I'm planning to go to the States in order to attend to an American English course but I haven't decided which city I would go. Please, help me to decide. I'm thinking about Fort Lauderdale, Boston or San Diego. I'll go in July so good weather and leisure time are also important. My main worry is that I can't drive so public transportation is important.

Boston would be the most comfortable, weatherwise, in July. Be careful not to learn a Boston accent, though.

In my opinion, the July weather in San Diego would be less humid than in Boston. We have a lot of leisure activities, as well. Unfortunately, our public transportation is pretty poor; it's fairly difficult to get around without a car.

I would stay away from the South in July. Lauderdale will be sweltering hot and humid. San Diego would be nice, as would Boston. If there are appropriate schools, how about San Francisco, Minneapolis, or Denver? An alternative to cities would be some of the larger universities that are in medium-sized towns.

Ft. Lauderdale be terribly hot in July. There is almost a complete lack of public transportation in the Ft. Lauderdale area. Unless you are used to tropical climates, can buy 15SPF suncreen by the gallon, and have an air conditioned car to use, avoid Ft. Lauderdale for your trip. Boston might have the best public transportation of the 3 cities, as well as a more reasonable July climate. (If you are coming from Europe you will find that American cities have MUCH less pubic transportation than you might be used to.)

I live in San Diego. San Diego has the best summer climate of the 3 cities mentioned. Anybody who says that Boston has a better summer climate is obviously not familiar with the July weather in Coastal California. Ft. Lauderdale will be very hot and humid. By the way, I have lived in Ft. Lauferdale and visited Boston on many occasions so this is from personal experience.

In any event San Diego would be your best choice not only for weather but for many other reasons as well.

Overall, I would vote for Boston. The weather in San Diego in July would be the best of the three - but, I would not want to be there very long without a car. Boston has reasonable weather in July - and good public transportation.

Boston, without question, for unbeatable public transportation and access to a LOT of easily accessible activities, as well as a nice July climate -- although variable, with the occasional heatwave. Fortunately, "Boston proper" often gets sea breezes, so it's not as bad as some suburbes. But do not be surprised if many buildings are not air-conditioned -- no one expects heatwaves to last long and many count on fans and open windows to cool things off at night. But if you have a choice, get air-conditioned lodgings. The Bostonian 4th of July celebration is my favorite of all -- by the river, with the Pops orchestra and the fireworks. It would be unforgettable for you.

As to the Boston accent -- it can be frightful, but no one teaching an "American English" course should have an accent, and at least people there know grammar! Actually, I think you can sum up American English in the one expression, "whatever."

Woops, not a good example of spelling -- "suburbs."

Definitely Boston - not only good weather, but the only real city of the 3. It predates the automobile and so is not completely sprawled. As a result, it is dense, has good public transporation, and you can get a good meal at 1 in the morning. Definitely DONT go to Ft Lauderdale in the summer unless you have an exceptional affection for heat and humidity.

I would vote for San Francisco personally. wonderful transportation system, and beautiful weather. also the prettiest city in the states. No I don't live there.

I've just found a course in San Francisco. Is it a good option?

San Francisco would be the absolute best option. The climate is steady, maybe even on the cool side. Public transportation is great. AND there is lots and lots to do! The city by the bay (and not Boston) would be my choice!

This is easy if you found a course in San Francisco. The ranking from best to worst is San Francisco, Boston, San Diego, Fort Lauderdale. I would even say this is the only logical ranking given these four choices and Student's restrictions (public transport, weather, leisure activities).

I agree that San Francsico would be an excellent choice in fact the best one. Go for it. San Francisco is a great place to live and visit.

San Francisco is a very good choice. One issue, though, is public transportation. San Francisco's public transportation is fairly miserable, though it does exist, unlike many US cities. I would say SF and Boston are equivalently good choices - I live in Boston, not SF, for a reason - I prefer Boston. THat said, SF is my second favorite city and I spend a lot of time there. One issue to be aware of is that San Francisco itself can be surprisingly cold in the summer - Mark Twain once said the coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco. That said, if you leave town it gets considerably warmer - in some sense you have a choice of climates. It really is a very car dependent area, though.

My final decision is between San Diego and San Francisco. The transport between the school and the apartment is not a problem because they're very close. I'd like to know which one of these two cities has more activities for people in their mid-twenties (clubs, restaurants, beaches, etc)and also where is easier to meet people.

Hmmm. That's a tough question. I have lived in both places, and both are really nice. I think it depends on where in each city you would be living. I didn't find the southern and eastern parts of San Diego to be very nice, but the North near La Jolla is wonderful. The beaches are warm enough to enjoy. But again, if you won't have a car, you won't be able to get around very well.

Regarding San Francisco, if you are in the City, almost all of it is nice and served by decent public transportation. I have fewer positive things to say about the suburbs, however, except maybe the unique character of Berkely. San Francisco itself has a cooler climate than San Diego, which I found refreshing. There are plenty of beaches, but it is quite cold, so swimming is out.

If it were me, I would pick San Francisco. It is a more "famous" city and is featured in movies, etc., and it's fun to recognize things once you've lived there. The views are fabulous. San Francisco has A LOT more culture and excellent restaurants. Also, the Asian culture is a wonderful part of the experience, the City is reasonably diverse, and wine country is nearby. If you are only coming for a short time, living in San Francisco is really a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I highly recommend.

Fort Lauderdale may be humid in summer but it is the nicest city of the 3. They have plenty world-class language schools. Everything indoors is air-conditioned. Only a bike is needed to get anywhere you want to go. The ocean water is warm for swimming. There are even free english language classes at community college. Its a clean, safe city. Very friendly. Stay at a youth hostel for only $17.00 per night. Perfect for language student.

Don't let the advertisement for Fort Lauderdale fool you. 300 meters on a bike there in July would have your shirt stuck to your back with sweat. San Francisco has good public transportation that I used two years ago as a visitor. Find a place to live near the intersection of Lombard and Van Ness and you will be in walking distance of excellent places to eat, drink, and meet people. Van Ness provides good access to the city bus system. Underground transport not possible because SF is built on little but rocks.