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I mean, the East Coast cities are cool to visit, but they are all, more or less, the same...museums, 4 seasons, big downtown, transit, symphony...that's all people on C-D seem to really care about in a city. Not nature offerings or beaches. And if one does have preference for warmer weather, beaches, or beautiful scenery, they are bashed and told they "have never been to a real city" simply because they don't care for raking brown leaves, walking around in snow, or riding a subway that smells like **** to go fall asleep watching some boring opera that "cultured" people supposedly enjoy.
I much prefer going to some interesting museum, exotic festival, trying new foods, and being outside with friends and enjoying beautiful weather/beaches and meeting new people.
I think it's a question of variety. I just feel fortunate to have cities like NYC, Boston, Montreal, Toronto, AND Miami, New Orleans all within a few hours flight time. Anyone of them could make a great weekend trip if you actually make the effort to visit (though generally prefer southern cities in the winter and northern cities in the summer/fall).
Yes, I also don't like those "culture-worshipers" in NE cities because they can easily give off an air of superiority, but at the same time I would never turn down a trip to the Met on Friday evening, seeing Mozart's Magic Flute live at Lincoln Center, or taking a casual stroll through old Montreal's beautiful public squares and neighborhoods (yes I've done all those things repeatedly, not just tourist sight-seeing...).
As for taking "smelly" subways, that is a valid argument. Most NE cities' metro systems are in desperate need of upgrade due to legacy infrastructure. Even Montreal's fantastic metro system has flaws as I saw on a recent visit. However, I would still prefer rapid transit than driving in those cities because it is literally a nightmarish experience driving in highly dense places like Boston and Toronto.
Yeah, but the BoshWash Corridor is the most populated region of the US. All Aboard is a big deal for a state that's been largely dependent on tourism, but hasn't had sufficient means to get between these tourism centers. It may not qualify as what is globally accepted as high-speed rail, but it is a game-changer compared to most of the South(and US in general). To have a 79mph train take you through the urban core of Floridas most popular cities is a HUGE step into the future.It may not be Acela, but it's a game changer.
Oh for sure. I approve of any and all public transit and passenger rail projects, no matter where it is located!
And this may surprise you, but Acela's average speed is only 79 MPH throughout the entire NE corridor also... even though it is being advertised as "high speed rail" ... it's not. Amtrak's been dragging its feet upgrading this line due to years of funding short falls.
weather, food, attractiveness of the people, beaches... MIAMI BY A LOT!
I'm sure this will be an unpopular opinion, but as someone who's travelled to a lot of North American cities...and would rank Miami right near the top for beautiful women in the US...Montreal has the most beautiful women of anywhere I've been to on the continent. Maybe less variety, maybe very top end is debatable, but the "average" Montreal woman in my mind blows away the "average" woman anywhere else in NA.
It's not that Miami women are especially especially hot, it's more like they're fit and show it off in bathing suits, tight pants, lots of make up, push up bras, etc. They want to look hot, it's Miami.
Anyways, this may matter for all you single men out there, but for people in committed relationships like me, it's a very big problem and distraction
Montreal has the most beautiful women of anywhere I've been to on the continent. Maybe less variety, maybe very top end is debatable, but the "average" Montreal woman in my mind blows away the "average" woman anywhere else in NA.
Location: Montreal
Climate: Miami
Food/Culture/History: Montreal by a mile
Urban: Montreal by a mile
Universities: Montreal
Nightlife/Entertainment: Close, but again, probably Montreal... Better variety, more busy party nodes. Can easily hop around through town using a much more comprehensive and reliable transit system.
Shopping: Montreal. Brickell is nice, but it's no Sainte-Catherine St. I don't think too many cities in NA can rival that, barring the obvious Manhattan and LA streets and maybe Michigan in Chicago.
Safety: Montreal -- no brainer
Cost of living: Montreal
Economy/Career diversity: Montreal
Buildings: Subjective, but I prefer Montreal, both in terms of skyline (very underrated because it's not particularly "tall" and architectural beauty -- those churches!
