Why do Folks who Live in Big Cities want to vacation in Big Cities?
Aug 8th, 2009, 06:35 PM
#4
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I like Big cities because they have a lot to offer within close proximity and I love it when I DO NOT NEED to rent a car, places like NYC, San Francisco, Honolulu/Waikiki and Chicago are great without a car. Unfortunately the case not here in the LA area where I live.
Aug 8th, 2009, 06:40 PM
#5
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I live in the biggest city in my state, but I don't have either hustle or bustle. I can walk to whatever I need (work, church, stores), I have friendly and charming neighbors, and I can be in the historic and cultural center in 20 minutes via public transportation. And I like to visit other big cities because each one is different and fascinating.
Not sayin' I can't hang out around a campfire or hike in the mountains--just that I do love cities as well.
Not sayin' I can't hang out around a campfire or hike in the mountains--just that I do love cities as well.
Aug 8th, 2009, 07:13 PM
#7
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My main interests are in art, architecture, culture & history; and enjoy spending hours in museums. Each big city has its own collection of art, style of buildings, and of course, its own culture and history. I don't go to big cities to shop or eat - I can do those in my home city.
I don't mind going to the countryside for hiking and such, which is available within 20 minutes of driving from my house. I do want to visit more National Parks - I have visited quite a few over the years - however I keep being drawn back to big cities.
I don't mind going to the countryside for hiking and such, which is available within 20 minutes of driving from my house. I do want to visit more National Parks - I have visited quite a few over the years - however I keep being drawn back to big cities.
Aug 8th, 2009, 08:01 PM
#8
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I like vacationing in a variety of places. And, yes, sometimes I want to get away from the hustle and bustle. But do you think that because I live in Chicago (well, the suburbs anyway) I wouldn't want to see the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Bldg, the Metropolitan Museum? Or the Eiffel Tower, The Louvre, Big Ben, The British Museum, the Coliseum, etc., etc.?
Aug 9th, 2009, 05:28 PM
#10
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Agreed - a lot of people really like big cities. We like museums, theaters, tons of restaurant choices, lots of shops, and the excitement of a lot of people and tons of interesting places/things to see and do and everything being open all the time (I really hate it when cities close close down early).
I also like visiting the countryside (but staying at inns - not sleeping on the ground) and visiting quaint villages and small towns. But - I do admit that after a night or two I start to get very antsy in a place that isn't either "big city" or "big resort".
And I do like relaxing at the beach house in the summer - but only near a town with gourmet delis, good restaurants, an excellent bookstore - and at least a few small museums or sights.
I also like visiting the countryside (but staying at inns - not sleeping on the ground) and visiting quaint villages and small towns. But - I do admit that after a night or two I start to get very antsy in a place that isn't either "big city" or "big resort".
And I do like relaxing at the beach house in the summer - but only near a town with gourmet delis, good restaurants, an excellent bookstore - and at least a few small museums or sights.
Aug 9th, 2009, 07:05 PM
#11
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For me, it's not about restaurants, shopping, theater; we're pretty blessed in that regard here in Montreal. Rather, it's interesting to me to see how agglomerations of many people can differ in so many ways.
Cities have a unique history, cultural blend, transit system, sometimes language/accent, sometimes climate/geography/topography and for those that I like to go to, I like that one can get around by combo of foot and transit. Especially in North America, small towns/countryside can be tough to get to without a car.
Let me give you an idea: I love Montreal where I live for its urban French-English styling cycling yet laid-back culture that is unlike any other I've seen. Yet we don't have the tall trees/temperate rain forest or easy access to beaches that Seattle and Vancouver have. We don't have the beautiful aquamarine lakeview beaches of Chicago. Nor the millennia of history and accents of London and Paris. Nor the bustle and off-Broadway shows of New York. Not the bilingual Mexican-American influence of San Antonio. Nor the art-deco Caribbean-Latin-U.S. fusion that is Miami. Nor the sub-tropical joie de vivre, smells and cuisine of New Orleans. Don't have the African-American ebullient Lexington Market of Baltimore. Nor do we have the chaotic mestizo marketplaces, Spanish colonial architecture and Aztec remnants of Mexico City. Nor the incredible topography, sea lions and fog rolling-in of San Francisco. I really could go on and on...
