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I disagree. New York City is unique and it gives an excellent impression of the United States.
It symbolizes the ambition, opportunity and wealth of this nation like no other city does.
NYC gives a tourist a unique and perhaps a great impression of a big city but it is not representative of life in the USA meaning if that is all a foreign tourist sees than they don't get a real impression of American life.
It's the same for just about any country. I've heard " experts " on Canada, when all they've been to is Toronto.
Human nature is to label things.
London, UK is definitely does not represent all of the UK. Same with Paris, Athens, Sydney, or LA and NYC.
The country doesn't even have to be a large one. Small ones like The Netherlands, get this as well. People go to just Amsterdam, when the rest of the country offers a different view.
NYC and LA aren't even the best representations of their respective states, nevermind the USA as a whole. Most of California is nothing like LA even though people tend to use the LA stereotype for CA. Likewise, New York State bares little resemblance to New York City in any way. There's no way anyone visiting these two cities have any idea about places like Cheyenne Wyoming, Des Moines Iowa, Lake Charles Louisiana, Booneville Missouri, Salem Oregon, or Worcester Massachusetts, places tourist don't go. It is places like that which make up the majority of the USA.
NYC and LA aren't even the best representations of their respective states, nevermind the USA as a whole. Most of California is nothing like LA even though people tend to use the LA stereotype for CA. Likewise, New York State bares little resemblance to New York City in any way. There's no way anyone visiting these two cities have any idea about places like Cheyenne Wyoming, Des Moines Iowa, Lake Charles Louisiana, Booneville Missouri, Salem Oregon, or Worcester Massachusetts, places tourist don't go. It is places like that which make up the majority of the USA.
In fact I'd venture to say some of the BEST parts of California are definitely not in LA. NYC....lots of nice places out of NYC...but NYC...is...well NYC !!
In fact I'd venture to say some of the BEST parts of California are definitely not in LA. NYC....lots of nice places out of NYC...but NYC...is...well NYC !!
Agree on both points. NYC is definitely one of a kind and nothing near it or anywhere else bares much resemblance to it. I also agree that the nicest parts of California are not in LA at all.
The problem is that in spite of being all over the place in the media LA is very misrepresented. People from abroad believe they will a city like what they saw on "Baywatch", they do not expect the dominating Hispanic flavor of the city.
A lot of first time visitors are not going to NYC or LA first. Many who come to the west coast do a sort of west coast tour where they land in Seattle first then head down toward San Francisco, then LA and maybe San Diego. Some do this starting in San Diego and go north. As Brave New World points out, Wine Country is huge with international tourist as are national parks such as Yosemite and Yellowstone.
For a lot of foreign visitors I assume their first or even only taste of the U.S. might be Orlando or Vegas too.
And no, NYC at least does not give foreigners a "bad impression" of the U.S.
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