What are the best nightlife districts in major cities in the U.S (no college towns)? (map, restaurant)

[OrlFlaUsa]

Originally Posted by BlackOut

LOL! All of downtown Orlando. Are you serious? Downtown St. Paul sees more activity than downtown Orlando.

I'm not going to get into a debate about DT St. Pete vs. DT Orlando for nightlife. The thread was asking for the most lively district in each major city. So for Orlando, I said downtown. For St. Pete I'd assume you would also say downtown. Where was the invite to turn this into a versus??

[BlackOut]

Originally Posted by OrlFlaUsa

I'm not going to get into a debate about DT St. Pete vs. DT Orlando for nightlife. The thread was asking for the most lively district in each major city. So for Orlando, I said downtown. For St. Pete I'd assume you would also say downtown. Where was the invite to turn this into a versus??

[SweethomeSanAntonio]

Originally Posted by jjohns252525

What are the best nightlife districts in major cities in the U.S (no college towns)? Here is my top 20. Where am I wrong, what have I missed? I’ve done extensive business travel that has taken me to most major U.S. cities. Notable towns that have a reputation for good nightlife that I have not been to and therefore can not judge: Nashville, Memphis, Mobile, Milwaukee, and Savannah. I apologize if someone has asked this question before, I’m relatively new to this forum.

1)The Strip (Las Vegas, NV)
2)South Beach (Miami, FL)
3)Rush Street (Chicago, IL)
4)Greenwich Village (New York, NY)
5)Bourbon Street (New Orleans, LA)
6)Times Square (New York, NY)
7)Hollywod (Los Angeles, CA)
8)North Beach (San Francisco, CA)
9)Buckhead (Atlanta, GA)
10)Gaslamp District (San Diego, CA)
11)Back Bay (Boston, MA)
12)Georgetown (Washington, DC)
13)Lodo (Denver, CO)
14)South Street (Philadelphia, PA)
15)Wriglyville (Chicago, IL)
16)6th Street (Austin, TX))
17)The Flats (Cleveland, OH)
18)Belltown (Seattle, WA)
19)Federal Hill (Baltimore, MD)
20)French Quarter (Charleston, SC)



Honorable Mention: Church Street Station (Orlando, FL); River Walk (San Antonio TX); Adams Morgan (Washington, DC)

Pedestrian traffic wise San Antonio's Riverwalk is one of the busiest public places and nightlife districts on this list. Only Times Square and the Las Vegas Strip are probably busier. The Riverwalk is for locals and tourists and is now 15 miles long reaching urban neighborhoods, historic districts, plazas, universities, parks, the Zoo and other cultural attractions.

All these districts are great but I think the Riverwalk should be towards the top of the list. The Riverwalk is in a class by itself and it's only going to get better. Everytime I go to the Riverwalk it seems brand new and never boring.

SHSA was born at a hospital on the banks of the Riverwalk.

[SweethomeSanAntonio]

The places I have been to on this list are, Time Square, West Hollywood, LV strip, Bourbon N.O., Gaslamp San Diego, ATX 6th Street, Georgetown D.C., Greenwich Village.

Other districts not listed; Beale St-Memphis; Nashville downtown; Federal Hill-Inner harbor Baltimore; Chelsea NYC;(West End, Deep Ellum; Oak lawn-Cedar Springs Dallas, SOCO-Guadalupe St Austin, and Montrose-Westheimer Houston.

17th street in Mc Allen, Tx was a shocker, somewhat impressive.

There was a small strip of clubs in E. St louis that I explored by myself really quick not sure how the heck I ended up there, kinda scarry. St. louis was intense without a Map, I don't know what i was thinking, trying to get around without a map.

[Mr Ambitious]

While not as much foot traffic as some of the top districts, 1st ave and Hennepin is a great area for nightlife in the twin cities.

