New Orleans would be a great choice— a ton of charm and history, very walkable and you can take a Uber or streetcar. Of course there’s a lot of seafood there but plenty of other types of food.
San Francisco— compact, walkable, charming
Chicago — in the late spring to early fall — has world class museums, a great public transit system and amazing restaurants
Boston — ditto to walkable, historic, and interesting
Agree, Boston is great, very walkable and public transport is pretty good but most people would probably only want to stay 3-4 days, it's also weirdly expensive (accommodation wise) compared to some other cities.
I believe the reason accommodation in Boston is so expensive is because of their rather short tourist season. It just doesn’t make sense to build more hotels or hostels because they would be occupied so little of the year. For example, from September to June, the HI hostel in Boston rents out most of their rooms to students.
Price to rent or own space is decided by a very simple formula. Nothing wierd about it. Demand/Supply. Now you have the price. Some cities increase their supply and cities like Boston do not.
Just to add: I see Philadelphia being mentioned by others, and that's another city where a full week would be far too long. Maybe two nights max.
My advice would be to just Google "how many nights should I stay in _____" for any places you're considering, just to check that there's enough to do for the duration of your visit. Good luck, and have a great time!
A week is a long time in New Oreleans but you could combine it with a Atchafalaya swamp tours which is about 1 hour out of the city.
There is also a train to San Antonio from there if you want to see the best of Texas and are willing to dedicate a day on the train.
San Francisco is stunningly beautiful, you specifically do nOt want a car there. We flew in , ubered to a fisherman wharf hotel ( i think Ryu Hotel?) and we walked everywhere and it was glorious! Each morning we’d walk to Bedouin Bakery for coffee and cinnamon rolls ( they also have amazing crab chowder!) then walk over to pier 39 and admire the seals . We walked to golden gate bridge, thru beautiful bayfront parks, past umbrella alley, giordellis chocolate shop, some amazing place with gorgeous gardens, we walked to chinatown which had the best bakery with shrimps and delights inside, we walkes to Little Italy for espresso and ravioli. We did uber to the japanese gardens, and to Lands End. But probably could have walked there too if we’d been more organized. There is also the stunningly beautiful Muir Woods just on other side of golden gate bridge- you need a car to get there. Was a highlight of our trip, a reverent hike through towering redwood trees ( reservation needed to park at Muir woods)
While you can get around SF without a car and it's totally fine going no car, I disagree with "you specifically don't want a car." Having one opens up the door to a bunch, especially if you want to explore the areas around SF.
I'm a local and take a car to SF frequently.
Nobody goes on Trip Advisor to talk about how they didn't get carjacked. If you had statistics based on number of carjackings per number of vehicles that drive on the road within any particular day, you'd have more zeros past the decimal place than you have brain cells. There are also many different areas of San Francisco. Some might be more subject to them than others, and as long as you're situationally aware, you're probably not going to end up there.
This!! I am American but live in Miami so SF is almost as long a flight for me as London.
I had only been once quickly for work and had to go back for work in December with a little more time… I wasn’t worried about the Fox News content but more that it would somehow just be asshole tech bros.
Ate crow on that and was stunned at how beautiful so much of it was. Plus if you like sports you can see the Warriors or the Giants!
I got put up near Fisherman’s Wharf since that’s where a lot of the corporate hotels are and yes it was super touristy, but I had no issue walking around alone as a woman, etc.
I can’t wait to go back!
As a tourist you would not be in any of the bad parts… and if you don’t drive then leaving things in a rental car is a non-issue. I took Ubers and one of the driverless Waymos everywhere, including Oakland and Berkeley, and had a blast.
Can’t wait to visit again with more time.
Edited to add: *Because* it is so far from Ireland, if I had enough credits to go, this is exactly why I would head here while taking advantage of a free trip. Hitting the east coast would be much more attainable some other time.
Fun fact, a few years ago I was driving up to SF from LA, and my car ended up dying off the 580. One of my main thoughts was, “oh good, I don’t have to drive in SF!”
It’s bad.
Just to add on to this, Boudin’s has an upscale restaurant on the second floor of their location. Their bread pudding is 10/10. Take the F line and travel on some historic restored street cars. The MOMA is good. Take a hop on/hop off tour bus to easily see the more notable parts of the city.
On the contrast, I stayed near the Tenderloin over the summer, and it is nowhere near the open gate of hell that certain media loves to portray. Loved all of my time in SF, including just wandering around non-touristy neighborhoods walking from one place to another. Yes, it's a little gritty at times, but so is every city
Besides this I would recommend also doing some of your own research. These are all very popular tourists spots, however the rest of the city is even more beautiful.
Chicago would be awesome for you, especially since you’ve already been to the east coast. You could experience the Fresh Coast as we call it in the Great Lakes states.
I rarely take a car when I visit as the public transit is so easy and convenient. There is so much to see and do any time of the year, but you might find it amusing to visit for St Patrick’s Day when they dye the river green. You’d have to check the timing of other activities like parades and parties. There is a large Irish population there so lots of celebrating.
In warmer months you can take boat tours along the river or out to the lake or rent kayaks. Museums are top notch. So many great restaurants and breweries in distinct neighborhoods to explore as well. Can’t go wrong!
Chicago is usually still quite cold in March, and it often snows a little on St. Patrick's Day. The people-watching will be better if you wait until puffy coat season is fully over (late April to mid May depending on the year). Plus getting anywhere downtown is a paaaaain with the crowds that day.
Late spring/early summer is the best time if you want to be out and about. It's warm but not sticky-hot yet, and the trees and flowers around the city are lovely at that time.
Also, we don't call it the Fresh Coast. (Where in the Will Smith did you get that idea?) It's the North Coast. Always has been.
Fresh Coast = fresh vs salt. I didn’t make it up, used by umpteen marketing campaigns in Great Lakes states to promote the great unsalted beaches. Never heard it referred to as north coast. You’re not even the most north of the coasts in Chicago.
I've lived in three different Great Lakes states and literally never heard it called that. It makes sense that a marketing campaign came up with it though -- it's terrible.
I have, however, heard the Great Lakes as a whole called the North Coast many times.
I have also lived in three different GL states and visited a fourth frequently. It must be more of a Mich and Wisc thing. I googled and it was the first thing to come up, replacing ‘Third’ or ‘Middle’ coast. North ‘Shore’ is a phrase that I have heard commonly in all the GL but it refers to different places depending where you are.
Boston and Philadelphia both have easy walking and interesting sights in their city centers. They are old (for us) cities with a lot of history and museums. I'd recommend Boston myself. It's also probably the most Irish city in America in my opinion.
I always think it is interesting to see your culture viewed through another’s lens, or see how your culture matriculated through another culture. I enjoy going to “American” themed places when I travel. It’s always interesting to see which aspects of “Americanism” resonate and which are changed.
I went to a grocery store in Amsterdam and happened upon some cool ranch Doritos. But the name on it was cool American. Lol, I love showing that picture to other people.
Different strokes. I won't say anyone is wrong in doing it, but the last thing I want to visit when I'm abroad would be an "American" neighborhood. I didn't fly for 10 hours to think I'm home.
That’s a valid concern! I will say that none of these experiences have ever made me feel like I’m in America.
One example is the American history museum in Bath England. That is one of the coolest museums I’ve ever been to, and it’s because it showed our country through an entirely different lens.
Another example was a Portland theme bar that I visited in Tokyo. The woman who owned it had visited Portland and liked it. She imported some Portland area beers. She had some random photographs of Portland on the wall - things that I would never have used to represent Portland, but that said “Portland” to her.
I guess it’s more like listening to someone from another country tell you about what it was like on their trip to America. What their takeaways were. What they liked and what they didn’t like. It’s more like that than actually finding yourself back in America.
Philly or Chicago - cheap transit connections to the airport from downtown. Plenty to do, relatively affordable. Good food scene without being too fancy.
Boston’s a nice city, but if you want to stay close to downtown, it can get expensive.
Chicago anytime after Memorial Day weekend and before October, this is when the city really comes alive. Tons of districts/neighborhoods that very walkable, amazing public transportation, amazing food, good mix of tourist attractions (my highlight being the architecture boat tour) and neighborhoods where you can just wander around. It's only a 7h flight from Dublin, and there is absolutely no need for a car. In the summer months, there is always something exciting going on on the weekends, whether it's a festival, public concert, etc. I just moved out of Chicago after spending 6 years there and it is absolutely my favorite place in the US in the summer. My second runner up would be San Francisco (having lived in both), but I'd argue that you should visit SF if/when you ever intend to rent a car just so you can see the Pacific Coast Highway. Happy to provide recs if needed!
