What are America's "destination" cities? (cost, places, Atlanta)
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This parameters of this discussion are a moving target.
Dallas gets lot of visitors. Ah, but business travel doesn't count. It has to been leisure travel.
People do travel to Dallas for leisure. Ah, but they are regional visitors, not from far away places. And there has to be attractions.
As discussed up thread, Dallas has lots of attractions. Museums, architecture, public art, amusement parks, pro sports, etc. Ah, but other cities have similar things. The attractions must be unique.
But they are unique. No city has the exact things Dallas has. Ah, not just unique, but iconic!
So we aren't really discussing destinations, but rather iconic tourist cities. I dunno, seems pretty narrow.
And this misses something important. Locals in tourist locales, understandably, roll their eyes at visitors that only see the typical sites. The Golden Gate Bridge, Pier 39, Alcatraz... while there's nothing wrong with visiting these, we also know this isn't the same as experiencing the city. This is because most cities are more than the sum of their parts. There's a local culture, history, a vibe that goes beyond the surface-level attractions. For example, check out the various neighborhoods in Dallas. Dallas has its own sense of place.
Lest I be accused of going along with the herd, I'd like to add some nuance to this.
It's true that I've never heard of anyone going to Dallas just to go to Dallas.
It's more like, "hey that training we have is going to be in Dallas! I love Dallas!" Stuff like that.
As a destination for relocation, Dallas is obviously killing it on a scale greater than almost anywhere else.
I get the feeling its been branded (rightly or wrongly) as a homogenized "acme big city", in contrast to smaller Texas triangle cities that are assumed to be "fun" or have some nebulous "vibe" going on that somehow you supposedly just can't find in Dallas or Houston.
HOWEVER, just because "everyone" likes visiting those smaller cities doesn't make them right about them being better destinations.
I have zero doubt in my mind that Dallas, even as a 24 hour in and out trip, would be more exciting than Austin or San Antonio.
So I suspect there is a lot of biases and branding going on.
I'm different from a tourist standpoint. I don't like going to large cities for vacation. I am back to traveling every week for my job and it's always a big city. I had work in Denver and Omaha a few weeks back and actually drove between the two instead of flying. It was honestly one of the most enjoyable experiences I had in a long time. I stopped in Grand Island, did some bar hopping, chatted the locals, and went to a cute coffee shop. Id rather that than be in NYC, SF, or Boston at this point in my life.
But if youre talking most people:
All around: NYC, LA, SF, Chicago, DC, and Boston.
For Nature: Denver, Seattle, Salt Lake City, and Arizona
For Partying: Miami, Vegas, New Orleans
For the Family: Orlando, Fort Myers, and Tampa
For specific Niche Groups: Atlanta and Houston (African Americans), Austin, Portland, and Ashville (white liberals), Nashville (white conservatives).
Cities I couldn't place but would probably go somewhere: Dallas, San Antonio, Minneapolis, Detroit, San Diego, and Philly.
Disclaimer: This is only who seems to visit the cities. Not what they are or who mostly resides in them.
Several other cities have a claim to "For History," Boston being the closest rival. In the South, Charleston, Williamsburg/Yorktown/Jamestown and Savannah all have a piece of it as well. But Philadelphia owns that category.
Seattle has multiple tourist districts that are packed seven days a week, particularly on weekends in the summer. Atlanta doesn't have pleasure tourist districts on that scale.
As a metro Atlanta has far more hotel rooms. But the greater-downtown areas are about the same at 18k vs 17k per my generous outlines for each in CoStar (well beyond Midtown for example). That's despite Atlanta's largest contiguious exhibition hall being about six times as big as Seattle's largest. Pleasure tourism seems to be the primary difference.
*CoStar is an absurdly expensive database that some of us have in the commercial real estate industry...not worth the cost so I'm dropping it, but it's pretty good for inventory and other details in a few sectors.
Seattle has multiple tourist districts that are packed seven days a week, particularly on weekends in the summer. Atlanta doesn't have pleasure tourist districts on that scale.
As a metro Atlanta has far more hotel rooms. But the greater-downtown areas are about the same at 18k vs 17k per my generous outlines for each in CoStar (well beyond Midtown for example). That's despite Atlanta's largest contiguious exhibition hall being about six times as big as Seattle's largest. Pleasure tourism seems to be the primary difference.
*CoStar is an absurdly expensive database that some of us have in the commercial real estate industry...not worth the cost so I'm dropping it, but it's pretty good for inventory and other details in a few sectors.
Please list these districts Mhays, I'm calling BS.
Pike Place Market
Central Waterfront
Seattle Center
The Market's four-block main hallway is theoretically a few minutes' walk, but it's double that in the middle of a summer weekend due to the crowds even with my aggressive walking style. Nearby residents/workers know not go get lunch at lunchtime at any of the popular places because the lines are too long. The rest of the four main blocks tends to be less packed but has its busy spots. The restaurant/Starbucks lines are usually kept out of the way such as in parking spaces on Pike Place.
