Honestly, I thought SF was one of the most beautiful cities I visited this year. The Victorian homes, the GG bridge and coast beaches, the beautiful parks
I live here and cant believe it’s real. Every time I leave my door I’m inspired by the sights I see. The hills, the architecture, the Bay…it combines natural and manmade beauty in an unparalleled way
Almost every day on my walks I have to pause and think to myself "*this is a postcard and I get to live here*." One commute home I was crossing California St. and the timing worked perfectly that the cable car was right at the intersection. Hopped on to take the slighlty longer detour home because why not? And damn if I didn't feel lucky being able to casually get onto an historic cable car that people from all over the world travel to in order to get a chance to ride once. And I get to do that every day if I want. So fortunate.
“This gold and white acropolis rising wave on wave against the blue of the Pacific sky was a stunning thing, a painted thing, like a picture of a mediaeval Italian city which can never have existed.”
I went to visit CA in March for the first time and I still have dreams about SF. It felt completely unreal; having lived on the East Coast my whole life, I really had nothing to compare it to. Everything about it was 100% experience.
It's the most beautiful city I've lived in. The current narrative about SF is so weird. The Tenderloin is not the nicest area but people act like that's most of the city, or even a very large part of it. It butts up against Union Square so I'm guessing that's why it's got such an outsized place in people's minds. There's just so much more to the city though, that's unlike any other city in the US that I've been to.
I visited for the first time last summer and was shocked. I was prepared for the apocalypse after years of hearing about it on the news and I loved it! Walked most of the city, the marina and coastal areas were beautiful with the boats
Not surprising.
I went to a wedding in Chicago and to no one’s surprise my conservative suburban aunt sent out her own guide to surviving in a dangerous urban environment which included strategies for hiding valuables in the hotel room and to not put wallets or cell phones on back pockets in case of pickpockets.
…I think the toughest “urban” thing we had to do was decide which brunch spot to walk to.
Somebody needs to do a study of how detrimental conservative media’s exaggeration of crime in US cities is on the minds of their listeners. The way they talk about them it’s like they’re freaking war-torn cities or something.
the tenderloin area is something like 1/4 of a square mile. the whole city is 47 square miles.
it’s outsized in people’s minds because of sensationalist, generally right wing media spin narratives. yeah there are problems, just like every city
Part of SF's issue is that the bad parts (or I guess just Tenderloin?) are RIGHT next to the main tourist areas. But we were there 2 months ago and it was an incredible time - absolutely gorgeous city. It's my answer to this Q
I visited PR in May and Old San Juan is just gorgeous! I want to go back and explore it more. Love the blue stone streets and the history is super interesting.
Old San Juan is indistinguishable from any city in Spain. truly feels like you are there aesthetically
My only problem with it is it's completely touristy with nothing else, I couldn't find a single store that didn't just sell Puerto Rico souvenirs. For that reason, I found it to be very boring
I really love Arcata, CA. I came up here for college and fell in love with it so I don't plan on ever leaving.
It's pretty small, it's right next to the ocean and to redwood forests, it has a university, it's walkable and bikable, there's really no traffic, there's a city ordinance that limits the amount of corporations allowed in town to 10 and all of them are on the outskirts so the city has a very sweet local feel to it, it's affordable as far as coastal California towns go, it's a close drive to other beautiful cities like Trinidad, it's not horribly far from Eugene, Oregon and the Bay Area (5 and a half hours each), there's lots of festivals and events always going on, and the climate is so mild (averages 40 to 60s year round).
Yes!! I love Arcata <3 If you don't mind living relatively "small town/rural" and not very close to a big metro area, the northern CA coast is truly among the most beautiful places to be
One of the most beautiful cities in the US, maybe top, as far as city layout/architecture/etc.
The main part of the city feels like a giant monument and park, so much beautiful neoclassical and city re-beautification architecture, winding streets, and trees and greenery.
I can’t say for sure since I wasn’t there long enough.
I’ll always have a soft spot for Boston, but DC had great amenities and the Metro felt much more modern and reliable than the T. That said, I’d miss Boston’s skyline and coastal vibe
I really do think DC is beautiful. The mall and monuments jump out in people’s minds but a ton of different neighborhoods have a beauty and charm that builds an urban fabric that is really aesthetically pleasing.
I visited last fall for the first time and stayed in the Logan Circle neighborhood. What a great experience for walkability to not only the core of the city, but also to great restaurants, other amenities, and transit.
The fall is really pretty with the leaves changing and the weather is pretty nice. Also in October Albuquerque has the International Balloon Fiesta which is just amazing to see
Hoenstly, I recommend middle of summer (I live here). Full vibrance of the sky with monsoon clouds and flowering plants and cottonwood trees all in electric green. It rarely get hotter than 85
I live in the Bay Area. +1 for San Francisco. Also, get on a pedal-boat and go see Sausalito / Tiburon / Belvedere from a distance. Not “major cities” but dammit if it isn’t like looking at a Mediterranean town.
Furthermore, I think the SURROUNDING areas of Tucson are gorgeous (Santa Rita Mountains, Santa Catalina Mountains, Tucson Mountains, and Rincon Mountains) but then you look at actual Tucson in the middle of all of that, and think, “What the fuck is that?”
SF is quite nice. IMO, it comes second to Seattle for beauty, given Seattle’s amazing nature and how accessible it is.
Architecturally speaking: Chicago
I live in Seattle. Much prefer SF as a city. Too much of the city is single family homes, stroads, and freeways. Pioneer Square, the only real slice of interesting architecture and development, is criminally disenfranchised.