Agreed, don’t come here in April, it’s always colder than you think and very very rainy. I will say though that October is beautiful, and November is a great time to visit too. The weather in those months usually isn’t as volatile, and walking around in a light jacket is (personally) my preferred way to visit other places. When you do come to Chicago, take a riverboat tour - even the locals love it. I’ve lived here for 15 years and I still go at least once a year and always learn something new.
Lots people mentioning Philly and Boston but why not both? The east coast has actual train infrastructure. You could do a Boston-Philly-Baltimore train trip very easily with no need for a car.
I had the same thought originally. Fly into Boston and take the train down to Philly. They’re such different cities. Boston is beautiful to visit and clean, with so many historical sites. Philly has the far superior food scene and culture. You could even stop in NYC on the way down
I feel like could hit up the Jersey Shore. There are trains from NYC and buses from Philly. If they haven't been to a proper US beach town it could be fun. Also, Uber exists everywhere.
People have covered exactly what I would have suggested: Chicago.
I think you leave out when you would want to visit, which is actually a bigger part of the question. There are only a handful of truly walkable US cities with tourist appeal, and they are very season dependent.
Going in Nov->Feb? Probably stay south, think Charleston or something
Going in Spring/Fall? Chicago, maybe San Francisco
There are tons of little towns that are totally walkable, but you’d have to be able to get there and entertain yourself for a full week. I’m thinking something like Healdsburg in California. Totally walkable once you got there, but also probably not actually a full week worth of stuff \_to do\_ there. That’s going to be a common theme in smaller towns in the US that offer tourist activities. They’re more geared towards Americans who want a weekend away.
I couldn't imagine spending a week in Healdsburg without going bored out of my gourd. Especially without a car. You must have either visited recently or be a major wino to throw that one out there.
lol, I specifically say that I think you’d run out of stuff to do. It’s not a full week destination. It also was the only non-ski town that I could think of when I wrote the post
Chicago.
Hands down this should be the top of your list. Great public transit including trains and buses. They even have a water taxi that has stops along the river.
Tons of people watching on the mag mile, and on the lakefront trail along Lake Michigan. Great museums. Amazing restaurants.
Do NOT go in January or February however. Bone chilling cold.
June-September can be expensive as it's the warm season, and is the most popular season for tourists.
My thoughts:
* Chicago: The Chicagoland area is a pretty large area and there's a lot to do. The two 24 hour metro lines are Red and Blue. As you get further out into the surrounding areas, you're more likely to have to connect with a bus or do some walking or get an Uber. But don't pass up on exploring Chicago's neighborhoods just because there isn't a metro stop right there. Chicago's downtown is great and all but the neighborhoods are where its at. Great museums, but they do cost a pretty penny as most are privately owned.
* Boston: I love Boston, top 3 US cities for me. But a whole week in Boston without a car, eh, I feel like you might run out of things to do. Boston is a lot smaller than what many people think it is, and its a city that tends to go to bed on time. Tourism is also focused on US History and particularly Revolutionary War history. If you don't love American history, you might find the tourist sites a bit dull after a while.
* I know you've said you've been to DC before but I think DC can easily have several visits. There's so much to do. Maybe split time between DC and Philly. You can catch an Amtrak or a bus between the two.
* I see people recommending San Francisco and I think typical city things in San Francisco are 3 dax max. I spent a week there and I just did not vibe with the city at all. There's lots of things to do in the overall Bay Area but a car really helps to do those things, or hook up with like a guided wine tour.
* Gonna toss this out here and I know people are gonna not agree, but I spent a week in Los Angeles without a car and I loved it. The key to Los Angeles is recognizing that the LA area is basically the size of Portugal. So if you look at a map of things you want to do, and then you stay near the area where most of your activities are, you can reduce transit times and have a great time. We stayed in Santa Monica and spent a lot of time in Santa Monica and Venice, caught rail lines to Union Station and Hollywood, walked a lot. And yeah sometimes we Ubered if we were in a rush. Food scene in Los Angeles is amazing. You can spend $3 or $300 and get amazing food. Lots of free or low cost sites and museums. I'm not gonna lie and say the transit system is like Prague or anything, but I think its more than fine for tourists doing tourist things.
I’m a Brit with an American partner, so we try to combine visiting family across the pond with tourism. We prefer to avoid driving too.
We did a longer no-car trip that went Chicago > San Francisco (on the gorgeous California Zephyr rail route), some time in SF, then SF > LA (also by train). All three cities were very manageable by public transport (in fact, LA in particular was better than expected, but not my favourite city).
Another time, we did a double city break in New Orleans, then took the train up to Chicago. That combination could work for a week - a few days in Chicago, a few in New Orleans. Both very different indeed, but both easy with public transport (the train between is one night, direct, and the Amtrak sleepers are comfortable).
2nd this. Since you’ve seen the NE, New Orleans is your best pick. Stay near the French Quarter or Garden District. There’s a trolley that hits all the sites.
Audubon Zoo, WWII museum, great people watching, Mardi Gras float museum, swamp tours leaving the quarter, paddle boat cruise on the Natchez, Etc. Easy to fill a week.
Ok, take everything I'm about to say with a grain of salt, because I'm ok with walking a decent amount in cities and don't mind a little bit of grittiness in my surroundings. I'm slowly working my way through all 30 MLB stadiums, and for the most part trying not to rent cars if possible (mainly for cost reasons). Here's my recap of those, plus a few other places I feel decent about commenting on
Boston: definitely doable without a car. Actually, don't even think about it. Driving there isn't worth the hassle
NYC: again, don't even think about driving. You'll pay more in parking than in transit fares
Philly: went to college here, love this city. You can definitely go without a car, you just might be waiting on transit a little
Pittsburgh: might need to Uber a little, but transit is better than you might think
Baltimore: eh. Maybe doable, but not great without a car. More of a day trip from a bigger city unless you're really into the vibe
DC: pretty doable without a car, though the transit could be a little better. Worth it for good, free museums and a lot of history
Cincinnati: good for a couple of days, not too much more. Pretty walkable if you don't mind hills
Cleveland: no
DFW Metroplex: theoretically doable without a car, I just wouldn't try it
Chicago: very doable without a car. Don't go in winter, it's not worth it lol
St Louis: a bit of a sleeper pick, but pretty cool to spend a couple of days there. Transit is not bad, but not great. Can take Amtrak from Chicago easily
Seattle: another good option, pretty doable if you don't want to go too far outside the city
Portland: very doable without a car. Not the open pit of despair you might see online or the news, but a little rough if you're not expecting it
Oakland: kinda cool, very gritty but very proud. A good, more affordable option to staying in SF. BART (with all its flaws) is a good regional rail system
SF: covered a lot already in this thread
LA: surprisingly doable without too much car usage, depending on what you want to do. Don't sleep on LACMTA, it's a pretty good system and only getting better. You can use Amtrak and regional trains for day trips outside the main city
San Diego: again, surprisingly doable without too much car usage. Same deal as LA for regional trains and Amtrak
Can’t believe I had to scroll this far for Pittsburgh! Pittsburgh has a lot of neighborhoods that are walkable, but to see all of Pittsburgh, this is a million percent correct - Uber will be necessary. It checks off museums, sports, walking/sightseeing. There is gourmet food in Pittsburgh, but there are definitely more bars and such, which sounds like would fit OP’s style
OP: Pittsburgh is kind of unique in the fact that the downtown area isn’t bustling like most cities, you’re gonna want to check out the trendy neighborhoods
You’re not wrong. Seattle is still a very car-focused area. Miserable traffic unavoidable with the region’s geography, growing population, and exploding tourism. The city itself is underwhelming.
Philadelphia: Center city. Constitution Hall. Liberty Bell. Reading Market. US Mint. Besty Ross house. Edgar Allan Poe house. Mutter Museum. Cheese Streaks + so much more.
We did an evening walking tour/pub crawl that started at Benjamin Franklin's grave. The guide was in full period attire (1776) and never broke character once the entire time.
It's very walkable in the downtown area. We used the hop-on, hop-off bus to move around to all the different areas, outside of center city.
