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I have to respectfully disagree - I think NYC is the only city you can stack against major European or Asian ones and compare favorably in terms of vibrancy or activity.
Even Chicago, while a great downtown by American standards, does not compare favorably to cities of similar size in Europe or Asia . Compare Chicago to Osaka, Rome, or even Budapest. It doesn't compare - those cities are much more vibrant, pedestrian oriented, and alive day and night.
Under 1 million (within city limits) cities with downtowns that are considered vibrant in the US - Boston and San Francisco, for example - cannot compare to Amsterdam, Athens, Prague, or Tel Aviv. And these are the cream of the crop - great cities by American standards but they still don't have that street buzz or constant level of activity at every turn.
Now, if you compare the average American city downtown to the average European or Asian city downtown it's not even close.
The difference is life happens on the streets - including the downtown streets - in European, Asian, and even South American cities far more than they do in American cities.
Fair enough (agree to disagree).
For me it's perhaps terms. As stated earlier, European/Asian cities tend to be denser (which can add a certain level of 'people-traffic') so there will be more folks downtown by default.
With that said, I still think Chicago/San Fran/Miami/Vegas (and definitely New Orleans) are on par.
I would almost never compare an American downtown to anything in Asia (hell, I don't think I'd compare anything to Asian downtowns). The density/urbanity is staggering which I suppose is 'vibrant' to some. The US has very developed suburbs and don't have to live in the center of the city.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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Originally Posted by 66nexus
Fair enough (agree to disagree).
For me it's perhaps terms. As stated earlier, European/Asian cities tend to be denser (which can add a certain level of 'people-traffic') so there will be more folks downtown by default.
With that said, I still think Chicago/San Fran/Miami/Vegas (and definitely New Orleans) are on par.
I would almost never compare an American downtown to anything in Asia (hell, I don't think I'd compare anything to Asian downtowns). The density/urbanity is staggering which I suppose is 'vibrant' to some. The US has very developed suburbs and don't have to live in the center of the city.
I think NYC is the only city that compares to the other great world cities in sheer density throughout the city. I wouldn't call Vegas a dense city at all. Outside the strip it's all just low density sprawl like Phoenix. That's an entertainment precinct not a residential precinct.
I think NYC is the only city that compares to the other great world cities in sheer density throughout the city. I wouldn't call Vegas a dense city at all. Outside the strip it's all just low density sprawl like Phoenix. That's an entertainment precinct not a residential precinct.
Don't really know where your comment stems from but I wouldn't call Vegas a dense city either.
And truth be told, I'm not a big fan of 'all density'. From what I've seen, a lot of overly dense cities tend to have crowded and unkept areas (NYC included)
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 66nexus
Don't really know where your comment stems from but I wouldn't call Vegas a dense city either.
And truth be told, I'm not a big fan of 'all density'. From what I've seen, a lot of overly dense cities tend to have crowded and unkept areas (NYC included)
I thought you said Vegas was a dense city, but I guess you were referring to the downtown area? (technically the Strip isn't Vegas' downtown or even in the City of Las Vegas, but that's a technicality)
Yeah density is not for everyone, and of course dense cities will be crowded lol.
Vegas is not a "real" city in the traditional sense, at least in terms of the Las Vegas Strip. It's basically an American version of the Ibiza Strip in Spain (or perhaps the other way around).
There are cities in Europe like Dubrovnik in Croatia that have small populations, but are full of tourist activity.
That's a bit different from an "average" city in a country like Croatia (or any other European country), such as Virovitica. Those towns are far more "active" than most American cities, though not quite in the same way.
There seems to be much more lower-key bar activity, and less in the way of hours-long concerts every few hundred feet.
I thought you said Vegas was a dense city, but I guess you were referring to the downtown area? (technically the Strip isn't Vegas' downtown or even in the City of Las Vegas, but that's a technicality)
Yeah density is not for everyone, and of course dense cities will be crowded lol.
I mentioned Vegas as far as nightlife and activity (but I was really only referencing the Strip and surround)
Philly's downtown pale in comparison to international cities' downtowns and even other U.S. cities' downtowns like New Orleans, Boston, Chicago, Seattle, LA, SF, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, New York and maybe Denver and San Diego and Portland though I've never been there. It's from what I read and see on pictures and books. Philly's downtown is too small for its size and not lively enough. It only has one bookstore like Barnes & Noble and no major movie theater except for several small ind. film theaters. That's pathetic for international standard! Even small cities in Europe and abroad have better focal point/place than our city. Let's get with it and make it real one! I don't even like what they call our downtown- Center City. They should call it Downtown.
Location: where you sip the tea of the breasts of the spinsters of Utica
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I remember an interview with some young woman in Bangkok, Thailand ..... she said she'd always wanted to travel to see more exotic parts of the world, like Chicago.
I've seen tourists from around the world even in small towns far away from the cities, some of them pointed and getting all excited about the most mundane things. Some of what we find boring just needs to be seen with fresh eyes.
Philly's downtown pale in comparison to international cities' downtowns and even other U.S. cities' downtowns like New Orleans, Boston, Chicago, Seattle, LA, SF, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, New York and maybe Denver and San Diego and Portland .
Philly's downtown is way more active than Pittsburgh's, Denver's, and San Diego's. Give it a little credit.
I wanted to answer the poll 'no', but the more I think about it, from my experiences, the answer looks like a 'yes'.
I think the reason would be that most people live in the suburbs, and only go downtown (in their cars) to work or occasionally for some sort of leisure. American society and life seems much more disconnected and fragmented than elsewhere. We have our TV and internet distractions that keep us away from the real world, and we live so separated from each other that our cities are relatively quiet.
Try Chicago near downtown area it is a city that does not sleep
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