Metros With The Nicest Collection of Suburbs 2023 (skyline, living, best)
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I can say with 100% certainty that CT’s suburbs on average are more drab and boring than Boston’s. Can’t speak personally for the others.
But you can still take a train to New York fast from Stamford, Greenwich and up to Bridgeport. I honestly do think that West Hartford is more lively than most(all?) Boston burbs... granted that's just one Hartford suburb... but I tend to enjoy CT burbs more even if there's only a handful of lively/cool burbs that I enjoy, chiefly Stamford, West Hartford.
I believe (if I’m not mistaken.) Shaker Heights was the first master planned community in the country by the railroad barons Van Sweringen brothers. Some poster up thread mentioned the beauty of “the inner ring suburb”, I just immediately thought of Shaker Heights. We lived there for a year, the Covid quarantine year no less, but yes there were many kids biked, ran, played and walked on the streets, you could walk to the grocery stores/restaurants…etc. It’s not just the walkability, the city imposes very strict zoning law on the appearance of streets, exterior appeal, and how your house needs to be cohesive and in harmony with your neighbors’. I’m not sure how many other cities have the same, but in Shaker you don’t put your trash cans in the front curb, the city sends a little vehicle swiftly going to your backyard picking them up like a little robot sneaking around because the city doesn’t want the look of the trash cans ruining the street look.
For architecture lovers Shaker Heights/Cleveland Heights/University Heights (The Heights as the locals call.) satisfying me so much with the blocks after blocks of old, storied, grand and opulent Georgian, Neoclassical, Tudor, Colonial, Victorian, Cape Cod….style houses.-which really reflected Cleveland’s past glory.
Indeed!
On top of this, throw in the gorgeous shoreline lakefront burbs to the West, and the breathtaking natural beauty (with massive, classic homes mixed in, often in a New England-y setting), and one can easily see that Cleveland more than deserves to be on this list ... in fact, it should TOP it... But the city is just so doggone unpopular among C-Ders ...
On top of this, throw in the gorgeous shoreline lakefront burbs to the West, and the breathtaking natural beauty (with massive, classic homes mixed in, often in a New England-y setting), and one can easily see that Cleveland more than deserves to be on this list ... in fact, it should TOP it... But the city is just so doggone unpopular among C-Ders ...
The list is based on largest metros by population. As I’ve said multiple times in this thread.
But Cleveland should top this list? Come on now. And I really don’t mean to beat up on Cleveland, it has some very nice legacy suburbs. But Shaker Heights would be just a normal little village amongst dozens in many of these metros, like Westchester Co. or the Main Line. Places like Sherwood and Rocky River would not be talked about amongst the many beautiful coastal suburbs of Boston. And the list goes on.
Frankly, I think the Detroit suburbs have a leg up compared to Cleveland. If nothing else, for quantity. Top 15 nicest collection of suburbs for Cleveland m, maybe. Number 1 amongst cities like NY, LA, Chicago, Boston, etc.? No way.
The list is based on largest metros by population. As I’ve said multiple times in this thread.
But Cleveland should top this list? Come on now. And I really don’t mean to beat up on Cleveland, it has some very nice legacy suburbs. But Shaker Heights would be just a normal little village amongst dozens in many of these metros, like Westchester Co. or the Main Line. Places like Sherwood and Rocky River would not be talked about amongst the many beautiful coastal suburbs of Boston. And the list goes on.
Frankly, I think the Detroit suburbs have a leg up compared to Cleveland. If nothing else, for quantity. Top 15 nicest collection of suburbs for Cleveland m, maybe. Number 1 amongst cities like NY, LA, Chicago, Boston, etc.? No way.