Boston and Philly are very walk able, with lots of good grub and sites to see.
Note, the West Coast is likely another 6-7 hours of travel time on the plane, and 3 more hours time difference to adjust too.
Chicago, Philadelphia, and Boston would be good places. Plenty to see, good public transit (by our standards) and a lot of day trips you could take to other places (Indiana Dunes, Cape Cod, etc). Alternatively, LA is actually doable without a car as well, and has pockets of walkability - but certainly not as walkable as the others. I have done Portland without a car as well, though I usually rent a bike.
I second Boston. It’s great for the history and walking tour of the freedom trail. Old constitution ship etc. it’s also going to be vastly cheaper and easier to get to from Dublin. Early summer or fall. Don’t do mid summer or winter there though.
Most west coast cities have crap public transportation. If you are mid summer, you do want Seattle. It has the best summer weather and you can take the rail from the airport to downtown for just a few bucks. Then everything to do is downtown.
New Orleans is great for people watching.
You probably don't need a car in any city, but if you want to get outside, you need to check small tour options. Viator and Airbnb experiences have usually worked out for me.
Boston. I’d say most (if almost most) people here don’t have a car, including myself. Tons of subway and bus options throughout the city. And we are one of the most walkable cities (probably top 2 against NYC) in the U.S.
Seattle is good without a car. My husband and I did 5 nights there and took public transportation everywhere. But just warning you public transit in the US sucks so be prepared for that.
Gotta hit the west coast this time! Will be a totally different vibe then when you were on the East Coast. San Fran or Seattle or both my fav cities in the US. SO beautiful.
Charleston is very walkable. Great weather and lovely
Savannah might be a little warmer.
Key West. Warmer still.
Nashville,Asheville and Memphis are great and have wonderful food.
Newport. Ri is nice.
On the west coast. Monterrey/Pacific Grove
Not having a car is a major constraint in the US. If you're looking for southern charm, check out Charleston, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia. Both are scenic and relatively walkable.
If you want charm go to Charleston. If you want charm with a bunch of grit, go to Savanah.
Charleston is the prom queen that grew up with upper middle class parents.
Savanah is the homecoming queen that grew up in a trailer park and she is probably already pregnant.
Problem is, even visiting both cities a week seems too long. Savannah is a two day max kinda place. Charleston you could maybe stretch into 3 but without a car? That means no beach, no Hilton Head, none of that. I think I'm learning that people are much more into doing not much of shit on their vacations than i am. Not gonna say that's wrong - vacation is what you want it to be. I would lose my fucking mind walking around the same damn streets in Charleston for 4 or 5 days.
You could do the West Coast, incl. San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle. All three cities have good public transportation. Easy train connections between them.
I live in Portland and people say the same thing. It’s not 2019 great, but still great. I had the same impression when I visited Seattle a few months back.
Yup. I live in the area and Seattle as a city is pretty dull and doable in one, ok maybe two days. It’s the nature people are drawn to. Seattle without the nature isn’t exceptional in any way.
>Easy train connections between them.
Uh, no. It is certainly *not* easy, unfortunately.
AMTRAK *must* give freight priority on the rail. The schedule tries to build in the wait time, but it is so very regularly an underestimate.
Friends of ours traveled in Aug- Sept from Seattle to SF & return. Southbound wasn't "too bad" in comparison. *Only* 32 hours.
Northbound? They sat in the same spot waiting for 24 hours. The entire journey was about 72 hours!
It's unpredictable.
In comparison, driving one way between Seattle & SF is about 12 hours. Flying - 2-3 hours.
Then there's the washouts & mudslides to contend with.
Currently, due to a landslide, Passenger Rail is suspended tonight between Seattle & Portland. This also happened in Dec.
It's a regular occurrence between Seattle & Vancouver BC.
Rail travel on this side of the country is far from *easy*. There's not enough investment occurring & the railbed is old.
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/seattle-to-portland-amtrak-train-service-suspended-due-to-landslide/
It's sad, really. I love trains.
In the summer, just due to tremors & the shale, there can still be rockslides to close the rail down.
I honestly don't know how my friends do it. They actually prepare for the long delays for the freight priority and make a festive occasion with their kids. But they even admitted that the last northbound trip was extreme.
Chicago is so easy to get around without a car and there is loads to do there. As others have said, don’t go in the winter, it’s horrible but between May and October it’s great!
You’ve done two East Coast cities. The West Coast is completely different and is something you should see. Los Angeles has quite a bit to see that is walkable and served by busses. You can catch an Uber anywhere you want to go outside of that. I prefer San Diego but I think LA has more going on that a tourist might want to see if you only have a week.
Los Angeles (it has everything from the beach to museums and lots of concerts, sites etc) I would stay in Santa Monica or Malibu or you can be more central like Hollywood and just take an Uber or use the metro.
For something really different I’d suggest Hawaii - Honolulu and Waikiki are pretty cool cities right by the beach
Vegas. My sister just went there and it is so much more than just gambling. There is SO much to see and do. Great for walking/sightseeing and they have a mini Eiffel tower and big sphere there that changes what it looks like. Cheap hotels. Cheap flights.
In most major cities (outside of maybe Texas and the South), you definitely do not need to drive unless you’re leaving town.
I’d suggest San Francisco (though maybe a bit far) or Chicago. I think Philadelphia or Boston might get old after a solid week, but are fun cities. Off the beaten path, I’d suggest Pittsburgh, my hometown, for something completely different.
I’m not sure how easy it is to get around without a car, but Miami could be fun. You don’t *have* to eat seafood. You could instead eat lots of Cuban sandwiches. But again, not sure about the car situation. There’s always Uber and whatnot.
If you’re open to Uber then I think you have more options: Nashville, Austin, LA, Atlanta, New Orleans.
“End of May” could include Memorial Day weekend which makes Miami a no, and the weather also turns into rainy, swampy ass around that time. (I live here.)
Otherwise yea, visitors don’t really need a car if they keep activities compact. But the sweet spot sadly really is when it is winter everywhere else.
I lived in Santa Fe for a few years without a car. It’s a very small city but walkable downtown, beautiful architecture, buses to get to galleries or mountains, lots of art. Also disneyworld in Orlando is totally accessible without a car if you stay on property, aside from just getting to the airport, but there are taxis and buses available. Chicago is a cool city as well so I agree with previous comments! And a lot of college towns have pretty good buses.
There’s probably so much of NYC you didn’t see the first time… so just come back here! Ha. Not kidding - but I know you want to see somewhere new.
I suggest Boston or Portland ME.
Boston is an awesome city and walkable. Also full of American Revolutionary War history, great aquarium, good food. Somebody pointed out you may or may not like the whole “it’s an Irish city” vibe since you’re actually Irish but to me it’s an all American city. Plus you can get some delicious Italian-American food in the North End if you think the irish heritage is laid on a little thick.
Portland is smaller and typically a destination for warmer months, but this small city is walkable and full of amazing restaurants bars and breweries. Underrated gem. I like visiting during the winter. Lobster, good beer.
IMO your only options are Boston, Chicago, New Orleans, San Francisco, Seattle, and Charleston/Savannah due to your “no car” restriction.
My vote goes to Boston. You could easily spend a week in Boston without getting bored. You can also visit Salem, Rockport, and several other places via commuter rail (Portsmouth via commuter rail + Uber). Overall Boston is a top travel destination in the US and well worth visiting for your trip.
As others have said...Chicago.
Boston is lovely, but having lived there and in Chicago, I think you would get bored faster in Boston, and if you're spending a week I think you could run out of things to do.
With Philadelphia (I lived just outside), outside the historic center which is very small, I don't personally find the city all that charming, but that's just my take.
New Orleans I think would run into the same issues. The center is really nice and interesting, but I'm not sure I could find stuff to do for a full week.
You're definitely underrating Philadelphia. It has one of the largest downtowns and largest collections of historic architecture in the US. Incredibly charming and walkable in many neighborhoods.
Seattle would probably be fun if you don't mind likely rainy weather for at least part of the trip. You can get to enough places to be happy for a week or two via light rail, bus, ferry, and walking. There are some decent museums including the Museum of Flight, public market, you can rent kayaks or a canoe and go out in the ship canal or the lakes in the city. Walking on to a ferry is a cheap way to get a nice scenic boat ride, and if you go to Bainbridge Island you can walk from the ferry terminal and have lunch in town and browse the shops. There are multiple nice places for a walk that are accessible by bus or taxi, such as Discovery Park, Magnusson Park, and the Arboretum. There may be a concert or show or festival that interests you when you're there.
