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Hi all - anyone who is familiar with both cities, your input would be much appreciated.
I'm not interested in outer neighborhoods or suburbs, but the downtown areas and inner neighborhoods. Also, I know Denver's COL is lower, but I'm hoping for an apples to apples comparison
Here are my questions:
Which has more activity/more to do?
Which is more pedestrian friendly?
Which is more urban and vibrant?
Which has better restaurant scene?
Which has the better nightlife?
Which has the better scenery?
Which has the better public transit (bus or rail)?
Which has better connectivity between the different areas of downtown and inner neighborhoods?
Hi all - anyone who is familiar with both cities, your input would be much appreciated.
I'm not interested in outer neighborhoods or suburbs, but the downtown areas and inner neighborhoods. Also, I know Denver's COL is lower, but I'm hoping for an apples to apples comparison
Here are my questions:
Which has more activity/more to do?
Which is more pedestrian friendly?
Which is more urban and vibrant?
Which has better restaurant scene?
Which has the better nightlife?
Which has the better scenery?
Which has the better public transit (bus or rail)?
Which has better connectivity between the different areas of downtown and inner neighborhoods?
Any other thoughts are much appreciated. Thanks!
I'd say Seattle takes them all (by a relatively thin margin) except public transit - only because Denver has a more extensive rail network and I love rail. Seattle's bus system is better though.
Seattle is more urban and downtown and inner neighborhoods do feel more connected, you can walk around and hop on buses and feel like you're going through various districts of a "big city" - I never quite got that feeling in Denver. Although, Denver has a great downtown as well, and the pedestrian mall is nice. Seattle has some nice big pedestrian squares as well.
Overall, Seattle "city area" seems bigger, like I said. You can go through Pioneer Square, West Edge, Downtown, Belltown, First Hill, Capitol Hill, Queen Anne, and South Lake Union and feel like you are in an urban environment. Denver's neighborhoods taper off a little more quickly, although again this is a very close comparison.
As for nightlife, I feel like Seattle has more bars and more variety. However, people are more friendly in Denver and I probably enjoyed the atmosphere at the bars there more.
Dining goes to Seattle pretty handily, except for Mexican.
Seattles going to win. People think of Seattle as the perfect utopia. So even is Denver does win in these categories, Seattle will somehow still come out ontop.
I'd say Seattle takes them all (by a relatively thin margin) except public transit - only because Denver has a more extensive rail network and I love rail. Seattle's bus system is better though.
Seattle is more urban and downtown and inner neighborhoods do feel more connected, you can walk around and hop on buses and feel like you're going through various districts of a "big city" - I never quite got that feeling in Denver. Although, Denver has a great downtown as well, and the pedestrian mall is nice. Seattle has some nice big pedestrian squares as well.
Overall, Seattle "city area" seems bigger, like I said. You can go through Pioneer Square, West Edge, Downtown, Belltown, First Hill, Capitol Hill, Queen Anne, and South Lake Union and feel like you are in an urban environment. Denver's neighborhoods taper off a little more quickly, although again this is a very close comparison.
As for nightlife, I feel like Seattle has more bars and more variety. However, people are more friendly in Denver and I probably enjoyed the atmosphere at the bars there more.
Dining goes to Seattle pretty handily, except for Mexican.
Actually downtown Seattle trumps Dever in transportation downtown Denver may beat in overall rail network , but downtown Seattle gots it. Downtown Seattle gots subway, monorail , and streetcar networks. Its so easy to get around downtown.
I also vote Seattle in all categories. That's not to say that Denver isn't good, because it actually is, but just not as good as Seattle. Denver has nice trails (Cherry Creek) going through downtown--probably better than Seattle, but you didn't ask that. I also really like Denver's Washington Park and Cherry Creek neighborhoods, but they're a bit far from downtown.
