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Does driving through it count? What if you've driven through it multiple times, would that be any different. Does it have to be some sort of destination, or could it just be somewhere that you stopped and visited for a while?
I'm just wondering what opinions are out there on this topic.
I say if you drive through then you've been there, no denying that. I know people who say they've been somewhere when they flew transfered flights in the int'l airport. heehee. maybe that's cheating but I count it too.
I don't think you can get an actual feel for a city unless you spend a few days there. A layover is NOT visiting a city. Also visiting the suburbs of a city is NOT visiting the city.
The question is whether you've been to a city, IMO all you have to do is enter the city limits and factually speaking you've been there. "Did you get a feel of that city?" is a completely different issue. You've gotta be technical in my professional opinion.
My criteria has always been something along the lines of, "Did you get any of that city's dirt on you?" I don't mean metaphorically, but literally. Did you walk through the grass somewhere in that city? Did you go to a park? Eat at a local restaurant or at someone's home where the food was grown or raised there in that city? That may be a little extreme, but it's what works for me.
Technically, if you cross city limits, youre in the city. Does that mean youve gotten a good feel of the place? Most definitely not. Id say spending at least 2-3 days sightseeing various areas can give you a good enough idea of the place to be able to comment/critique it.
I think you need to spend a few hours there (in/near the downtown or at least one of the more significant neighborhoods) and really LOOK around to get at least get a bit of a feel for the place.
I think you need to spend a few hours there (in/near the downtown or at least one of the more significant neighborhoods) and really LOOK around to get at least get a bit of a feel for the place.
That sounds about right to me. Now that's not to say that you can't drive through a city or layover at an airport and get a "first impression" of a place. I think every city has a feeling that one can pick up on, even from just driving through.
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You've gotta be technical in my professional opinion. 