The waterfront is being rebuilt in several projects, many now done. In the places where the sidewalk chokes down to 15' or less it can be slow going from the crowds.
The Seattle Center isn't crush loaded unless you try to go to the Space Needle (once the line makes it into the building the wait is only 45 minutes) or it's the weekend with its incessant festivals and concerts (the main walkways used to be streets, so there's plenty of width except for the major festivals), but the 74 acres packs a lot of people overall at the various museums, sports/arts event places, the big fountain, etc., every day for the six-month tourist season.
I'm not counting the main hotel/convention district.
Pike Place Market
Central Waterfront
Seattle Center
The Market's four-block main hallway is theoretically a few minutes' walk, but it's double that in the middle of a summer weekend due to the crowds even with my aggressive walking style. Nearby residents/workers know not go get lunch at lunchtime at any of the popular places because the lines are too long. The rest of the four main blocks tends to be less packed but has its busy spots. The restaurant/Starbucks lines are usually kept out of the way such as in parking spaces on Pike Place.
The waterfront is being rebuilt in several projects, many now done. In the places where the sidewalk chokes down to 15' or less it can be slow going from the crowds.
The Seattle Center isn't crush loaded unless you try to go to the Space Needle (once the line makes it into the building the wait is only 45 minutes) or it's the weekend with its incessant festivals and concerts (the main walkways used to be streets, so there's plenty of width except for the major festivals), but the 74 acres packs a lot of people overall at the various museums, sports/arts event places, the big fountain, etc., every day for the six-month tourist season.
I'm not counting the main hotel/convention district.
“How Charleston Became the Nation’s #1 Destination City”
“Charleston’s repeated appearance at the top of the favorite city list since 2013 may come as a surprise to some, but after taking a close look at what the city has to offer, it’s no shock at all. From the food to culture and style, Charleston is always sporting something new and exciting!
“Much of Charleston’s charm comes from its ability to balance a robust history with the intense demands of modernity. In refurbishing much of its foundation after the Civil War, Charleston inadvertently preserved decades of historical buildings, forts, and monuments that are favorite sites for tourists to visit today. While this part of the city remains firm in its place, Charleston as a whole is an innovative city with some of the most renowned restaurants and cultural centers in the modern day. This track record for innovation has led to the city being named one of the top 25 art destinations by AmericanStyle magazine.
“Over the years, Charleston has proven itself to be an ever-changing city with the introduction of new attractions to accompany its historical ones.”
The parameters of this discussion are a moving target.
Dallas gets lot of visitors. Ah, but business travel doesn't count. It has to been leisure travel.
People do travel to Dallas for leisure. Ah, but they are regional visitors, not from far away places. And there has to be attractions.
As discussed up thread, Dallas has lots of attractions. Museums, architecture, public art, amusement parks, pro sports, etc. Ah, but other cities have similar things. The attractions must be unique.
But they are unique. No city has the exact things Dallas has. Ah, not just unique, but iconic!
So we aren't really discussing destinations, but rather iconic tourist cities. I dunno, seems pretty narrow.
And this misses something important. Locals in tourist locales, understandably, roll their eyes at visitors that only see the typical sites. The Golden Gate Bridge, Pier 39, Alcatraz... while there's nothing wrong with visiting these, we also know this isn't the same as experiencing the city. This is because most cities are more than the sum of their parts. There's a local culture, history, a vibe that goes beyond the surface-level attractions. For example, check out the various neighborhoods in Dallas. Dallas has its own sense of place. Is this enough reason to visit? I guess that's a personal decision, and for many here on the thread the answer is no. But for me, I would have a blast visiting and exploring Dallas, no question.
Something very typical is going on in this thread: posters are moving the goal posts to suit the city the reside.
The OP of this thread gave a list of what he/she thought were the destination cities but no parameters on what makes a destination city. Therefore, people who travel from abroad to visit families could be considered a "destination" as could business travel. Cities that have lots of people move to them could be considered a "destination". But some will always narrow it down to whatever makes their city look better relative to others.
A highway interchange with two truck stops, a gas station, and three motels will have a substantial visitor count. Not a destination.
Good old Breezewood, PA .
Quote:
Originally Posted by AnythingOutdoors
So we aren't really discussing destinations, but rather iconic tourist cities. I dunno, seems pretty narrow.
To certain extent...yeah. Dallas can definitely be consider a "destination" for business travel, conferences, or things like shopping. Food scene is not bad in Dallas - although Austin is usually more "known" (but can be overrated IMHO) while Houston's one is more international.
What Dallas is not, and won't be, is a place for mass-market tourism, aka it won't be a place "people visit b/c it's THE city to go to".
Last edited by JMT; 08-16-2023 at 11:36 AM..
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