I agree, I live in Harrisburg (well not in the city, closer to Hershey) but there are plenty of good restaurants on 2nd street in the city. Agreed with the trails, however, do you recall how you get to the appalachian trail from there? I just moved here six months ago, have heard about it but have yet to go to it.
Everyone knows Gary, Flint, Camden, Youngstown and E. St. Louis are pretty bad from top to bottom. Economically depressed, high crime rates and negative growth rates.
Other cities that are pretty bad are New Orleans, even before Katrina. Besides the tourist areas, New Orleans was full of public housing. Kansas City, MO. Boring and also one of America's most dangerous cities. St. Louis, MO same as Kansas City dangerous, old and depressing. Cleveland old and depressing. Memphis..its seems like your either rich or poor in this country city.
A few other cities come to mind that are boring and depressing, old looking and rundown....Racine, WI, Rockford, IL. Terre Haute, IN. Muncie, IN. Paducah, KY. Jefferson City, MO. Dayton, OH. Waukegan, IL Michigan City, IN........Damn most of the midwest mid-sized cities are pretty bad.
Let me leave you with some cities that are my favorites. Chicago in the summer! San Diego (anytime), Austin, TX New York, LA, Minneapolis in the summer, Nashville, TN, Phoenix, Naperville/Bolingbrook/Woodridge, IL Raliegh/Durham NC Dallas/Arlington/Ft. Worth.
Jersey City, NJ is without a doubt the worst city I've ever been in. It's a rotting urban hellhole, with absolutely nothing redeeming about it. It does have an indoor track, but it is a terrible track in a terrible old facility.
http://jclist.com/modules/xcgal/albums/userpics/14037/normal_Jersey%20City%20Downtown.JPG
this is a picture that tries to make it look GOOD. It looks like an apocalyptic wasteland.
We drove the VIC team to a meet in Berea, KY and the town looked pretty cool...compared to Bristol, Virginia/Tennessee. An outstanding team/staff which contrasted starkly with the horribly run down campus and backward-assed, thoroughly defeated southern hick-town...best known for its racetrack.
Here's the thing about Jersey City. If you come out of the Holland Tunnel from Manhattan and turn right, Jersey city sucks. If you turn left, it's actually very nice...a combination of landmark brownstone neighborhoods and a rejuvenated waterfront.
I'm from NJ and enjoy it... but this post is really great. You can tell that the poster actually has spent some time at the "shore". There's a lot of truth in that post.
one eyebrow wrote:
anyplace in new jersey. take your pick. the winter weather sucks. so they tell me last winter, wait for the summer and you can go to the beach- not so much. are you kidding me? guidos as far as the eye can see- no joke- guys actually wearing those wife beaters thinking they look cool. swimming in them even! what?! the girls are RARELY hot. then, when those endangered few open their mouths to speak, you start thinking you'd rather be getting kicked in the balls. not far behind will be the little (in stature) entourages of guidos checking in at a staggering 155 pounds. of course, that is counting the 12 pounds of hair gel the alpha wolf of the pack uses to make that freakshow gotti spiked out circus do. then comes that only seen in dreams hue of orange, glinting off their skin from their recent spray on tan. it reminds you of what someone from the chernobyl fallout might look like if the lights were turned off and they happened to be wearing a dolce and gabbana t shirt knockoff and a tribal armband tattoo. then, unfortunately, you have to drive home. that's when you start thinking that you'd rather be chewing tinfoil. it's almost like a nursing home opened their doors and taught each and every loudmouth temper tantrum throwing pizza maker how to drive. you're threatened with statements such as, "i know people" or my favorite: i know a "made guy". what? are you serious? i cannot wait to get out of this horrible place. picture "escape from new york" set in the winter. i would even pay that big freaking bonus back just to make this calendar year go faster. give me courteous people. give me someone without an attitude. show me a woman who doesn't have a hint of a mustache!!!
take a drive along New York's thruway (route 90) and you will pass through 4 of the worst cities I've ever experienced: Utica, Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo. Coming from Boston these 4 are all deplorable. Also, anything in Ohio or Indiana might as well be burned.