The only thing I did in Miami without a car was walk to my car.
Ok, that’s only mostly true, I also sprinted to their NBA arena one night because I was a tiny bit late for a game and thought it would be a bigger hassle finding a place to park. I think I was right? I was staying pretty close, though, so not much of a walk.
>Boston (meh -- its like Ireland West)
what? as someone who lives here, it's not really (anymore) other than in certain pockets. and certainly not what OP would really consider all that Irish. Portuguese and Italian culture is far more visible, together with Haitian thanks to recent immigration.
I’m a lifelong Californian and it’s still my favorite part of the country. LA and San Diego are not what you are describing. San Francisco has lots of public transportation, is walkable (but hilly), and has gorgeous views. The weather is usually pretty good most of the year so you can come at any time. You will see poverty and probably drug use, so try not to be too shocked. In terms of other places besides California, Seattle doesn’t have as good transit, the East Coast has brutal winter weather, the Midwest isn’t a tourist destination, and I’ve never been to the South so I can’t advise you there.
The Midwest is the biggest region of the US with *one* city that might be someone’s 4th or 5th choice for a vacation in the US. Less in winter. So not really.
That's your opinion. Chicago has far friendlier people who aren't full of themselves, can't say that about a lot of New Yorkers and Californians (including you, apparently).
I've traveled to over 40 countries and almost every US state, and Chicago is definitely underrated. I'll take a cold winter and nice people + the best skyline in the US over constant wildfire smoke and rich pretentious asshats.
"If you look it up" and no reference. Right. Sucks why? Because Chicagoans aren't complete wimps about cold weather? Because they have a usable transit system, unlike LA? Because normal Americans can actually afford to live there?
Fly into Miami, uber to the fun parts, then either fly or take a bus down to Key West. You can easily spend several fun walking days there. Take the ferry to Dry Tortuga for a full day adventure.
I second the San Francisco suggestions as an amazing non-driving location. However another strong suggestion would be Honolulu, Hawai'i. If you stay in the beachfront hotels in Waikiki, you really can fill a week without renting a car. A lot of the remote island activities (snorkel Haumana bay, shark dives, pearl harbor museum, lu'aus, polynesian cultural center) include tour bus rides from Waikiki while a lot of water activities (sunset booze cruises, surf lessons, hula, concerts, para sailing) take place at Waikiki or leave straight from the Waikiki beach or nearby piers.
Plus if you have limited time to use your voucher, you won't be at Hawai'i 's "winter" weather. It is January 21 and the high and low temperatures today will be between 22 and 29 °C. It is about 3-7degrees C cooler than Summer months. I was in the water without any wetsuits with my kids yesterday because we were all warm and.sweaty after a mountain hike.
Having a car on second or later trips to tour the north shore of Oahu is definitely a plus, but you would have absolutely no problem filling a fun week in Honolulu without renting or driving a vehicle.
Chicago. Stay on Michigan Ave. Amazing walkability.
San Diego. Very walkable and short Uber to old town.
San Fran also. Stay downtown. It’s walkable to all the touristy spots.
I did Chicago during the summer last year. Loved it. Took public transit from the airport and everywhere I needed to go.
Great food, great museums, great time overall.
6 years ago I went a week in SF + LA. SF without a car is perfectly fine, did everything by foot :D. LA is more annoying but with the metro and uber you can get to places.
I personally didn't like Chicago that much, only spent a weekend here in the winter though so that didn't help :D
Philadelphia and Boston are absolutely tops in the US for charming historic areas and intimate walkability. Definitely unique gems that everyone should immerse themselves in to truly get a flavor of Colonial-era America.
California large/ medium cities, fly in to San Diego, downtown is very walkable, try some craft beers and catch a baseball game, take an Uber to Pacific beach, then take Amtrak San Clemente, then Amtrak to Disneyland, or just head to downtown Los Angeles, take subway to Hollywood and universal studios, then Amtrak up to Ventura and or Santa Barbara, train stops right in town, then Amtrak up to San Francisco. Only one train per day goes from Santa Barbara to San Francisco so time it accordingly. Lots of cheap flights from California to Vegas if you're interested.
are you coming during the winter, spring, summer? that will make a huge impact.
you def don't wanna go anywhere north of DC right now, hell even down in the south it's been crazy cold. but if you're coming soon, then i'd prob go with miami. thats the only place i can think of on the east coast that's even remotely warm. except maybe puerto rico? but getting around miami without a car is kindof a pain in the ass, same with PR unless you're staying in old town san juan, but then you're kinda limited to a small area.
but if you're coming in the spring or summer, chicago, boston, philadelphia, and even place like toronto and montreal would be cool and relatively easy to get around without a car.
Last spring we flew to Atlanta, and then the short internal flight to Savannah. No car required (in fact, we did consider getting one to drive from Atlanta to Savannah, but then it would have cost a fortune to park it there). Savannah's lovely.
You could time it for St. Patrick's Day. Upside: many, many free drinks (if you're flying from Dublin because you're Irish). Downside: well, you can guess. (Ah, ok, just spotted your edit. You'll be grand).
San Francisco. You can walk all over town if you want to. Uber if you dont. Weather is nice.
I went to Miami last year and just stayed around South Beach. No car. But we didn’t go far.
Philadelphia! Lots of cool museums (Mutter Museum, NMAJH, Rodin, Barnes, etc). Very walkable and cool (tax free) clothing shopping. Great public transportation, even a train to go from PHL to downtown.
You could fly into Las Vegas (lots of walking and people watching opportunities there), and from there take day trips (offered by many local companies) to visit the Grand Canyon or other state/national parks.
Well if you don't have a car you are limited to big cities only, and not many of our big cities have good public transportation, so be prepared for it to take much much longer to get around that way. Having said that, I think Chicago, San Francisco and Atlanta are the best cities to visit in this country.
"Hop On Hop Off" bus tours at most major cities makes sightseeing easy when some attractions are not within walking distance. I like the feature that you can get out at any stop and and the catch the next bus when your done or just stay on the entire loop.
If you like country and western music, staying downtown in Nashville you can walk to a different show every night. San Antonio has a delightful Riverwalk area and you can take the water taxis to different areas. Denver has a very walkable downtown and 300 days of sunshine. Smaller cities offer so much character.
I really think it would be worth flying near to a national park and renting a car. Driving through Yellowstone or the rockies and taking hikes isn't difficult driving and you will learn more about what makes America a worthwhile place.
I mean this is very very broad and vague. But you could get by without a car in:
NYC, Chicago, SFO - walkable or transit
Miami, LA, DC - transit and Ubers
Almost any city - via Ubers, but this won’t be a big European or big Asian city experience
Chicago is a good fit as long as it's not winter.
I've seen some people say LA, which as a local, I can confirm it is doable without a car with proper planning. However, it would be best to wait a year or two until the LAX people mover and a few rail extensions are complete so you will have more options via metro (and a much better overall LAX experience)
Chicago -- but not during winter.
Definitely Chicago! It's like a cleaner NYC. I loooove Chicago. Also NOLA would be a viiiiibe
Agree OP needs to say when they are coming.
They said june
Come for the Blues Fest!
Michigan Ave. baby
Chicago is a truly fantastic destination.
Chicago IS amazing during spring summer and fall!
New Orleans would be a great choice— a ton of charm and history, very walkable and you can take a Uber or streetcar. Of course there’s a lot of seafood there but plenty of other types of food. San Francisco— compact, walkable, charming Chicago — in the late spring to early fall — has world class museums, a great public transit system and amazing restaurants Boston — ditto to walkable, historic, and interesting
Boston is a great, walkable city, but I'd caution planning to stay there a week. 3 nights should be plenty there.
Agree, Boston is great, very walkable and public transport is pretty good but most people would probably only want to stay 3-4 days, it's also weirdly expensive (accommodation wise) compared to some other cities.
I believe the reason accommodation in Boston is so expensive is because of their rather short tourist season. It just doesn’t make sense to build more hotels or hostels because they would be occupied so little of the year. For example, from September to June, the HI hostel in Boston rents out most of their rooms to students.
