Which two American cities are much more similar than most people realize?

I've only been to Charleston once and only saw the immediately touristy parts. My FIL can be a force of nature, so all of us "kids"--people well it adulthood--were dragged along to what he wanted to see.

For a non-native, I've spent a lot of time in Savannah. The oldest town is lovely and they're lucky they saved what they had before it was gone (unlike Sacramento), but the first few rings of downtown have really been brought back even I've been a part of my inlaws' family, the last 20 years especially. It's thanks to the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). They buy up buildings that had been boarded up and repurpose them.

For example, what was a derelict department store when my husband was growing up thanks to white flight is now classrooms (I think). SCAD has similarly brought other buildings back to life, which has in turn brought a lot of commerce and young people to what had been a dying area that essetially everyone had abandoned.

That said, there is a cost to renovation and renewal as other, poorer inhabitants are displaced. That cannot be overlooked. Still, the downtown is pretty diverse, and renewal and reuse are better than falling into decay.

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JimBeam823@reddit

Downtown Savannah is well preserved. It feels historic. Anything modern seems well blended into the landscape.

The Charleston peninsula has been destroyed by war, earthquake, and hurricanes and has been repeatedly rebuilt. There’s history in Charleston, but a lot of obviously modern buildings mixed in.

Charleston is a lot more walkable because the blocks are smaller and closer together.

I was just up that way to see Bristol Caverns. Haven’t gotten to the town itself.

Seems like there’s a lot more on the Tennessee side, including the speedway.

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KabyBittens@reddit

How was the caverns? I’ve been in Johnson City for a few years now and have been wanting to visit.

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JimBeam823@reddit

Well worth seeing.

If you are only going to see one, I liked Appalachian Caverns a bit better, but they are both good. Appalachian has more variety, but Bristol has more spectacular formations.

I mean, yes, they have the same haunted,sultry vibe for the historic areas. I remember seeing the trailers for ‘Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil’ and thinking, oh that’s set in the Garden District.

I've been to Philly and New Orleans. I wholly reject the idea that these cities are similar. Philly wishes it was as cool as New Orleans.

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Burrow-Owl@reddit

Philly wishes it was as cool as New Orleans.

OkayDay21@reddit

I can assure you, Philly doesn’t wish it was anything other than exactly what it is

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gangofone978@reddit

This is unfortunately correct.

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bear__attack@reddit

I think the closest comparison you could possibly get to New Orleans might be Memphis. Anywhere else is a hard sell.

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sickagail@reddit

Memphis is a good call. Mobile and Pensacola has some little similarities to New Orleans too.

anclwar@reddit

I LIVE in Philadelphia and wholly reject this comparison. I've been to NOLA and it is way, way, way different than Philly. Like, I think there's a general similarity in the pride around the food for each city, but everything else is miles apart.

I love Philly, but we will never be New Orleans.

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No_Statistician9289@reddit

That’s a good thing. That being said they have a ton of similarities

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No_Statistician9289@reddit

Yikes…

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SummitSloth@reddit (OP)

But Philly has a Fat Tuesday? /s

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Big-Literature-739@reddit

I would say it was quite noticeable prior to about 2018. Lots of people of Scandinavian descent in both places, which manifested in things like cleanliness and orderliness (such as in the viral video of Seattle's raucous post-Superbowl crowd waiting for a crosswalk light), as well as cultural things like "there's no bad weather, only bad clothing," polarizing preserved fish products, "Business Democrat" politics, and passive-aggressiveness.

Current Minneapolis resident who very nearly moved to Seattle (albeit many years ago), I can see the similarities. Mid-size urban areas (Minneapolis itself is notably smaller than Seattle, but the Twin Cities metro population is not as far off from the Seattle metro population as you might think) that tend to lean affluent, white, and liberal (and both may share a voter base that’s more progressive in reputation than it may actually be in practice). Both are cities anchored by major corporate headquarters with an undercurrent of counter-cultural spirit (arts/music/activism/etc). Both have famously inclement weather (Seattle dreariness vs Mpls winters) but a population that counters it with an intense proclivity for outdoor recreation. Both are infamous for being socially insular and difficult for transplants to “find their people.”

