5 Most Underrated Cities

[BrassowFan]

Good publicity for Louisville!

http://travel.yahoo.com/p-interests-21967976;_ylc=X3oDMTFuanNwazVpBFNlYwNmcC10b2RheW1v ZARTbGsDY2hlYXAtZmxpZ2h0cwRfUwMyNzE2MTQ5BF9zAzI3MT k0ODE-

[capcat]

:confused: Maybe I've missed something about Houston, but I'd never recommend it as a place to visit.

[gerntz]

Very much agree on Baltimore, agree on KC, Houston is disjointed to me, don't know Ft. L & LV OK, just don't know well.

Also agree on Sacramento, Minneapolis (In the summer) - very clean, and Providence, though small. Been wanting to get to Pitt. I fail to get Chicago & Dallas. Love NYC.

Favorites of mine are Santa Fe/Taos, SLC, Key West, and Savannah. San Antonio pretty nice. Outside the French Q, NOLA is the pitts even before Katrina.

[BrassowFan]

Also agree on Sacramento

I love Sacramento. It's halfway between San Francisco and Lake Tahoe, the weather is nice, and is growing so fast that the opportunities in the area are endless. It's truly a gem, unfortunately in the last decade many others have realized this as well and the cost of living has increased tremendously.

A trip down to Old Sacramento is a nice way to spend an afternoon. It's the actual old west town, actually built up one level (like many old cities) and has a lot of interesting shops and railroad museum. On the other side of the highway, you walk through a tunnel, you move from old to new Sac where you'll find traditional shopping. All of this is within blocks of the capitol which is also beautiful.

Anyone in the area should consider a trip into the Sierra's to do a little wine tasting. There's a tremendous selection (Lava Cap Winery www.lavacap.com (http://www.lavacap.com) being my personal favorite) and you don't have to deal with all of the tourist! Also in the area is a replica of Sutters Mill and a slew of gold rush towns with some very good restaurants. The best part, this is on the way to Tahoe which is just a wonderful place to spend a couple of days, make sure to checkout Emerald Bay and if you're a fan of the tv show Bonanza, you can visit the actual set.

For anyone into boating I would suggest Folsom Lake. It's a beautiful place and the water is warm, something that you won't find at either Tahoe or SF Bay. If you don't have time for that, they have tubing down the Sacramento River (from Fair Oaks, I believe) that looks like it would be a good time.

[gerntz]

You made me think of the CA Coast from Santa Cruz down to Santa Barbara. WOW. Also, the Napa Valley/Santa Rosa area. I wouldn't afford to live there though.

[BrassowFan]

You made me think of the CA Coast from Santa Cruz down to Santa Barbara. WOW. Also, the Napa Valley/Santa Rosa area. I wouldn't afford to live there though.

That drive down Hwy 1 is the best in the nation, IMHO. A stop in Carmel by the Sea, check out the golf courses and the ocean, the multitude of views, the pull overs to just take it all in and of course Hearst Castle, something everyone should see.

I've driven from San Francisco to LA, and back, several times and it never gets old. For those who want to sit back and truly enjoy, there's a train that follows the coast right along Hwy 1 that would suit your needs.

Heart Castle has several tours, I've only been on one, however the next time that I go I plan on checking out at least 2 more. You could spend days there and still not see everything.

Also, Hwy 1 between LA and San Diego is a tremendous drive as well. Lots of little beach towns where little stores are on the left and the beach is to the right. Just a tremendous part of the country!

[gerntz]

That drive down Hwy 1 is the best in the nation, IMHO. A stop in Carmel by the Sea, check out the golf courses and the ocean, the multitude of views, the pull overs to just take it all in and of course Hearst Castle, something everyone should see.

I've driven from San Francisco to LA, and back, several times and it never gets old. For those who want to sit back and truly enjoy, there's a train that follows the coast right along Hwy 1 that would suit your needs.

Heart Castle has several tours, I've only been on one, however the next time that I go I plan on checking out at least 2 more. You could spend days there and still not see everything.

Also, Hwy 1 between LA and San Diego is a tremendous drive as well. Lots of little beach towns where little stores are on the left and the beach is to the right. Just a tremendous part of the country!

Cambria is a quaint place. Nice B&B's. Did the castle. Love the wineries too.