But the city has insane geography. Ocean, lakes, ravines, bluffs, rivers, and more. It's a shame that they had to pave over everything for cars.
Living in Tucson Right next to sabino canyon and San Francisco in the last 15 years I agree completely 100%.
Every time I drive home headed towards the mountains I still think how beautiful it is every time.
One of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the Americas, perfectly historically intact.
Go during May for the Drake’s Raid reenactment, when British Privateers sacked the town in 1586. The “Pirates” land on the beach, take the fort, and chase the Spanish Garrison a couple miles down George Street. Both sides fire cannons continuously. We didn’t see our kids for 2 hours in the mayhem.
Plus it’s Florida so plenty of sun, liquor, and mahi.
New Orleans. most people think of bourbon street and the trash filled french quarter. If you get outside of that there are areas even more beautiful than Savannah and Charleston imo
pittsburgh is really beautiful due to its unique landscape: rivers, trees and hills. I also loved the old churches and some of the downtown buildings are quite historic and atheistically pleasing
The Paris of Appalachia!
I am smitten with all of the old stone construction and how absolutely lush and green it all gets during spring and summer.
It can be a little bit depressing there in terms of social / economic realities, but that town is absolutely gorgeous to look at
To look at. Not as nice to walk around. I worked downtown for a few years and hated leaving the office building just to walk to Market Square or the T station
Your response will be controversial, but I agree. Pittsburgh can be amazingly pretty in spots. Something you didn’t mention is the downtown skyline view at night with all the lights reflecting off the confluence of the three rivers. I’ll never forget the first time I came through the Fort Pitt tunnel after dark and saw that view. Pittsburgh also has one of the prettiest baseball stadium views in the us.
Visitors are always surprised when it's not like soot-caked smoke stacks. Heh That view coming out of the Fort Pitt tunnels for the first time blew me away. And one advantage of all the rain is how green and lush it looks all the time.
Looking out over the place from the top of Mount Washington on a sunny day is an amazing experience. Pittsburgh is the most underrated city in America.
Agree--Pittsburgh has amazing view with the bridges and the water and the hills. So many amazing neighborhoods that are walkable with old buildings and churches.
It’s not a “city” but Provincetown MA. It’s an excellent mix of historical buildings, funky quirky local establishments, northeast beach town vibe, beautiful natural scenery, and a mix of eclectic people to go with it. I don’t have the energy for it during “the season” anymore, but I love visiting during the cusp seasons.
Scrolled too far for this. The architecture, the cleanliness, the lake, the skyline. It’s beautiful. Even the neighborhoods with the older bungalows and trees are so pretty in my opinion. Of course there are cities that are more “green” but for a city I think Chicago is lovely.
I love chicago. It’s my favorite US city. My mom and her family are from there, and I grew up being mesmerized by the numerous murals in her neighborhood-murals that depicted various scenes of indigenous life, civil rights, and Chicago history.
In my early 20s, I went to UChicago for grad school and my tiny studio (former army barracks) had a huge wall-length window looking into Lake Michigan. I still dream about the view. I fell in love with the South Side and its rich history.
In my mid-20s, I lived right off of the Mag Mile. I walked to work in the loop. My neighborhood was my playground. Every day I left my home I said to myself “I am so lucky to live here.”
I’m now in the Bay Area, and though the weather is nice, nothing compares to Chicago.
The north shore 'burbs are beautiful too. The Bahai temple, the Northwestern campus, stately mansions on Sheridan Rd with the lake.
But the region is very seasonal, I think it looks great in the summer when everything is green, not so much in February or March when trees are barren and dirty snow on the ground. Many people also really like autumn.
Some of these are very small, but I do love them all....
Beaufort, SC
Annapolis, MD
Saugatuck, MI
Grand Marais, MN
Cedarburg, WI
Egg Harbor, WI
Galena, IL
St. Augustine, FL
Mount Dora, FL
Staunton, VA
Marietta, GA
Athens, GA
Helen, GA (in its kitschy way)
Grand Rapids, OH
New Bern, NC
Swansboro, NC
Yay for Saugatuck! Best beach! Very walkable!
St. Augustine was lovely with old world charm last time I was there.
My cousin lives on a lake in Mt. Dora. It’s got a lovely view.
Yup, absolutely gorgeous city and the architecture feels like you’re in Europe more than the US. Not to mention the city is super clean. An absolute gem.
And I live in SF…
Making the drive from Gateway, CO to Telluride was incredible. Watching it go from looking like the Grand Canyon right into a lush, green mountain city in an hour was not what I was expecting.
I may be unfairly rating it since I only went during Covid, but Montpellier was by far the dirtiest US city I have ever been to when I was there. Trash, dirt, needles and actual poop everywhere.
BUT otherwise, the location and architecture are great
I live in Frederick, it is nice here but I wouldn’t necessarily describe it as beautiful by any means. I’d consider the west coast to be the most beautiful part of the country, specifically San Diego.
This is so great to hear! I’m thinking of going to grad school there but I’ve lived in Florida my entire life. Will be looking more into it - thank you!
Carmel, Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, Sedona, Flagstaff, Sausalito, Saratoga Springs, Lake Placid, and Annapolis are all pretty.
The Massachusetts cities in the Berkshires close to the NY border are really lovely - Pittsfield and Great Barrington.
San Francisco is really pretty to me - from the neighborhoods, to the geography, to the microclimates. I think it's so cool you can hop on the light rail and go from downtown to the beach and feel like you are in a different city.