OK. So obviously you've never been here and know nothing of Cleveland and only know of Shaker probably through your little online travel site: TripAdvisor? Yeah, Shaker has the nationwide rep, but I'm sure you have no knowledge of Hunting Valley (the wealthiest property/per capita town in the State), Moreland Hills, Bay Village, Pepper Pike, Waite Hill, old-school Bratenahl on Lake Erie - 3 miles east of downtown (where a Kardashian and Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, among others, live):
... and why not suburban-like Cleveland East side at Fairhill (Belgian) Village historic townhomes behind which is the deep Doan Brook ravine separating CLE from Cleve. Hts.
Sure, use your population barrier to screen out Cleveland... Fine. But your criteria are plain silly. Your logic is bass-ackwards. Detroit's suburbs are superior because why? You have to drive out farther to get there? Yeah, I really like Birmingham, but it's cute old-school Main Street walkable downtown is 16 miles from cenral Detroit. Central Shaker is 8 (and reachable by a rapid transit line Detroit lacks).
A Cleveland Heights commercial area, such as the one shown below, is 5 miles from downtown Cleveland.
Lakewood's walkable downtown (seen below)? 6 miles
Sure, throw New York at us... simply, by far, the largest megapolis in the nation; among the largest on the planet and, yes, they've got Westchester, the Hamptons, Bedminster, NJ, etc., etc. It's New York.
But that's the point with Cleveland. You get a lot of New York's quality and diversity (and certainly the dramatic natural settings -- which even you can't dispute -- in a more compact, accessible area -- which, btw, doesn't mean the area is small and substandard... far from it.
And no, I do not think suburban Detroit is superior by any measure. You take a West Bloomfield or Birmingham, and I'll match it with the Shaker-Beachwood-Pepper Pike-Hunting Valley-Gates Mills-Solon-Moreland Hills-Chagrin Falls group over it any day of the week, and twice on Sunday... Detroit's burbs are nice, but do they possess the natural physical beauty to match the quality housing/commercial buildings? I think not. Sure, the Grosse Pointes are on the Detroit River, but I say the Edgewater (City of Cleveland)- Lakewood-Rocky River-Bay Village Lake Erie beach-shoreline trumps it easily.
... and objectively, I'd say that's more than just me.
OK. So obviously you've never been here and know nothing of Cleveland and only know of Shaker probably through your little online travel site: TripAdvisor? Yeah, Shaker has the nationwide rep, but I'm sure you have no knowledge of Hunting Valley (the wealthiest property/per capita town in the State), Moreland Hills, Bay Village, Pepper Pike, Waite Hill, old-school Bratenahl on Lake Erie - 3 miles east of downtown (where a Kardashian and Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, among others, live):
... and why not suburban-like Cleveland East side at Fairhill (Belgian) Village historic townhomes behind which is the deep Doan Brook ravine separating CLE from Cleve. Hts.
Sure, use your population barrier to screen out Cleveland... Fine. But your criteria are plain silly. Your logic is bass-ackwards. Detroit's suburbs are superior because why? You have to drive out farther to get there? Yeah, I really like Birmingham, but it's cute old-school Main Street walkable downtown is 16 miles from cenral Detroit. Central Shaker is 8 (and reachable by a rapid transit line Detroit lacks).
A Cleveland Heights commercial area, such as the one shown below, is 5 miles from downtown Cleveland.
Lakewood's walkable downtown (seen below)? 6 miles
Sure, throw New York at us... simply, by far, the largest megapolis in the nation; among the largest on the planet and, yes, they've got Westchester, the Hamptons, Bedminster, NJ, etc., etc. It's New York.
But that's the point with Cleveland. You get a lot of New York's quality and diversity (and certainly the dramatic natural settings -- which even you can't dispute -- in a more compact, accessible area -- which, btw, doesn't mean the area is small and substandard... far from it.
