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Please take into consideration some of the awesome light rail systems that have been created over the last 10-20 years in this country, where you won't need a car!
Dallas: their DART rail system is a dream come true!
Portland: another one! Fly in, there'll be a train waiting for you right outside the terminal, hop on, and you'll be in downtown Portland in record time!
Los Angeles: fly into LAX, hop on a Green Line shuttle to the Aviation rail stop, get your all-day $6 Tap card, and away you go! You'll be surprised at how much of L.A. you can see just using their light rail and subway system! No car necessary! And, once at Union Station, you can take some leisurely metrolink trains to Oxnard, Liguna Niguel, San Bernardino/Riverside, up thru the San Fernando Valley.
San Francisco: Why would you need a car in this city with their nifty BART rail system!!!
All easy to naviagate. Maps at every train stop! Can't get lost!
Salt Lake City and Denver are also busy expanding their rail lines!
Does anyone else feel like visiting such a large city as NYC is kind of intimidating?
What is a good place to visit if you want to visit an interesting US city, but it's easier to get around than NYC.
Thanks for any suggestions or other thoughts.
I am 59 years old. I lived in L.A. California until I was 28. Since then I have lived in a very rural area in Idaho, 24 years in the woods. I have made a few trips back to southern CA. when my boys were young, but haven't visited since 1995. I had fun on those trips (Disneyland, Sea World etc.) but the freeways really stressed me out. I often had a very uncomfortable feeling just being outside because I was no longer used to being around so many people. I also made the mistake of watching the evening news and hearing about all the crime really freaked me out. I am not saying I would never go to a big city again, but if I had the opportunity I'd really have to think about it hard.
Lived in NYC 30 years ago-it was in dreadful shape then, unsafe, financially unsound. Today it rocks. Very safe. 417 murders in a city of 8 mill = a 200k city having 10 in a year. A record safe year for NYC..several in a row. Want context-30 years ago, NYC murder count was 5 times 2012 rate.
It is a breeze to get around..one note..lower Manhattan..City Hall regions/Little Italy..the number grid goes away..you are at named streets and avenues.
But 90% of Manhattan is numbered (aves are named but they actually are known by #, too), the public transit system is tremendous..easy and frequent trips all over.
As others have said, it is not Vegas. It isn't a trip to be 21 again. But the attractions are spectacular.
NYC is a perfect grid, if you have a map and can read it you will be fine
I would limit myself to one or two areas a day
That said smaller cities:
Charleston SC
Savannah GA
Las Vegas NV ( plenty to see away from the strip)
Colorado Springs CO
Boulder CO
New Orleans LA
St Augustine FL
The list can be endless
I was born and raised in NYC so my experiences are obviously biased, but there's really no need to be afraid of NYC. It's statistically one of the safest cities in the US. There's very little chance of a tourist wandering in a "bad" area. The subway is easy and gets you where you need to go. Streets are on a grid system for most of Manhattan. If you can read a map, you'll be fine.
What specifically scares you?
If you hate crowds, stay somewhere like the Upper West Side or Chelsea, instead of the crowds of tourists around Times Square.
Does anyone else feel like visiting such a large city as NYC is kind of intimidating?
What is a good place to visit if you want to visit an interesting US city, but it's easier to get around than NYC.
Thanks for any suggestions or other thoughts.
NYC is SO easy to get around in!!!!! Especially when you understand the Subway system, which is not hard at all to understand as long you know your letters and colors. You have to not mind walking, though, on top of knowing the subway system.
I was born and raised in NYC so my experiences are obviously biased, but there's really no need to be afraid of NYC. It's statistically one of the safest cities in the US. There's very little chance of a tourist wandering in a "bad" area. The subway is easy and gets you where you need to go. Streets are on a grid system for most of Manhattan. If you can read a map, you'll be fine.
What specifically scares you?
If you hate crowds, stay somewhere like the Upper West Side or Chelsea, instead of the crowds of tourists around Times Square.
I think I understand the OP's concerns. Some of the ways of doing things in the large cities can be a little different than the smaller towns or rural areas and intimidating if you don't know them and you can come across as a ignoramous. Like, who to tip and who not to tip. How much to tip. What are good places to stay in large cities. It isn't like there are legions of Days Inns or Comfort Inns or even Motel 6s at convenient easy to find places like along the interstate highway. Where do you pay for the bus or subway. Pay when you get on the bus, or do you get some kind of day pass somewhere? Are there more appropriate dress codes for certain places or areas like museums or restaurants?
These type of questions may seem obvious to city dwellers but for more rural people getting around can be a bit more confusing if you haven't done it before.
All or at least most of your anxiety can be resolved by getting a good guidebook AHEAD OF TIME and studying it, then plan what you will do on your trip rather than harboring a lot of uncertainties. New York , as Annerk and others have stated , IS manageable. IF you don't want too deal with the noise, congestion and subways, try one of the smaller cities mentioned. I would pick either New Orleans or Charleston because you don't need a car in either one, you take bus tours. Have a great time what ever you choose.
I think I understand the OP's concerns. Some of the ways of doing things in the large cities can be a little different than the smaller towns or rural areas and intimidating if you don't know them and you can come across as a ignoramous. Like, who to tip and who not to tip. How much to tip. What are good places to stay in large cities. It isn't like there are legions of Days Inns or Comfort Inns or even Motel 6s at convenient easy to find places like along the interstate highway. Where do you pay for the bus or subway. Pay when you get on the bus, or do you get some kind of day pass somewhere? Are there more appropriate dress codes for certain places or areas like museums or restaurants?
These type of questions may seem obvious to city dwellers but for more rural people getting around can be a bit more confusing if you haven't done it before.
There are a ton of web sites that will answer every single one of these questions.
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