What is your favorite Northeastern city (other than Pittsburgh) (Philadelphia: apartments, crime)

[JoeP]

This isn't a city vs city thing
Not that am I assuming Pittsburgh is your favority Northeastern city, just wanted to see what Pittsburgh forumers think about our Northeastern neighbors...

which one(s) appeal to you the most and why?

It would be hard for me to narrow it down, as I enjoy all of the coastal cities, but there are really many reasons people like say Philly, Boston, Albany, Baltimore etc etc and of couse New York.
I feel that if Pgh were more coastal, it would be somewhat like Baltimore (which is one of the cities that came to mind - industrial heritage as well as neighborhoods and scope of size etc)

[BrianTH]

Depends on the purpose. Not to be cliche, but while I really like visiting NYC, I am not sure I would want to live there.

[Katarina Witt]

We lived in Albany for about a year. It's a very family-oriented place. I don't know if I have a fave, though.

[sskink]

I think for a great balance of cost of living and pretty much every amenity I'd want: Portland, ME.

[bradjl2009]

Besides NYC, I'd have to say Boston and I'd probably go with Portland too but I've never been there so I can't call it my favorite.

[PreservationPioneer]

Here's my take on some of the cities I have been to.

NYC - It's a fabulous city. I could get lost for days wandering around the Manhattan and admiring the beautifully restored historic buildings and neighborhoods. That said, it's all a bit much for me. Too big, too loud, too busy, too expensive, and too many rich, beautiful people for my liking. For me, it's overwhelming and too much to take in. I love visiting, but even a visit is exhausting to me. A visit makes me jealous of everyone who can afford those apartments or brownstones in Soho or the Upper East Side - something a poor Social Worker should never aspire to.

Buffalo - I love it for all the reasons I'm turned off by NYC. It's urban and historic, without being expensive or overwhelming. It has a maritime flavor, seagulls, etc. (much like Baltimore), which I love. It has urban Victorian neighborhoods that are intact and walkable to downtown, which is something Pittsburgh really doesn't have to the same extent. I also find Buffalo's problems to be extremely overrated.

Philadelphia - It feels like a less intimidating version of NYC to me - with more history. I would live in Philly in a heartbeat. The architecture is outstanding, and Center City has amenities that most cities, including Pittsburgh, can only dream of.

Baltimore - More history and better architecture than Pittsburgh, in my opinion. It feels a lot like Buffalo to me, but with much more early American history. The beautiful and blighted co-exist quite well in Baltimore. It's a fascinating and unique place. Again, the maritime feel appeals to me. Baltimore strikes me as being a place full of opportunity. It's not yet as overpriced as other east coast cities. It would be hard to pick between Philly and Baltimore. Philly is more impressive, but Baltimore is more charming.

Smaller cities

I've been trying to visit all of the major cities in Pennsylvania. Here is my take on some of them:

Erie
Love Presque Isle, and I love that the neighborhoods are integrated and walkable to the downtown. It seems like a charming place.

Johnstown
This place is a crumbling mess, but it's fascinating just the same. The scenery around Johnstown is probably the most beautiful I have seen so far in Pennsylvania. Those mountains! Wow.

Harrisburg
Seems like a vibrant small city - seems much larger than it is. The historic Midtown area is beautiful. I love the parks next to the river - they have some beautiful views.

York
Beautifully preserved, historic Americana everywhere you look. It's a great-looking city that apparently has crime problems. It's one of my favorite places. I love the laid-back feel of some of the smaller cities. They have the walkability and urban amenities without the big city sprawl, highways, traffic, etc.

Reading
Not a vibrant city, but a pretty one. There was no young professional scene to speak of. Nonetheless, it had the historic urban fabric and downtown residential neighborhoods that I love.

New Castle
Didn't seem to have many redeeming features, other than some beautiful historic mansions.

I can't pick just one city out of this list as my favorite, but I can break down my favorites by size of city.

Small city favorite: York. Big city favorite: Philadelphia. Medium-sized city favorite: Buffalo.

[Evergrey]

Boston... but overall the BosWash corridor contains most of my favorite US cities.

[PeterRabbit]

Toronto

[Herodotus]

Washington, DC (the city, not it's sprawling suburbs)

[escilade18]

I personally would have to go with Philly overall. Although it may not have as much going on as say NYC or DC, it still is a huge city at a fraction of the price as the others mentioned. It has beautiful architecture and many cohesive healthy neighborhoods. It is only an hour away from a beach (although I generally don't care for NJ beaches much) and close enough to Baltimore, DC and NYC to go there on day trips. Also, can't go wrong with the home of soft pretzels and cheese steaks