Distinctive American Cities - SF, NOLA...

[Taverner]

Any others come to mind?

[datasuspect]

1. beaumont, texas

sulphur, louisiana

texarkana, texas

[Bucky]

3. Not Beaumont, but definitely Port Arthur.

Of course all cities are unique in some fashion.

[Taverner]

9. All of those cities look like the myriad of cities around them

Texarkana looks like any Texan mid-sized city

Austin, MAYBE, but even then, Austin reminds me of Round Rock, Houston, Dallas, Lubbock....


San Francisco looks like no other city

New Orleans looks like no other city

Chicago and NYC look like each other

Miami looks like Los Angeles

San Diego looks like Orange County

San Jose looks like Orange County

[Tuesday Afternoon]

11. Distincitive American Destinations

A few years ago, 12 cities were chosen by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as Distinctive Destinations. Each is unique, yet each is dedicated to the preservation of history. From coast to coast, North and South, you'll find a city very different from the typical vacation destination. Cultural diversity, natural beauty, stunning architecture, and overall pride from the residents is what makes these cities distinctive. Come share the history and experience the vacation of a lifetime.

Eureka Springs, Arkansas
Eureka Springs, Arkansas is an Historic Wonderland tucked quietly away in the hills of Northwest Arkansas. Enjoy our exquisitely preserved Victorian Splendor, world class Restaurants and inviting Specialty Shops. Kindle the flame of Romance. Bring the family and enjoy our many outstanding Attractions. Experience our four seasons of active, Outdoor Recreation and our wide variety of Special Events. Please visit our distinctive local businesses.

Calistoga, California
Rich in history Calistoga has worked diligently to incorporate the new with the old, and has successfully melded the historical concept of Americana-small-town with the currency of the computer and the information age. Side-by-side with million year old geysers are the spas offering mineral soaks or mud baths, Aromatherapy and masseuses trained to soothe the sore muscles of a rush-rush world. And, of course, Calistoga is the home of Calistoga Mineral Water and Crystal Geyser Water. Please visit our distinctive local businesses.


Silverton, Colorado
As one of America’s most charming towns, Silverton offers the rustic allure of an "Old West" town amid spectacular mountain scenery. Once a prosperous mining hub, Silverton’s riches now lie in her abundance of attractions and outdoor adventures. Remnants of Silverton’s bygone era include the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad (a historic coal burning train), ghost towns, museums and mining tours.


Madison, Indiana
Established in 1809, historic Madison, Indiana is known as a “mecca” of 19th century architecture. All 133 blocks of the downtown district are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This charming community also has 3 National Historic Landmarks and is dedicated to preserving and helping future generations discover and enjoy these historical treasures. Visitors will enjoy strolling the tree-lined streets past wineries, antique & specialty shops, house museums and many quaint B&B’s. Please visit our distinctive local businesses.


Bonaparte, Iowa
Bonaparte's National Historic Riverfront District, located on the Des Moines River in Van Buren County Iowa, was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. Bonaparte offers a unique blend of yesterday's ambience, today's progress, and tomorrow's success, with a pinch of home grown ownership and a dash of community enthusiasm giving downtown a new flavor of potential for those with discriminating tastes.


Northampton, Massachusetts
In Northampton, you'll find museums, theaters with performers of New York City caliber, and art offerings so diverse and so prevalent that Northampton was dubbed the "Number One Best Small Arts Town in America" by author John Villani. You'll visit eclectic shops and restaurants so sophisticated they've been featured in the New York Times and Bon Appetit magazine.


Red Lodge, Montana
High in the snow capped mountains is the charming town of Red Lodge. Rich in history and abundant in natural beauty. Discovery of coal and the need of the Northern Pacific Railroad's coal hungry locomotives brought prosperity. Hundreds of Finn, Scottish, Irish, Italian, Yugoslavian and Scandinavian miners came to share it. Today, this area offers the finest in outdoor recreation while retaining its "Old West Past," come share with us soon.


Las Vegas, New Mexico
Established by land grant in 1835, Las Vegas was originally called Nuestra Senora de los Dolores de Las Vegas Grandes (Our Lady of the Sorrows of the Great Meadows). There are over 900 buildings in town on the National Register of Historic Places, with examples of everything from Spanish adobe to Victorian architecture.


Jacksonville, Oregon
Nestled in the beautiful foothills of the Siskiyou Mountains lies the city of Jacksonville, Oregon. It has long been hailed as one of the most historically significant communities in the western United States. The historic character of this 19th Century town and the colorful legends of the past are woven into the fabric of every day life in Jacksonville, reflected in the architecture and historic landmarks that line the streets. Please visit our distinctive local businesses.