No one has specifically mentioned East Chicago, Indiana, so there it is.
here is a news flash for you...boston is a trash heapdowntown is ok, some parts out by newton are alright but in general boston is a dumpthey ruined the waterfront, drive out to the beach by beverly or south boston what trash heapsand in the city, what water front - where can you walk along and enjoy the baycompare to nyc, san francisco or l.a.'s waterfrontboston would be much better if they actually picked up the trash around the city AND more trees and flowers were planted AND people were made to take down their rusted chain link fencesand this is from someone who lives there (but has lived many other places)rochester i actually found to have some rather pleasant parts
thruway wrote:
take a drive along New York's thruway (route 90) and you will pass through 4 of the worst cities I've ever experienced: Utica, Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo. Coming from Boston these 4 are all deplorable. Also, anything in Ohio or Indiana might as well be burned.
thruway wrote:
take a drive along New York's thruway (route 90) and you will pass through 4 of the worst cities I've ever experienced: Utica, Syracuse, Rochester and Buffalo. Coming from Boston these 4 are all deplorable. Also, anything in Ohio or Indiana might as well be burned.
My in-laws lived in Vernon, NY (near Utica and Syracuse). It really was a depressed dump. Economy sucked, the sun never seems to shine and there's snow on the ground for 6 months of the year.
hoopla wrote:
I agree, I live in Harrisburg (well not in the city, closer to Hershey) but there are plenty of good restaurants on 2nd street in the city. Agreed with the trails, however, do you recall how you get to the appalachian trail from there? I just moved here six months ago, have heard about it but have yet to go to it.
It's pretty easy to pick it up in Swatara, Duncannon (runs right through town), and Boiling Springs, as well as in Pine Grove Furnace and Caledonia state parks. If you\'re serious about it, the guidebook is a good investment.
No one has mentioned Providence. Maybe Providence is really ... Providence.
guy not from there wrote:
metro gnome wrote:Detroit aint no postergirl for urban beauty!You know, I actually disagree somewhat. It has some wonderful architecture, albeit 80 years old.
The Ren Cen is majestic.
If you don't like Greektown, you're an idiot.
It's a city where you can watch 3 of the best professional franchises in sports, each in a great arena/stadium: Tigers, Pistons, Red Wings.
Belle Isle is beautiful.
There are plenty more.
Have you ever been to Motown?
one eyebrow wrote:
anyplace in new jersey. take your pick. the winter weather sucks. so they tell me last winter, wait for the summer and you can go to the beach- not so much. are you kidding me? guidos as far as the eye can see- no joke- guys actually wearing those wife beaters thinking they look cool. swimming in them even! what?! the girls are RARELY hot. then, when those endangered few open their mouths to speak, you start thinking you'd rather be getting kicked in the balls. not far behind will be the little (in stature) entourages of guidos checking in at a staggering 155 pounds. of course, that is counting the 12 pounds of hair gel the alpha wolf of the pack uses to make that freakshow gotti spiked out circus do. then comes that only seen in dreams hue of orange, glinting off their skin from their recent spray on tan. it reminds you of what someone from the chernobyl fallout might look like if the lights were turned off and they happened to be wearing a dolce and gabbana t shirt knockoff and a tribal armband tattoo. then, unfortunately, you have to drive home. that's when you start thinking that you'd rather be chewing tinfoil. it's almost like a nursing home opened their doors and taught each and every loudmouth temper tantrum throwing pizza maker how to drive. you're threatened with statements such as, "i know people" or my favorite: i know a "made guy". what? are you serious? i cannot wait to get out of this horrible place. picture "escape from new york" set in the winter. i would even pay that big freaking bonus back just to make this calendar year go faster. give me courteous people. give me someone without an attitude. show me a woman who doesn't have a hint of a mustache!!!
you sir are a credit to the species. You deserve an award.
From coast to coast wrote:
Let me leave you with some cities that are my favorites. Chicago in the summer! San Diego (anytime), Austin, TX New York, LA, Minneapolis in the summer, Nashville, TN, Phoenix, Naperville/Bolingbrook/Woodridge, IL Raliegh/Durham NC Dallas/Arlington/Ft. Worth.
I'm from naperville now in houston for college. Especially after living in houston, I realize I was really fortunate to grow in in Naperville. Lots of green space, really low crime, a nice looking city, pleanty of forest preserves, excellent schools. In highschool all my peers were itching to leave, but now everyone agrees that they'd be quite happy living in a similar town.