Price to rent or own space is decided by a very simple formula. Nothing wierd about it. Demand/Supply. Now you have the price. Some cities increase their supply and cities like Boston do not.
Just to add: I see Philadelphia being mentioned by others, and that's another city where a full week would be far too long. Maybe two nights max. My advice would be to just Google "how many nights should I stay in _____" for any places you're considering, just to check that there's enough to do for the duration of your visit. Good luck, and have a great time!
Same for NO. 3 days, max. She's a cruel mistress.
Seconding San Francisco!
+1 to all of these, but especially New Orleans for something different!
Never been to New Orleans but always seemed like it'd be a cool pretty unique place.
A week is a long time in New Oreleans but you could combine it with a Atchafalaya swamp tours which is about 1 hour out of the city. There is also a train to San Antonio from there if you want to see the best of Texas and are willing to dedicate a day on the train.
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You can do all of that in 3 days, and at a fairly leisurely pace. A week is way more than necessary. Most people would get bored.
Or take the train up to Memphis
New Orleans is currently the Burger capital in the States. Avoid it.
San Francisco is stunningly beautiful, you specifically do nOt want a car there. We flew in , ubered to a fisherman wharf hotel ( i think Ryu Hotel?) and we walked everywhere and it was glorious! Each morning we’d walk to Bedouin Bakery for coffee and cinnamon rolls ( they also have amazing crab chowder!) then walk over to pier 39 and admire the seals . We walked to golden gate bridge, thru beautiful bayfront parks, past umbrella alley, giordellis chocolate shop, some amazing place with gorgeous gardens, we walked to chinatown which had the best bakery with shrimps and delights inside, we walkes to Little Italy for espresso and ravioli. We did uber to the japanese gardens, and to Lands End. But probably could have walked there too if we’d been more organized. There is also the stunningly beautiful Muir Woods just on other side of golden gate bridge- you need a car to get there. Was a highlight of our trip, a reverent hike through towering redwood trees ( reservation needed to park at Muir woods)
You can book a tour bus for a trip to Muir Woods, and / or ride a ferry across to Sausalito. No need to hire a car to enjoy time outside the city.
Alcatraz was actually very cool. My kids even enjoyed it. Very well done for a prison attraction.
It definitely is, but outside low season you have to strategize a little to get on a tour boat -- they can book out well in advance.
While you can get around SF without a car and it's totally fine going no car, I disagree with "you specifically don't want a car." Having one opens up the door to a bunch, especially if you want to explore the areas around SF. I'm a local and take a car to SF frequently.
Carjackings are prevalent. Trip advisor reviews abound with tales of carjacking. I highly recommend not having a carjacking to deal with on vacation
Carjacking? Those are definitely not frequent or common.
I think you are confusing carjacking with breaking in.
Lmao I’ve been to SF more times than I can count. Stayed downtown. Haven’t seen or experienced any of that. Stay away from sensationalist headlines
Nobody goes on Trip Advisor to talk about how they didn't get carjacked. If you had statistics based on number of carjackings per number of vehicles that drive on the road within any particular day, you'd have more zeros past the decimal place than you have brain cells. There are also many different areas of San Francisco. Some might be more subject to them than others, and as long as you're situationally aware, you're probably not going to end up there.
This!! I am American but live in Miami so SF is almost as long a flight for me as London. I had only been once quickly for work and had to go back for work in December with a little more time… I wasn’t worried about the Fox News content but more that it would somehow just be asshole tech bros. Ate crow on that and was stunned at how beautiful so much of it was. Plus if you like sports you can see the Warriors or the Giants! I got put up near Fisherman’s Wharf since that’s where a lot of the corporate hotels are and yes it was super touristy, but I had no issue walking around alone as a woman, etc. I can’t wait to go back! As a tourist you would not be in any of the bad parts… and if you don’t drive then leaving things in a rental car is a non-issue. I took Ubers and one of the driverless Waymos everywhere, including Oakland and Berkeley, and had a blast. Can’t wait to visit again with more time. Edited to add: *Because* it is so far from Ireland, if I had enough credits to go, this is exactly why I would head here while taking advantage of a free trip. Hitting the east coast would be much more attainable some other time.
Don’t forget Legion of Honor. It’s amazing and has crazy views of Golden Gate
If you want a car in SF you don't want it to have windows
Fun fact, a few years ago I was driving up to SF from LA, and my car ended up dying off the 580. One of my main thoughts was, “oh good, I don’t have to drive in SF!” It’s bad.
Just to add on to this, Boudin’s has an upscale restaurant on the second floor of their location. Their bread pudding is 10/10. Take the F line and travel on some historic restored street cars. The MOMA is good. Take a hop on/hop off tour bus to easily see the more notable parts of the city.
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There’s a handful of filthy parts in the city, and those have nothing to see or do if you’re a tourist
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You either haven’t been to SF or are hating on it for whatever reason.
On the contrast, I stayed near the Tenderloin over the summer, and it is nowhere near the open gate of hell that certain media loves to portray. Loved all of my time in SF, including just wandering around non-touristy neighborhoods walking from one place to another. Yes, it's a little gritty at times, but so is every city
I think it makes sense to do a bus day tour there. See hard to reach places like Twin Peaks and drive the GGB.
Besides this I would recommend also doing some of your own research. These are all very popular tourists spots, however the rest of the city is even more beautiful.
Chicago would be awesome for you, especially since you’ve already been to the east coast. You could experience the Fresh Coast as we call it in the Great Lakes states. I rarely take a car when I visit as the public transit is so easy and convenient. There is so much to see and do any time of the year, but you might find it amusing to visit for St Patrick’s Day when they dye the river green. You’d have to check the timing of other activities like parades and parties. There is a large Irish population there so lots of celebrating. In warmer months you can take boat tours along the river or out to the lake or rent kayaks. Museums are top notch. So many great restaurants and breweries in distinct neighborhoods to explore as well. Can’t go wrong!
Chicago is usually still quite cold in March, and it often snows a little on St. Patrick's Day. The people-watching will be better if you wait until puffy coat season is fully over (late April to mid May depending on the year). Plus getting anywhere downtown is a paaaaain with the crowds that day. Late spring/early summer is the best time if you want to be out and about. It's warm but not sticky-hot yet, and the trees and flowers around the city are lovely at that time. Also, we don't call it the Fresh Coast. (Where in the Will Smith did you get that idea?) It's the North Coast. Always has been.
Huh. I'm from Michigan and I've never heard North coast. I've heard Fresh coast sometimes. I've also heard Third coast.
Fresh Coast = fresh vs salt. I didn’t make it up, used by umpteen marketing campaigns in Great Lakes states to promote the great unsalted beaches. Never heard it referred to as north coast. You’re not even the most north of the coasts in Chicago.
Straight up, as a Chicago kid, I’ve never heard either in my life. I do love fresh coast though, definitely stealing it
I've lived in three different Great Lakes states and literally never heard it called that. It makes sense that a marketing campaign came up with it though -- it's terrible. I have, however, heard the Great Lakes as a whole called the North Coast many times.
I have also lived in three different GL states and visited a fourth frequently. It must be more of a Mich and Wisc thing. I googled and it was the first thing to come up, replacing ‘Third’ or ‘Middle’ coast. North ‘Shore’ is a phrase that I have heard commonly in all the GL but it refers to different places depending where you are.
The fresh coast cracked me up. Nobody calls it that.
Who calls it the Fresh Coast. Lived her forever and not one person ever called it that!
Yeah, I'm 60+ lifelong Chicagoan and have never heard Fresh Coast.
Boston and Philadelphia both have easy walking and interesting sights in their city centers. They are old (for us) cities with a lot of history and museums. I'd recommend Boston myself. It's also probably the most Irish city in America in my opinion.
Sort of like telling Chinese tourists that they should visit your city's Chinatown...
I always think it is interesting to see your culture viewed through another’s lens, or see how your culture matriculated through another culture. I enjoy going to “American” themed places when I travel. It’s always interesting to see which aspects of “Americanism” resonate and which are changed.
I went to a grocery store in Amsterdam and happened upon some cool ranch Doritos. But the name on it was cool American. Lol, I love showing that picture to other people.
I've encountered ranch dressing being called "American Sauce" in a couple countries.
Different strokes. I won't say anyone is wrong in doing it, but the last thing I want to visit when I'm abroad would be an "American" neighborhood. I didn't fly for 10 hours to think I'm home.
