I can’t say that I’ve really thought much about this topic before…
While visiting cities around America I generally find most places to be friendly. When it comes to friendly places to visit around the world, I’d have to place cities/ countries in Asia at the top of my list. (That would definitely include Myanmar, our most recent destination.)
I came across a slideshow from Travel + Leisure a few days back. The topic told us that: These Are America’s Friendliest Cities.
According to the article, “In the most recent America’s Favorite Cities survey, readers ranked 38 metro areas for such inviting features as wine bars, pizza and luxury shopping—along with the conviviality of the locals who might be serving drinks, ringing up your order or just offering directions outside your hotelNashville“.
Here is a list of the Top 15 Friendliest Cities in the U.S.:
- Nashville
- Salt Lake City
- Minneapolis/ St Paul
- Kansas City
- Oklahoma City
- Charleston
- Pittsburgh
- New Orleans
- Albuquerque
- Austin
- Houston
- Honolulu
- Louisville
- Portland, OR
- Atlanta
Kim, Lucas and I have visited 7/17 cities which made the list. We enjoyed visiting every one of these cities and from I recall the people sure were friendly.
Here are a few things that come to mind:
- Getting some good local recommendations while waiting on line for ice cream in Minneapolis from a group of locals.
- The friendly owner of a BBQ restaurant in KC, giving Lucas a couple of quarters to get a little toy from the candy machines. Chatting with people multiple times while waiting on line to order our BBQ in different restaurants.
- A bartender at a Honky Tonk in Nashville playing with Lucas (he was a little less than one at the time) while Mommy & Daddy enjoyed the music and had a drink.
- When it comes to Charleston, everyone seems friendly and people passing you on the street will even say hi from time to time.
The main thing to consider though is that when it comes to the service industry (restaurants, shopping etc…) why wouldn’t the people working there be friendly? I mean it is in their best interests to invite us in to make us want to buy something!
Also, when traveling with a little kid, just about everyone seems to be friendlier to you regardless of where you are (which is definitely nice).
When it comes down to it, I can’t really think of a city that we’ve visited that came off being totally unfriendly, have you?
What would you consider the friendliest city you’ve visited in America?
Find out about each of America’s friendliest cities from T+L here.