I'm at rice university in Houston now, and I do not want to spend any extra time in this city. There isnt really any good places to run (in my area anyway, running through the grid layout of the residential area is boring, and Herman park is small and much of the space is consumed by the zoo and the golf course). Also, despite being surrounded by the medical center and expensive houses, there are still a fair amount of robbings near on or near campus.
one eyebrow wrote:
anyplace in new jersey. take your pick. the winter weather sucks. so they tell me last winter, wait for the summer and you can go to the beach- not so much. are you kidding me? guidos as far as the eye can see- no joke- guys actually wearing those wife beaters thinking they look cool. swimming in them even! what?! the girls are RARELY hot. then, when those endangered few open their mouths to speak, you start thinking you'd rather be getting kicked in the balls. not far behind will be the little (in stature) entourages of guidos checking in at a staggering 155 pounds. of course, that is counting the 12 pounds of hair gel the alpha wolf of the pack uses to make that freakshow gotti spiked out circus do. then comes that only seen in dreams hue of orange, glinting off their skin from their recent spray on tan. it reminds you of what someone from the chernobyl fallout might look like if the lights were turned off and they happened to be wearing a dolce and gabbana t shirt knockoff and a tribal armband tattoo. then, unfortunately, you have to drive home. that's when you start thinking that you'd rather be chewing tinfoil. it's almost like a nursing home opened their doors and taught each and every loudmouth temper tantrum throwing pizza maker how to drive. you're threatened with statements such as, "i know people" or my favorite: i know a "made guy". what? are you serious? i cannot wait to get out of this horrible place. picture "escape from new york" set in the winter. i would even pay that big freaking bonus back just to make this calendar year go faster. give me courteous people. give me someone without an attitude. show me a woman who doesn't have a hint of a mustache!!!
You sir, should write a travel book! That has to be the POST OF THE DECADE!
jonesy. wrote:
the city and I don't need to say what city is incredibly expensive and the people are often arrogant for good reason.
for example:
metropolitan museum of art
whitney
guggenheim
museum of modern art
(four of the top 20 museums in the country, probably, and then hundreds of others, more non-tourist art galleries than any other city in the country, the center of the art world)
center of magazine publishing, best newspaper in the country (times), best free weekly (voice), best magazines in the country, center of advertising, financial, television, and on and on.
best restaurants in the country (other than san francisco, but much more variety). only place you can have your choice of, say, guinean restaurants (brooklyn/harlem) or four varieties of thai cuisine (say, woodside and jackson heights, queens) or burmese food (jackson heights, qns) or a district of korean restaurants (midtown), or kazakh food (brooklyn), or a dozen places with a real claim to the best pizza in the country (e.g. nick's qns, patty's, totonno's coney island, ...).
then the night life, the majority women, central park to run and races every week, cheap fares around the world, ...
it's a joke to even try to justify the city, because it is by far the greatest (not the most beautiful--sf) american city.
among the worst, there are dozens of smaller cities and obvious choices, such as gary, baltimore (does have a nice harbor and some parks), newark, yonkers, bridgeport, detroit, ...
but among the less obvious, what I saw of dallas in downtown and around, from running at night, was pretty damn hideous, empty, dirty and dangerous. atlanta convention center area was the most racially polarized city I've seen next to Cincinnati all the way from the hill beyond the university of cincinnati to the downtown and across the river beyond the stadiums. in both places, the only people on the street were poor, black men, as if women and whites were afraid to walk on the street.
Yea, I agree to most of what NYC is described here. I was born, raised and still live in L.A. and NYC is something else. The energy of that city is insane. Although I may be a bit bias because my gf is a native Nu Yorkah but it truly is a cultural center of the world. Quality restuarants, world-class museums and other cultural attractions that sad to say, my native city does not match. Sure we have the weather, unlimited outdoor activities, most diverse region in the U.S., Griffith Observatory (once in a while is ideal to visit), competitive college/pro athletic teams, I won't mention beaches (locals know why) although the Venice Boardwalk is quite amusing to stroll through. L.A. still needs a long way to go to rebuild itself but its good to see the city is trying to revitalize the downtown area for starters. Perhaps I'm just a big city kind of dude, to each their own as someone mentioned before.
I'll add the Lincoln Center to the quoted list above, another world-class venue.
Stillwater OKlahoma is by far worse than all these places everyone has mentioned so far, the weather changes like crazy causing you to get sick, its windy ALL the time, its humid in the summer and too damn cold in the winter, its like have the worse of both world all year around
I came across this article today and thought I should post it here. Flint, Michigan came up from several people as one of the worst cities in America, but I'm not sure that entirely accurate anymore. Lots of folks are working to improve Flint, and now the city's high schoolers actually have a really nice new track to train and compete on!
with the exception of nick tahous Rochester has to be the worst....Nick Tahous almost makes rochester the best tho.
