i surrender SF is the most beautiful us city

[Steely Dan]

^ I'm quite biasedly fond of Chicago's aesthetics (and yes, the man-made river canyons are absolutely top notch), but it typically doesn't do well on these kinds of comparisons because it is utterly, even painfully, pancake flat in the topography department.

You can ride a bike for like 10 miles in Chicago and have a elevation gain of only inches. It's kinda ridiculous how flat it is.

Unless you are along the lakeshore, or up in a skyscraper, Chicago is a land without vistas.

[destroycreate]

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse

Personally I'd consider Chicago to be the US' most beautiful city. It also has a great combination of architecture and setting, although the architecture and layout are 2/3 and the setting is only 1/3 while the reverse would be true for SF. But the setting still adds a lot since there are very few cities in NA where a decently-sized river runs right through the city center since in most cases they just run past it on one side. Plus there's the scenic lake front which makes it one of the few cities with both a small and large water feature right downtown. And on top of that, the flat terrain that makes the skyline seem more dramatic while there are also extensive urban neighbourhoods outside the core. Some of said neighbourhoods are quite pretty - borderline beautiful even.

I don't really think of Chicago has being "beautiful" - rather, it's a really handsome city.

[badrunner]

What I noticed is that all the Boston photos in this thread are aerials/drone shots while all the SF photos are from the ground...

[Nouvellecosse]

Originally Posted by ColDayMan

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/

Originally Posted by badrunner

What I noticed is that all the Boston photos in this thread are aerials/drone shots while all the SF photos are from the ground...

[badrunner]

Originally Posted by Nouvellecosse

Just replace "all" with "most"

[badrunner]

Beautiful cities are effortlessly beautiful. You are treated to dramatic views, long sightlines and grand vistas in your day-to-day. Sometimes you'll see something at random and the light will be just right and it will stop you in your tracks. Topography is what serves up those views. Aerial/drone shots are kind of like cheating since you can't ever see those views in the flesh.

[The North One]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

^ I'm quite biasedly fond of Chicago's aesthetics (and yes, the man-made river canyons are absolutely top notch), but it typically doesn't do well on these kinds of comparisons because it is utterly, even painfully, pancake flat in the topography department.

You can ride a bike for like 10 miles in Chicago and have a elevation gain of only inches. It's kinda ridiculous how flat it is.

Unless you are along the lakeshore, or up in a skyscraper, Chicago is a land without vistas.

I don't think relative flatness is a negative mark on a city's beauty as long as you have a nice waterfront that offers sweeping views. Like Paris is pretty flat other than one notable hill. I think in general great lakes cities are disgustingly underrated in terms of their beauty. They have a patina and character that I don't think is replicated the same anywhere else and is hard to describe. It does feel like a more masculine beauty, as another person said "handsome". San Francisco seems like a more feminine vibe.

San Francisco is certainly elevated substantially by it's hills, it's bay and ocean frontage, the bridges. Making it very unique pushing it to clear #1.

Boston is only especially beautiful if you're in Back Bay. It's pretty much typical east coast looking outside of that.

I think SoHo in Manhattan is the most beautiful urban neighborhood. Those cast-iron buildings are just incredible.

[DZH22]

Originally Posted by badrunner

Just replace "all" with "most"

I offered up this one on the last page, the biggest/best shot on the whole thread. I'm literally making both sides of the argument since hardly anybody else is posting pictures.

Originally Posted by DZH22

Here's a good one that makes a strong argument for it being #1.

Twin peaks windy morning by Tony Shi, on Flickr

[DZH22]

Originally Posted by The North One

Boston is only especially beautiful if you're in Back Bay. It's pretty much typical east coast looking outside of that.

Originally Posted by badrunner

What I noticed is that all the Boston photos in this thread are aerials/drone shots while all the SF photos are from the ground...

Originally Posted by jackb

I cant understand why a boston booster would consider trying to compete with SF in this regard

Where Boston is truly pretty is at street level (e.g. comm ave). But even then, Boston's relatively small core of ultra-high quality architecture still has to compete with the massive swath of high quality (with a gradually increasing amount of ultra-high quality) architecture that is SF

I hate to do this, really.....