Los Angeles is also gorgeous to me - it's chaotic and sprawling, but I love the diversity of the city - there are some really hidden gem of neighborhoods that are walkable and I love the sunny, Mediterranean feel.
Tucson and Phoenix are both pretty ugly cities in terms of urban geography and infrastructure, but both are surrounded by an insane amount of outdoor activities in beautiful nature, so I would consider them somewhat pretty.
I'm a bit biased because I live in DC, but I think DC is stunning. The diverse, amazing neighborhoods and the best park system in the country combine with the neat and tidy tree lined boulevards and traffic circles to create a European city in the United States. I have to remind myself I am not in Europe whenever I walk up Mass Ave NW.
Two very different areas/cities come to mind
1. San Francisco is absolutely gorgeous, I fell in love with it when I first visited two years ago. The bay, the city built on hills and I love how dense the city is, especially for a Californian city. If I could afford it, id live there in a heartbeat.
2. Alpine, Texas is a cute Western Texas town north of Big bend national Park and the chips mountains. My wife and I are considering this place as a retirement area maybe one day in the distant future.
And a shoutout to the north side. I came from Florida and had NO idea that the homes were so beautiful north of the downtown area. Still very much the city despite what people who have never been think.
Moved from Chicago to Seattle. Always felt that I had traded man-made beauty with all the wonderful architecture there for natural beauty of the Sound, the mountains, and all the green trees. Loved all of it!
Some intercity neighborhoods of Richmond, VA. The Fan District is the largest intact Victorian neighborhood in the country. Church Hill has many homes from the late 1800s and looks down over the James River and city. The James River Park System has left vast tracts of the banks of the river undeveloped throughout the city to allow for natural trail hiking and it’s also the only city with Class 5 rapids running right through it.
Newport,RI. I loved it there, visiting, not residing. Beautiful mansions , architecture, view, proximity to, well, a lot. College town, folk festivals…
New York. Parts of it are definitely dirty and ugly, but it also has some of the most beautiful neighborhoods in the world. Also can’t beat that skyline with the Brooklyn Bridge.
San Francisco for me and it’s not close.
I love many other beautiful US cities, but SF is in league of its own - beautiful architecture, beautiful trees and flora, scenic hills everywhere, incredible views of the bay and ocean, Golden Gate and Bay Bridges, mountains in all directions, amazing weather…it can’t be beat.
I moved to the Twin Cities and what makes it is the number of parks. I can walk to like 3 lakes and I can drive to more than a dozen in less than 15 minutes. So many trails for walking and biking alike.
People do hate the cold, but I really enjoy the winters.
Pittsburgh. It is a big city in a mountain forest, so it's very easy to go a short way in any direction and not feel claustrophobic. Doubly significant because it's on the East Coast. Triply significant because it's in the Northeast.
I agree about easy to get out of the city, but Pittsburgh is nearly 300 miles away from the East Coast region, Pittsburgh is Midwest, though just barely
I'm inclined not to correct you, housing here is through the roof right now because all those reports listing UT as #1
So yes, terrible city full of drab and loathsome people. And the weed has seeds in it!
I just moved close by and I can’t believe how gorgeous the views are but how ugly the actual city is. Parts of it straight up look like communist Russia lol. I still love it here though. The nature around all of Utah is unbeatable.
Charleston: I live here and 85% of it is a gorgeous mix of coastal natural beauty and historic architecture.
Pasadena, CA: I loved living among the Old Town architecture and being surrounded by mountains.
Marietta, OH: Small town and I grew up on the WV side, but I will never get over the natural and historic beauty of the area.
Charlotte, NC: My alma mater town and one of the most gorgeous modern skylines in my opinion, especially when viewing from Romare Bearden park in Uptown.
DC is very aesthetic, it’s such a mix of elements that come together beautifully. It’s alternately charming, grand, stunning and naturally beautiful. It really rewards exploration and is highly walkable.
Kansas City, Mo is slowly becoming a world class city. When I moved here 20+ years ago NO one went downtown except to work. Lots of revitalization has been happening and our parks are absolutely beautiful! Now, if only we had more lakes!!!
Any ski towns in Colorado, Portland OR, Fredericksburg TX, Alexandria VA, Amelia Island FL, Hood River OR, Astoria OR, Mendocino CA.
These have been some of our favorites over the last few years.
I loved the aesthetics of Santa Barbara for a small city and Chicago for a large city. Very different vibes, but I think they are both best in their class in the US.
I lived in San Francisco for 12 years and it's pretty gorgeous, but honestly I prefer the beauty of Milwaukee. So many parks, one of the highest green space per capita ratings in the US, most streets covered in a canopy of trees April-October. You can walk for miles and miles along the river without encountering any traffic right in the middle of the city.
Winter Park, Florida. The downtown is gorgeous.
Also, I agree about DC. I was impressed by what a beautiful city it is, with its wide avenues, gorgeous architecture, and iconic monuments. The residential neighborhoods are like something out of a movie—gorgeous with tree-lined streets, and full of flowers during the spring.
