Charleston, SC vs. New Orleans (state, better, largest, crime)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Charleston, SC and New Orleans are both great cities that don't seem to get enough recognition on City-Data. Both cities are walk-able, both have great food, lots of culture, lots of art and tons of history. Both are also located on the water, N.O. is on Lake Pontchartrain and has a significant port, and Charleston is right on the Atlantic with its beautiful harbor. Charleston is smaller than N.O., but I think it has a lot to offer.
Which do you think is better and why? KEEP IT POSITIVE!
Here's some criteria:
Art
Music
Food
Walk-ability
Natural Amenities (beaches, swamps, etc.)
History
Location
Lifestyle
Weather
Entertainment
QOL
COL
Interesting comparison. I chose Charleston. Charleston is cleaner, the infrastructure seems better, and it's situated on the ocean. I also think Charleson has better architecture. Many of the homes in San Francisco are modeled after the homes in Charleston. In fact, I believe that Charleston has the largest collection of 18th century homes of any city in North America. I also chose Charleston because of its close proximity to good beaches.
Interesting comparison. I chose Charleston. Charleston is cleaner, the infrastructure seems better, and it's situated on the ocean. I also think Charleson has better architecture. Many of the homes in San Francisco are modeled after the homes in Charleston. In fact, I believe that Charleston has the largest collection of 18th century homes of any city in North America. I also chose Charleston because of its close proximity to good beaches.
I found Charleston very surprising the first time I visited. Such a small city with so much to offer. The architecture is very nice, and all those 18th century homes are integrated very well into downtown.
I found Charleston very surprising the first time I visited. Such a small city with so much to offer.
Exactly how I felt, I was floored, by how much fun we had, and how pretty the city was. I grew up on the half way across the country, so it wasn't on peoples tounges, but I tell everyone I can about it. I loved NO as well, but I'd give a clear edge to Charleston here.
Art - New Orleans
Music - New Orleans
Food - Tie, Slight edge to NOLA
Walk-ability - New Orleans
Natural Amenities (beaches, swamps, etc.) - Tie
History - Tie
Location - New Orleans
Lifestyle - Subjective
Weather - Charleston in the Summer/New Orleans in the winter.
Entertainment - New Orleans
QOL - Subjective
COL - Charleston
I've never heard anything about Charleston's art scene, but the scene in New Orleans is large for a city it's size and open to any style imaginable. There are art galleries throughout the Warehouse District, Marigny, and the Quarter.
New Orleans is known for it's music scene whether it be jazz, brass band, hip hop, bounce, et.
Food is a tie, but NOLA may have an edge. New Orleans is known for Creole and Charleston is known for Gullah/Lowcountry, both are similar and both are outstanding. NOLA also has good Italian, Vietnamese, Central American, and Caribbean food.
The older historical parts of Charleston are walkable, but the newer parts of the city resemble your typical low density development. The majority of New Orleans is walkable.
Both cities lie on open water with the remaining sides surrounded by wetland. Natural tie.
Whether one has more history than the other is arguable, but probably a tie.
Charleston has access to I-26 and is somewhat close to Atlanta and Charlotte. New Orleans is on I-10 and has access to Houston.
Charleston seems to have a "old south" type feel about it (from an outside perspective). New Orleans is in a world of it's own in the lifestyle category. It's lazy, yet kind of fast, and unlike anything else in the country.
Charleston has comfortable weather during the summer; while New Orleans is a sauna with almost unbearable heat and humidity, and daily thunderstorms. During the winter Charleston is cold while the temperature in New Orleans may drop below 60 for a few nights.
I've never heard anything about Charleston's art scene, but the scene in New Orleans is large for a city it's size and open to any style imaginable. There are art galleries throughout the Warehouse District, Marigny, and the Quarter.
Charleston has tons of art galleries downtown, particularly along Broad Street.
At any rate, I can't vote in this poll. As a native South Carolinian, I've got a special affection for Charleston, especially since my ancestral roots are in the Lowcountry. But New Orleans is just such a one-of-a-kind city. They're two of America's real treasures. Both are also very resilient cities, having experienced several catastrophies throughout their histories (New Orleans: Katrina, oil spill; Charleston: Hugo, earthquake, Civil War aftermath), yet bouncing back each time. As a matter of fact, here's an article that the Time-Picayune published after Katrina that outlined how New Orleans could take a few cues from Charleston in terms of rebuilding after a major hurricane.
I like the look and feel of Charleston better. It's more relaxing, less crowded, less crazy, and I like how it is situated on the water better. Pre-Katrina New Orleans was interesting, but actually pretty frightening. b/c of crime.
Art - New Orleans
Music - New Orleans
Food - Tie, Slight edge to NOLA
Walk-ability - New Orleans
Natural Amenities (beaches, swamps, etc.) - Tie
History - Tie
Location - New Orleans
Lifestyle - Subjective
Weather - Charleston in the Summer/New Orleans in the winter.
Entertainment - New Orleans
QOL - Subjective
COL - Charleston
Charleston has the Spoleto festival, so I wouldn't give this to New Orleans flat out. There are also some really nice galleries there. For some reason, I feel that Charleston is more "monied" than New Orleans, and thus you have a lot of fine art there.
Music goes to NOLA.
They are about the same to me. As long as you are on the peninsula in Charleston (where most people want to be), it's a lot like being in San Francisco. West Ashley may not be very walkable, but then again, neither is Staten Island.
South Carolina has some terrific beaches. I don't see what the Gulf Coast offers that compares to Folly Beach, Hilton Head, and the other countless barrier islands off the SC coast.
Both have a lot of history, so it's a draw.
Charleston is near Savannah, not too far from Myrtle Beach, and not terribly far from Atlanta. Charleston is also a short flight or boat ride away from Bermuda. New Orleans is not really near anywhere I'd want to go, though some of you may consider Mobile a nice vacation getaway.
I like Charleston better. Even though it's old, it feels more modernized to me. New Orleans is a bit weird. It's like stepping back in time down there.
I hate NOLA's weather. Hot and steamy all year long. At least Charleston cools down in the fall and winter. Definitely Charleston.
New Orleans has Charleston on entertainment simply off the strength of the French Quarter and Mardi Gras. There's nothing comparable in Charleston.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
