Fun thread - glad to see it revived :) And yes, thankfully San Jose is coming along, but we definitely have a long way to go.

RC- If you read a lot of the San Antonio posts here on Fodors, prior to taking your 4 or 5 day trip to SA, you may of reconsidered spending your full time in SA.

I'm partial to my city, but I think Ottawa is absolutely gorgeous no matter the time of year. It's got a lot to do if you look hard enough and the Byward Market is beautiful in the summer. The Tulip Festival is also gorgeous in the spring and Winterlude draws thousands of people here every year. If you're travelling through Toronto or Montreal, Ottawa isn't too far and is worth the extra drive for sure. It's also only 1 hour from the American border via two different bridges at Brockville, ON/Alexandria Bay, NY and Prescott, ON/Ogdensburg, NY

A vote for the Midwest. I choose Indianapolis

A lot of college towns have great downtowns. Madison WI,Boulder CO, Burlington VT.

I didn't see it on the list, but the French Quarter in New Orleans is a great walkable vibrant downtown, especially right now as it is the middle of Mardi Gras! LOL!

Large City:
- Chicago
- NYC

Midsized:
- Asheville, NC
- Savannah, GA (I know it is touristy, but great downtown)

There are many others, but those come to mind as being authentic, functioning downtowns. Some of these cities doing the downtown vitalization are to be commended, but won't make my list until the downtown has stood the test of time.

Here's another vote for Chicago...it's my kinda town...except for the weather.

Wow a lot of great southern spots mentioned like Asheville, Charleston, and Savannah. I'm really surprised no one has added Greenville, SC to the list! Very beautiful,vibrant,safe downtown with Falls Park being one of most impressive parks i've seen in a downtown setting.

Wow! Talk about topping an old post.

LOL - maybe the recession altered some of the rankings and qualifications????

Or maybe someone posting for the first time to promote a certain town is working for a Chamber of Commerce.

Large - Chicago, no other city comes close

Small - Sarasota

but that said, we have houses in both cities so we may be little biased :-D

Definitely would have to agree with Chicago or NYC. Then again most of my vacations are to major cities so I have really liked downtowns of a lot of cities

A old blast from the past!!! - and some names are long gone posters.
I love Chicago.

Oh, does this thread make me feel like crying. Not an easy thing for me either.

Thank GOD, I did not buy that condo.

And some names! Posters gone.

Chicago is changing. Big time, guys!

And especially that post about Fields by a poster. No longer anything at all special or otherwise. And State St. itself!

Tons of the old names and places downtown Chicago are gone and almost all of their flavors completely. The mix is still friendly and rushed. Both. But not in the same way. Chit-chat is almost gone. Just was at the Ambassador East and now it is the "Chicago Public". UGH!

Building or construction are not anything like in the above posts. Even the festivals and downtown events are mainly cancelled or immensely diminished. No more Venetian Night etc. etc. It's now the Willis Tower and Sears is close to be paid to stay in the state.

But most of all the feel and energy has drastically changed as it has elsewhere- but multipled by 4 in downtown Chicago.

With Maggie Daley gone, there is not one role model of a former graciousness and joy in adversity left within vast public view, either. It is SO sad, if you knew what it was. How it was.

American cities are so different from one another. Some have very great identity and force/personality but not so centered in a "different" downtown. It's so interesting to see which do and when they evolved to that, in what time period.

Going to one of the few I have never visited for any longer time period soon, and after Katrina now, as well. New Orleans.

My favorite downtown as a tourist, in 2011 now from the last 15 years of going to baseball cities, is so hard to judge. They are all different and have vastly different density and economic condition visible right now. Loved Baltimore's Birdland and other places others don't normally mention. Loved Seattle. Loved D.C. and a completely different type of "downtown". S.F. seems like one big downtown to me- the whole city is so small. Denver, downtown is "different" according to different people/maps.

But a skyscrapper downtown isn't always the only great or classic downtown either. The downtown of Traverse City, MI by that bay. Unbelievable- like it belongs in a European port.

Chciago, and NYC...but also Minneapolis, a vibrant downtown.

My favorite has to be Toronto, followed pretty close by Chicago. Also Boston for the history. I know everyone will jump on this but downtown Detroit is seeing a revitalization like I've never experienced. There is lots to see and do, but still a lot of area that is like a ghost town as well.

Small cities I'd have to say Traverse City as mentioned by JJ5. As well as Ann Arbor, MI.

Toronto's is great too. But has no comparison in overkill size (oh my those valleys of skyscrappers!) that a Chicago or NYC have.

BTW, if you have never been in those "caves" or "corridors" of those valleys when the ticker tape comes down- you have to get there someday when it happens.

I've been twice. Once when the men who landed on the moon came home and it was literally on my lunch hour and I got to dump, and once when the Sox won the World Series (2005).

Both times are beyond description. The second time even the EL-trains stopped overhead to watch. And you could see people more than 40 floors up VISIBLY throwing it out.

We were literally knee deep in ticker tape in La Salle St. corridor. People were up on the light posts. Did I tell you that Mark Buerhle showed me his bare chest? No, that it is lie. Not me, but especially for my DIL. But I did get to see it.

Yes, Detroit is interesting. A man found us on the way back to our car park and gave us a tour. SO was a little picqued that I allowed it. But I DID enjoy it.

Yes, it is not like people believe it is, at all.

But get those kiddie rides out of the ball park. LOL!

Never have seen Omaha. I will.

Minneapolis is a fab downtown and also good train system. Lovely bike system path and doables, as well. But also not close to the Chicago height or energy. Or depth of museum.

Seattle is extremely people friendly in its downtown. Probably one of the most usable and doable for all.

JJ5...I can almost imagine I am there with you in Chicago! Lovely! And yes, I do agree about the kiddy rides at Comerica Park!

I think that Toronto has the upper hand on diversity and culture. I was recently there for a short weekend and fell in love. Must plan a trip again the spring!