i surrender SF is the most beautiful us city

[DZH22]

I don't think there's an urban park in the country that matches the Pittsburgh view across the river from Mount Washington. Of course, the hills giveth and the hills taketh away, as the city itself is pretty much hidden until you're right on top of it. It also has too many rundown areas to compete at the top of the overall list, but damn if it isn't epically scenic at a more modest scale.

I'd put this up against any skyline view in the country. I think you're about 400' above the water from here.

The Paris of Appalachia by John Brighenti, on Flickr

Mount Washington overlook - Pittsburgh PA by Mad Hare Imagery, on Flickr

Downtown Pittsburgh Buildings from Mount Washington by Todd Jacobson, on Flickr

Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, City (Skyline - From Mount Washington 9) 2014 by Ehren Zaun, on Flickr

[twinpeaks]

Originally Posted by badrunner

Yeah it's very prominent against the mountain backdrop. It almost looks like a mirage in the distance. Here is a more realistic view of the skyline from Palos Verdes if people don't like the zoomed-in view. It's closer to what the naked eye sees. It's not the best image quality, being a still from a video. But somehow, seeing it in this context, seeing it in the flesh, is even more mindblowing than anything you can capture with a telephoto lens. Pictures really can't do justice to the expansive view of the LA basin at night.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojD2OBlsNSU

Thanks. This is more realistic picture of the actual proportions of the LA view from Palos Verdes.

[LA21st]

https://duanemillerphotography.com/featu...-center-in-los-angeles-duane-miller.html

Getty Center view just looking east. Doesnt show the ocean views or the hills/moutains

[craigs]

Pittsburgh is one of the more beautiful cities in America. The topography is interesting, there are a zillion bridges, the downtown skyline is tight and has some good architecture and the secondary "downtown" at the universities also has good architecture. The vernacular residential architecture is good, too, where it has been kept up.

[badrunner]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

I'll raise you Barcelona's Park Montjuic and Park Guell, although Guell is now only free for Barcelona residents.

And I haven't yet seen an urban park that can match Rio's Sugarloaf Mountain or Corcovado for views, but I'll concede that both of those places require fees to enter.

Those are all beautiful views no doubt. Conventionally beautiful, but perhaps not the surreal, liminal visual spectacle that is the view of the LA basin at night, which is something quite unique in the world, and something that has to be seen to be believed. It's more like an ocean view than a city view. I've seen it elicit audible gasps, and sometimes, a hushed silence, like you were in a cathedral.

[Notonfoodstamps]

Originally Posted by DZH22

I don't think there's an urban park in the country that matches the Pittsburgh view across the river from Mount Washington. Of course, the hills giveth and the hills taketh away, as the city itself is pretty much hidden until you're right on top of it. It also has too many rundown areas to compete at the top of the overall list, but damn if it isn't epically scenic at a more modest scale.

I'd put this up against any skyline view in the country. I think you're about 400' above the water from here.

Grand Overlook is ~450’ above the water if my memory serves me right. In terms of geographic intimacy/distance to the skyline, yeah it’s probably unrivaled. That being said, Griffith Park (if you want to count that as urban) or Balboa in SD probably give the best urban vista’s. I’m not familiar with SF but I’m sure it has some with nutty views.

If there’s one thing that I dislike living in my area, is how flat (relatively) Baltimore & DC are.

The most iconic vantage point in Baltimore (Federal Hill) is only ~80’ tall by comparison despite being the same distance from downtown as Pittsburghs Grand Overlook (both are about ~.5 miles)



But the best vantage point to see the whole city is in North Cathedral Cemetery, ~4 miles west of DT



Like Baltimore, the best elevated DC vantage point is Robert E. Lee/Arlington House in Arlington Cemetery which sits at 171’ in elevation, ~2 miles from the DT

[craigs]

Originally Posted by Quixote

I went to Running Springs over the holiday weekend last month. Even with the wildfires, I could still see the coast (and perhaps Catalina Island) while eating at Hortencia's — a panoramic view from Mt. San Jacinto all the way to Huntington Beach (I think).

LA has perhaps the most diverse natural geographic landscape of any heavily populated place on Earth. No, it doesn't have anywhere near the best or most extreme of each. Our beaches aren't like South Florida, the mountains aren't the Alps, Catalina isn't Capri, and the best of the Mojave (Death Valley) is a few hours away. That would be unfair.

And DTLA being situated where it is really makes all of these geographic features within reach.

Hortencia's has one of the best views of any restaurant anywhere.

[badrunner]

Originally Posted by Quixote

LA has perhaps the most diverse natural geographic landscape of any heavily populated place on Earth. No, it doesn't have anywhere near the best or most extreme of each. Our beaches aren't like South Florida, the mountains aren't the Alps, Catalina isn't Capri, and the best of the Mojave (Death Valley) is a few hours away. That would be unfair.

