NYC and Other Great Cities

I'm going to New York City this week. I have brief conference there on Friday, but I'm going early and staying late. I'm taking Leah with me. It's her 5th/6th grade trip. All my kids get one business trip with me when they're that age. I took Adrienne to Boston, Sammie to San Diego, Nathan to Chicago, and now Leah to NYC. It's super-cute how excited she is! She mostly wants to go to American Girl, so we have lunch reservations, and to the zoo. More on our trip next week, hopefully with photos!

This makes me reflect on my favorite American cities to visit. They are probably, in order:

1. Boston

2. NYC

3. Washington

4. Chicago

5. San Francisco

6. Seattle

7. San Diego

8. Philadelphia

I don't think anywhere else makes the list of recommended cities. I'm on the fence about New Orleans. I guess I'm going again in August. We'll see how it's changed  since Katrina. It's worth a visit, probably, and I think I'm talking myself into putting it on the list. But it also has large downsides, such as terrible transportation and, of course, the sleaze.

There is no city I would really try to avoid, but nothing much excites me about Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, Portland, Denver, Minneapolis or Detroit. They have their high points for sure, but perhaps not enough for a real recommendation. Nevertheless, the Henry Ford museum and village in Detroit gets a shout out for one of the very coolest historical presentations in America, probably ahead of Williamsburg and Nauvoo.

I just checked the list of largest metropolitan areas in the US. Of the top 10, I only haven't been to Houston and Miami. I feel no loss.

Of the next ten, I haven't been to Phoenix, Tampa or Baltimore. I sort of feel an urge for Baltimore, if only to visit the Orioles' stadium, which looks really cool. There must be other interesting things in Baltimore. And I guess I can't really claim to have seen St. Louis much; just drove through it once.I would like to see it too.