Yea, just love Newport down to Laguna & Dana Point. Have stayed in Newport about 20 nights over several years on business.

[BrassowFan]

Cambria is a quaint place. Nice B&B's. Did the castle. Love the wineries too.

Yea, just love Newport down to Laguna & Dana Point. Have stayed in Newport about 20 nights over several years on business.

I've never visited any wineries in So Cal, although after watching the movie Sideways it sparked some interest, but I've been in all of those places, nothing short of incredible. Newport is so close to LA and yet so far... simply amazing place. I'm going to Laguna Beach (hopefully) in April for a meeting, hope to spend a couple of extra days in the region before flying back to ol' Ohio.

[Levi]

:confused: Maybe I've missed something about Houston, but I'd never recommend it as a place to visit.

Houston you have a problem. :icon_mrgreen:

[capcat]

Houston you have a problem. :icon_mrgreen:
With apologies to all Houstonians, I'll have to second that. :big_grin: At least from what I've seen.

[JDHoss]

I love Sacramento. It's halfway between San Francisco and Lake Tahoe, the weather is nice, and is growing so fast that the opportunities in the area are endless. It's truly a gem, unfortunately in the last decade many others have realized this as well and the cost of living has increased tremendously.

A trip down to Old Sacramento is a nice way to spend an afternoon. It's the actual old west town, actually built up one level (like many old cities) and has a lot of interesting shops and railroad museum. On the other side of the highway, you walk through a tunnel, you move from old to new Sac where you'll find traditional shopping. All of this is within blocks of the capitol which is also beautiful.

Anyone in the area should consider a trip into the Sierra's to do a little wine tasting. There's a tremendous selection (Lava Cap Winery www.lavacap.com (http://www.lavacap.com) being my personal favorite) and you don't have to deal with all of the tourist! Also in the area is a replica of Sutters Mill and a slew of gold rush towns with some very good restaurants. The best part, this is on the way to Tahoe which is just a wonderful place to spend a couple of days, make sure to checkout Emerald Bay and if you're a fan of the tv show Bonanza, you can visit the actual set.

For anyone into boating I would suggest Folsom Lake. It's a beautiful place and the water is warm, something that you won't find at either Tahoe or SF Bay. If you don't have time for that, they have tubing down the Sacramento River (from Fair Oaks, I believe) that looks like it would be a good time.


I've been to Sacramento a few times and agree with every word. If I had to live anywhere in California, it would be in the Sacramento area. A couple of hours from the coast, a couple of hours from Tahoe....go down to Lodi for some wine tasting....pro sports (AAA basball, NBA Kings, NHL) right in town and PAC-10 schools (Stanford & Cal) just down the road. What's not to like except for the cost of living. If you are visiting, I highly recommend the http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/1/en/hotel/saccp;jsessionid=DOJWGU0WFB3GICTGWANSJ0QKM0YBGIY4? firstpoint=dcb1&_requestid=197307]Capitol Plaza Holiday Inn. You can walk out of the lobby and either into the tunnel leading into Old Sacramento or into the Westfield Shopping Plaza. You can easily walk to the capitol from here, as well as just about anywhere downtown, or across "London Bridge" to the park for AAA baseball (A's affiliate). Sacramento is clean, and easy to get around in. If you can count and know your ABC's, you'll never get lost.

[gerntz]

Hoss, what you say about Sac being clean is true of almost all state capitals that aren't industry centers first. State capitals feed off the rest of their state without doing the (get your hands) dirty work.

[Terry L. Wildcat]

:confused: Maybe I've missed something about Houston, but I'd never recommend it as a place to visit.

Houston is not a lucky city for me. My first experience was flying from Houston to Ft. Polk, La. for basic in 1969, then my wife was a cancer patient at M.D. Anderson (the folks who work there are wonderful) and on my last visit the Courgars kicked our aspens. :eek:

[capcat]

Houston is not a lucky city for me. My first experience was flying from Houston to Ft. Polk, La. for basic in 1969, then my wife was a cancer patient at M.D. Anderson (the folks who work there are wonderful) and on my last visit the Courgars kicked our aspens. :eek:
Like I said Terry, I think you might like Austin. I'll give Houston one thing, though. It appears to have good medical facilities.
It's likely that I don't know enough about the city to say. Maybe I need to take a second look, as the title of the article implies.