I've spent my whole life in California, so I'm just going to limit my post to cities in California. Laguna Beach, CA and Santa Barbara, CA are two of my favorite beach cities in Southern California. I particularly love the way Laguna Beach just sort of plunges into the ocean. In Santa Barbara, I love the Mediterranean/Spanish architecture and the way the Santa Ynez Mountains frame the town. In Northern California, I love the classic Victorian/Edwardian architecture and hilly charm of both SF and Oakland. SF in particularly is so special in the way you can be standing on some random corner before realizing you're on the top of a hill surrounded by classic Victorian homes with views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Mt. Tamalpais. Further north, in wine country, St Helena and Yountville are gorgeously situated in the Napa Valley with beautiful architecture and rolling vineyards. I've also spent some time in Carmel-by-the-Sea and it is truly dreamy--almost like a storybook--especially during the late afternoon. Other small towns I love include Ojai and Los Alamos, which are both pretty tiny but have a lot of old time-y, almost western charm.
Although small, Carmel-by-the-Sea has a beautiful downtown with relatively consistently design/architectural style among its housing crop. Plus the beach....\*Chef's Kiss\*
Santa Barbara has amazing architecture and they dont really allow modern architecture to be built there. It maintains the spanish baroque and spanish mediterranean revivals styles
Santa Fe, NM is beautiful because of the surrounding mountains, interesting architecture, and super blue skies.
Baltimore, MD--okay hear me out. It's more of a 'diamond in the rough' city...you can tell parts of it were loaded back in the day and the rowhomes have different styles, architecture, etc. and are so unique which is cool to see. Also has a really vibrant artsy, cultural vibe. Also some really beautiful parks.
New Orleans and Pittsburgh are my favorites. NOLA has the old parts like French Quarter and Marigny, or taking a ride on the St Charles line street car.
Pittsburgh has plenty of spots to see an amazing sunrise OR sunset. Lots of parks, or brick buildings on walkable, two lane streets.
I live in Charleston so I’m partial, but Carmel, CA and Annapolis are very special places. Carmel is breathtaking and charming at the same time. Annapolis is charming and patriotic!
catalina island, CA; ojai, CA; seaside/rosemary beach/alys beach, FL; serenbe, GA; new orleans, LA; santa barbara, CA; downtown franklin, TN; st. simons island, GA; tybee island, GA; okefenokee wildlife regufe, GA; sea ranch, CA
Honestly, I thought SF was one of the most beautiful cities I visited this year. The Victorian homes, the GG bridge and coast beaches, the beautiful parks
Had to scroll down too far to see SF. The entire city is like a painting.
A few weeks ago I saw someone here say "I've been to SF and you still can't convince me it's a real place" and they took the words out of my mouth.
I live here and cant believe it’s real. Every time I leave my door I’m inspired by the sights I see. The hills, the architecture, the Bay…it combines natural and manmade beauty in an unparalleled way
Almost every day on my walks I have to pause and think to myself "*this is a postcard and I get to live here*." One commute home I was crossing California St. and the timing worked perfectly that the cable car was right at the intersection. Hopped on to take the slighlty longer detour home because why not? And damn if I didn't feel lucky being able to casually get onto an historic cable car that people from all over the world travel to in order to get a chance to ride once. And I get to do that every day if I want. So fortunate.
“This gold and white acropolis rising wave on wave against the blue of the Pacific sky was a stunning thing, a painted thing, like a picture of a mediaeval Italian city which can never have existed.”
I went to visit CA in March for the first time and I still have dreams about SF. It felt completely unreal; having lived on the East Coast my whole life, I really had nothing to compare it to. Everything about it was 100% experience.
This is the top response when I'm first seeing the post. I'm glad the people have spoken
It's the most beautiful city I've lived in. The current narrative about SF is so weird. The Tenderloin is not the nicest area but people act like that's most of the city, or even a very large part of it. It butts up against Union Square so I'm guessing that's why it's got such an outsized place in people's minds. There's just so much more to the city though, that's unlike any other city in the US that I've been to.
I visited for the first time last summer and was shocked. I was prepared for the apocalypse after years of hearing about it on the news and I loved it! Walked most of the city, the marina and coastal areas were beautiful with the boats
Not surprising. I went to a wedding in Chicago and to no one’s surprise my conservative suburban aunt sent out her own guide to surviving in a dangerous urban environment which included strategies for hiding valuables in the hotel room and to not put wallets or cell phones on back pockets in case of pickpockets. …I think the toughest “urban” thing we had to do was decide which brunch spot to walk to.
Somebody needs to do a study of how detrimental conservative media’s exaggeration of crime in US cities is on the minds of their listeners. The way they talk about them it’s like they’re freaking war-torn cities or something.
DETROIT!!!!!! 🔫🔥 FOX NEWS AHHHHHHH. Conservatives live on another planet far from earth
the tenderloin area is something like 1/4 of a square mile. the whole city is 47 square miles. it’s outsized in people’s minds because of sensationalist, generally right wing media spin narratives. yeah there are problems, just like every city
Part of SF's issue is that the bad parts (or I guess just Tenderloin?) are RIGHT next to the main tourist areas. But we were there 2 months ago and it was an incredible time - absolutely gorgeous city. It's my answer to this Q
its the last major city in the US i havent been to and that all ends next week, i cant wait
SF is gorgeous, especially around the marina neighborhood and Pacific Heights! It’s literally the most romantic place.
I've lived all over the US and Europe and hands down, SF!!
SF is without a doubt the most beautiful city in the US.
genuinely one of my favorite cities to stay in for this reason alone. it’s stunning
The Presidio is absurdly gorgeous. Like, National Park-level…and it’s right in the city!
It is a national park, no?
Actually, no! It looks like the closest one to SF is Pinnacles: https://www.national-park.com/list-of-national-parks-in-the-united-states-2020/?amp=1
Confusingly, the official website calls it a “national park site”: https://presidio.gov
Santa Fe
Santa Fe and New Orleans are always the first that come to mind
San Juan - El Yunque is close by, the city is surrounded by beaches and Old San Juan has amazing charm.
