Favorite City?

There is a lot of city rivalry on these forums, for good reason. I personally love San Francisco, but by nature, we are going to want to compare cities.

This brings me to my question of the night - what is your favorite city in the WORLD? I personally love SF, but nothing can compare to Sydney, Australia. The two cities are actually quite similar - laid-back, cosmopolitan cities that are so cool that they do not need to flaunt their world-class status by being too snobby or rude. However, Sydney has a few things that SF does not - warmer weather, better beaches, better surfing, more sunshine, and a cool Aussie accent to boot. It is also a much larger city and has better universities. The harbor is basically the SF Bay, the Harbour Bridge might as well be the Bay Bridge, which would make the Opera House the iconic equivalent of the Golden Gate. But I am partial to the sunshine which makes Sydney win hands-down.

Other favorites include Denver, CO, Queenstown, New Zealand, Austin, TX, Chicago, and my beloved New York City. I'd also like to explore Boston more.

For that matter, LEAST favorites are Houston, TX, Dallas, TX, and Bangkok, Thailand.

How about you?

The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of StreetAdvisor.

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9 Comments

FlowerGirl 2yrs+

Wow! You've been to a lot of cities. Whenever people start listing the places they have been I am reminded of how very few cities I have been to. Basically just around here--Sac. Then Seattle and Montreal. I'm going to throw out SF and say Montreal. I can't really name the places but I remember it having beautiful rolling hills in the area I stayed.

Worst places. I will stick to my tried and true favorite whipping horse, LA--smog, traffic and rudeness.

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NightOwlnOrinda 2yrs+

If we are working on cities that I have been to, I would say that New York has got to be my favorite. Especially in terms of culture.

I spent a week in Miami and I loved the feel of the weather. I also loved the Big Island in Hawaii, but I'm not really much of warm beach weather sort of a person. I tend to shut down and take a long siesta when the weather gets too hot.

I prefer San Diego to LA. I grew up in the San Fernando Valley and I definately never want to go back there. Although Pasadena and Santa Monica wouldn't be so bad, I think.

Worst cities for me? Phoenix, Arizona--I was never so bored with a place as when I lived there. And it had the worst of all possible worlds for me, unremitting heat with no nearby ocean. Not fun.

Reno and Las Vegas are also places that hold no attraction for me. I don't like gambling and really need wild trees.

Cities that I would love to go to: London and Paris and Liverpool--I was a lit major so it would be nice to see the places I've read about. Then of course the Med. coast cities/countries.

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NightOwlnOrinda 2yrs+

@StephSF: I can certainly understand Dallas and Houston, I can't take anyone in a Cowboy hat certiously. But why Bangkok? Too crowded? or chaotic?

I've never been to any city in Asia so all I've really heard about Bangkok comes from movies and news reports.

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StephSF 2yrs+

Bangkok - even pre-governmental instability - is kind of like taking all the bad parts of New York City without any of the good. It's dirty, crowded, and overrun with a myriad of problems ranging from homelessness to child prostitution. Not cool. I do love Thailand but Bangkok is basically the country's garbage disposal, as a friend recently referred to it in a blog, and most people who I know who visit there are only there because of the airport and the gateway to the rest of Thailand.

Oh, by the way, it's bloody hot and stiflingly humid, at least in the summer. And there is no oceanic respite in any direction for miles. Don't get me wrong - I really love the country and would love to go back - but Bangkok itself has no appeal.

@Nightowl - I'm with you on Reno. Kind of like a depressing Vegas Junior. But Vegas itself has a certain post-college spring break-esque appeal, in its own particular way. I just need about a year to recover in between trips.

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StephSF 2yrs+

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Tracypie 2yrs+

Glenorchy, New Zealand is the most beautiful place I have ever seen. And as for architecture, Barcelona, Spain blows away London, SF and most of Europe. I haven't been to Tuscany, Italy yet, but that's high on my list.

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DocFrankenstein 2yrs+

I firmly agree on Barcelona. That wonderful mix of European, Moorish and modern meld beautifully. Tuscany is doesn't compare. I agree with London as well--its a mish mash.

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StephSF 2yrs+

Is Glenorchy on the South Island or North Island of New Zealand? I love that country. SF isn't much for architecture, but it is the diversity in activities, landscape, and people that consistently blows me away.

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NightOwlnOrinda 2yrs+

Yeah, SF is all about the way the hills produce interesting effects on the architecture. The same old Victorian will look one way on one hill and another on the opposite one.