[chris171978]

I lived in housten texas for 2 weeks, and thanks god never had any sort of trouble .

[Mark Blueblood]

Hey Terry - it ain't much of a list of Newport ain't on it.

[ukwildcatsks]

Favorites of mine are Taos

My mom is the same way, though to be honest, I don't get it. I was there last winter to ski, and I thought it was such a trashy (literally) town. Seemed noone had heard of a dumpster.

[gerntz]

My mom is the same way, though to be honest, I don't get it. I was there last winter to ski, and I thought it was such a trashy (literally) town. Seemed noone had heard of a dumpster.


It's the art & laid back & the views for me. I don't know that I could live there forever being so small. Yea, it has dumpy areas, but almost everywhere does. Seems to be the Indians' way of life.

[boomdaddy]

:confused: Maybe I've missed something about Houston, but I'd never recommend it as a place to visit.


I never want to go to Houston again. It is the worst driving I have ever been in. I almost died, along with a crazy woman with a car load of kids, ( who cut across 7 lanes to make her exit).

[surveyor]

I never want to go to Houston again. It is the worst driving I have ever been in. I almost died, along with a crazy woman with a car load of kids, ( who cut across 7 lanes to make her exit).

Try riding in a cab in Chicago on a Sunday morning going to Midway.

The cabbie never drove below 70 mph - EVEN IN THE CONSTRUCTION ZONE, where he routinely drove in the emergency lane, never dropping speed, to get to the airport.

As he was middle-eastern, I figgere'd he was out to kill us and martyr himself.:icon_lol:

[DCWildcat]

I've hated Houston when I've been there.

Is Baltimore really that good? All I know about Baltimore is high violence rates, and the highest per capita heroin use in the country (and most drug overdoses per capita, and basically any bad stat on drugs...)

My favorite cities: New Orleans (pre-Katrina, haven't been post, which sucks), San Antonio, Memphis (at least Beale Street), Lexington, and most of all, Charleston.

[KY Blue in Carolina]

Favorites of mine are Santa Fe/Taos, SLC, Key West, and Savannah. San Antonio pretty nice. Outside the French Q, NOLA is the pitts even before Katrina.

Gotta agree about Key West..... I'm there as we speak (type) Big night at Jack Flats last night!:beer::widcat::thumbup:

[Rockober]

I love Lexington, Chicago, Santa Fe, San Francisco, Boston, Santa Barbara, Charleston, Wilmington NC, Key West and Petosky, Michigan.

[capcat]

One place I want to go back to is San Luis Obispo, CA. I was there for a conference a few years ago and didn't get out to do much, but was content just being there. The surroundings, the mild climate and the friendly people I met made it one of the most pleasant communities I have ever visited to relax and "restore". My hotel was bordered by a vineyard, and the temp, in mid-July, was in the low 70s. It was very memorable.

[BrassowFan]

My favorite cities: New Orleans (pre-Katrina, haven't been post, which sucks), San Antonio, Memphis (at least Beale Street), Lexington, and most of all, Charleston.

Memphis? Really? The last time I went there was '94?? when UK played the 1st round of the tournament in the Pyramid. I have to say that it was one of the dirtiest, unfriendly cities that I've ever been to. The service at the hotel and every restaurant was horrible and if it weren't for the basketball games, I would've left after the first night.

[BrassowFan]

One place I want to go back to is San Luis Obispo, CA. I was there for a conference a few years ago and didn't get out to do much, but was content just being there. The surroundings, the mild climate and the friendly people I met made it one of the most pleasant communities I have ever visited to relax and "restore". My hotel was bordered by a vineyard, and the temp, in mid-July, was in the low 70s. It was very memorable.

100% agree! It's a beautiful place and if you're there, make the drive up the coast to Hearst Castle. Let me warn you ahead of time, you'll want to take more than 1 tour of the place so either go with enough time for more or get your calendar out to decide when you'll be making the trip back.

A way to make the trip better is to either start in LA or San Francisco and just take Pacific Hwy 1 until you get there. It's an incredible trip that you'll always remember!