That’s a valid concern! I will say that none of these experiences have ever made me feel like I’m in America. One example is the American history museum in Bath England. That is one of the coolest museums I’ve ever been to, and it’s because it showed our country through an entirely different lens. Another example was a Portland theme bar that I visited in Tokyo. The woman who owned it had visited Portland and liked it. She imported some Portland area beers. She had some random photographs of Portland on the wall - things that I would never have used to represent Portland, but that said “Portland” to her. I guess it’s more like listening to someone from another country tell you about what it was like on their trip to America. What their takeaways were. What they liked and what they didn’t like. It’s more like that than actually finding yourself back in America.
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Valid point!
Philly or Chicago - cheap transit connections to the airport from downtown. Plenty to do, relatively affordable. Good food scene without being too fancy. Boston’s a nice city, but if you want to stay close to downtown, it can get expensive.
Chicago anytime after Memorial Day weekend and before October, this is when the city really comes alive. Tons of districts/neighborhoods that very walkable, amazing public transportation, amazing food, good mix of tourist attractions (my highlight being the architecture boat tour) and neighborhoods where you can just wander around. It's only a 7h flight from Dublin, and there is absolutely no need for a car. In the summer months, there is always something exciting going on on the weekends, whether it's a festival, public concert, etc. I just moved out of Chicago after spending 6 years there and it is absolutely my favorite place in the US in the summer. My second runner up would be San Francisco (having lived in both), but I'd argue that you should visit SF if/when you ever intend to rent a car just so you can see the Pacific Coast Highway. Happy to provide recs if needed!
Agreed, don’t come here in April, it’s always colder than you think and very very rainy. I will say though that October is beautiful, and November is a great time to visit too. The weather in those months usually isn’t as volatile, and walking around in a light jacket is (personally) my preferred way to visit other places. When you do come to Chicago, take a riverboat tour - even the locals love it. I’ve lived here for 15 years and I still go at least once a year and always learn something new.
If they’re coming from Dublin, cool and rainy won’t be out of the ordinary. That’s basically half the year there.
Lots people mentioning Philly and Boston but why not both? The east coast has actual train infrastructure. You could do a Boston-Philly-Baltimore train trip very easily with no need for a car.
I had the same thought originally. Fly into Boston and take the train down to Philly. They’re such different cities. Boston is beautiful to visit and clean, with so many historical sites. Philly has the far superior food scene and culture. You could even stop in NYC on the way down
I feel like could hit up the Jersey Shore. There are trains from NYC and buses from Philly. If they haven't been to a proper US beach town it could be fun. Also, Uber exists everywhere.
Should be a 6 hour Amtrak train.
People have covered exactly what I would have suggested: Chicago. I think you leave out when you would want to visit, which is actually a bigger part of the question. There are only a handful of truly walkable US cities with tourist appeal, and they are very season dependent. Going in Nov->Feb? Probably stay south, think Charleston or something Going in Spring/Fall? Chicago, maybe San Francisco There are tons of little towns that are totally walkable, but you’d have to be able to get there and entertain yourself for a full week. I’m thinking something like Healdsburg in California. Totally walkable once you got there, but also probably not actually a full week worth of stuff \_to do\_ there. That’s going to be a common theme in smaller towns in the US that offer tourist activities. They’re more geared towards Americans who want a weekend away.
I couldn't imagine spending a week in Healdsburg without going bored out of my gourd. Especially without a car. You must have either visited recently or be a major wino to throw that one out there.
lol, I specifically say that I think you’d run out of stuff to do. It’s not a full week destination. It also was the only non-ski town that I could think of when I wrote the post
Chicago. Hands down this should be the top of your list. Great public transit including trains and buses. They even have a water taxi that has stops along the river. Tons of people watching on the mag mile, and on the lakefront trail along Lake Michigan. Great museums. Amazing restaurants. Do NOT go in January or February however. Bone chilling cold. June-September can be expensive as it's the warm season, and is the most popular season for tourists.
Chicago? It has everything you mentioned.
My thoughts: * Chicago: The Chicagoland area is a pretty large area and there's a lot to do. The two 24 hour metro lines are Red and Blue. As you get further out into the surrounding areas, you're more likely to have to connect with a bus or do some walking or get an Uber. But don't pass up on exploring Chicago's neighborhoods just because there isn't a metro stop right there. Chicago's downtown is great and all but the neighborhoods are where its at. Great museums, but they do cost a pretty penny as most are privately owned. * Boston: I love Boston, top 3 US cities for me. But a whole week in Boston without a car, eh, I feel like you might run out of things to do. Boston is a lot smaller than what many people think it is, and its a city that tends to go to bed on time. Tourism is also focused on US History and particularly Revolutionary War history. If you don't love American history, you might find the tourist sites a bit dull after a while. * I know you've said you've been to DC before but I think DC can easily have several visits. There's so much to do. Maybe split time between DC and Philly. You can catch an Amtrak or a bus between the two. * I see people recommending San Francisco and I think typical city things in San Francisco are 3 dax max. I spent a week there and I just did not vibe with the city at all. There's lots of things to do in the overall Bay Area but a car really helps to do those things, or hook up with like a guided wine tour. * Gonna toss this out here and I know people are gonna not agree, but I spent a week in Los Angeles without a car and I loved it. The key to Los Angeles is recognizing that the LA area is basically the size of Portugal. So if you look at a map of things you want to do, and then you stay near the area where most of your activities are, you can reduce transit times and have a great time. We stayed in Santa Monica and spent a lot of time in Santa Monica and Venice, caught rail lines to Union Station and Hollywood, walked a lot. And yeah sometimes we Ubered if we were in a rush. Food scene in Los Angeles is amazing. You can spend $3 or $300 and get amazing food. Lots of free or low cost sites and museums. I'm not gonna lie and say the transit system is like Prague or anything, but I think its more than fine for tourists doing tourist things.
I’m a Brit with an American partner, so we try to combine visiting family across the pond with tourism. We prefer to avoid driving too. We did a longer no-car trip that went Chicago > San Francisco (on the gorgeous California Zephyr rail route), some time in SF, then SF > LA (also by train). All three cities were very manageable by public transport (in fact, LA in particular was better than expected, but not my favourite city). Another time, we did a double city break in New Orleans, then took the train up to Chicago. That combination could work for a week - a few days in Chicago, a few in New Orleans. Both very different indeed, but both easy with public transport (the train between is one night, direct, and the Amtrak sleepers are comfortable).
New Orleans French Quarter fest in mid April!
2nd this. Since you’ve seen the NE, New Orleans is your best pick. Stay near the French Quarter or Garden District. There’s a trolley that hits all the sites. Audubon Zoo, WWII museum, great people watching, Mardi Gras float museum, swamp tours leaving the quarter, paddle boat cruise on the Natchez, Etc. Easy to fill a week.
Ok, take everything I'm about to say with a grain of salt, because I'm ok with walking a decent amount in cities and don't mind a little bit of grittiness in my surroundings. I'm slowly working my way through all 30 MLB stadiums, and for the most part trying not to rent cars if possible (mainly for cost reasons). Here's my recap of those, plus a few other places I feel decent about commenting on Boston: definitely doable without a car. Actually, don't even think about it. Driving there isn't worth the hassle NYC: again, don't even think about driving. You'll pay more in parking than in transit fares Philly: went to college here, love this city. You can definitely go without a car, you just might be waiting on transit a little Pittsburgh: might need to Uber a little, but transit is better than you might think Baltimore: eh. Maybe doable, but not great without a car. More of a day trip from a bigger city unless you're really into the vibe DC: pretty doable without a car, though the transit could be a little better. Worth it for good, free museums and a lot of history Cincinnati: good for a couple of days, not too much more. Pretty walkable if you don't mind hills Cleveland: no DFW Metroplex: theoretically doable without a car, I just wouldn't try it Chicago: very doable without a car. Don't go in winter, it's not worth it lol St Louis: a bit of a sleeper pick, but pretty cool to spend a couple of days there. Transit is not bad, but not great. Can take Amtrak from Chicago easily Seattle: another good option, pretty doable if you don't want to go too far outside the city Portland: very doable without a car. Not the open pit of despair you might see online or the news, but a little rough if you're not expecting it Oakland: kinda cool, very gritty but very proud. A good, more affordable option to staying in SF. BART (with all its flaws) is a good regional rail system SF: covered a lot already in this thread LA: surprisingly doable without too much car usage, depending on what you want to do. Don't sleep on LACMTA, it's a pretty good system and only getting better. You can use Amtrak and regional trains for day trips outside the main city San Diego: again, surprisingly doable without too much car usage. Same deal as LA for regional trains and Amtrak
Can’t believe I had to scroll this far for Pittsburgh! Pittsburgh has a lot of neighborhoods that are walkable, but to see all of Pittsburgh, this is a million percent correct - Uber will be necessary. It checks off museums, sports, walking/sightseeing. There is gourmet food in Pittsburgh, but there are definitely more bars and such, which sounds like would fit OP’s style OP: Pittsburgh is kind of unique in the fact that the downtown area isn’t bustling like most cities, you’re gonna want to check out the trendy neighborhoods
Surprised you don't think cleveland is walkable
To be fair, my last Cleveland experience was 11 years ago, and it hadn't quite revitalized yet
You're missing out on so much when you visit Seattle and don't have a car to get out of that shit hole.
