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.
Unique is a very subjective term depending on your life experiences. Most "unique" cities to me are not found in the US. Places like Quito, Ecuador or Istanbul, Turkey are unique to me. Even Quebec City in Canada is more unique to me than most of the US.
That being said, the most unique in our country would be:
NYC-size, density, activity, international qualities
San Francisco-topography, activity, location, international qualities
DC-government center, height limits, international qualities
New Orleans-topography, cultural amenities, architecture
These large cities truely feel a bit different from the norm in the states.
There are actually more smaller cities that I find to be unique in our country. Places like Key West in Florida, Savannah and Charleston in the south. Cape Cod in Mass or other New England locales. Way to many others to mention.
what is so unique about philadelphia? It's ghetto, rundown, and filled with un-intresting people. Just because the stupid phillies won a champion and because they got so new building in their ugly skyline they thnk they're on par with new york.
Unique is something that is not emulated else where. New York, New Oreleans, Miami. I don't think SF is unique at all. Its like Seattle but with more ghetto people and bums and less clean air, poorer schools, and worse traffic. Portland is way more unique by light years, have you people seen how that city has turned around its public transit? Simply amazing. You want unique out west, go there.
Unique is something that is not emulated else where. New York, New Oreleans, Miami. I don't think SF is unique at all. Its like Seattle but with more ghetto people and bums and less clean air, poorer schools, and worse traffic. Portland is way more unique by light years, have you people seen how that city has turned around its public transit? Simply amazing. You want unique out west, go there.
Portland does not receive the millions of international visitors that San Francisco receives. That does not underrate Portland. It is a nice city. It just is not unique.
Having tourists does not make a city unique. LA gets millions of tourists and coastal la looks exactly like coastal OC and SD, And Inland LA no different than PHX or Sacto.
You find me a city that was able to redevelope its central grid and improve its public transit on the scale that portland has, and I will concede that portland is not unique..until then...
SF excells at drawing tourists because city officials long ago realized that trying to lure any type of industry or business would result in total failure. So they wisely pumped money into their tourism, because that is the only thing pulling in relevant revenue in SF. Tourists and the money they spend. All the big money is in Silicon valley, and tourists do not go there, nor (outside of the niche industry) is the place unique. The same freeway haze in Silicon valley can be seen more clearly with more grandure in LA.
Landmarks
----------
SF has Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Cable Cars, Crooked Street, Transamerica Pyramid. All these landmarks are internationally famous and known to most people even if they have not visited the city. Seattle probably has the Space Needle which is on par with these iconic SF structures. But
I don't remember anything else.
Weather
--------
SF has a fog that adds to the uniqueness of the city. While Seattle has rains, which are much more common in other cities. Which other city will you have tall structures like Transamerica Pyramid, Golden Gate Bridge pillars, Sutro tower popping out of the fog?
SF is more warm and sunnier than Seattle. The fog in the summer sun is just unique in my
opinion.
Topography
-----------
Seattle has the snow capped Mount Rainier, so that is a plus. But, yeah. There may be similarities as far as topography goes.
If all you can do is think of Landmarks and not see the similarity in populace, demographic, and politics, weather, and local cuisine between the two cities (SF and Seattle)I would suggest visiting those places again. Sf's fog is not unique, Ive seen worse fog in London.
You find me a city that was able to redevelope its central grid and improve its public transit on the scale that portland has, and I will concede that portland is not unique..until then...
It does when some of the transit looks like ski lifts , admitt it... you have no clue of what has been going on in portland.
You just think because it is smaller and less reverred that it is not unique.
If all you can do is think of Landmarks and not see the similarity in populace, demographic, and politics, weather, and local cuisine between the two cities (SF and Seattle)I would suggest visiting those places again. Sf's fog is not unique, Ive seen worse fog in London.
Post pics from London fog which are similar to SF fog
SF's fog is during bright sunny days. Pretty sure London is not the case so.
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.
