due to the casino tourists. Big University UNR, G-League NBA team, minor-league baseball team, close to Lake Tahoe and plenty of skiing as well.

 

[Paladin3]

I've only got one question: "Hows the fishing there?" Probably would have kicked most of those off the list.

 

[Pick2]

Not a single one in Illinois LOL

 

[GagHalfrunt]

NO is great, NYT listed it as the top place to visit in 2018

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/travel/places-to-visit.html

New Orleans is indeed a nice place to visit. As long as you're only there for a few days and you're not there in the summer the bars and restaurants are great. I sure as hell wouldn't want to live there, visit during Mardi Gras or get within 100 miles of the place in July and August.

 

[Darwin333]

I'm pretty sure New Orleans does not qualify.

But I've not been there, or even wanted to be there.

Why would you think that? Arguably the greatest selection of great food in the nation and not just on the uber expensive scale, tons of nightlife, a huge variety of live music almost every day of the week, great history and architecture, and so much more.

 

[Chaotic42]

Interesting. The only one I've spent any real time in is New Orleans - I'd love to move back to the area, but that won't happen any time soon. Pensacola is nice, but I've only visited for the beaches.

 

[judasmachine]

w00t, Amarillo isn't on there. We like to fly under the radar. It's nice but maybe a bit boring.

 

[Chaotic42]

w00t, Amarillo isn't on there. We like to fly under the radar. It's nice but maybe a bit boring.

Those exits on I-40 are terrifying there.

 

[UglyCasanova]

Why would you think that? Arguably the greatest selection of great food in the nation and not just on the uber expensive scale, tons of nightlife, a huge variety of live music almost every day of the week, great history and architecture, and so much more.

This year it the tricentennial also.

http://2018nola.com/

 

[Darwin333]

I've only got one question: "Hows the fishing there?" Probably would have kicked most of those off the list.

Hard to get better fishing than the NOLA area. Don't have to go far for good hunting either.

 

[K1052]

Why would you think that? Arguably the greatest selection of great food in the nation and not just on the uber expensive scale, tons of nightlife, a huge variety of live music almost every day of the week, great history and architecture, and so much more.

I've always been curious how people can possess strong opinions about a place they've never been.

 

[kage69]

Hard to get better fishing than the NOLA area.

Not true at all, The Keys are easy to locate. Back country, up to Flamingo where the Evergaldes meet the salt, the reefs, and then way offshore for blue water action. They call Islamorada sport fishing capitol of the world for a reason!

For real fishing, for catching things bigger than you with regularity, my choice would be Pinas Bay, Pacific side of Panama. That place is unreal. Lived in Pcola for 5 years, was never really impressed with the salt water action there, and large mouth bass bore me to tears.