Beacon Hill

Another Snowy Day in Beacon Hill by Barry, on Flickr

Beacon Hill - 2011 by Lollie Weeks, on Flickr

IMG_7364 by Ray, on Flickr

Freezing Boston Side Street by Corey Best, on Flickr

Esplanade

DSC_8359 by John Oh, on Flickr

Boston in late autumn by Ole G, on Flickr

Esplanade, April 2024 by Leslee_atFlickr, on Flickr

Public Gardens (seamlessly connects with Common, right in the heart of the city)

F1010344 by Sean Sweeney, on Flickr

Boston Public Garden Foot Bridge-1 by Jeremie Doucette, on Flickr

Speaking of Boston Common

Memorial Day flag garden, Boston Common by Leslee_atFlickr, on Flickr

Reflecting Pool

Looking northeast along the Reflecting Pool toward One Dalton, the Prudential Tower, and other skyscrapers by Chris Rycroft, on Flickr

North End

View from Prince Street by rachel.roze, on Flickr

The North End of Boston by Sharon Lee, on Flickr

Harborwalk

Pink Sunset Over Boston's Downtown Waterfront by Scott Eriksen, on Flickr

State Street towards the old State House

US...Boston...low mirror... by udo soehngen, on Flickr

No need for Back Bay, this is already more than enough to make most people here irrationally angry at the Boston spam.

[MolsonExport]

Nice shots but maybe you should start a Boston Photo thread themed around its urban fabric. Which it does very well at.

[The North One]

Yeah I've been to where all these photos are lol, we all know what Boston looks like.

[ColDayMan]

Yeah, urban fabric is just one element to "most beautiful city" but certainly not the only.

Cincinnati has some of the most beautiful neighborhood urban fabric in North America...


www.zillow.com

...but it ain't San Francisco. I know what battles to pick!

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by The North One

I don't think relative flatness is a negative mark on a city's beauty as long as you have a nice waterfront that offers sweeping views.

I don't think flatness is necessarily a negative, after all, this stuff is all 100% subjective, but I do think that in many people's eyes, it is.

That's all I was trying to say.

Chicago has lots of other really wonderful, and even some downright magical, qualities (some of which trump even the great SF), but grand sweeping scenic vistas are not one of them.

It is what it is.



And at least the unrelenting flatness makes the bike riding super — easy!

[jmecklenborg]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

The Ambassador Bridge between Detroit and Windsor is also an art deco suspension bridge. However, the Ambassador Bridge looks better at night as opposed to the GGB, which looks best in daylight.

The Golden Gate is the only one where it seems like an actual artist got involved and had some control over the whole thing edge to edge, although I read that the orange color happened by accident since it was the primer color but everyone realized right away that it harmonized with the surrounding hills and water. Painting some other major bridge like the Verrazzano Narrows that same color wouldn't have the same effect.

Also, the aesthetics of both major SF suspension bridges benefit by not having emergency lanes. If the decks were fattened by 20 feet it would throw everything off.

The emergency lanes are forcing all new bridges to be fat and therefore clumsy-looking.

[jmecklenborg]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

Chicago has lots of other really wonderful, and even some downright magical, qualities (some of which trump even the great SF), but grand sweeping scenic vistas are not one of them.

In the summer, the character of Lake Michigan and the Chicago River is completely different than Lake Erie or Lake Ontario (or the Detroit River). It has a glamorous feel that the other lakes don't have.

[craigs]

The word I would use to describe the Chicago cityscape is thrilling. There's this vast ocean-like waterfront going horizontal, and at the same time, this vast skyline going vertical. It's perpendicular at an epic scale.

[Nouvellecosse]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

Chicago has lots of other really wonderful, and even some downright magical, qualities (some of which trump even the great SF), but grand sweeping scenic vistas are not one of them.

Well... unless you consider grand sweeping skyline vistas to be scenic. But I'm sure there's no one like that around here.

[Nomayoplease]

Guys, of course beauty is subjective! There is need to get all worked up about it. Seattle , boston... also great cities. As i mentioned on my first post , i went after a long time and was really impressed . Other than the beautiful setting and architecture there is just something hard to explain about it... a magic feel... the atmosphere... just like walking on lincoln avenue in chicago or around central park in NY. Just feels magical.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by The North One

Yeah I've been to where all these photos are lol, we all know what Boston looks like.

Those pics of narrow streets where the urban fabric seems untouched from the early 1800s or earlier, could be Philly as well, it’s not unique to Boston (to have surviving neighborhoods that look like that).

[Nomayoplease]

Seattle despite its beautiful surroundings , it doen't have the charming factor SF has. Same with boston. One city that not many people talk about is charleston , i biked around the battery and it felt unique.