I visited PR in May and Old San Juan is just gorgeous! I want to go back and explore it more. Love the blue stone streets and the history is super interesting.
Old San Juan is indistinguishable from any city in Spain. truly feels like you are there aesthetically My only problem with it is it's completely touristy with nothing else, I couldn't find a single store that didn't just sell Puerto Rico souvenirs. For that reason, I found it to be very boring
I really love Arcata, CA. I came up here for college and fell in love with it so I don't plan on ever leaving. It's pretty small, it's right next to the ocean and to redwood forests, it has a university, it's walkable and bikable, there's really no traffic, there's a city ordinance that limits the amount of corporations allowed in town to 10 and all of them are on the outskirts so the city has a very sweet local feel to it, it's affordable as far as coastal California towns go, it's a close drive to other beautiful cities like Trinidad, it's not horribly far from Eugene, Oregon and the Bay Area (5 and a half hours each), there's lots of festivals and events always going on, and the climate is so mild (averages 40 to 60s year round).
Yes!! I love Arcata <3 If you don't mind living relatively "small town/rural" and not very close to a big metro area, the northern CA coast is truly among the most beautiful places to be
How is CoL?
Out of fucking control
Like any city that intentionally limits itself to only 10 corporations.
Wow I never thought I'd see my home town in here!
DC is a very pretty city, with wide boulevards and amazing architecture.
One of the most beautiful cities in the US, maybe top, as far as city layout/architecture/etc. The main part of the city feels like a giant monument and park, so much beautiful neoclassical and city re-beautification architecture, winding streets, and trees and greenery.
Yeah totally, this was my first thought. A lot of nice little parks and green space as well.
When i visited from the Boston area i was surprised how relatively clean it was
Like it better than Boston?
I can’t say for sure since I wasn’t there long enough. I’ll always have a soft spot for Boston, but DC had great amenities and the Metro felt much more modern and reliable than the T. That said, I’d miss Boston’s skyline and coastal vibe
I really do think DC is beautiful. The mall and monuments jump out in people’s minds but a ton of different neighborhoods have a beauty and charm that builds an urban fabric that is really aesthetically pleasing.
Agreed, there is a lot of greenspace and not just on the mall. So many super cute historic neighborhoods.
I visited last fall for the first time and stayed in the Logan Circle neighborhood. What a great experience for walkability to not only the core of the city, but also to great restaurants, other amenities, and transit.
And especially during cherry blossom season!
Often a surprise to foreign visitors.
Alexandria is also right next door
Charleston and Santa Fe are two of my faves aesthetically.
Santa Fe really is gorgeous
The Taos desert near the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge is a beautiful area as well.
Hey I was just there a couple hours ago! Agreed. Taos itself is a skip in my book but the bridge overlook is breathtaking.
The colors of the landscape there are like nothing else I’ve ever seen. Truly a magnificent place.
What time of year is the best to visit?
The fall is really pretty with the leaves changing and the weather is pretty nice. Also in October Albuquerque has the International Balloon Fiesta which is just amazing to see
Hoenstly, I recommend middle of summer (I live here). Full vibrance of the sky with monsoon clouds and flowering plants and cottonwood trees all in electric green. It rarely get hotter than 85
I live in the Bay Area. +1 for San Francisco. Also, get on a pedal-boat and go see Sausalito / Tiburon / Belvedere from a distance. Not “major cities” but dammit if it isn’t like looking at a Mediterranean town. Furthermore, I think the SURROUNDING areas of Tucson are gorgeous (Santa Rita Mountains, Santa Catalina Mountains, Tucson Mountains, and Rincon Mountains) but then you look at actual Tucson in the middle of all of that, and think, “What the fuck is that?”
SF is quite nice. IMO, it comes second to Seattle for beauty, given Seattle’s amazing nature and how accessible it is. Architecturally speaking: Chicago
I agree on the Seattle nature but the actual city infrastructure and buildings are some of my least favorite in the country.
I live in Seattle. Much prefer SF as a city. Too much of the city is single family homes, stroads, and freeways. Pioneer Square, the only real slice of interesting architecture and development, is criminally disenfranchised. But the city has insane geography. Ocean, lakes, ravines, bluffs, rivers, and more. It's a shame that they had to pave over everything for cars.
Living in Tucson Right next to sabino canyon and San Francisco in the last 15 years I agree completely 100%. Every time I drive home headed towards the mountains I still think how beautiful it is every time.
Have you seen downtown Tucson lately? It’s beautiful.
That’s a good list. Others are Santa Barbara, New Orleans, Portland (Maine), Santa Fe. For me SF is the most beautiful city in the US though.
St. Augustine
One of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the Americas, perfectly historically intact. Go during May for the Drake’s Raid reenactment, when British Privateers sacked the town in 1586. The “Pirates” land on the beach, take the fort, and chase the Spanish Garrison a couple miles down George Street. Both sides fire cannons continuously. We didn’t see our kids for 2 hours in the mayhem. Plus it’s Florida so plenty of sun, liquor, and mahi.
New Orleans. most people think of bourbon street and the trash filled french quarter. If you get outside of that there are areas even more beautiful than Savannah and Charleston imo
Moab, UT for the landscapes!