Obviously they aren’t the same, no two cities are. But as an answer to the question “which two cities are more similar than you might expect” it’s honestly not a bad response.

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Accomplished-Fun215@reddit

Minnesota has a reputation for Minnesota Nice - extremely nice on the surface but nearly impossible to break into local friend groups if you didn't grow up or go to school there.

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Beginning-Damage-555@reddit

WhereasTherefore@reddit

I guess that’s my confusion. New Orleans is a decidedly French influenced city, and Philadelphia is probably one the first true American cities so they feel as different to me as Santa Fe and Boston.

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SummitSloth@reddit (OP)

This is a fair take, Philadelphia is Colonial. There is a huge difference in Pueblan vs. Boston's colonial architecture.

My point was mainly both cities have a very concentrated famous historical part with the rest of the city being historical too.

I'm a huge walker on my off days and that was the similarities I found with both cities. You can walk for 5-10 miles through the dense history and not run into a newer part of the city.

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Maleficent-Hawk-318@reddit

My family is from New Mexico and my sister now lives in New Orleans, and she constantly says part of why she wound up deciding to settle there (after living in multiple major US cities and several other countries) is that it reminds her a lot of Albuquerque and Santa Fe, lol.

Also I know I'm just being nitpicky now, but implying Santa Fe was not a colonial city is pretty funny to me. I realize what you're saying, that it wasn't a British colony/early American city, but it's very much a colonial city.

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sebastianbrody@reddit

So it's just "old cities" at this point.

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It’s not like we’re jumping down their throat or calling them names. It’s just a very weird comparison to make, and now we’re having a discussion about it. Which I think is how comments on threads are supposed to work. 😜

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Amockdfw89@reddit

Yea. If OP said Savannah or something then sure. But op picked two very unrelated cities with a very different vibe and culture.

Yea but those are more like historic buildings and houses scattered about.

It maybe wasn't the most precisely explained, but I know what they mean.

gutclutterminor@reddit

I think movies must have been a bigger factor. Movies started in LA in the mid 19Teens. Look at the population jumps.

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Squire513@reddit

Most American cities downtown core is quite small outside NYC and Chicago. Generally they are cluster of suburbs around a downtown grid.

In comparison London hit 1M people in 1800. NYC hit 1M around 1875-1880.

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567Anonymous@reddit

I have never been to New Orleans, but have lived in and around Philly my whole life. I have never heard of anyone visiting New Orleans and thinking it seems like Philly, so that is an interesting take for sure.

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CustomerSecure9417@reddit

San Jose and Chicago. Except for the weather.

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Rex_Nemorensis_@reddit

Atlanta Georgia and my local city dump.

The first time I visited New Orleans, I vowed to return as often as possible.

The first time I visited Philadelphia I vowed to never return.

Throws grenade

non_clever_username@reddit

Phoenix and Dallas.

genericuser_12345@reddit

Dry vs humid tho

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non_clever_username@reddit

Dry 110 versus humid 95 are both fucking miserable.

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SummitSloth@reddit (OP)

😂 I surprisingly haven't been to Dallas but I believe you 100%

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BondGoldBond007@reddit

Ann Arbor, MI and Madison, WI

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Ok_Sheepherder_1794@reddit

Evidently a deeply unpopular take but.. I kind of agree somewhat on Philly-NOLA. They’re chocolate cities with a creamy, pale center. They have distinct, arty, “authentic” local cultures, are highly walkable, big but not dauntingly so (unlike NYC or LA), lots of important historical sites, their main tourism district is on the waterfront, but woe betide the misguided tourist who walks just a little too far out of that area.

I’m a huge fan of weeklong stays in both places - I’d say they’re my two favorite cities I’ve been to and I’ve been to both many, many times. There’s never a shortage of things to do, or (especially) to eat. That’s not to say there aren’t huge differences too. There’s no Philly equivalent to Cajun/Creole cuisine, or Bourbon St, or the musical/cultural legacy and scene in NOLA. The voodoo schtick, the cemeteries, the Anne Rice of it all. There is no comparison to be made between SEPTA and RTA.

Each city also today has a heavy tech worker presence and people move from all over the world to work at these companies. The proximity to outdoor activities also contributes to the outdoors culture in each city.