And no, I do not think suburban Detroit is superior by any measure. You take a West Bloomfield or Birmingham, and I'll match it with the Shaker-Beachwood-Pepper Pike-Hunting Valley-Gates Mills-Solon-Moreland Hills-Chagrin Falls group over it any day of the week, and twice on Sunday... Detroit's burbs are nice, but do they possess the natural physical beauty to match the quality housing/commercial buildings? I think not. Sure, the Grosse Pointes are on the Detroit River, but I say the Edgewater (City of Cleveland)- Lakewood-Rocky River-Bay Village Lake Erie beach-shoreline trumps it easily.
... and objectively, I'd say that's more than just me.
And objectively, i'd say more people would disagree with you. Certainly that Cleveland would top the list of nicest suburbs in the United States. As in, nearly everyone.
I'm pretty well traveled in Cleveland. I spent months between Downtown and Ohio City. Tremont was my happy place on the road. The closest Whole Foods, at the time, was in Rocky River. Many of my counterparts lived in Lakewood (not Sherwood, excuse me). It was nice. In many CD posts, I've been a vocal advocate for Cleveland. It's not all dreary and cold and worn down, like many assume. Just the opposite, in fact, in a lot of the places you mentioned.
I have lifelong friends and family that live on the East Side. Shaker, Chagrin, Mentor. Some of the best people.
But, as evidenced by your street views, Cleveland is in no way a real standout - be it size, built environment, architecture, or topography- compared to the countries top metros. Look at my street views and the variety of towns, neighborhoods, views I had upthread with Chicago, Boston, NYC. Take off your Cleveland glasses, and really look. These Cleveland suburbs/areas could simply be but a collection of suburbs in one area of these other metros.
Had no intention of attacking Cleveland. But, to say it should be on the list (i've explained why it's not) and then to say it should top it, is pretty silly.
Now, I'd challenge you, since you seem to have some conviction behind this opinion. How well do you know the Philadelphia suburbs? Or the DC suburbs? Have you spent a lot of time in Boston's North Shore or Metrowest? Have you seen all four major New York City suburban belts?
And objectively, i'd say more people would disagree with you. Certainly that Cleveland would top the list of nicest suburbs in the United States. As in, nearly everyone.
I'm pretty well traveled in Cleveland. I spent months between Downtown and Ohio City. Tremont was my happy place on the road. The closest Whole Foods, at the time, was in Rocky River. Many of my counterparts lived in Lakewood (not Sherwood, excuse me). It was nice. In many CD posts, I've been a vocal advocate for Cleveland. It's not all dreary and cold and worn down, like many assume. Just the opposite, in fact, in a lot of the places you mentioned.
I have lifelong friends and family that live on the East Side. Shaker, Chagrin, Mentor. Some of the best people.
But, as evidenced by your street views, Cleveland is in no way a real standout - be it size, built environment, architecture, or topography- compared to the countries top metros. Look at my street views and the variety of towns, neighborhoods, views I had upthread with Chicago, Boston, NYC. Take off your Cleveland glasses, and really look. These Cleveland suburbs/areas could simply be but a collection of suburbs in one area of these other metros.
Had no intention of attacking Cleveland. But, to say it should be on the list (i've explained why it's not) and then to say it should top it, is pretty silly.
Now, I'd challenge you, since you seem to have some conviction behind this opinion. How well do you know the Philadelphia suburbs? Or the DC suburbs? Have you spent a lot of time in Boston's North Shore or Metrowest? Have you seen all four major New York City suburban belts?
Dude, I live in Philly -- most of the year, that is; own a house there. If you've read my posts anywhere on CD, I have repeatedly touted Philly's suburbs as being the BEST in the nation; noting particularly their historic, England-ish country villages, narrow roads, and unspoiled countryside (unlike most US cities where open land = cul de sacs or ugly suburban office campuses. I've also repeatedly pointed out that Philly has America's only fully electrified, connected, comprehensive commuter rail network (not unlike Germany's S-Bahn systems) that reach deep into the suburban network and, over its nearly 190-year existence, has created compact, old-style walkable Main Street suburbs across the Delaware Valley.