[Mr. Peanut]

One place I want to go back to is San Luis Obispo, CA. I was there for a conference a few years ago and didn't get out to do much, but was content just being there. The surroundings, the mild climate and the friendly people I met made it one of the most pleasant communities I have ever visited to relax and "restore". My hotel was bordered by a vineyard, and the temp, in mid-July, was in the low 70s. It was very memorable.
We went through SLO on our honeymoon on the way to San Francisco.

I put on a cowboy hat, ambled out into the middle of what seemed to be the main intersection... and started yellin' "Eastwood! I'm a callin you out!"

No good came from it, I can tell you.

[surveyor]

We went through SLO on our honeymoon on the way to San Francisco.

I put on a cowboy hat, ambled out into the middle of what seemed to be the main intersection... and started yellin' "Eastwood! I'm a callin you out!"

No good came from it, I can tell you.

Yup. Ol' Steve Eastwood can be quite crabby, even though he's a minister.

Now, had you gone to Carmel and done that, it'd have been a differn't story altogether, I bet. :icon_lol:

[Mr. Peanut]

Yup. Ol' Steve Eastwood can be quite crabby, even though he's a minister.

Now, had you gone to Carmel and done that, it'd have been a differn't story altogether, I bet. :icon_lol:

Oh, lol. Was it Carmel he was mayor of? Well then, no wonder everyone was looking at me funny.

[BrassowFan]

Yup. Ol' Steve Eastwood can be quite crabby, even though he's a minister.

Now, had you gone to Carmel and done that, it'd have been a differn't story altogether, I bet. :icon_lol:

I went to his restaurant in Carmel.. a bit of a disappointment. However, just around the corner I had what is clearly the largest stack of pancakes that I've ever seen.. and I didn't even get the large stack.

Carmel, itself, is okay if you want to spend an afternoon walking through some interesting little shops but Pebble Beach, just a short drive down the coast, is absolutely incredible!

[surveyor]

I went to his restaurant in Carmel.. a bit of a disappointment. However, just around the corner I had what is clearly the largest stack of pancakes that I've ever seen.. and I didn't even get the large stack.

Mission Ranch?

[BrassowFan]

Mission Ranch?

No, Eastwood's restaurant is called The Hog's Breath. He sold it several years ago but it was his business interest that lead him to run for Mayor.

http://www.destination360.com/north-america/us/california/hogs-breath-restaurant.php

[capcat]

We went through SLO on our honeymoon on the way to San Francisco.

I put on a cowboy hat, ambled out into the middle of what seemed to be the main intersection... and started yellin' "Eastwood! I'm a callin you out!"

No good came from it, I can tell you.
Tourist ;)

[surveyor]

No, Eastwood's restaurant is called The Hog's Breath. He sold it several years ago but it was his business interest that lead him to run for Mayor.

http://www.destination360.com/north-america/us/california/hogs-breath-restaurant.php

Yup. But, since he hasn't owned it for several years now, I was assuming your reference was to the current restaurant a property he now owns, which is Mission Ranch (http://www.missionranchcarmel.com/).

From the website, it looks to be a very nice place - looks to be a B&B / Inn with 30 rooms in addition to the restaurant.

[BrassowFan]

Yup. But, since he hasn't owned it for several years now, I was assuming your reference was to the current restaurant a property he now owns, which is Mission Ranch (http://www.missionranchcarmel.com/).

From the website, it looks to be a very nice place - looks to be a B&B / Inn with 30 rooms in addition to the restaurant.

Sorry, I obviously didn't take a moment to comprehend your post before replying! :icon_redface:

[surveyor]

Sorry, I obviously didn't take a moment to comprehend your post before replying! :icon_redface:

No worries. Certainly no need for apologies. :beer:

I simply wanted to clarify which restaurant you were referencing. :thumbup:

[Terry L. Wildcat]

Hey Terry - it ain't much of a list of Newport ain't on it.

The Newport of our youth :icon_mrgreen:

[surveyor]

The Newport of our youth :icon_mrgreen:

Mousetrap :icon_mrgreen:

[gerntz]

Mousetrap :icon_mrgreen:


BrassArse!

[Terry L. Wildcat]

Mousetrap :icon_mrgreen:

LOL ;)

The Pink Puddycat