That's how I feel about Lake Geneva Wisc., mms. So I'll tell people to go there so that my Michigan wetlands and beauty remain real lakes and not groomed into part of a golf course or something.

I voted with my feet, but nuestro pueblo magico is both: especially this fiesta-filled month with plane, car and bus loads of tourists.
M (SMdA, Gto.)

Let me start by saying that I judge cities by street life and vibrant neighborhoods, as much as I enjoy museums and sporting events, the best cities are just fun to hang out in, walk the streets, enjoy the cafes..etc....They are places where you don't need a plan or a car, where tourist and locals share the same places.

I fully agree with your criticism of Charlotte and Cleveland, I hate sprawl and Charlotte made my head spin. I walked 2 miles through dowtown Cleveland in the middle of the day and didn't walk by a soul.

I would add to over-rated San Antonio, which is wonderfully friendly to tourist in the riverwalk area, but otherwise I found little to enjoy and the sprawl away from downtown seemed endless.

As much praise as Chicago gets, I still think it is underrated. I would put downtown up against DC as far as places to walk to and museums. No other cities has as much life on its waterfronts, not even NYC.

Philadelphia's narrow active streets are just a joy to walk around, as well as a vibrant arts and music scene and great restaurants. It is close to Boston, which I put slightly ahead of Philly because there appear to be more interesting neighborhood outside the city core than in Philly.

I love Charleston, but you have to go expecting a fun restaurant culture with pleasant walks, not big city activities.

I will be alone in saying I found Savannah over-rated, food was good but not great-too heavy for me. Didn't find much night-life for over 30 crowd and whoever allowed parking lots to be built next to those beautiful small parks should be found and shot.

I would make Austin under-rated, although it is praised it is not talked about much here. Great place to just hang out, the parks along the river are great, love the vibe.

I thought Santa Fe NM was totally over-rated. Spent close to a week there over Christmas. Overpriced shops & restaurants. Went to 5 movies & read several books during my visit.

cobbie, I think Sante Fe was much better about 10 years ago when the art community was more central to the town's vibes. This is just my opinion, but I had the exact same reaction to a Sante Fe 5 day that you did. The people I know from Sante Fe say it changed immensely with over-growth and large influx of retirement populations.

I don't know the reasons- truly, but I was expecting the kind of more vibrant interaction that I found, for instant, in San Diego.

austin is a nice town but when i was working there it was really overrated (not sure what it's like now). this was back around 2000. there was so much hype it was ridiculous. the city should have just relaxed and enjoyed itself for what it was rather than to try to be NYC, san francisco, boston and everything else rolled into one.

i have worked/lived in a lot of places around the world and have never been in a place that was so wrapped up in itself.

related to this area, i do agree on fredricksburg and the hill country. gruene is nice though. everyone was moving to round rock to be with dell...i hated RR and it is certainly in the overrated category...along with all the clowns obsessed with dell stock and house price.

Thanks for the info on Austin. I always enjoy hearing about how a city looks at itself, I like hearing what's underneath.

Overrated-
Boston....great place for college students and sports fans but not for tourists. Especially tourists in a car!

Las Vegas...the city has not kept up with the growth. Lots of traffic nightmares such as intersections with no traffic-lane markings. Filth along the streets and highways due to not-enough-city-employees. The precious strip is well maintained and policed, the rest of the huge city a mess.


Underrated-
Los Angeles...very affordable for a big BIG city (outside of Bev Hills luxury choices), lots to do, easy access to other great cities, plus traffic is manageable on weekends. And the only big city where you can rent a car without 40% in added fees and taxes!

JJ5,
Many moved from Santa Fe two or three decades ago and settled here: most are now dead or have moved on.
None ever ceased complaining about new arrivals.
M

Underated:
ITA on Austin. My daughter lives there, and it's great for music and the parks. And great day trips like to Fredricksburg, New Braunfels/ Gruen and the overated but I still like it, San Antonio.
Also, Sacramento, CA. It has a lot going for it in it's oldtown (railroad museum is great) and downtown.

One more underrated: Milwaukee. Great food, and again fun day trips like to Cedarberg. :-)
Not sure about Overrated. Maybe Houston, although I haven't spent enough time there to put it on the list.

Houston overated? by who? or is ith whom? :) I made my hubby go back for my high school reunion and he found all these travel websites saying things like "only to go Houston for business or family visit. For fun and tourism consider San Antonio, Austin or Dallas". Eek! But I agree- Houston doesn't have much to do thoughI had fun seeing old friends. And it's a fine place to raise a family. San Antonio has the river walk and a day trip to San Marcus. Dallas is really all suburbs these days. Austin is about all that's left to visit in the grand ole state of Texas.

Boston! Not sure what all the fuss is about????

Boston??
History.
Art.
Seafood.
Ethnic neighborhoods.
Presidential Library.
Architecture.
Ivy League. UNDERRATED IMHO!!

You know what I love about Portland OR besides the beer, coffee, arts etc? People take their dogs into the high end department stores. Not to mention lots of mutts:)If I was a dog I'd find Portland vastly under-rated.

Celfan was asking about other towns in Western Carolina and I would have to recommend Brevard, Cashiers, Highlands. If you want to splurge for a romantic getaway try The Greystone Inn at Lake Toxaway - close to all of the above and absolutely breathtaking.

I second Milwaukee. It's not just beer and brats (although the microbrews are awesome!)
From June through September there is a festival at Maier Festival Park on Lake Michigan every single weekend.
Much of the lakefront consists of parks, not privately owned land and everyone had their favorite spot.
We have a friend from New York who comes here for Summerfest nearly every summer.

I like MIlwaukee too, but I'm sad to see so much of its middle class is bailing out to Waukesha area. Its such a great history with wonderful heritage.
While most cities are experiencing a revival, Milwaukee seems to be going downhill. Except for Pabst/Lakefront Brewery area which is being reovated nicely, the rest of the city is getting worse. I guess since Milwaukee went downhill later than most cities, its revival will be later.

Reminds me of Chicago, when everyone went west. Chicagoans didn't have the option to go North because the neighborhoods are so expensive. Milwaukeeans could go North and still be on beautiful Lake Michigan, but opt for the land of Applebees and new strip malls???

Milwaukee has wonderful dining, arts and theatre. In many ways they do things much better than Chicago-without the hassles. I go there whenever I can.

For Western NC try Black Mtn. or, if you are more the adventurous type, Hot Springs.

celfan - thanks lots of our friends in the Chicago are like to visit here (although I like visiting Chicago too!)

I'll never move out that far. Waukesha and western suburbs are having water problems. They cannot access Lake Michigan because they're beyond the watershed.
I live about 10 minutes from downtown in a very old suburb (looks like city anyway) and love living that close. The near south side has undergone much revitalization in the part 10 years. Walkers Point and Bay View are my favorite areas.