Is this the most beautiful city in the US? ‘Under the radar' spot beats out usual suspects in new debate
Ahead of prime summer travel season, one Reddit user caught the Internet's attention — and, to no surprise, plenty of strong opinions — when they posed the question, 'What is the most beautiful city you've ever been to in the USA?'
Charleston, Chicago, Savannah, and Washington, D.C. were top contenders, but ultimately, Seattle won out on this particular thread.
Sorry, New Yorkers — the Big Apple didn't make the cut, though one commenter acknowledged: 'NYC is a favorite of mine, it's not the cleanest I've been to… but the city just has a beauty, an energy, that I haven't found elsewhere in the USA.'
4 Seattle is the largest city in the Pacific Northwest.
FIFA via Getty Images
How was the city's victory determined? Simple — it was both the top-ranked reply and the most common answer by volume.
The seasoned travelers in the comments agreed that the city offers plenty in the way of nature, architecture, food, and culture.
'Seattle is gorgeous and honestly the cleanest city I've ever seen. It's remarkable,' one user gushed, prompting this response from a nonchalant resident: 'I mean, we'll take it, but I've lived here a decade and literally never heard that. Glad we made a good impression.'
Visitors pointed out the Seattle Fish Market, the city's waterfront district, cultural institutions like the Museum of Pop Culture and the Volunteer Park Conservatory, several bar districts with top-notch breweries, and, of course, the Space Needle as highlights.
4 Pike Place is the city's most famous shopping district and home to the beloved fish markets.
UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
4 Snow crab, halibut, Alaskan salmon, and caviar are some of the most popular offerings at the Seattle institution.
Getty Images
Seattle is also celebrated for the plethora of natural landmarks that it offers. While many such attractions aren't directly within city limits, the area boasts an undeniably stunning view of Mt. Rainier, and Seattle residents agree that these sights are in a remarkably close concentration, compared to other U.S. cities.
'I grew up in Seattle and currently live here. It's absolutely beautiful. The best part is that it's only 1 to 3 hours away from even more beautiful outdoor places,' one Redditor wrote.
'When the sun is shining, you can't find a prettier vista than the one looking out over the bay with its sapphire-colored water,' said another.
4 Mt. Rainier, an active volcano, stands 14,411 feet above sea level.
Getty Images
As summer rolls around and temperatures rise to unbearable levels across the country, many participants in this now-viral thread recommend vacationing in Seattle to cool off.
'I may be biased, having grown up there, but I am still convinced that no city in America has better summers than Seattle,' a commenter declared. 'Warm but not too hot, rarely rains, mountains surrounding you, water everywhere, not too many bugs. Just the perfect place for summer.'
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