There are multiple factors that go into what makes a truly great city. For some, it might be the food and the diversity of restaurants. For others, it’s the culture with world-class museums, art galleries, theater, and music venues a good starting point.
There’s no doubt that New York City offers it all as one of America’s few truly global cities (No. 1 in the world on the 2020 Global Cities Index). It offers everything from the Met to Broadway, an endless list of dining and shopping options, a thriving arts scene, and plenty of green spaces, including Central Park, one of the world’s largest urban parks.
But if you’re looking for another major city to move to that can give NYC a run for its money, you’ll want to consider one of these.
San Francisco, California
Entertainment guide Time Out recently named San Francisco as the world’s best city on its annual list, stealing the Big Apple’s spot. The publication polled 27,000 city dwellers across the globe about culture, food, drink, sustainability, and social life to come up with the results noting the hundreds of “beautifully crafted parklets” that make it feel like one massive street party.
San Francisco offers many world-class museums, from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art to the California Academy of Sciences and de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park. Of course, it’s famous for the iconic Golden Gate Bridge and home to unique works of art like the 16th Avenue Tiled Steps, where local artists covered 163 steep steps with gorgeous mosaic tiles portraying a shimmering path from sea to sky.
The city is a top spot for foodies too. Food-truck connoisseurs love Off the Grid and its weekly circling of food wagons that park in various parts of town. No matter where you go, there’s plenty of fresh seafood like Dungeness crab, best paired with sourdough bread and enjoyed at the more than century-old Swan Oyster Depot.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Offering rich history, countless cultural attractions, and famous cuisine, it’s well worth checking out the Philadelphia houses for sale if you’re thinking about making a move. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Independence Hall is where the Declaration of Independence was signed and in Independence National Historical Park, one can pay homage to the famously cracked Liberty Bell.
Watch living history at Valley Forge National Historical Park, and climb the same 72 stone steps that “Rocky” did in the movies of the same name that lead to the entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It showcases works by Flemish Renaissance artists, Mannerist, and Romanticist painters.
This city also boasts the oldest farmer’s market in the country, the Reading Terminal Market, while dining options go well beyond the Philly cheesesteak. You’ll find places to sample traditional Pennsylvanian Dutch cooking, lots of farm-to-table eateries, and fantastic food trucks.
Los Angeles, California
There are more galleries and museums in Los Angeles per resident than anywhere else in the country. Some of the most popular include the extensive Los Angeles County Museum of Art with its Islamic and Asian works and the Getty Museum and Getty Villa, which showcases everything from Greek antiquities to medieval manuscripts.
The venues for entertainment, from comedy to music and theater are nearly endless, including famous spots like the Hollywood Bowl and the Comedy Store. There are movie studios to tour and festivals like the Los Angeles Film Festival too. As a melting pot of cultures, just about every type of cuisine can be enjoyed as well.
Los Angeles also has a very vibrant downtown, with plenty of Apartment Living Near Downtown Los Angeles – these are a top consideration to avoid the dreaded gridlock on the highways.
Boston, Massachusetts
One of America’s oldest cities, Boston is best known for its history as the birthplace of the American Revolution. One can walk that Freedom Trail that leads to 16 important historical sites like Fanueil Hall where one of the most famous speeches encouraging independence from Great Britain took place.
The cultural offerings are many too, from the Boston Ballet and Symphony Orchestra to the Lyric Opera and Theater District which hosts multiple venues like The Orpheum and The Colonial. When it comes to the arts, there’s the remarkable Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, and many other institutions and galleries to explore.
