New Orleans- probably my favorite city in the USA for the french/creole vibe.
I just had to move from New Orleans to Tennessee, and I am already planning vacations back. I've been around, and I can't think of a place more fun to visit. The food, the nighlife, the culture,... unbeatable.
New Orleans is without a doubt my favorite city in the US. Some others I'm fond of are...
Austin, TX: One of the coolest cities I've ever been to. You have a great mix of traditional Texan values with the liberal, artistic culture that a major collegiate atmosphere will provide... the kind of culture that gives the city its slogan of "Keep Austin Weird." With all of that, you have a healthy city with great food that has a fun downtown area that is at the same time very clean.
Destin/Pensacola/Daytona Beach, FL: Each of these beach cities has a different personality, but as a whole, I never understood how people could shit on the gulf Florida beaches. They call it the "Redneck Riviera," but the reality is that I haven't seen more beautiful beaches outside of the Carribean. They have the whitest sand I've seen in the states, water so clear that you can see your toes up to your neck, and a nightlife that may be a bit rowdy if you're looking for a family outing but not an annoying "spring break" destination like Corpus Christi, TX.
Also favorites - Nashville, Chicago, Atlanta, Charleston, San Diego
Cities to avoid -
Detroit, MI: I used to live in the 'D,' and it's going to be the first modern American ghost town. It's nothing but diminishing real estate values, homeless people, abandoned buildings, crime, shitty weather, and sad people. There are some redeeming aspects, but those are far and few between. If I were to go back to Michigan, it'd be to visit any of the many beautiful northern Michigan towns in the summertime and not the shit-holes of Detroit and Flint.
Memphis, TN: Memphis is a city that's as racially divided as they come. A lot of people call if "Memfrica," which is fitting of the city limits, but that's only because all of the white people continually move further and further away from the city. I supposed this is a trend in a lot of cities, but it's never been more apparent to me than in Memphis. Aside from old 'Southern' money and business transplants, it's essentially a city with a bunch of poor black people who blame the whites for their poverty, and a bunch of poor whites who blame the blacks for their poverty and cling to their confederate ancestry. Their downtown area is nothing like it was even in the 90's, especially Beale Street, which is dying just as quickly as their blues scene. The two things that will always be a draw for me though are 1) the food (of course the bbq, but more importantly and underrated, the great Memphis chicken wings) and 2) the southern hospitality (provided that you're the same race... if not, be prepared to get the opposite reaction).
Houston, TX: I've never been to a city that big that has that little substance. Every time I'm in Houston, I'm always looking for something interesting to do, and all I find is a downtown area dominated by (energy based) corporate buildings without much soul. For a city that's the fourth largest city in America, I'd assume there'd be more culture, but it's one giant sprawl imo. I've always sort of felt similarly about Dallas tbh.
Pocatello, ID: I know it's kind of unfair to call out smaller cities/towns, and I've really enjoyed a lot of the places that I've stayed in the Pacific northwest, but "Pokie" is bland as they come, with nothing to do, uninteresting people, boring history, and mediocre scenery for the region.
You also could never pay me to live in
New York City, but it's got to be one of the most fun cities (especially in Manhattan) to visit for short trips. Anything more than a short trip though, and I'd start to get claustrophobic, as well as annoyed by the people.