Best wishes, Daniel
Cities have a unique history, cultural blend, transit system, sometimes language/accent, sometimes climate/geography/topography and for those that I like to go to, I like that one can get around by combo of foot and transit. Especially in North America, small towns/countryside can be tough to get to without a car.
Let me give you an idea: I love Montreal where I live for its urban French-English styling cycling yet laid-back culture that is unlike any other I've seen. Yet we don't have the tall trees/temperate rain forest or easy access to beaches that Seattle and Vancouver have. We don't have the beautiful aquamarine lakeview beaches of Chicago. Nor the millennia of history and accents of London and Paris. Nor the bustle and off-Broadway shows of New York. Not the bilingual Mexican-American influence of San Antonio. Nor the art-deco Caribbean-Latin-U.S. fusion that is Miami. Nor the sub-tropical joie de vivre, smells and cuisine of New Orleans. Don't have the African-American ebullient Lexington Market of Baltimore. Nor do we have the chaotic mestizo marketplaces, Spanish colonial architecture and Aztec remnants of Mexico City. Nor the incredible topography, sea lions and fog rolling-in of San Francisco. I really could go on and on...
Best wishes, Daniel
Aug 15th, 2009, 08:25 PM
#17
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bbqboy--
Don't forget that (as CAPH52 pointed out) many people live NEAR big cities without living IN them. For example, I live and work in the suburbs of Boston (about 25 miles from the city center) - but I (and most of my friends, work associates, etc.) hardly ever go into "the city" (unless it's a special occasion or we have visitors from out of town). I think I have been into Boston only once so far this year that was not because of out-of-town guests - and I like Boston!
What that means, of course, is that my going to Boston is comparable to my going to Chicago (another city I love), except I get to sleep in my own bed. Both are fun, and both are outside my normal routine (although that sometimes seems odd to friends in other parts of the country who don't get that I don't live IN Boston). But they don't often go to places 20 or 40 miles from home, so why would they think I'm doing that all the time?
Don't forget that (as CAPH52 pointed out) many people live NEAR big cities without living IN them. For example, I live and work in the suburbs of Boston (about 25 miles from the city center) - but I (and most of my friends, work associates, etc.) hardly ever go into "the city" (unless it's a special occasion or we have visitors from out of town). I think I have been into Boston only once so far this year that was not because of out-of-town guests - and I like Boston!
What that means, of course, is that my going to Boston is comparable to my going to Chicago (another city I love), except I get to sleep in my own bed. Both are fun, and both are outside my normal routine (although that sometimes seems odd to friends in other parts of the country who don't get that I don't live IN Boston). But they don't often go to places 20 or 40 miles from home, so why would they think I'm doing that all the time?
Aug 16th, 2009, 04:26 AM
#18
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All big cities are not created equal--you can't lump Dallas in the same pile with San Francisco or New York. For me, it's the vibe of the hustle and the bustle that attracts me to a particular city. But if there's no good public transportation in a large city, I rarely vacation there.
Aug 16th, 2009, 05:07 PM
#19
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Just to clarify/elaborate on what Cranichin said... I know many people like him/her who don't often go into the city. We do. My husband works downtown so is in the city at least five days a week. And we often go in on Sunday afternoons to explore, go to neighborhood festivals, check out new restaurants or bars, etc. And now that our daughter and SIL live in the city, we're likely to be spending even more of our weekend time there. I love Chicago. But Notre Dame, the Tower of London, the Parthenon, etc. are not to be found there. So, of course, we enjoy vacationing in other cities.
Would you start a thread asking why someone who lives near a natural scenic wonder (such as the Grand Canyon) would want to vacation at another scenic wonder (Yellowstone, Rocky Mountain National Park, the Alps, etc.)?
Would you start a thread asking why someone who lives near a natural scenic wonder (such as the Grand Canyon) would want to vacation at another scenic wonder (Yellowstone, Rocky Mountain National Park, the Alps, etc.)?
Aug 17th, 2009, 07:59 AM
#20
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Cap, I didn't have any right or wrong answers in mind, just wondering what motivates folks as to how they spend their leisure time.
As to your question, I don't know whether that's true. Interesting. There's a big rural/urban split in America.
As to your question, I don't know whether that's true. Interesting. There's a big rural/urban split in America.