Catalina isn't Capri. But Capri isn't Catalina either. The Mediterranean is absolutely beautiful but it's a bit of a dead sea in terms of marine life. Meanwhile the Channel Islands and Southern California is host to the richest, most abundant marine ecosystem in the world. And yeah I guess that might be a little bit unfair.

• Video Link


Did I mention Catalina is still in LA county?

As above, so below.

• Video Link

[Nomayoplease]

Originally Posted by Quixote

I went to Running Springs over the holiday weekend last month. Even with the wildfires, I could still see the coast (and perhaps Catalina Island) while eating at Hortencia's — a panoramic view from Mt. San Jacinto all the way to Huntington Beach (I think).

LA has perhaps the most diverse natural geographic landscape of any heavily populated place on Earth. No, it doesn't have anywhere near the best or most extreme of each. Our beaches aren't like South Florida, the mountains aren't the Alps, Catalina isn't Capri, and the best of the Mojave (Death Valley) is a few
hours away. That would be unfair.



And DTLA being situated where it is really makes all of these geographic features within reach.

I agree, and will add by saying that the diversity of california is astonishing. Mountains, beaches, desert, volcanos. It has it all. Off the top of my head Santiago, chile comes to mind with the same geographic features.

[muppet]

Jinshang Park is the highest point in central Beijing. The hill was made from the earth dug out of the 170ft wide moat around the Forbidden City. It's not that tall, only about 300ft above sea level:




However, you get views of the Forbidden City and its 980 buildings, in a square km of traditional architecture. It's probably the lowest viewing point in a city for the most spectacular view











and the Beijing Central Axis (a string of monuments that cuts through the capital)

[jmecklenborg]

Originally Posted by Quixote

LA has perhaps the most diverse natural geographic landscape of any heavily populated place on Earth. No, it doesn't have anywhere near the best or most extreme of each. Our beaches aren't like South Florida, the mountains aren't the Alps, Catalina isn't Capri, and the best of the Mojave (Death Valley) is a few hours away.

It doesn't have...woods. Which means it doesn't have...shade. You can be active in the middle of the day in the woods because it's 10-15F cooler than direct sunlight. We have ultra-endurance running and mountain biking events all around the Midwest and Great Lakes where you don't have the problem with heat exhaustion and rhabdo that occurs in the no-shade belt.

Meanwhile, kids play and teenagers hang out in the patches of woods that dot the cities. It's a huge part of the culture that doesn't exist in Southern California and most of the Sunbelt.

[Nomayoplease]

Originally Posted by jmecklenborg

It doesn't have...woods. Which means it doesn't have...shade. You can be active in the middle of the day in the woods because it's 10-15F cooler than direct sunlight. We have ultra-endurance running and mountain biking events all around the Midwest and Great Lakes where you don't have the problem with heat exhaustion and rhabdo that occurs in the no-shade belt.

Meanwhile, kids play and teenagers hang out in the patches of woods that dot the cities. It's a huge part of the culture that doesn't exist in Southern California and most of the Sunbelt.

Wait ...what?

[badrunner]

Those cemetery pictures reminded me that they have some of the best views in SoCal. They're free to enter, and some of them are quite the tourist attraction.


https://forestlawn.com/parks/covina-hills/

[Six Corners]

Originally Posted by jmecklenborg

It doesn't have...woods. Which means it doesn't have...shade. You can be active in the middle of the day in the woods because it's 10-15F cooler than direct sunlight. We have ultra-endurance running and mountain biking events all around the Midwest and Great Lakes where you don't have the problem with heat exhaustion and rhabdo that occurs in the no-shade belt.

Meanwhile, kids play and teenagers hang out in the patches of woods that dot the cities. It's a huge part of the culture that doesn't exist in Southern California and most of the Sunbelt.

+1 @Nomayoplease. Yeah.. What? I live in a pretty woodsy city that straddles the midwest and south and I don't recall anyone ever asking to go hang out under a patch of trees.

Also, as a runner and hiker, I've found both Forest Park here in St. Louis and Griffith Park in LA equally miserable at the height of summer.

[Six Corners]

Originally Posted by Notonfoodstamps

Grand Overlook is ~450’ above the water if my memory serves me right. In terms of geographic intimacy/distance to the skyline, yeah it’s probably unrivaled. That being said, Griffith Park (if you want to count that as urban) or Balboa in SD probably give the best urban vista’s. I’m not familiar with SF but I’m sure it has some with nutty views.