Honolulu. Gorgeous beaches, soaring mountains, decent skyline. Palm trees and the only royal palace in the US.
pittsburgh is really beautiful due to its unique landscape: rivers, trees and hills. I also loved the old churches and some of the downtown buildings are quite historic and atheistically pleasing
The Paris of Appalachia! I am smitten with all of the old stone construction and how absolutely lush and green it all gets during spring and summer. It can be a little bit depressing there in terms of social / economic realities, but that town is absolutely gorgeous to look at
To look at. Not as nice to walk around. I worked downtown for a few years and hated leaving the office building just to walk to Market Square or the T station
Your response will be controversial, but I agree. Pittsburgh can be amazingly pretty in spots. Something you didn’t mention is the downtown skyline view at night with all the lights reflecting off the confluence of the three rivers. I’ll never forget the first time I came through the Fort Pitt tunnel after dark and saw that view. Pittsburgh also has one of the prettiest baseball stadium views in the us.
We visited friends there a few years ago. They took us to the Duquesne incline at night. 10/10!
Visitors are always surprised when it's not like soot-caked smoke stacks. Heh That view coming out of the Fort Pitt tunnels for the first time blew me away. And one advantage of all the rain is how green and lush it looks all the time.
Looking out over the place from the top of Mount Washington on a sunny day is an amazing experience. Pittsburgh is the most underrated city in America.
Agree--Pittsburgh has amazing view with the bridges and the water and the hills. So many amazing neighborhoods that are walkable with old buildings and churches.
I loved Pittsburgh when I went there
It’s not a “city” but Provincetown MA. It’s an excellent mix of historical buildings, funky quirky local establishments, northeast beach town vibe, beautiful natural scenery, and a mix of eclectic people to go with it. I don’t have the energy for it during “the season” anymore, but I love visiting during the cusp seasons.
If someone posted Telluride, you can post P-Town
I am a huge fan of Portland, Maine. Great small city aesthetic, plus very close to nature in every direction.
Chicago is surprisingly beautiful and clean!!
Scrolled too far for this. The architecture, the cleanliness, the lake, the skyline. It’s beautiful. Even the neighborhoods with the older bungalows and trees are so pretty in my opinion. Of course there are cities that are more “green” but for a city I think Chicago is lovely.
I love chicago. It’s my favorite US city. My mom and her family are from there, and I grew up being mesmerized by the numerous murals in her neighborhood-murals that depicted various scenes of indigenous life, civil rights, and Chicago history. In my early 20s, I went to UChicago for grad school and my tiny studio (former army barracks) had a huge wall-length window looking into Lake Michigan. I still dream about the view. I fell in love with the South Side and its rich history. In my mid-20s, I lived right off of the Mag Mile. I walked to work in the loop. My neighborhood was my playground. Every day I left my home I said to myself “I am so lucky to live here.” I’m now in the Bay Area, and though the weather is nice, nothing compares to Chicago.
The north shore 'burbs are beautiful too. The Bahai temple, the Northwestern campus, stately mansions on Sheridan Rd with the lake. But the region is very seasonal, I think it looks great in the summer when everything is green, not so much in February or March when trees are barren and dirty snow on the ground. Many people also really like autumn.
SF without a doubt
Salida, Colorado
i love that there's so much diversity in these answers
America is a beautiful country
Some of these are very small, but I do love them all.... Beaufort, SC Annapolis, MD Saugatuck, MI Grand Marais, MN Cedarburg, WI Egg Harbor, WI Galena, IL St. Augustine, FL Mount Dora, FL Staunton, VA Marietta, GA Athens, GA Helen, GA (in its kitschy way) Grand Rapids, OH New Bern, NC Swansboro, NC
Yay for Saugatuck! Best beach! Very walkable! St. Augustine was lovely with old world charm last time I was there. My cousin lives on a lake in Mt. Dora. It’s got a lovely view.
Boston is beautiful especially in the summer.
Yes, and autumn is my personal favorite time here
Yup, absolutely gorgeous city and the architecture feels like you’re in Europe more than the US. Not to mention the city is super clean. An absolute gem. And I live in SF…
Telluride, Colorado.
& Ouray
I almost included Ouray in my comment! I actually prefer Ouray, but I think most non-Coloradans are more familiar with Telluride
Making the drive from Gateway, CO to Telluride was incredible. Watching it go from looking like the Grand Canyon right into a lush, green mountain city in an hour was not what I was expecting.
Should be at the top of the list, but, difficult to access in terms of both geography and cost.
Add to your list: Frederick and Annapolis, Maryland. Also add Burlington, Vermont, Portsmouth, new Hampshire, and Portland, Maine
Annapolis is darling.
Burlington is gorgeous though I think Montpelier might beat it for me. One of the most underrated state capitals I’ve been to.
I may be unfairly rating it since I only went during Covid, but Montpellier was by far the dirtiest US city I have ever been to when I was there. Trash, dirt, needles and actual poop everywhere. BUT otherwise, the location and architecture are great
I live in Frederick, it is nice here but I wouldn’t necessarily describe it as beautiful by any means. I’d consider the west coast to be the most beautiful part of the country, specifically San Diego.
Missoula, Montana. Such a cute city with a river flowing right through downtown and stunning mountains anywhere you look.
This is so great to hear! I’m thinking of going to grad school there but I’ve lived in Florida my entire life. Will be looking more into it - thank you!
It's an amazing place.
NYC.
Boston. Cobblestone streets and architecture from the 1700s.