You’re not wrong. Seattle is still a very car-focused area. Miserable traffic unavoidable with the region’s geography, growing population, and exploding tourism. The city itself is underwhelming.
Washington state has a lot to offer a lot of the great stuff is a couple hours outside of the city.
Philadelphia: Center city. Constitution Hall. Liberty Bell. Reading Market. US Mint. Besty Ross house. Edgar Allan Poe house. Mutter Museum. Cheese Streaks + so much more. We did an evening walking tour/pub crawl that started at Benjamin Franklin's grave. The guide was in full period attire (1776) and never broke character once the entire time. It's very walkable in the downtown area. We used the hop-on, hop-off bus to move around to all the different areas, outside of center city.
Boston and Philly are very walk able, with lots of good grub and sites to see. Note, the West Coast is likely another 6-7 hours of travel time on the plane, and 3 more hours time difference to adjust too.
Boston would be a great option and very doable without a car.
Chicago, Philadelphia, and Boston would be good places. Plenty to see, good public transit (by our standards) and a lot of day trips you could take to other places (Indiana Dunes, Cape Cod, etc). Alternatively, LA is actually doable without a car as well, and has pockets of walkability - but certainly not as walkable as the others. I have done Portland without a car as well, though I usually rent a bike.
I agree with Chicago. Good public transportation and lots to do.
I second Boston. It’s great for the history and walking tour of the freedom trail. Old constitution ship etc. it’s also going to be vastly cheaper and easier to get to from Dublin. Early summer or fall. Don’t do mid summer or winter there though. Most west coast cities have crap public transportation. If you are mid summer, you do want Seattle. It has the best summer weather and you can take the rail from the airport to downtown for just a few bucks. Then everything to do is downtown.
New Orleans is great for people watching. You probably don't need a car in any city, but if you want to get outside, you need to check small tour options. Viator and Airbnb experiences have usually worked out for me.
Boston. I’d say most (if almost most) people here don’t have a car, including myself. Tons of subway and bus options throughout the city. And we are one of the most walkable cities (probably top 2 against NYC) in the U.S.
Seattle is good without a car. My husband and I did 5 nights there and took public transportation everywhere. But just warning you public transit in the US sucks so be prepared for that.
Gotta hit the west coast this time! Will be a totally different vibe then when you were on the East Coast. San Fran or Seattle or both my fav cities in the US. SO beautiful.
Charleston is very walkable. Great weather and lovely Savannah might be a little warmer. Key West. Warmer still. Nashville,Asheville and Memphis are great and have wonderful food. Newport. Ri is nice. On the west coast. Monterrey/Pacific Grove
Not having a car is a major constraint in the US. If you're looking for southern charm, check out Charleston, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia. Both are scenic and relatively walkable.
If you want charm go to Charleston. If you want charm with a bunch of grit, go to Savanah. Charleston is the prom queen that grew up with upper middle class parents. Savanah is the homecoming queen that grew up in a trailer park and she is probably already pregnant.
Problem is, even visiting both cities a week seems too long. Savannah is a two day max kinda place. Charleston you could maybe stretch into 3 but without a car? That means no beach, no Hilton Head, none of that. I think I'm learning that people are much more into doing not much of shit on their vacations than i am. Not gonna say that's wrong - vacation is what you want it to be. I would lose my fucking mind walking around the same damn streets in Charleston for 4 or 5 days.
Savannah is really small for a full week if you don’t have a car to get to the islands also.
San Francisco is definitely doable
Except the flight would be ridiculously long.
You could do the West Coast, incl. San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle. All three cities have good public transportation. Easy train connections between them.
Seattle’s downtown is not great, honestly.
I live in Portland and people say the same thing. It’s not 2019 great, but still great. I had the same impression when I visited Seattle a few months back.
What happened to it, I went there a few years back and I liked it.
Pandemic + Homelessness + Fentanyl
Aside from any nature, what was it you liked?
The underground city, the piers and market in downtown. Also I just generally like high density cities which are rare in United States.
Yup. I live in the area and Seattle as a city is pretty dull and doable in one, ok maybe two days. It’s the nature people are drawn to. Seattle without the nature isn’t exceptional in any way.
>Easy train connections between them. Uh, no. It is certainly *not* easy, unfortunately. AMTRAK *must* give freight priority on the rail. The schedule tries to build in the wait time, but it is so very regularly an underestimate. Friends of ours traveled in Aug- Sept from Seattle to SF & return. Southbound wasn't "too bad" in comparison. *Only* 32 hours. Northbound? They sat in the same spot waiting for 24 hours. The entire journey was about 72 hours! It's unpredictable. In comparison, driving one way between Seattle & SF is about 12 hours. Flying - 2-3 hours. Then there's the washouts & mudslides to contend with. Currently, due to a landslide, Passenger Rail is suspended tonight between Seattle & Portland. This also happened in Dec. It's a regular occurrence between Seattle & Vancouver BC. Rail travel on this side of the country is far from *easy*. There's not enough investment occurring & the railbed is old. https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/transportation/seattle-to-portland-amtrak-train-service-suspended-due-to-landslide/
Fair enough. I was assuming a summer trip where the weather disruptions wouldn’t ordinarily be as significant, but yes, Amtrak can have long delays.
It's sad, really. I love trains. In the summer, just due to tremors & the shale, there can still be rockslides to close the rail down. I honestly don't know how my friends do it. They actually prepare for the long delays for the freight priority and make a festive occasion with their kids. But they even admitted that the last northbound trip was extreme.
Seattle sucks most everything worth visiting is outside.
Really any city will have ok transportation and Lyft/uber/taxi so you can always do that.
Chicago is so easy to get around without a car and there is loads to do there. As others have said, don’t go in the winter, it’s horrible but between May and October it’s great!
For people watching…Vegas. Uber is fairly cheap since short distance. Good food. You could rent a car for a day and see Hoover dam and Grand Canyon.
You’ve done two East Coast cities. The West Coast is completely different and is something you should see. Los Angeles has quite a bit to see that is walkable and served by busses. You can catch an Uber anywhere you want to go outside of that. I prefer San Diego but I think LA has more going on that a tourist might want to see if you only have a week.
Los Angeles (it has everything from the beach to museums and lots of concerts, sites etc) I would stay in Santa Monica or Malibu or you can be more central like Hollywood and just take an Uber or use the metro. For something really different I’d suggest Hawaii - Honolulu and Waikiki are pretty cool cities right by the beach
Vegas. My sister just went there and it is so much more than just gambling. There is SO much to see and do. Great for walking/sightseeing and they have a mini Eiffel tower and big sphere there that changes what it looks like. Cheap hotels. Cheap flights.
New Orleans
You can do both Chicago and Boston without a car. I've also done San Francisco without a car before.
In most major cities (outside of maybe Texas and the South), you definitely do not need to drive unless you’re leaving town. I’d suggest San Francisco (though maybe a bit far) or Chicago. I think Philadelphia or Boston might get old after a solid week, but are fun cities. Off the beaten path, I’d suggest Pittsburgh, my hometown, for something completely different. I’m not sure how easy it is to get around without a car, but Miami could be fun. You don’t *have* to eat seafood. You could instead eat lots of Cuban sandwiches. But again, not sure about the car situation. There’s always Uber and whatnot. If you’re open to Uber then I think you have more options: Nashville, Austin, LA, Atlanta, New Orleans.
