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.
Tucson is a 5 hr drive from El Paso, and Phoenix is about 7. Plus, White Sands, New Mexico (which is awesome) is right there.
But, yeah, El Paso and Denver get my vote.
Seattle is isolated, but there are there are two 500,000+ cities (Portland and Vancouver) within a few hours, then smaller but relevant cities like Olympia, Bellingham, Spokane, Bend, Eugene, etc ranging from 1-5 hours drive away. Plus much of Western Washington and Oregon is littered with small towns with walkable downtowns, etc.
This is not something you find in Utah, Nevada, or even much of Colorado.
As a region, though, Id agree the PNW is very isolated, but I still think the Mountain West is more isolated. The area around Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, and much of Colorado feels VERY isolated from everything.
Interesting question! I think I will have to go with Denver, Seattle, and Salt lake City.
Vegas isn't really isolated because it has Reno to the north, LA to the west, Phoenix to the south and San diego to the southwest.
I don't know that I would say Vegas is the most isolated, but it definitely does feel isolated to me. It is only 3 hours from the Inland Empire, and not too much further from LA, SD, etc. but I think what makes it feel isolated is that there is not much else in between. Most large metros have lots of suburbs and small towns between them and the next big metro, and Vegas really doesn't. It's hours through boring desert to get anywhere outside of the Vegas metro, and then the next places are small cities like Barstow, CA or Kingman, AZ. LA, SD, or Phoenix are great for a weekend or longer, but they're not feasible for a day trip. Vegas is lacking in surrounding areas that one can visit for just a day, and to me that gives it a really isolated feel.
Denver is isolated from other large metros, but at least it has areas like Colorado Springs, Boulder, and Ft. Collins. I would say Salt Lake City is the most isolated if including mid sized metros- otherwise I think it's a toss up between Denver, El Paso, and Las Vegas, just depending on what criteria you use to define "isolated".
I don't know that I would say Vegas is the most isolated, but it definitely does feel isolated to me. It is only 3 hours from the Inland Empire, and not too much further from LA, SD, etc. but I think what makes it feel isolated is that there is not much else in between. Most large metros have lots of suburbs and small towns between them and the next big metro, and Vegas really doesn't. It's hours through boring desert to get anywhere outside of the Vegas metro, and then the next places are small cities like Barstow, CA or Kingman, AZ. LA, SD, or Phoenix are great for a weekend or longer, but they're not feasible for a day trip. Vegas is lacking in surrounding areas that one can visit for just a day, and to me that gives it a really isolated feel.
Don't forget about Laughlin, but even that little town is pretty far from Vegas. The good thing though is it's not like Denver or Salt Lake or Seattle in the way that there is only one or two ways out. Plus those cities have lots of snow and it closes off the freeways. With vegas the only thing you really have to worry about is heat and wind.
Location: Moose Jaw, in between the Moose's butt and nose.
5,152 posts, read 8,526,495 times
Reputation: 2038
I live in between Seattle and Vancouver. Seattle and Vancouver are isolated enough, but no even close to the isolation of Denver.
For example in a sports sense, the nearest rivals, to Denver teams, are Real Salt Lake and the Utah Jazz, but that's still over 500 miles away.....
Location: Moose Jaw, in between the Moose's butt and nose.
5,152 posts, read 8,526,495 times
Reputation: 2038
just got a rep comment asking me to put Atlanta as most isolated.....
funny, but Atlanta is 4 hours from Charlotte and just under 5 from Nashville.....
even though both of those towns don't have 2 million people, they are certainly major US cities, so I don't think Atlanta is that isolated.....
Location: Moose Jaw, in between the Moose's butt and nose.
5,152 posts, read 8,526,495 times
Reputation: 2038
Quote:
Originally Posted by Footballfreak
I feel Atlanta could be in the running for this title too.
Don't understand the point of the last post....
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.