ForestOranges@reddit

Miami is just NYC of the South

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DonutDerby@reddit

Portland Maine and Portland Oregon

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JimBeam823@reddit

Beaufort, SC and Beaufort, NC

In terms of traffic, SF and NYC, mostly because so much volume for both can only enter via a very limited set of bridges or tunnels.

After a decade of commuting around SF and the peninsula, NYC traffic doesn't phase me. If anything, it's easier to deal with; I've been fully stopped on 101 before, but even on the BQE or midtown Manhattan I'll be rolling, albeit slowly.

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SummitSloth@reddit (OP)

I love this response. Agreed.

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jewboy916@reddit

Sacramento and Columbus/Raleigh

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JimBeam823@reddit

Raleigh is a suburb without a city.

Raleigh has NC State University and NC state government and not much else. Other than that, it’s a giant suburb of RTP.

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gtjacket09@reddit

How do you figure? I haven’t spent much time in Sacramento, but I don’t feel like Raleigh and Columbus have much in common beyond being state capitals with state universities that don’t suck to live in.

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KaetzenOrkester@reddit

You've just described Sacramento.

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Oh no.

I think Boston and NYC. But Baltimore vibes is different to me.

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Cold_Elk947@reddit

Baltimore County is way different than the City of Baltimore. I’ve lived in MD for over 30 years and every time I go to the City, it’s like I traveled to another state.

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Afromolukker_98@reddit

Oh yeah the City is definitely different than Baltimore County for sure.

I just feel Baltimore vibe is different than NYC. I think I feel I'd see more immigrant populations in NYC... not as much but a good bit in Boston. But Baltimore, doesn't have that vibe.

If anything Baltimore gives me Newark, New Jersey more than NYC.

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HellYeahBelle@reddit

Baltimore born and raised (and still here). I’m inclined to agree with you when it comes to the county north and NW of the city, but SW/SE Baltimore County feels very Baltimore City.

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Cold_Elk947@reddit

I love the city. I find MD to be a bit stuffy but going to the city is the complete opposite, that’s why it’s feels like a whole different state. I live closer to DC and that area feels really stuffy.

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HellYeahBelle@reddit

That’s super interesting. As a Baltimorean, I feel the exact opposite! I feel the DMV is super stuffy, even more so than the snootiest parts of Baltimore County. I lived in MoCo for a few years and loved it, but much prefer the whole Baltimore area to it.

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Cold_Elk947@reddit

I live in MoCo and have lived here the whole time. I’ve been to other counties, even close to the PA line (don’t recommend) and also Southern MD…they’re all the same.

The Caribbean is geographically a part of North America!

having lived in both

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SummitSloth@reddit (OP)

Oh this is another fantastic example. I wholeheartedly agree.

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78723@reddit

Washington D.C. and CDMX. Beautiful cities filled with both historic and modern buildings, lots of museums and art, lush plant life throughout the city, a love of seafood, and, yes, admittedly a history of issues with crime.

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Mr_Kittlesworth@reddit

I don’t think they’re particularly similar. What you said is true, but the architecture, culture, food, weather, and layout/transit are all very different.

Beginning-Damage-555@reddit

Richer colonial history or different colonial history? New Orleans and Philadelphia were founded 36 years apart

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Emotional_Ad5714@reddit

Saint Paul is pretty similar to Milwaukee and Minneapolis is pretty similar to Denver.

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Cowboywizard12@reddit

Los Angeles California and San Antonio Texas

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gauchomuchacho@reddit

Sausalito, CA and Montecito, CA… both gorgeous and wealthy European-style coastal cities accessible only to the ultra-wealthy

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sewlar_flare@reddit

San Francisco and Pittsburgh.

Chicago and Manhattan

Specifically Manhattan, not all 5 boroughs

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No_Patience_6801@reddit

The first thing that came to mind is Denver and Seattle. Both just outside of the most incredible nature. Both vote blue, both have pretty outdoorsy people that love spending the weekend outside while eating farm to table food at some cool brewery.

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DoookieMaxx@reddit

Atlanta and LA

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gtjacket09@reddit

How do you figure? I love Atlanta but I’ve never gotten on with LA

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DoookieMaxx@reddit

Mostly the “facade” of fancy hiding a dirty underbelly.