My travel résumé is not particularly robust. I have aspirations to someday visit more foreign countries, but so far, I’ve only seen Canada and Mexico. But I have been fortunate enough to have explored a decent amount of the U.S.
I’ve also lived in a few different places. And from what I’ve seen and experienced so far, there are many fun, interesting, comfortable and beautiful places in this country. I would encourage anyone to get out and see what your country has to offer, whether it be through travel or living somewhere different for a while. I know I still have a lot more to experience (like the whole east coast, for example).
So in honor of Independence Day, these are my top five favorite cities in the United States. The criteria are pretty open, but these are places I’ve been that have maintained a very positive connotation in my mind.
5. Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN: Centered in the land of 10,000 lakes, the Twin Cities are the crown jewel of the upper Midwest, and the largest and most vibrant metropolitan area in a very underrated state.
When I think of the smartest cities in the country, the Twin Cities are definitely on the short list. Lots of highly educated, conscientious people live and work there. And the local economy and workforce doesn’t seem to be tied to any single industry, which should insulate the cities from any boom-and-bust atmosphere. There is traditional industry present, but there are also tech companies, financial headquarters and outposts, a large public university (University of Minnesota), and decent tourism presence. It’s also a major transportation, trade and retail hub for portions of five states.
The schools are highly thought of among people who think of such things. There is an abundance of nice parks, lots of recreational opportunities a short distance from the metro area, and four professional sports teams with strong ownership. And the city has a very progressive, sleek feel to it, without abandoning its Midwestern roots and values.
Those who know me might try to automatically disqualify the Twin Cities as a city I would want to live in because of the frigid winters and cool spring/fall seasons. True, it’s much too cold there during the winter, but unfortunately, if I only lived in places where it was warm all the time, I’d be eliminating more than half of the country as a possible habitation. And I’m not ready to do that (though I’ll continue to complain during the winter if I’m in a cold-weather place).
4. Billings, MT: This is more of a personal pick for me. Having lived for three years in two northern-Wyoming cities, I’ve spent a lot of time in Billings (dubbed the “Magic City). And I have many fond memories of the city. So this is largely a sentimental pick, but I don’t think it’s entirely unfounded as a desirable place to live.
Nestled amongst the northern Rocky Mountains, Billings is one of those relatively big cities that can feel big when you want it to but can also feel cozy and subdued. It’s the major hub for transportation, retail, tourism, trade, industry and about anything else you cant think of for an entire region of upper mountain west states. On any given weekend, you can drive through a retail parking lot on King Avenue West and see as many Wyoming license plates as you can Montana plates. This mixing of locals and visitors gives the city an exciting vibe, because a sizeable portion of the people in public places are there to buy something they can’t get at home, or do something fun that their town just can’t offer.
Billings has a modest downtown area, but it seems to be surviving well despite the concentration of retail opportunities in other parts of the city. Two universities keep the city young and offer sporting events and culture. Metra Park brings in large crowds for concerts, sporting events and trade shows. And I personally have not seen many metro vistas more beautiful than the view of a humming Billings at night from the rimrocks overlooking the city.
The city is also close to plenty of recreational and other areas worthy of exploration. It’s not quite a gateway city to Yellowstone National Park, but it’s close enough. Red Lodge is very near by, as is plenty of hiking opportunities in any number of mountain ranges in Montana and northern Wyoming.
3. Bellingham, WA: I first truly experienced Bellingham when I visited on a whim during a three-day weekend while living in Wyoming. I was taken with the city’s stunning waterfront on one side, and climbing mountains on the other. Throw in a seemingly endless amount of parks and green space in between, and you’ve got a highly desirable place to live.
So I did live there, if only for a summer. And if an opportunity presented itself, I don’t think I’d hesitate to go back someday. Bellingham is an intensely progressive city, with residents who just seem to “get it.” They’re ahead of the curve on preserving the environment and conservation. And they have a style and friendly attitude that suits the city well.