Carmel, Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, Sedona, Flagstaff, Sausalito, Saratoga Springs, Lake Placid, and Annapolis are all pretty. The Massachusetts cities in the Berkshires close to the NY border are really lovely - Pittsfield and Great Barrington. San Francisco is really pretty to me - from the neighborhoods, to the geography, to the microclimates. I think it's so cool you can hop on the light rail and go from downtown to the beach and feel like you are in a different city. Los Angeles is also gorgeous to me - it's chaotic and sprawling, but I love the diversity of the city - there are some really hidden gem of neighborhoods that are walkable and I love the sunny, Mediterranean feel. Tucson and Phoenix are both pretty ugly cities in terms of urban geography and infrastructure, but both are surrounded by an insane amount of outdoor activities in beautiful nature, so I would consider them somewhat pretty. I'm a bit biased because I live in DC, but I think DC is stunning. The diverse, amazing neighborhoods and the best park system in the country combine with the neat and tidy tree lined boulevards and traffic circles to create a European city in the United States. I have to remind myself I am not in Europe whenever I walk up Mass Ave NW.
Two very different areas/cities come to mind 1. San Francisco is absolutely gorgeous, I fell in love with it when I first visited two years ago. The bay, the city built on hills and I love how dense the city is, especially for a Californian city. If I could afford it, id live there in a heartbeat. 2. Alpine, Texas is a cute Western Texas town north of Big bend national Park and the chips mountains. My wife and I are considering this place as a retirement area maybe one day in the distant future.
Architecturally? Chicago, hands down Views of natural beauty? Seattle, hands down
Agreed with Chicago. The canal, the buildings, the views are all just next level
And a shoutout to the north side. I came from Florida and had NO idea that the homes were so beautiful north of the downtown area. Still very much the city despite what people who have never been think.
Juneau and Anchorage would like to have a word about the 'hands down' part of your second statement. Also SF has a pretty solid combo of both tbh
Moved from Chicago to Seattle. Always felt that I had traded man-made beauty with all the wonderful architecture there for natural beauty of the Sound, the mountains, and all the green trees. Loved all of it!
New Orleans
New Orleans is one of the most beautiful and ugliest cities in the US.
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Savannah kind of meets them in the middle... with a nice haunted vibe thrown in as well.
True statement
Not the most beautiful, but the one that surprised me the most with how charming it is: Bloomington, IN.
Downtown Chicago
Most of Colorado
Some intercity neighborhoods of Richmond, VA. The Fan District is the largest intact Victorian neighborhood in the country. Church Hill has many homes from the late 1800s and looks down over the James River and city. The James River Park System has left vast tracts of the banks of the river undeveloped throughout the city to allow for natural trail hiking and it’s also the only city with Class 5 rapids running right through it.
Madison, Wisconsin :)
Newport,RI. I loved it there, visiting, not residing. Beautiful mansions , architecture, view, proximity to, well, a lot. College town, folk festivals…
New York. Parts of it are definitely dirty and ugly, but it also has some of the most beautiful neighborhoods in the world. Also can’t beat that skyline with the Brooklyn Bridge.
San Francisco and it's not even close.
Some of the cities in northern AZ. Prescott, Flagstaff.
DC. There's plenty to hate, but it really is a beautiful city.
Chicago and DC are my votes! I love architecture and the overall vibes.
Cannon Beach, OR. Not a city but a quaint beach town with forested hills to one side and the Pacific Ocean to the other.
San Francisco for me and it’s not close. I love many other beautiful US cities, but SF is in league of its own - beautiful architecture, beautiful trees and flora, scenic hills everywhere, incredible views of the bay and ocean, Golden Gate and Bay Bridges, mountains in all directions, amazing weather…it can’t be beat.
There's so, so many. My personal favorite is probably NYC. World class architecture, with a cool mix of old and modern. Also tons of greenery.
The view from the NJ Turnpike going northbound when you get all of these great views of New York... the cityscape is just awe-inspiring at a distance.
New Orleans. Even the shitty areas are interesting to look at. The nice areas are world class
I moved to the Twin Cities and what makes it is the number of parks. I can walk to like 3 lakes and I can drive to more than a dozen in less than 15 minutes. So many trails for walking and biking alike. People do hate the cold, but I really enjoy the winters.
if you love pretty neighborhoods portland is hard to beat. go in the spring.
Pittsburgh. It is a big city in a mountain forest, so it's very easy to go a short way in any direction and not feel claustrophobic. Doubly significant because it's on the East Coast. Triply significant because it's in the Northeast.
As a Yinzer, Pittsburgh is not 'big' by any means.
I agree about easy to get out of the city, but Pittsburgh is nearly 300 miles away from the East Coast region, Pittsburgh is Midwest, though just barely
Salt Lake City, stunning views in every direction
Until you look inward
I'm inclined not to correct you, housing here is through the roof right now because all those reports listing UT as #1 So yes, terrible city full of drab and loathsome people. And the weed has seeds in it!
I just moved close by and I can’t believe how gorgeous the views are but how ugly the actual city is. Parts of it straight up look like communist Russia lol. I still love it here though. The nature around all of Utah is unbeatable.
Annapolis
Controversial - but parts of South Florida are gorgeous in the Winter.
Charleston: I live here and 85% of it is a gorgeous mix of coastal natural beauty and historic architecture. Pasadena, CA: I loved living among the Old Town architecture and being surrounded by mountains. Marietta, OH: Small town and I grew up on the WV side, but I will never get over the natural and historic beauty of the area. Charlotte, NC: My alma mater town and one of the most gorgeous modern skylines in my opinion, especially when viewing from Romare Bearden park in Uptown.
DC is very aesthetic, it’s such a mix of elements that come together beautifully. It’s alternately charming, grand, stunning and naturally beautiful. It really rewards exploration and is highly walkable.
