10 Best Cities In America

Ask ten different people what the 10 best cities in America are and you’ll likely get ten different answers. In no particular order, here are ten of the most fun and interesting.

1. Austin, Texas. An eclectic mix of professors and students, musicians, government employees, tech professionals and politicians make up Austin, Texas, also known as the “Live Music Capital of the World.” The 6^th street, Red River, and Warehouse districts are lined with bars and restaurants, and nearly 200 miles of running, hike and bike trails help the healthy stay fit. Its “Keep Austin Weird” campaign is a testament to the indie, liberal culture here.
2. Los Angeles, California. LA gets a bad rap by many, but what a hot mess it is. It’s best to think of LA as many distinct and interesting neighborhoods, each with its own personality. The nightclubs of Hollywood, the canyons, the hippies and skateboarders and drug dealers of Venice, the well-heeled of Beverly Hills and the hipsters of Echo Park and Silverlake all make this one of the most diverse cities in the country.
3. Portland, Oregon. Portland is unofficially known as the city with more strip bars per capita, although no one has verified that information. Still, there is no shortage of strip bars, microbreweries, or counterculture and DIY types. Chuck Palahniuk, best known for authoring “Fight Club,” hails from Portland, as does filmmaker Gus Van Zant.
4. Chicago, Illinois. Chicago could make this list on its deep dish pizza alone, but that’s not all that makes Chicago great. Sports fans can pick from six different pro teams to cheer for (Bears, Cubs, Bulls, White Sox, Blackhawks and the Chicago Fire) and architecture buffs are treated to buildings by Mies van der Rohe, Frank Lloyd Wright and Frank Gehry. Barack Obama is from this democratic stronghold.
5. Savannah, Georgia. Steeped in history with a vibrant café and nightlife culture, Savannah is known for its beauty and southern hospitality. This city boasts 22 squares with park environments, historic homes and cemeteries, and the Riverfront with its bars and restaurants. Adjacent Tybee Island, with its beaches and coastal charm offer lovely respite from the summer heat.
6. Seattle, Washington. The Pacific Northwest’s largest city is Seattle and it’s also the northernmost city of the lower 48 states. Seattle’s panoramas are unparalleled. The Olympic and Cascade mountains, Lake Union, Elliott Bay, Lake Washington and Mount Rainier are all part of this picturesque landscape. Seattle is the birthplace of both Jimi Hendrix and later, the grunge music scene, and coffeehouse culture.
7. New York, New York. No conversation about the best cities of the United States is complete without a mention of New York City. With a population of nearly 9 million residents, NYC is one of the biggest cities in the world. This city really doesn’t ever sleep, and you can get just about anything you want here, at any hour. The younger, hipster set congregates in Brooklyn these days, and Manhattan is still home to world-class art and fashion.
8. Nashville, Tennessee. This city on the Cumberland River is known as the “Home of Country Music,” and has the record labels and music venues in “The District” to prove it. Vanderbilt University gives Nashville a university-town feel, with students and professors and college bars. The Country Music Association Awards, also known as the CMA Awards, are broadcast to millions each year.
9. Santa Fe, New Mexico. Santa Fe sits at 7,000 feet above sea level. This city was laid out around a central plaza, giving it an old world feel. The adobe style buildings built in the Spanish Pueblo style contribute to this look. Camping and hiking is plentiful in the surrounding mountains, and the large population of artists here give this multicultural city a bohemian vibe.
10. San Francisco, California. San Francisco is famous, or perhaps infamous, for its liberal-minded culture, anything-goes atmosphere and diversity. The hippie enclave of Haight-Ashbury has given way to stylish shops and restaurants, but the fringe culture still thrives in this Northern California city. North Beach is still home to City Lights Bookstore, strip clubs and cafes from the beat generation, and the Mission, the Castro, and the neighborhood South of Market are all homes to the uber-hip.