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.
Worst:
1. Los Angeles: You kind of keep looking and looking but the only thing impressive are the mountains. I forgot what expressway it was but there is a good view heading east with the skyline and mountains as the backdrop, while it was very pretty though it didn't leave me too impressed.
2. San Diego: The entrance from driving from the airport to downtown is not very impressive or exciting. Driving by the ocean is pretty, but you kind of just end up in downtown never seeing it a whole and never really see the mountains.
The trick with these is the clear day factor.
1. Los Angeles - try driving down from the Angeles Crest Highway (2) which dumps into it's northern suburbs. As you drive around bends, you can see the downtown skyline the distance, thousands of feet below. Not everyone knows this.
2. San Diego - it's tucked behind the hill that forms Mission Valley. The approach back from Coronado, over the curved Coronado Bridge, is nice. Knowing that San Diego is full of bubbleheads, however, is not.
Agreed:
1. NYC - coming in from the GW is fantastic, and then completing that by driving down the Hudson River Parkway/West Side Drive. Will never forget when I did this in my California plated car, and drove next to the then-standing WTC and on Wall Street.
Add:
1. San Francisco - driving in from the East Bay, it takes 2 bridges. First, the East Span which then takes you into a tunnel on Yerba Buena Island. Upon exiting the tunnel, you are on the Bay Bridge (the gray one, not the rust colored one) and you are looking at the downtown skyline. People I've taken on this trek love it.
2. Seattle - decent looking from both north and south approaches on I-5. Very photogenic from west approaches by ferry. Very "processional" from the east. I-90 comes down a grade across Lake Washington, you cross over a channel onto Mercer Island, going under some "lids" (park-like areas covering the highway), then you are on a "floating bridge" across Lake Washington, you then enter the Mount Baker tunnel, and, upon exiting, you are staring at the Seattle skyline. (Incidentally, the approaches to nearby Portland OR are not that great).
Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
10,747 posts, read 23,804,636 times
Reputation: 14660
Quote:
Originally Posted by robertpolyglot
(Incidentally, the approaches to nearby Portland OR are not that great).
Approaches into Portland are not that great but I like driving around "The Loop". I like I-5 and 405 encircling downtown and the top decks of the two Willamette River freeway bridges offer stellar views of the city and the West Hills. I also like that 26/Sunset Freeway go's from urban to dense lush greenery in no time going through that tunnel under the West Hills.
St. Louis coming from I 55/I 70 was really cool. The trees sorta blocked out the view of the skyline at first. Once you hit the bridge the whole entire city is in front of you. Really cool
There are several scenic approaches and vistas of Cleveland ...
City view on Harvard Road in Highland Hills outside the campus of Cuyahoga Community College - A very dramatic skyline vista here as you look west
City vista from the very high Valley View Bridge on I-480 in the southern suburb of Independence - As you travel east or west over this bridge, look to the north for a commanding view of the Cuyahoga Valley and Cleveland skyline
And ....
The approach from Cleveland's eastern suburbs along Interstate 90 / St. Route 2 - I shot this video from the area of East 72nd St
Boston coming in South on 93 you get a great view of the city as you are driving through Cambridge before you get to the Big Dig Tunnel. You see the whole skyline. Best on a sunny day spring, summer, or fall day though winter is kind of grey and dreary in New England.
I can't find any videos, but driving across the Fuller Warren Bridge in Jacksonville gives you amazing views of the skyline.
So true! I cant help but break my neck every time i drive over.
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.
