Best river cities (apartment, neighborhood, live in)

[Geog101]

I am interested in rivers that blend in well with cities. This includes, natural beauty, river walks, recreation or just making use of a river running through. If you live in a river city I would like to hear from you and what you have to say about your river city.

[nadnerb]

I live in a river city (Portland, OR) which sits on the Willamette and Columbia rivers. The Columbia is the 4th largest river in the US by volume. The Willamette is the 19th.

The Willamette is the major divider between the East and West parts of the city. There are some parks along the riverfront that are common for walking, biking, picnics, etc. I know some people use it for boating and swimming.

The Columbia is directly north of the city and divides Oregon and Washington. The Columbia River Gorge is a major source of recreation for people in the metro area. There's tons of amazing hikes, waterfalls, and epic vistas. We love going swimming at Rooster Rock State Park in the summer.

[mike0421]

New Orleans and St. Louis!

[keo091]

I'm from and live in Richmond, Virginia.

To my knowledge it's the only city in America with Class IV rapids running right through it which makes it unique. It's common to see people white water rafting, paddle boarding, fishing and even swimming in the calmer parts of The James.

There are two pedestrian bridges spanning across the river. One of them is the Belle Isle Suspension Bridge that connects downtown to Belle Isle (a popular park/island in the middle of the river). It's heavily forested and has scenic biking/walking trails all over and also how you get access to Richmond Rock View, a spot where you can hang out on top of the rocks in the middle of the river.

The other one is the T. Tyler Potterfield Memorial Bridge that connects Brown's Island (where the city hosts large gatherings) to the Manchester neighborhood on the Southside booming with new apartment developments and commercial activity. There's a large rock climbing wall and trails on the southern end and you get great views of the river and Richmond city skyline from the bridge. The roaring rapids rushing beneath you just really adds a whole different dynamic than you'd get with most "typical" rivers and is capable of hauling large logs, branches, even trees downstream at flood stage which happens several times a year towards the Chesapeake Bay.

As for parks and trails, to be honest there are too many to list! One of the more unique ones is the Pipeline Walkway - An narrow industrial walkway over the river. Maymont Park is not to be missed. Swimming is possible at Texas Beach. The Virginia Capital Trail makes it possible to bike from Richmond to Williamsburg, VA. There's a Canal Walk you can take leisurely boat rides on. A Flood Wall you can actually walk/bike on top of, and just so much historical significance along the river that you can feel it when you're actually there. For instance, the ruins in the river used to be railroad bridge that the confederates burnt down during the Civil War. The James River to Richmond is really Richmond at its core. It's most commonly known as RVA but secondly nicknamed the River City and for good reasons. There's just so much to do and see especially if you enjoy to get out and explore.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXKslRm6hY4&t - This is what the river is naturally like.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSEAQNpplyA - The river at flood stage is a whole different beast.

[Chicago-guy]

I like Pittsburgh

[Jdawg8181]

New York City & I love it!

[Citykid3785]

The Twin Cities simultaneously does a good job of incorporating the Mississippi, but could also do an even better job.

But you have great river trails, Ft. Snelling, St. Anthony Falls which built the city via wheat mills, etc.

[The_Quiet_One]

Two cities that come to mind first are San Antonio and Providence.

[1200RT]

Jacksonville

[sub]

Sioux Falls, SD is a nice one.
The Mississippi is one of the best things going for Memphis.
Milwaukee’s riverfront is cool.
Chicago.