Beauty: Tie. Biscayne Bay is beautiful. Those vantage points from Mount Royal are amazing though.
Language (English/French VS. English/Spanish): Tie
Well, since this thread has been resurrected, might as well chime in. I've had the privilege to live in both Miami and Montreal for more than a decade each respectively. I've also had the honour to live through the biggest econ/construction boom both cities have had (Miami 2005-08, ~2013-present) and Montreal (2013-present, although it really took off after 2015).
Location: Depends on your preferences. Miami is closer to the Caribbean and Latin America, Montreal is closer to all the major N.E cities in the U.S, Toronto/Chicago and Europe. So for me, I'd give the slightest edge to Montreal. Climate: I prefer four seasons over hot and hotter, so Montreal Food/Culture/History: All easily Montreal. Much more diverse food selection, unique local cuisine, culture is more international yet still French and it's a city that has been around since the 1600s. Urban: Easily Montreal again. Universities: Montreal by a long shot, but UM and FIU are also really great universities. Nightlife/Entertainment: Nightlife, again depends on preferences. Do you like nightclubs, fake people and everyone trying hard to be a celebrity? then Miami. Do you like bars, a strong local beer scene and more diverse options? then Montreal. For me personally, Montreal has more bars and better microbreweries, so MTL takes this one. Entertainment, I'd give the edge to Montreal mainly due to the options in downtown and Le Plateau. Shopping: Miami takes this one. Safety: Easily Montreal, but Miami proper is becoming much safer as the years go by. Cost of living: Montreal is much more affordable and salaries are slightly higher (at least for me). MTL takes this one. Economy/Career diversity: Miami has a larger economy, but most of it is due to tourism and real estate. Montreal has more career opportunities than Miami but still lags behind major cities. I'd side with MTL here but much work needs to be done for both cities. Buildings: Montreal has buildings from the 17th-21st century, Miami just 20th-21st. So in terms of style and variety, Montreal wins by a long shot. Beauty: Both are beautiful cities, so tie. Language (English/French VS. English/Spanish): This one is probably the hardest category. I love the Hispanic culture (my significant other in MTL is Latina, so I've always been surrounded by it) but I can find that in NYC, LA, etc.. French culture is more unique and Spanish is the 4th most common language in MTL and the community (albeit small) is tightly knit and strong. So an edge to MTL due to that.
Regardless, both are good cities to live in regardless of the preferences.
Location: Miami (prev. NY, Atlanta, SF, OC and San Diego)
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Location: Miami. Closer to Southeast cities, easy access to Northeast US cities, gateway to 25 Caribbean countries (by plane or boat), Central America, South America, hub airport with nonstop flights to Europe (including Moscow), Dubai, Tel Aviv, Doha, and Morocco. Climate: Miami. Food/Culture/History: Montreal, as it should, being a few centuries older. Miami is no foodie slouch and not limited to Latin cuisine--1 of only 4 US metros with a Thomas Keller presence, 1 of only 5 with a Jean-Georges presence, and presence of top Michelin starred outposts from NYC, DC and Europe. Add in annual events such as Art Basel (1 of only 3 host cities in the world), SoBe Wine & Food Festival (largest event of its kind in North America), International Boat Shows, Art Deco Weekend. Urban: Montreal--more contiguous, though Miami/Miami Beach offer a unique beach urban environment. Universities: Montreal. Nightlife/Entertainment: Miami. It is known worldwide for its nightlife with night clubs and pool parties. Add in Wynwood, Little Havana, The Wharf, new Riverside, annual events--Ultra Music Fest, Cigar Aficionado Big Smoke, Wine Spectator Grand Tour, Urban Weekend--and sporting events--all 4 major sports leagues represented in Miami (MLB, NFL, NBA and NHL), record setting 11 time host city for Super Bowl, host city for next year's NCAA Football Championship game, Orange Bowl, Miami Open (tennis), Montreal does host Formula 1 but Miami is scheduled to a gain a slot in 2022, and Miami is considered a top 4 finalist host city for World Cup 2026. Shopping Miami: Bal Harbour, Design District, Brickell City Centre. Safety: Montreal Cost of Living Probably Montreal....many well to do from Europe, Latin America and the Northeast own in Miami, driving up real estate prices and pricing non professionals out of the market. Economy/Career diversity: depends on career...Medical professionals, lawyers, real estate developers, import/export, finance (including international banking and wealth managers) do fine in Miami...not knowledgeable about the Montreal market. Buildings: Montreal has more historical buildings; Miami has those shiny new condos, art deco, waterfront estates for the lucky wealthy. Beauty: Depends on your tastes. Language: I speak conversational Spanish and some (Brazilian) Portuguese) so I will go with Miami as I do not speak French.