[tcave360]

Originally Posted by jjohns252525

What are the best nightlife districts in major cities in the U.S (no college towns)? Here is my top 20. Where am I wrong, what have I missed? I’ve done extensive business travel that has taken me to most major U.S. cities. Notable towns that have a reputation for good nightlife that I have not been to and therefore can not judge: Nashville, Memphis, Mobile, Milwaukee, and Savannah. I apologize if someone has asked this question before, I’m relatively new to this forum.

1)The Strip (Las Vegas, NV)
2)South Beach (Miami, FL)
3)Rush Street (Chicago, IL)
4)Greenwich Village (New York, NY)
5)Bourbon Street (New Orleans, LA)
6)Times Square (New York, NY)
7)Hollywod (Los Angeles, CA)
8)North Beach (San Francisco, CA)
9)Buckhead (Atlanta, GA)
10)Gaslamp District (San Diego, CA)
11)Back Bay (Boston, MA)
12)Georgetown (Washington, DC)
13)Lodo (Denver, CO)
14)South Street (Philadelphia, PA)
15)Wriglyville (Chicago, IL)
16)6th Street (Austin, TX))
17)The Flats (Cleveland, OH)
18)Belltown (Seattle, WA)
19)Federal Hill (Baltimore, MD)
20)French Quarter (Charleston, SC)



Honorable Mention: Church Street Station (Orlando, FL); River Walk (San Antonio TX); Adams Morgan (Washington, DC)

For DC, Georgetown nightlife is good but nowhere near the best in The City as it used to be, even DuPont Circle's nightlife has somewhat of a passé scene. The best nightlife spots in DC now are Adams Morgan (though party veterans said that it used to be even better back in the 80's and 90's), U Street, Shaw, Little Ethiopia, H Street NE, Eastern Market/Barracks Row area in Capitol Hill, and neighborhoods such as Park View, Petworth, and Columbia Heights are seeing an influx of new nightlife options as well.

[theurbanfiles]

I'd say that The Flats doesn't belong on the list, but it potentially could in a couple weeks when it opens up again... The jury is out. As for nightlife capitals in Cleveland right now, Ohio City was voted one of the World's Top 10 places to Bar Hop, and East 4th has more of a ritzy feel with fine dining/cocktail lounges. West 6th on the other hand I think is sort of our nightclub district, but I think it's the sort of college-y area of DT Cleveland so I don't know if that should be included. As far as a suburb/quaint small village bar hop, I would say Willoughby punches above it's weight, and on the west side Put in Bay has a reputation that precedes itself.

As for Orlando, while I wouldn't have said so until about a few months ago, the DP Performing Arts Center really did add quite a bit of sophistication to DT Orlando, specifically Church and Pine. Check out Hanson's Shoe Repair and Kress to see what I mean.

Many find Ybor to be somewhat sketchy, I actually enjoy it but suppose that everyone is different.

[Spade]

Originally Posted by tcave360

For DC, Georgetown nightlife is good but nowhere near the best in The City as it used to be, even DuPont Circle's nightlife has somewhat of a passé scene. The best nightlife spots in DC now are Adams Morgan (though party veterans said that it used to be even better back in the 80's and 90's), U Street, Shaw, Little Ethiopia, H Street NE, Eastern Market/Barracks Row area in Capitol Hill, and neighborhoods such as Park View, Petworth, and Columbia Heights are seeing an influx of new nightlife options as well.

Park View and Petworth has a ways to go though. But H Street has the potential to be just as good as U Street if not better. Only thing stopping it is that they don't have access to metro because nobody is getting on the X2 to get over there and I wouldn't recommend it either. Also yeah, Shaw is also picking up a lot.

[Melchior6]

From my own experience. South Beach in Miami is probably tops. Others I would mention.


Las Vegas
Wash DC
New York City
New Orleans
Key West, Duval Street
Atlanta
Philly
Austin
Hoboken NJ


And more on the raunchy side.. Widlwood NJ

[Jhenma]

Capitol Hill in Seattle is up there for the West Coast:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrR30tZ2si0