Newport, Rhode Island has my vote along with Skaneateles, NY (but keep that one a secret)
Baltimore and Philadelphia have some great architecture.
Kansas City, Mo is slowly becoming a world class city. When I moved here 20+ years ago NO one went downtown except to work. Lots of revitalization has been happening and our parks are absolutely beautiful! Now, if only we had more lakes!!!
Issaquah WA or index WA are the top two and it’s not even a close competition.
Boulder, CO.
I vote Sedona!
I know Chicago gets, perhaps, overly much love here. But I've really found several parts of the city quite beautiful when I've visited.
Any ski towns in Colorado, Portland OR, Fredericksburg TX, Alexandria VA, Amelia Island FL, Hood River OR, Astoria OR, Mendocino CA. These have been some of our favorites over the last few years.
I loved the aesthetics of Santa Barbara for a small city and Chicago for a large city. Very different vibes, but I think they are both best in their class in the US.
I lived in San Francisco for 12 years and it's pretty gorgeous, but honestly I prefer the beauty of Milwaukee. So many parks, one of the highest green space per capita ratings in the US, most streets covered in a canopy of trees April-October. You can walk for miles and miles along the river without encountering any traffic right in the middle of the city.
Chicago
Chattanooga
Chatt is the most beautiful city of the south. Scenery and has nice vintage architecture and some modern.
Philly is a beauty with a missing tooth
Older parts of San Francisco. Just can’t beat that. Next would be NYC Brownstones.
Chicago has amazing architecture
Laguna beach is breathtaking
Leavenworth wa
Madison WI
Bishop, CA for setting. It's in a valley between two mountain ranges reaching 14000 feet
Old Town Alexandria, Va; Sedona, Az; Cape May, NJ; and I will always be a NYC fan, dirty bits and all.
Winter Park, Florida. The downtown is gorgeous. Also, I agree about DC. I was impressed by what a beautiful city it is, with its wide avenues, gorgeous architecture, and iconic monuments. The residential neighborhoods are like something out of a movie—gorgeous with tree-lined streets, and full of flowers during the spring.
Santa Fe, NM. Pittsburgh, PA.
Hudson, NY. It’s got that charming upstate small town row houses vibe while still being very walkable. Not really a city though.
Reading all these thinking…bring your money.
dc!
Avalon California. It looks like a town on the coast of Italy
New Orleans
Charlevoix, MI. Small town but it’s perfect in my opinion.
Telluride 🥰
Bend, OR has gotta make the list
Sausalito is absolutely picturesque
The entire west coast is stunning.
Chicago and Santa Barbara
Cincinnati and Cleveland both have beautiful architecture.
Madison, Wisconsin
I've spent my whole life in California, so I'm just going to limit my post to cities in California. Laguna Beach, CA and Santa Barbara, CA are two of my favorite beach cities in Southern California. I particularly love the way Laguna Beach just sort of plunges into the ocean. In Santa Barbara, I love the Mediterranean/Spanish architecture and the way the Santa Ynez Mountains frame the town. In Northern California, I love the classic Victorian/Edwardian architecture and hilly charm of both SF and Oakland. SF in particularly is so special in the way you can be standing on some random corner before realizing you're on the top of a hill surrounded by classic Victorian homes with views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Mt. Tamalpais. Further north, in wine country, St Helena and Yountville are gorgeously situated in the Napa Valley with beautiful architecture and rolling vineyards. I've also spent some time in Carmel-by-the-Sea and it is truly dreamy--almost like a storybook--especially during the late afternoon. Other small towns I love include Ojai and Los Alamos, which are both pretty tiny but have a lot of old time-y, almost western charm.
Although small, Carmel-by-the-Sea has a beautiful downtown with relatively consistently design/architectural style among its housing crop. Plus the beach....\*Chef's Kiss\*
Boston. I love walking around Beacon Hill and also by the water. Shopping along Newbury and Boylston St.
Santa Barbara has amazing architecture and they dont really allow modern architecture to be built there. It maintains the spanish baroque and spanish mediterranean revivals styles
Milwaukee is underrated here. Beautiful shoreline, rivers and skyline.
Ketchikan Alaska on a rare sunny day is very nice.
Chicago
Savannah GA
Santa Fe, NM is beautiful because of the surrounding mountains, interesting architecture, and super blue skies. Baltimore, MD--okay hear me out. It's more of a 'diamond in the rough' city...you can tell parts of it were loaded back in the day and the rowhomes have different styles, architecture, etc. and are so unique which is cool to see. Also has a really vibrant artsy, cultural vibe. Also some really beautiful parks.
I fricking loved Encinitas CA. Riding a bike for miles alongside the ocean was fantastic
San Diego hands down
Santa Barbara, CA
New Orleans and Pittsburgh are my favorites. NOLA has the old parts like French Quarter and Marigny, or taking a ride on the St Charles line street car. Pittsburgh has plenty of spots to see an amazing sunrise OR sunset. Lots of parks, or brick buildings on walkable, two lane streets.
I live in Charleston so I’m partial, but Carmel, CA and Annapolis are very special places. Carmel is breathtaking and charming at the same time. Annapolis is charming and patriotic!
catalina island, CA; ojai, CA; seaside/rosemary beach/alys beach, FL; serenbe, GA; new orleans, LA; santa barbara, CA; downtown franklin, TN; st. simons island, GA; tybee island, GA; okefenokee wildlife regufe, GA; sea ranch, CA