SkyscraperPage Forum - Your state's/province's most interesting/ cuturally distinct city(ies)

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I think Solvang is a great choice for California. Its basically a Danish Village in the States

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urbanguy (Post 8736129)

In Hawaii -- it would definitely be Honolulu. To most locals from the outer islands -- Honolulu is often viewed as not the "real" Hawaii but a concrete jungle, overcrowded and touristy. For these reasons it does make it quite interesting and unique in the state because there are no other urban areas like it and because it feels more like a East meets West kind of place versus any other town in the state.

I have to agree Urbanguy. I would add that Waikiki, in particular, is the enclave or city-within-a-city that most epitomizes what you describe. I have relatives that refuse to go there if they can avoid it. It's just so different from the other parts of Honolulu. Even as a kid growing up on Oahu I was always wary of Waikiki because it seemed so strange and foreign compared to the rest of the island: Dancing hare krishnas, street performers, the old International Marketplace, crowds of pedestrians on the sidewalks, the various foreign languages overhead, overzealous tour guides handing out leaflets and coupons and different (non-local) types of dress. It was an eyeful for a local kid.

I do appreciate it now as an adult.

I'm going to a wedding in Solvang in May. If anyone orders merlot, I'm leaving. I am NOT drinking any f****** merlot

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crawford (Post 8741683)

I passed through Leamington a few years ago, while visiting Point Pelee, and noticed a lot of (apparent) Africans on the main street.

Perhaps seasonal workers, or recent migrants? I don't believe they were West Indians, due to attire. Kinda odd in rural Ontario farm country.

After Mexicans, Jamaicans are the next largest migrant worker population in the Leamington/Kingsville area.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LosAngelesSportsFan (Post 8753943)

I think Solvang is a great choice for California. Its basically a Danish Village in the States

eh, i mean theres places like that all over the us, the midwest and pacific northwest has these kinds of sclerotic “european villages” whereas a city like los angeles is some kind of real brew.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JManc (Post 8735060)

Pittsburgh, especially the Southside slopes is one of the more interesting places in the country. Reminds me of some villages in Europe...just with Steelers crap everywhere.

And lots of meth and trashy people.

Quote:

Originally Posted by summersm343 (Post 8735395)

But those attributes do not make it culturally distinct within the state. Philly is definitely not the most culturally distinct part of Pennsylvania. Much of the southeastern PA quadrant is similar in terms of history, religion, ancestry, economy, politics, architecture, customs, food, etc... i.e., culture. Philadelphia is just the epicenter of it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by xzmattzx (Post 8737656)

To me, the most unique city in Pennsylvania is Erie. It is the only area in Pennsylvania with a shoreline and where you can go to a beach. Being on the lake, Erie has as much connection culturally with Buffalo and Cleveland as it does Pittsburgh.

Ding ding ding... correct answer. Erie is easily the most unique and culturally distinct city in Pennsylvania. The fact that it is the ONLY Great Lakes city in Pennsylvania solidifies that. Add to that, the fact that it is much more closely associated with two cities not even in Pennsylvania (Buffalo and Cleveland) than it is with any other Pennsylvania city or region. Aside from having Steelers fans (and also many Browns and Bills fans) in Erie, there's really not a whole lot of similarity with Pittsburgh culturally. The Erie region is most closely associated with western NY. And, I mean come on, Canada is right across the Lake...

Erie is truly the oddball of Pennsylvania.

Quote:

Originally Posted by summersm343 (Post 8735395)

Pennsylvania

-Philadelphia is probably the most interesting culturally distinct part of the state. It's the most cosmopolitan part of the state for sure. It's the city with the bigger name tourist and historical attractions, restaurants, museums, neighborhoods, so on and so forth.

-Pittsburgh is probably the most interesting geographically distinct part of the state in the sense that it's a dense urban city straddled between two rivers and urban hills on all sides.

-There are some incredibly cool small towns/cities throughout too though, including Jim Thorpe, Lancaster, Gettysburg, Ardmore, West Chester, Doylestown, New Hope, so on and so forth. (although, the last 4 could technically be considered Philly too since they're in the Philly MSA).

It's gotta be somewhere in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, like Lancaster. That's one of the most culturally distinct regions in the entire country.

Quote:

Originally Posted by iheartthed (Post 8754522)

It's gotta be somewhere in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, like Lancaster. That's one of the most culturally distinct regions in the entire country.

South Central-Southeastern PA is all pretty similar though. Early German farming culture dominated from Philly to the mountains. It’s not that distinct in Pennsylvania. It’s rather common.

Quote:

Originally Posted by iheartthed (Post 8754522)

It's gotta be somewhere in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, like Lancaster. That's one of the most culturally distinct regions in the entire country.

maybe for some, if you haven't been to ohio and holmes county. ;)

Quote:

Originally Posted by LosAngelesSportsFan (Post 8753943)

I think Solvang is a great choice for California. Its basically a Danish Village in the States

if so, then it would be frankenmuth for michigan.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pj3000 (Post 8754532)

South Central-Southeastern PA is all pretty similar though. Early German farming culture dominated from Philly to the mountains. It’s not that distinct in Pennsylvania. It’s rather common.

Exactly. To Pennsylvanians, there isn't much of a difference between the rural areas of Berks County, Lancaster County, and York County. Sure, Reading, Lancaster, and York are all a little different, but all have German heritage similarities.