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So go to the Center for Civil and Human Rights (which is right next door and has rotating exhibits, guest speakers and special events), the botanical gardens, walk the Beltline, go to Stone Mountain, Kennesaw Mountain, or Arabia Mountain, Fernbank, the Center for Puppetry Arts, etc. Those are just off the top of my head and took 20 seconds to type. There are a countless amount of things and places to explore in the Atlanta area. It seems you're getting bored because you don't want to step beyond the area immediately around Centennial Olympic Park.
Especially during the summer.Atlanta has really changed over the years.All the festivals and events!I thought Chicago had that beat(and still does) but I think Atlanta measure up well in that sense.
Everytime I go back it seems like there is something going on.
I cant think of too many cties where this many festivals and events are so frequent
It's a big negative for me as well. Before deciding to move back to the STL, I would think about the Saint Louis syndrome that I hated so much before when I lived there.
Fortunately, I haven't found that to be an issue. I live in a neighborhood that is full of transplants and I socialize with mostly transplants who are well rounded and educated. That has made the "Saint Louis syndrome" easier to deal with.
If I lived in suburban St Louis, I would not be here!
That's good to hear man. That's a big factor when it comes to establishing social circles and networks.
MetroLink has 36 stations in a metro of just under 3 million. The same amount of mileage with much lower ridership. St Louis has a overall better walk score than Atlanta. There is walkability away from the central corridor. There numerous lrt subway stations between Downtown and Clayton in St. Louis.
St. Louis does just as well as Atlanta economically considering the growth rates. One can live just as well in St. Louis and be just as financially successful. If you want a southern style big city, choose Atlanta. If you want a small midwestern big city choose St. Louis or KC. They aren't comparable. KC and STL are better at being small big cities located in the midwest than Atlanta is at being a global big city. I hope you understand. Atlanta does okay at being a national big city. Atlanta does well at being a southern big city.
As I written before Atlanta and KC/STL are not peers. I love Atlanta for what it is. Too many are writing on issues they know nothing about.
Btw, if Seattle Minneapolis or even Denver was part of this discussion, I would have a strong preference for them.
You mentioned urban living above to Mutiny, but your largest transit is 15th ranked light-rail with about 41k riders daily, this is spread out over 46 Miles of track... this doesn’t suggest to me that people in that metro see the importance in transit. We only double you all in population, but have like 6x as many riders.
This isn’t the only metric, I know STL proper is more compact, but come on now. Again, not trying down STL, but there’s a lot contradictory things being said, you say they aren’t comparable, then you go on to say life wouldn’t be too different living in either/or. Yes... it would lol.
You mentioned urban living above to Mutiny, but your largest transit is 15th ranked light-rail with about 41k riders daily, this is spread out over 46 Miles of track... this doesn’t suggest to me that people in that metro see the importance in transit. We only double you all in population, but have like 6x as many riders.
This isn’t the only metric, I know STL proper is more compact, but come on now. Again, not trying down STL, but there’s a lot contradictory things being said, you say they aren’t comparable, then you go on to say life wouldn’t be too different living in either/or. Yes... it would lol.
It's a big negative for me as well. Before deciding to move back to the STL, I would think about the Saint Louis syndrome that I hated so much before when I lived there.
Fortunately, I haven't found that to be an issue. I live in a neighborhood that is full of transplants and I socialize with mostly transplants who are well rounded and educated. That has made the "Saint Louis syndrome" easier to deal with.
If I lived in suburban St Louis, I would not be here!
Eh, if you had a family and lived in the suburbs, you'd probably find that your more educated suburbs have a similar vibe for transplants...just for families instead. The central corridor of suburbs are pretty transplant friendly (even my neighborhood in Ladue has transplants and believe it or not, we all get along).
I have been to St.Louis and whenever St.Louis comes up,I tell people how much I liked it.St.Louis does not have the best reputation or even a reputation good or bad.Thats a point that you are missing.Peoples interest is where it starts before people go to a place.Most people wont think to go to Detroit but that doesnt mean its all bad.
You have gotten responses from knowledgeable people but thats not what you want to hear it seems.I have lived many different places and and been to these cities that are mentioned.'