Downtown B’ham is located just above the bay, and has maintained a number of historic buildings with a thriving restaurant, bar and theater/art scene. What it lacks in retail, it makes up for in buzz. Bellingham Bay offers miles of trail path, as well as sailing, parks and green space, and plans for a “new” waterfront complete with retail and more culture. Again, an example of residents getting it. If you have such an incredible natural resource such as the bay, you really should utilize it to the fullest extent.
Western Washington University has one of the most beautiful campuses I’ve ever seen, set slightly above the downtown area and surrounded by forest. You’d be hard pressed to find a greener college campus. Whatcom Community College is not as picturesque, but its campus is sizeable and modern by community college standards. Bellingham serves as a retail hub, largely for Canadians who actually live closer to the wonderful city of Vancouver but choose to come to Bellingham to do their shopping.
Bellingham’s proximity to Vancouver is another major selling point. It’s also close enough to Seattle for day trips, and easily within reach of a national park, national forest, and the San Juan Islands. And as if the many outstanding city parks weren’t enough, state parks and the Chuckanut Trail drive are all at your fingertips.
2. Denver, CO: In some ways, Denver is a lot like a more progressive, higher educated larger Billings. Any mountain-based recreational opportunities imaginable await in the Front Range. But the city has enough culture and hipness that you might forget about all the amazing recreating available. A very attractive skyline, buzzing downtown with lots of retail and dining, and collection of museums and large sporting/performance venues provide the city its big city credentials.
Once again, Denver has the regional-hub appeal, but somewhat less so than some of my other cities because Salt Lake City, Albuquerque and Cheyenne, WY are all close by (close in mountain west terms, that is). But it’s a beautiful city, with everything just about any other major city in the U.S. can offer. And it’s setting in the Rocky Mountains is unparalleled.
Denver is also ahead of a lot of big cities on the environmental front. A recent Newsweek article talked about Denver’s desire to transition from mineral extraction to a more green way of producing energy and manufacturing. And I have a theory that in cities like Denver that are surrounded by so much natural beauty, residents are naturally going to be more environmentally conscious. You can’t ignore the need to protect the beauty of what’s in front of you every day.
Economically, Denver seems to be diverse enough to avoid major busts. The energy and minerals industry has a strong presence, but so do tech and environmental startups and tourism. And Denver does serve as the central location for most mountain west regional headquarters in the private sector as well as the Federal government.
1. Iowa City, IA: Predictable, I know. And this is largely a sentimental pick. But Iowa City does have a lot to offer to its residents, and not just those who grew up here.
Iowa City relies upon its state university more so than some other college towns, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The residents largely embrace the culture (both the good and the bad) that comes along with a state school. They follow the Hawkeyes with great passion. And with a lack of any professional teams, so does much of the rest of the state, converging in Iowa City on football and, to a lesser extent, basketball game days.
Iowa City’s economy is largely tied to education, with the university, strong public school system, and presence of two large national testing companies (ACT and Pearson). In concert with the UI is UI Health Care, the largest employer in town and one of the most highly regarded schools of medicine in the country, both for care and for research (insert kissing-up sound here, as I work for the COM). Anytime you have a destination like UI Hospitals, it gives the community a sense of pride and swagger.
Recreationally, Iowa City isn’t particularly stronger than a lot of other Midwestern cities, but it does offer a number of hiking opportunities in town and just outside town. It also has a thriving biking and running community.
But for me, what helps solidify Iowa City at the top are its residents. I can’t help but be biased here, given that I am one of them. But people here are generally smart, open-minded and thoughtful, and genuinely ready to help each other out in times of crisis. I experienced this sense of activism and solidarity during the floods of 2008. I’ve written about this before and probably will again, but peoples’ absolutely unselfish desire and sense of duty to help sandbag the city was awesome. It’s still one of the main reasons I came back to Iowa City from Bellingham.
Honorable mention, in no particular order: Rapid City, SD; Seattle; Cody, WY; Missoula, MT; Albuquerque; Fort Collins, CO; Coeur D’Alene, ID.