Last edited by elchevere; 05-12-2020 at 02:20 PM..
Location: Miami. Closer to Southeast cities, easy access to Northeast US cities, gateway to 25 Caribbean countries (by plane or boat), Central America, South America, hub airport with nonstop flights to Europe (including Moscow), Dubai, Tel Aviv, Doha, and Morocco. Climate: Miami. Food/Culture/History: Montreal, as it should, being a few centuries older. Miami is no foodie slouch and not limited to Latin cuisine--1 of only 4 US metros with a Thomas Keller presence, 1 of only 5 with a Jean-Georges presence, and presence of Michelin starred outposts from NYC, DC and Europe. Add in annual events such as Art Basel (1 of only 3 cities in the world), SoBe Wine & Food Festival (largest event of its kind in North America), International Boat Shows, Art Deco Weekend. Urban: Montreal--more contiguous, though Miami/Miami Beach offer a unique beach urban environment. Universities: Montreal. Nightlife/Entertainment: Miami. It is known worldwide for its nightlife with night clubs and pool parties. Add in Wynwood, Little Havana, The Wharf, new Riverside, annual events--Ultra Music Fest, Cigar Aficionado Big Smoke, Wine Spectator Grand Tour--and sporting events--all 4 major sports leagues represented in Miami (MLB, NFL, NBA and NHL), record setting 11 time host city for Super Bowl, host city for next year's NCAA Football Championship game, Orange Bowl, Miami Open (tennis), Montreal does host Formula 1 but Miami is scheduled to a gain a slot in 2022, and Miami is considered a top 4 finalist host city for World Cup 2026. Shopping Miami: Bal Harbour, Design District, Brickell City Centre. Safety: Montreal Cost of Living Probably Montreal....many well to do from Europe, Latin America and the Northeast own in Miami, driving up real estate prices and pricing non professionals out of the market. Economy/Career diversity: depends on career...Medical professionals, lawyers, real estate developers, import/export, finance (including international banking and wealth managers) do fine in Miami...not knowledgeable about the Montreal market. Buildings: Montreal has more historical buildings; Miami has those shiny new condos, art deco, waterfront estates for the lucky wealthy. Beauty: Depends on your tastes. Language: I speak conversational Spanish and some (Brazilian) Portuguese) so I will go with Miami as I do not speak French.
On the Entertainment part, well, both cities are known worldwide form their respective nightlife scenes. Montreal has more diversity in that department though. For neighbourhoods, Montreal has many more neighbourhoods that have more entertainment/nightlife options than Miami (Plateau destroys Wynwood and is a one-two combo with Mile-End). Even events, Montreal has more worlds largest events and festivals/concerts. As for sports, Miami has a declining MLB fan base, declining NFL fan base and a non existent NHL fan base, so although the representation is there, the fan base is no existent lol. And the Canadian Grand Prix will always be the world's largest and most prestigious Grand Prix, so even if Miami gets it, it will never be as large as the one in Montreal.
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