Was it you that made the statement"That it seems i've never lived in a midsized city" or something to that effect?
Why try to discredit someone for giving their opinion? Several people have said statements that are ridiculous about Atlanta but not once have I argued with someone about their opinion.
Ive given you reasons why Atlanta is a tier above those cities,but some of you keep crossing out pluses as if they dont matter.
You are picking basic facts that are minuscule at best.These are not minuscule facts about what makes some cities better or more important as faras factors that determine a city with influence and importance in business and quality of life which is subjective
These are just things that differ between cities like Atlanta versus the MO twins.
> a diverse population.Yes every city is diverse but there is a major difference in smaller cities once you hit a certain size.
One again just look at consulate office which can show you influence or reach https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o..._United_States
Cities with ten or more consulates
3.1 Los Angeles
3.2 Chicago
3.3 Houston
3.4 San Francisco
3.5 Miami
3.6 Atlanta
3.7 Boston
Notice Atlanta in the same realm of Chicago even though Chicago has so much more.
I searched but STL nor K.C. had not ONE diplomatic office
> Business.Not just F500/1000 companies but international business,KC?STL are nowhere near that level.A levael Atlanta has surpasses LA but less than Chicago.
>Higher education/Research
Atlanta has three R1 level schools.Four R2/R3 schools
KC has none.STL one. R1-R2 there is one in KC.
This matters because schools like GA Tech are causing compnies torelocate near their campus .I was amazed with all the construction along Tech Square.Its a major tech hub now.
KC/STL dont have that.Not on the same level that is.
>Transportation
Airport(obvious),A subway and a streetcar are not the same.Subways move more than twice as many people and faster.Also the distance in which the system or systems go.
Either way you slice it many people find these amenities more appealing which is the reason cities like Atlanta have been growing the way they have for decades.
You missed 2 R2 level schools in St. Louis and 2 R3 level schools as well. So 5 schools in St. Louis vs. 7 in Atlanta. Atlanta being 2x the size. There is an tech district in St. Louis called Cortex developing rapidly in the area between Washington University's medical campus and St. Louis University's main campus. I'm sure it's not anywhere near as extensive as what is going on in Atlanta...but there is still quite a bit going on for a slower growing city. Kansas City is lacking in quality higher education but has a pretty nice tech industry anyway.
I'm not an Atlanta hater, not even close. I would/did vote that it's doing much better than STL/KC combined. And I actually really enjoy visiting.
However, I also don't think it would at all improve my QOL. The traffic alone would kill my QOL. Mom, kids in sports and private schools, I spend enough time in my car without sitting in traffic all the time on top of it. I don't have a public transport type of life and only use it occasionally (don't work and my husband works in the suburbs). But what I do need? I have no need for Atlanta...Season tickets to a world renowned Symphony...check. Season tickets for the Broadway Series...check. Season tickets to NHL...check, and I would REALLY miss that in Atl. Season tickets to MLB...check. One of the best zoos in the country for my kids...check. And it takes me 10 minutes to get there and it's free. One of the best botanical gardens in the world...check. Great art museums...check. Unique museums for my kids...City Museum...check. Great food (https://www.zagat.com/b/30-most-exci...-2017)...check. The shopping I need...check. Great parks...check. Great places to go hiking within the metro and within 2 hours...check. Great schools for my kids...check. High quality healthcare...check. I have a great house with a great yard and it takes me 15 minutes to get downtown. It takes me 15 minutes to get to the airport. I love to travel. One less connection internationally would be nice, but I don't actually mind it either. That is, however, one thing I would change if I could.
Now ask me about my life when I was 23 and I would have different answers...but I lived in Chicago then and would choose Chicago again over any other city if I went back in time.
That's going to depend on your day-to-day routine for the most part so your interests, extracurricular activities, social life, etc. will have a lot to do with that. But if you're mostly a homebody who only enjoys the occasional outing (and there's nothing wrong with that), then most cities will essentially be the same.
Now I see where you used the term "urban living" so if all you're talking about is walking or utilizing PT everywhere you go, then that explains why you wouldn't see Atlanta as being better. That's far from being the end-all, be-all for me, but if that's your primary criterion in a city, then it is what it is.