Actually downtown Seattle trumps Dever in transportation downtown Denver may beat in overall rail network , but downtown Seattle gots it. Downtown Seattle gots subway, monorail , and streetcar networks. Its so easy to get around downtown.
Good point about the subway. Even though it's light rail, since Seattle's system is underground throughout downtown, it feels more like a subway. There are currently five "subway" stops downtown, with another coming to Capitol Hill in 2016.
However, my main problem is that there's nothing past Westlake Center. The entire Belltown and Queen Anne areas, two of the densest parts of the city, don't currently have any plans for light rail/subway.
Seattle is much more urban than Denver. The downtown core of Seatle is a destination area. Seattle trumps denver in shopping downtown. Downtown has the flagship Nordstroms , The largest and main flagship R.E.I , a flagship Barneys New York, flagship Columbia Sports ware , Flagship Eddie Baur. and several million square ft of retail downtown. Theres over a 1000 restraunts and bars downtown also.Seattle is very vibrant and alive with multiple department stores . It still has multiple theme restraunts like Hard Rock, Sega Game Works, Fox Sports Grille. Its still the largest retail area in the metro area it has the largest stores.
Good point about the subway. Even though it's light rail, since Seattle's system is underground throughout downtown, it feels more like a subway. There are currently five "subway" stops downtown, with another coming to Capitol Hill in 2016.
However, my main problem is that there's nothing past Westlake Center. The entire Belltown and Queen Anne areas, two of the densest parts of the city, don't currently have any plans for light rail/subway.
Actually the subway all underground is being expanded all the way to Northgate area as we speak . The first fase will connect University and capitol hill to downtown and its all underground tunnels.
Which has more activity/more to do?
~Denver Has many things Seattle doesnt have Downtown. 3 sports venues, A large pedestrian mall, And great Underrated resturants. And Seattle has many things Denver doesnt have. Its all a matter of what you like to do.
Which is more pedestrian friendly?
~ Probably Seattle, but thats not saing Dever isnt pedestrian friendly.
Which is more urban and vibrant?
~Seattle is more Urban, But Denver is Just like a huge Suburb with a far sized downtown. I think they are very equal in vibrance. They are both clean, Fairly quiet city centers.
Which has better restaurant scene?
~It depends on what you like. BBO/Mexican (Denver) or Seafood/other great options (Seattle)...Your pick
Which has the better nightlife?
~Denver has many clubs and Bars...Im not sure bout seattle.
Which has the better scenery?
~Seattle IMO has more greenery throughout the year (because of the rain) that denver doesnt have 5 months of the year. But if you go ton Google Maps, and go to Denvers Downtown area...it is a perfect depiction of what denver looks like in the Spring/Summer/early fall months.
Which has the better public transit (bus or rail)?
~I dont know what some people above are talking about when they say "Denvers isnt as good as Seattles". I think they are equal actually.
Which has better connectivity between the different areas of downtown and inner neighborhoods?
~This is probably a tie because Seattle & Denver both have great transit systems extending out into the Neighborhoods.
Over all Seattle is more Urban, considering it is a larger metro, i believe it should be more urban. But Living in Seattle suburbs for 2 years, I found that the Denver suburbs are more urban thatn the Seattle suburbs. Hope this helps.!
Seattle is much more urban than Denver. The downtown core of Seatle is a destination area. Seattle trumps denver in shopping downtown. Downtown has the flagship Nordstroms , The largest and main flagship R.E.I , a flagship Barneys New York, flagship Columbia Sports ware , Flagship Eddie Baur. and several million square ft of retail downtown. Theres over a 1000 restraunts and bars downtown also.Seattle is very vibrant and alive with multiple department stores . It still has multiple theme restraunts like Hard Rock, Sega Game Works, Fox Sports Grille. Its still the largest retail area in the metro area it has the largest stores.
Ease up a little, brother! Denver has a lot of great stuff too - remember, this is a comparison, not a "Let's hype up Seattle as much as possible" thread.
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