Worst city in the US
Sep 18th 2007, 6:10 pm
#31
The Unmod
Joined: Jul 2005
Location: Glen Mills, PA
Posts: 8,870
Re: Worst city in the US
I worked in Philly for years, and I don't like it much, but it does have many good features if you know where to go, much like other cities. There are great restaurants, great nightlife, wonderful cultural facilities and some good watering holes with ales from over the pond.
I found Wilmington NC, the most depressing place, but then I was there only because my employer insisted.
I found Wilmington NC, the most depressing place, but then I was there only because my employer insisted.
Sep 18th 2007, 6:36 pm
#33
Thinking about it
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Mid-West
Posts: 9,435
Sep 18th 2007, 7:01 pm
#34
Unmitigated Gall
Joined: Dec 2006
Location: it's still too dark to tell
Posts: 16,162
Re: Worst city in the US
Sep 18th 2007, 7:04 pm
#35
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 14,577
Re: Worst city in the US
Atlantic City NJ is pretty grim - although I gather it's way better than it used to be. Even now if you step more than 50 yards from the boardwalk or one of the casinos you'll find loads of run down or boarded up terraced houses and litter strewn vacant lots. In an effort to clean the place up they simply bulldozed whole city blocks: the east end of AC is basically loads of empty weed covered blocks with the occasional crappy house still holding out on one corner. And on the boardwalk the seagulls are pretty fearsome - saw them diving on people to rip the sausages out of their hotdogs when I was there.
Sep 18th 2007, 7:16 pm
#36
I approved this message
Joined: Dec 2004
Location: Chicago
Posts: 2,425
Re: Worst city in the US
There are many pubs/bars as it's a college town. The Great Dane is one of the better upscale places and has excellent beer and pretty good food.
There are lots of good Midwestern brewers, but try anything from Capital Brewery, which is from Madison. It specializes in German-style beers and has been voted the best regional brewery in the US many times. The Dopplebock, Kloster Weizen and Oktoberfest are all truly delicious.
For "nicer" restaurants, I ate at Harvest last time I was there, it's very tasty.
Last edited by Hiro11; Sep 18th 2007 at 7:21 pm.
Sep 18th 2007, 7:21 pm
#37
I approved this message
Joined: Dec 2004
Location: Chicago
Posts: 2,425
Re: Worst city in the US
Salt Lake city is just downright weird.
Sep 18th 2007, 7:24 pm
#38
A lion in your lap
Joined: Jul 2003
Location: Sparta NJ
Posts: 7,605
Re: Worst city in the US
I agree - I visited a few years ago and really liked it in a strange way.
Sep 18th 2007, 7:25 pm
#39
Who?
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Stepford
Posts: 3,098
Re: Worst city in the US
Just to pile on: St. Louis seems like it has few redeeming qualities. I spent a week there (admittedly 15 years ago) and couldn't find too much attractive about the city.
I'd also nominate Baltimore as a close second. Dangerous, run-down and polluted.
I personally don't like most Texas cities, but that's just me. the exception is Austin.
Philly is indeed fairly dump-ish but some sections are absolutely gorgeous.
Surprisingly nice (smaller) cities that get a bad rap:
Kansas City, MO
Cincinatti, OH
Columbus, OH
Milwaukee, WI
Pittsburgh, PA
Omaha, NE
Rochester, NY
All of those are much nicer than their reputation warrants, IMO.
I'd also nominate Baltimore as a close second. Dangerous, run-down and polluted.
I personally don't like most Texas cities, but that's just me. the exception is Austin.
Philly is indeed fairly dump-ish but some sections are absolutely gorgeous.
Surprisingly nice (smaller) cities that get a bad rap:
Kansas City, MO
Cincinatti, OH
Columbus, OH
Milwaukee, WI
Pittsburgh, PA
Omaha, NE
Rochester, NY
All of those are much nicer than their reputation warrants, IMO.
The people are nice, though and it's an easy city to drive round.
Sep 18th 2007, 7:33 pm
#40
Gone but not forgotten. RIP
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,570
Re: Worst city in the US
It's been a while but I would agree with that one.
Sep 19th 2007, 12:53 am
#41
This space for rent
Joined: Dec 2006
Location: Reno, Nevada
Posts: 129
Re: Worst city in the US
Spokane could hardly be described as great...but I do agree with an earlier poster that Gary Indiana takes some beating.
Sep 19th 2007, 1:19 am
#42
.
Joined: Nov 2002
Location: Where bad things rarely happen in movies
Posts: 8,933
Re: Worst city in the US
I always say that I hate travelling in the US cos wherever I go, I want to stay there, rather than return to Houston....the one exception to this was Memphis. Absolute shite. Even Beale St seemed to be closed when we were there. The Gibson factory was good though.
Sep 19th 2007, 4:02 am
#43
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Posts: 8,497
Re: Worst city in the US
Cincinnati is pretty bad - I was there one weekend a couple of years ago and practically everything was closed on the Sunday - the place was a ghost town. We saw drug dealers doing deals openly on the streets right in the centre. However, across the river in Covington was much better.
It sounds to me like you were downtown on Sunday (and you're right - on the weekends it is a ghost town, they're working to fix that) - and that you were creeping a bit close to the ghetto. While those areas may exist, they're not representative of the city as a whole. Cincinnati has a lot of history, some beautiful neighborhoods (google Hyde Park for example) with town squares, greenery around the highways, and lots of pretty, hilly areas to drive through. Is it perfect? No, but it's nice on the whole - my town was listed as one of the top places to raise a family in the US a few years ago.Covington, ironically, has its nice parts (Mainstrasse village) and some historic areas right along the river - but parts of it are downright shady. Venture by the "Brass Ass" as it's affectionately called for a window into the seedier parts.
Another poster mentioned that many cities in the midwest are overlooked. Americans and foreigners all overlook the midwest in favor of the coasts. You can find some beautiful areas here, good schools, and a reasonable cost of living. Not bad on the whole - though I do miss the water.
Sep 19th 2007, 4:18 am
#45
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 5,763
Re: Worst city in the US
I loved it when I went there. Of course that did include a tour of the Miller brewery. 
And of course there's nothing quite like being in Speedway, IN on Memorial Day weekend. Yes, I have walked down Georgetown Road in a chequered flag bikini with a beer, in anticipation of the Indy 500 on that weekend. 
Good times! 