Those are big items in my own book, as I've said before.
The fact that my forever hometown is a drive-everywhere sort of place, its walkable districts (and there are numerous ones) notwithstanding, and its public transit infrastructure is sorely lacking are two big reasons I haven't moved back there.
It's my impression that metro Atlanta sprawls more than metro Kansas City or metro St. Louis. It certainly has worse road congestion than either - by a long shot in KC's case. The subway makes up for that if you live and work near it. What are house prices like around MARTA stations relative to area medians?
You mentioned urban living above to Mutiny, but your largest transit is 15th ranked light-rail with about 41k riders daily, this is spread out over 46 Miles of track... this doesn’t suggest to me that people in that metro see the importance in transit. We only double you all in population, but have like 6x as many riders.
Our MSA is ranked 21st in population and the city is 60 something? So MetroLink isn't well used like Seattle or Dallas or HRT like Atlanta.
Longer commute times and higher gas prices usually equals higher transit usage. As what was written at the beginning of this thread, St Louis and KC both have excellent freeway systems. St Louis has 4 major interstates connecting into downtown, Atlanta has 3. St Louis has a decent grid, I don't know what that mess is in Atlanta. There isn't the traffic in St. Louis. The gas is cheap. Parking is easy. There you have it.
You missed 2 R2 level schools in St. Louis and 2 R3 level schools as well. So 5 schools in St. Louis vs. 7 in Atlanta. Atlanta being 2x the size. There is an tech district in St. Louis called Cortex developing rapidly in the area between Washington University's medical campus and St. Louis University's main campus. I'm sure it's not anywhere near as extensive as what is going on in Atlanta...but there is still quite a bit going on for a slower growing city. Kansas City is lacking in quality higher education but has a pretty nice tech industry anyway.
I'm not an Atlanta hater, not even close. I would/did vote that it's doing much better than STL/KC combined. And I actually really enjoy visiting.
However, I also don't think it would at all improve my QOL. The traffic alone would kill my QOL. Mom, kids in sports and private schools, I spend enough time in my car without sitting in traffic all the time on top of it. I don't have a public transport type of life and only use it occasionally (don't work and my husband works in the suburbs). But what I do need? I have no need for Atlanta...Season tickets to a world renowned Symphony...check. Season tickets for the Broadway Series...check. Season tickets to NHL...check, and I would REALLY miss that in Atl. Season tickets to MLB...check. One of the best zoos in the country for my kids...check. And it takes me 10 minutes to get there and it's free. One of the best botanical gardens in the world...check. Great art museums...check. Unique museums for my kids...City Museum...check. Great food (https://www.zagat.com/b/30-most-exci...-2017)...check. The shopping I need...check. Great parks...check. Great places to go hiking within the metro and within 2 hours...check. Great schools for my kids...check. High quality healthcare...check. I have a great house with a great yard and it takes me 15 minutes to get downtown. It takes me 15 minutes to get to the airport. I love to travel. One less connection internationally would be nice, but I don't actually mind it either. That is, however, one thing I would change if I could.
Now ask me about my life when I was 23 and I would have different answers...but I lived in Chicago then and would choose Chicago again over any other city if I went back in time.
Well the size of the city doesnt give you a better quality of life.Atlanta or any city can give you many of those things.Its different for everyone.NHL was never my thing but I do love college football.(ACC/SEC)
Traffic is a common problems with many great cities.Atlanta is not the worst.
I fly into Hartsfield,get on the subway to my hotel either Downtown, Midtown or sometimes Sandy Springs when Im there..Only see traffic from the window of the Subaway.
Traffic is only an issue if you live far out but what city do you know over 5 million that doesnt have awful traffic?
Eh, if you had a family and lived in the suburbs, you'd probably find that your more educated suburbs have a similar vibe for transplants...just for families instead. The central corridor of suburbs are pretty transplant friendly (even my neighborhood in Ladue has transplants and believe it or not, we all get along).
If I had experienced suburban living in St. Louis, I would be able better understand what you are writing. I can't afford Ladue or a single family home in Clayton but those are both highly regarded suburbs.
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