Not to speak for the San Franciscans, but there are two urban parks that come to mind. First is Twin Peaks:



The second is Pioneer Park where Coit Tower sits. Pioneer Park has an overlook in front of the tower that essentially gives you this view, but a little lower and with a few trees in the way (pic was taken from atop Coit Tower):



(These crappy pics are my own)

[38 Geary]

Twin Peaks is about 922 ft tall but a decent distance away from the main skyline area, about 3.6 miles away from Salesforce Tower.

Pioneer Park, which is located at the top of Telegraph Hill, is about 285 ft tall. If you're at the top of Coit Tower, which is 210 ft tall, then you're about 495 ft above sea level, which is about 2,700 ft from the Transamerica Pyramid (closest prominent tower) and 5,150 ft from Salesforce Tower (tallest tower).

Looks like Grandview Overlook is actually quite similar, being about 450 ft tall, and is about 2,800 ft from One PPG Place and 5,100 ft from US Steel Tower (tallest tower).

The main differences are that you don't get a network of rivers in the view from Coit Tower, although you do get the Bay. You also have to pay to go to the top of Coit Tower, but you also get more of a 360 degree view which you don't get with Grandview.

[LA21st]

Originally Posted by jmecklenborg

It doesn't have...woods. Which means it doesn't have...shade. You can be active in the middle of the day in the woods because it's 10-15F cooler than direct sunlight. We have ultra-endurance running and mountain biking events all around the Midwest and Great Lakes where you don't have the problem with heat exhaustion and rhabdo that occurs in the no-shade belt.

Meanwhile, kids play and teenagers hang out in the patches of woods that dot the cities. It's a huge part of the culture that doesn't exist in Southern California and most of the Sunbelt.

That's nonsense and you must little about heat index or dew points. 85 degrees in the midwest with 90 percent humidity isn't 85 in LA with 40 percent. 85 in the midwest would be closing in on 100 or higher in real heat feel. Where LA would feel like 85.

The high humidity would be deadly hiking in Socal. You would just be pouring sweat and in serious trouble. LA's tempatures are usually pretty comfortable, shade or no shade. You can keep that disgusting humid 🞵🞵🞵🞵. I've been on hikes (I hike all the time) when its humid, and the sweat loss is no joke.

LA is FAR MORE ACTIVE in the summer than the midwest. Get 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵 real. I remember just walking in downtown Chicago in the summer for like 30 minutes and had to go inside coffee shops to just cool down. I never have that temptation in LA. I can walk for miles in LA and never feel overheated like that.

Humidity 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵 if you want to be active. Its not even a debate. Its why NFL players detest playing in Florida in Sept and October. They love LA though.

Heat exhaustion? What? It was in the humid areas athletes died from heat exhaustion.

[LA21st]

Originally Posted by Six Corners

+1 @Nomayoplease. Yeah.. What? I live in a pretty woodsy city that straddles the midwest and south and I don't recall anyone ever asking to go hang out under a patch of trees.

Also, as a runner and hiker, I've found both Forest Park here in St. Louis and Griffith Park in LA equally miserable at the height of summer.

You must've went on a bad day in LA or something because most people dont have an issue. Unlike the midwest, where after 30 minutes youre fucked.

Im from VA and I dont remember the patches of trees thing either. We did play on football, baseball and soccer fields though. No trees. so....

Another thing about the trees....the humidity is there. Shade doesnt help humidity. Nightime doesnt either. The humidity never leaves. Where in LA, it actually cools down at night and in the shade.
There is zero relief in humidity. NONE

[badrunner]

Originally Posted by homebucket

Twin Peaks is about 922 ft tall but a decent distance away from the main skyline area, about 3.6 miles away from Salesforce Tower.

Pioneer Park, which is located at the top of Telegraph Hill, is about 285 ft tall. If you're at the top of Coit Tower, which is 210 ft tall, then you're about 495 ft above sea level, which is about 2,700 ft from the Transamerica Pyramid (closest prominent tower) and 5,150 ft from Salesforce Tower (tallest tower).

I actually think San Francisco's skyline looks better from a distance, from across the bay. Something like this: https://maps.app.goo.gl/b6qaYhVNt5eeFYpn8. That's a great view at night. Of course you also get great in-city views, but it's the water that really opens up the sightlines. In LA you have to gain some elevation before the views really open up, but in SF, because of the bay, you can be at sea level right at the water's edge and still get incredible views of the city.

[Antares41]

Originally Posted by craigs

Pittsburgh is one of the more beautiful cities in America. The topography is interesting, there are a zillion bridges, the downtown skyline is tight and has some good architecture and the secondary "downtown" at the universities also has good architecture. The vernacular residential architecture is good, too, where it has been kept up.

Agree with this assessment. Live there for 10 years and was always fascinated by the many scenic views of the downtown from any hill in the vicinity. Also, it has IMO the #1 greatest entrance into any downtown via the Ft. Pitt Tunnel. Also, SF is one of a kind beautiful.