And as for DC, yeah I know it too: went to grad school there spending nearly a decade in the area (living in near the DC Waterfront, which has exploded, including old Silver Spring and Arlington near Crystal City)... DC's suburbs, overall, don't impress me that much. Even though old and traditional, Chevy Chase, for example, is highly overrated. Potomac, to me, is nicer. As for traditional, old-style burbs, Alexandria, esp quaint/walkable King and Duke Streets are my faves. Historic Manassas, a bit further out, is nice too.
I find neighborhoods inside DC proper are usually more impressive than the burbs, which I tend to see as somewhat cookie-cutter and bland. DC neighborhoods such as historic Georgetown, rowhouse Dupont Circle, gorgeous Embassy Row, and breathtaking Rock Creek Park -- esp the mansions overlooking the Beach Drive RCP ravine -- are most impressive.
DC has, of course, built upon its huge and fabulous Metro rail network and built huge urban-esque sub-downtowns all throughout the tri-state area, and this has generated extreme commercial/residential development, which has been a major plus. But to me, these Metro-built areas, though impressive, tend to look alike.
But because DC is a relatively young metropolis, which exploded after FDR's New Deal big govt expansion, much suburban housing is small, cheaply built mass housing - a lot of bungalows and Cap Cods -- after WWII. But there are still some nice areas... I LOVE historic Annapolis, but that may be more of a free-standing or Baltimore metro area.
Dude, I live in Philly -- most of the year, that is; own a house there. If you've read my posts anywhere on CD, I have repeatedly touted Philly's suburbs as being the BEST in the nation; noting particularly their historic, England-ish country villages, narrow roads, and unspoiled countryside (unlike most US cities where open land = cul de sacs or ugly suburban office campuses. I've also repeatedly pointed out that Philly has America's only fully electrified, connected, comprehensive commuter rail network (not unlike Germany's S-Bahn systems) that reach deep into the suburban network and, over its nearly 190-year existence, has created compact, old-style walkable Main Street suburbs across the Delaware Valley.
And as for DC, yeah I know it too: went to grad school there spending nearly a decade in the area (living in near the DC Waterfront, which has exploded, including old Silver Spring and Arlington near Crystal City)... DC's suburbs, overall, don't impress me that much. Even though old and traditional, Chevy Chase, for example, is highly overrated. Potomac, to me, is nicer. As for traditional, old-style burbs, Alexandria, esp quaint/walkable King and Duke Streets are my faves. Historic Manassas, a bit further out, is nice too.
I find neighborhoods inside DC proper are usually more impressive than the burbs, which I tend to see as somewhat cookie-cutter and bland. DC neighborhoods such as historic Georgetown, rowhouse Dupont Circle, gorgeous Embassy Row, and breathtaking Rock Creek Park -- esp the mansions overlooking the Beach Drive RCP ravine -- are most impressive.
DC has, of course, built upon its huge and fabulous Metro rail network and built huge urban-esque sub-downtowns all throughout the tri-state area, and this has generated extreme commercial/residential development, which has been a major plus. But to me, these Metro-built areas, though impressive, tend to look alike.
But because DC is a relatively young metropolis, which exploded after FDR's New Deal big govt expansion, much suburban housing is small, cheaply built mass housing - a lot of bungalows and Cap Cods -- after WWII. But there are still some nice areas... I LOVE historic Annapolis, but that may be more of a free-standing or Baltimore metro area.
So you have Philadelphia as the best/your favorite, not Cleveland. Very fair.
What is your affiliation with Cleveland? Or are you simply an admirer of the area?
So you have Philadelphia as the best/your favorite, not Cleveland. Very fair.
What is your affiliation with Cleveland? Or are you simply an admirer of the area?
Born and raised in Cleveland; have friends, family, and property there.
... as for the "best" suburban district, overall, I'd probably have to say New York... but, again, New York is an unfair comparison to anywhere based on its massive size viz any American city.
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