Doylestown, Pennsylvania
We invite you to experience the diversity Bucks County, Pennsylvania offers in its beauty, history, culture, recreation and shopping. The possibilities are as broad as our panoramic landscapes and as wonderfully memorable. One of the three original counties in William Penn's Quaker Colony, Bucks County is steeped in tradition. Tour our wealth of historic attractions and museums. Explore Bucks County's quaint towns, such as New Hope. Stroll the quaint shops at Peddler's Village, or bag a bargain at Penn's Purchase or Franklin Mills outlet centers.


Beaufort, South Carolina
Gateway To Adventure History... Beaches... Golf... African-American Heritage... Entertainment... Shopping... Outdoor Adventures. Graced with giant oaks, fragrant gardens, stately mansions and outdoor cafés, Beaufort resembles a fairy tale. Beaufort is a gateway to dozens of islands—a rich Lowcountry mix of culture and ecology where sea turtles nest, statues attest to bravery past and present, resorts and golf courses thrive, Gullah is spoken and new adventures await. Please visit our distinctive local businesses.


Staunton, Virginia
Staunton has one architectural advantage over most of other small towns in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia: it was unscathed in the Civil War, and many of its 18th and early 19th century homes and buildings still stand and are wonderfully preserved. The arrival of the Virginia Central Railroad in 1854 made Staunton a transportation hub. Two years later, Woodrow Wilson arrived in Staunton, born to the local Presbyterian minister and his wife. Wilson's homecoming as president-elect in 1912 was the most elaborate celebration in Staunton's history.

more at link:
http://www.distinctivedestination.com/

[Sekhmets Daughter]

21. I think you are taking a very narrow view of cities....

I'll give you that San Diego is boring... But while you say NYC and Chicago look alike...they sure as hell don't feel alike! Los Angeles has become a dump and Miami was awarded cleanest city in 2010 (I believe) One is on the wane, the other coming to life in the 21st century.

It is the people that make a city... the foods, the sounds, the scents...not just the architecture.

[Sekhmets Daughter]

2. What do you mean by 'distinctive' ?

[Taverner]

5. Good question. Nothing even remotely close to it anywhere else on Earth.

There is NO place like San Francisco, anywhere.

Cape Town says they are, but it isn't.

Sydney says they are, but it isn't.

There is NO place like New Orleans, anywhere.

Paris claims they are the real version, and NOLA isn't. They are wrong. There is no historical diversity like that city.

[nolabear]

13. I'm enjoying the NOLA love. And yes, no place remotely like it anywhere.

I think LA qualifies, simply because of the film and entertainment industry.

[Taverner]

15. El Lay can be a wonderfully bizarre place...if you know where to go

Let me be the first to say, if you speak Spanish - even a little - go to Downtown Los Angeles on a Sunday.

Eat the street food.

It's a one-of-a-kind experience.

And there is so much more to that city.

You just have to drive to get to it

[Callmecrazy]

4. Las Vegas

[Taverner]

6. In a bad way, yes

[Taverner]

7. Hanoi, Vietnam

Really like no where else

[Taverner]

8. Eeeeeexcept it isn't in America....

Sorry

[olddots]

10. Downtown Los Angeles

distinctively unplanned and useless . oooh and on the positive side Eugene Oregon .

[Taverner]

12. Actually I like Downtown El Lay!

Especially on a Sunday, when there are street vendors, and nothing is in English!

Those street churros and street tamales - NOTHING like them on Earth!


MMMMMM!

[distantearlywarning]

14. Sedona, Arizona

Can't think of any place else that is quite like Sedona, between the distinctive red rock formations, high desert Oak Creek canyon, and the aliens/new age vibe.

[pink-o]

16. Y'all know where I live...and I love it here!

But I gotta say, there is no place in this country like New York City. I've stayed extensively in Paris and Rome, just got back from Copenhagen, I lived in London, have spent time in: Prague, Istanbul, Budapest, Milan, Sydney, Auckland, Dublin, Munich, Vienna, Edinburgh, Tokyo and Madrid. All are considered world-class cities, representing their countries' cultures to the traveler.

And as far as I'm concerned, New York can rival any one of them. It's a perfect American experience, in the same way as Paris gives you insight into France. I'm always happy in NYC if I can't make it to Europe.

[Gormy Cuss]

17. Boston, NYC, DC n/t

[Taverner]

18. Boston, yes. NYC, well Chicago and NYC are indistinguishable.

Yes, pile on me.

I KNOW if you live there that is not the case.

But to a visitor - indistinguishable from Chicago, Terre Haute, Des Moines or Charleston.

[Gormy Cuss]

22. Wow. They're really different to me and I've never lived in either one.

NYC is like no other American city just because of the scale of Manhattan. Chicago as big as it is still feels tiny in comparison.

[Aristus]

19. Seattle.

Liberal, progressive, artsy, beautiful, environmentally-conscious, tech-savvy...

I love Seattle! Rain and all!...

[Texasgal]

20. Austin, TX.

Hello!