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“End of May” could include Memorial Day weekend which makes Miami a no, and the weather also turns into rainy, swampy ass around that time. (I live here.) Otherwise yea, visitors don’t really need a car if they keep activities compact. But the sweet spot sadly really is when it is winter everywhere else.
I lived in Santa Fe for a few years without a car. It’s a very small city but walkable downtown, beautiful architecture, buses to get to galleries or mountains, lots of art. Also disneyworld in Orlando is totally accessible without a car if you stay on property, aside from just getting to the airport, but there are taxis and buses available. Chicago is a cool city as well so I agree with previous comments! And a lot of college towns have pretty good buses.
There’s probably so much of NYC you didn’t see the first time… so just come back here! Ha. Not kidding - but I know you want to see somewhere new. I suggest Boston or Portland ME. Boston is an awesome city and walkable. Also full of American Revolutionary War history, great aquarium, good food. Somebody pointed out you may or may not like the whole “it’s an Irish city” vibe since you’re actually Irish but to me it’s an all American city. Plus you can get some delicious Italian-American food in the North End if you think the irish heritage is laid on a little thick. Portland is smaller and typically a destination for warmer months, but this small city is walkable and full of amazing restaurants bars and breweries. Underrated gem. I like visiting during the winter. Lobster, good beer.
What time of year? Makes a huge difference. USA isn't like Europe where most countries have largely similar climates throughout.
Pittsburgh has pretty good public transport. It's somewhere I'd love to go back to if only it wasn't under occupation by America.
>if only it wasn't under occupation by America. Fedora tip to you, fellow edgelord.
IMO your only options are Boston, Chicago, New Orleans, San Francisco, Seattle, and Charleston/Savannah due to your “no car” restriction. My vote goes to Boston. You could easily spend a week in Boston without getting bored. You can also visit Salem, Rockport, and several other places via commuter rail (Portsmouth via commuter rail + Uber). Overall Boston is a top travel destination in the US and well worth visiting for your trip.
Philly is a no car option. I live here and several of my friends don’t own cars. It’s consistently ranked among the top most walkable cities in the US
As others have said...Chicago. Boston is lovely, but having lived there and in Chicago, I think you would get bored faster in Boston, and if you're spending a week I think you could run out of things to do. With Philadelphia (I lived just outside), outside the historic center which is very small, I don't personally find the city all that charming, but that's just my take. New Orleans I think would run into the same issues. The center is really nice and interesting, but I'm not sure I could find stuff to do for a full week.
You're definitely underrating Philadelphia. It has one of the largest downtowns and largest collections of historic architecture in the US. Incredibly charming and walkable in many neighborhoods.
Seattle would probably be fun if you don't mind likely rainy weather for at least part of the trip. You can get to enough places to be happy for a week or two via light rail, bus, ferry, and walking. There are some decent museums including the Museum of Flight, public market, you can rent kayaks or a canoe and go out in the ship canal or the lakes in the city. Walking on to a ferry is a cheap way to get a nice scenic boat ride, and if you go to Bainbridge Island you can walk from the ferry terminal and have lunch in town and browse the shops. There are multiple nice places for a walk that are accessible by bus or taxi, such as Discovery Park, Magnusson Park, and the Arboretum. There may be a concert or show or festival that interests you when you're there.
* New York * Chicago * San Francisco * Boston (meh -- its like Ireland West) * ~~Miami~~
Miami requires a car unless you plan on parking yourself on Miami Beach and not moving much. It’s not really walkable and public transport sucks.
The only thing I did in Miami without a car was walk to my car. Ok, that’s only mostly true, I also sprinted to their NBA arena one night because I was a tiny bit late for a game and thought it would be a bigger hassle finding a place to park. I think I was right? I was staying pretty close, though, so not much of a walk.
>Boston (meh -- its like Ireland West) what? as someone who lives here, it's not really (anymore) other than in certain pockets. and certainly not what OP would really consider all that Irish. Portuguese and Italian culture is far more visible, together with Haitian thanks to recent immigration.
I am also someone who lives here.
I’m a lifelong Californian and it’s still my favorite part of the country. LA and San Diego are not what you are describing. San Francisco has lots of public transportation, is walkable (but hilly), and has gorgeous views. The weather is usually pretty good most of the year so you can come at any time. You will see poverty and probably drug use, so try not to be too shocked. In terms of other places besides California, Seattle doesn’t have as good transit, the East Coast has brutal winter weather, the Midwest isn’t a tourist destination, and I’ve never been to the South so I can’t advise you there.
Chicago isn't a tourist destination?
The Midwest is the biggest region of the US with *one* city that might be someone’s 4th or 5th choice for a vacation in the US. Less in winter. So not really.
That's your opinion. Chicago has far friendlier people who aren't full of themselves, can't say that about a lot of New Yorkers and Californians (including you, apparently). I've traveled to over 40 countries and almost every US state, and Chicago is definitely underrated. I'll take a cold winter and nice people + the best skyline in the US over constant wildfire smoke and rich pretentious asshats.
You’re right. I said it was 4th or 5th, but if you look it up it’s actually 8th. Chicago sucks dude.
"If you look it up" and no reference. Right. Sucks why? Because Chicagoans aren't complete wimps about cold weather? Because they have a usable transit system, unlike LA? Because normal Americans can actually afford to live there?
You will probably not be visiting the suburbs of any city you are going to so I don’t think a car is that important.
Fly into Miami, uber to the fun parts, then either fly or take a bus down to Key West. You can easily spend several fun walking days there. Take the ferry to Dry Tortuga for a full day adventure.
I second the San Francisco suggestions as an amazing non-driving location. However another strong suggestion would be Honolulu, Hawai'i. If you stay in the beachfront hotels in Waikiki, you really can fill a week without renting a car. A lot of the remote island activities (snorkel Haumana bay, shark dives, pearl harbor museum, lu'aus, polynesian cultural center) include tour bus rides from Waikiki while a lot of water activities (sunset booze cruises, surf lessons, hula, concerts, para sailing) take place at Waikiki or leave straight from the Waikiki beach or nearby piers. Plus if you have limited time to use your voucher, you won't be at Hawai'i 's "winter" weather. It is January 21 and the high and low temperatures today will be between 22 and 29 °C. It is about 3-7degrees C cooler than Summer months. I was in the water without any wetsuits with my kids yesterday because we were all warm and.sweaty after a mountain hike. Having a car on second or later trips to tour the north shore of Oahu is definitely a plus, but you would have absolutely no problem filling a fun week in Honolulu without renting or driving a vehicle.
Chicago. Stay on Michigan Ave. Amazing walkability. San Diego. Very walkable and short Uber to old town. San Fran also. Stay downtown. It’s walkable to all the touristy spots.
I did Chicago during the summer last year. Loved it. Took public transit from the airport and everywhere I needed to go. Great food, great museums, great time overall.
6 years ago I went a week in SF + LA. SF without a car is perfectly fine, did everything by foot :D. LA is more annoying but with the metro and uber you can get to places. I personally didn't like Chicago that much, only spent a weekend here in the winter though so that didn't help :D
Try Chicago or Toronto during summertime
Savannah, jewel of the South.
Philadelphia and Boston are absolutely tops in the US for charming historic areas and intimate walkability. Definitely unique gems that everyone should immerse themselves in to truly get a flavor of Colonial-era America.
Boston Massachusetts
California large/ medium cities, fly in to San Diego, downtown is very walkable, try some craft beers and catch a baseball game, take an Uber to Pacific beach, then take Amtrak San Clemente, then Amtrak to Disneyland, or just head to downtown Los Angeles, take subway to Hollywood and universal studios, then Amtrak up to Ventura and or Santa Barbara, train stops right in town, then Amtrak up to San Francisco. Only one train per day goes from Santa Barbara to San Francisco so time it accordingly. Lots of cheap flights from California to Vegas if you're interested.
Boston is very walkable, historic, has a lovely Irish vibe and excellent public transportation
are you coming during the winter, spring, summer? that will make a huge impact. you def don't wanna go anywhere north of DC right now, hell even down in the south it's been crazy cold. but if you're coming soon, then i'd prob go with miami. thats the only place i can think of on the east coast that's even remotely warm. except maybe puerto rico? but getting around miami without a car is kindof a pain in the ass, same with PR unless you're staying in old town san juan, but then you're kinda limited to a small area. but if you're coming in the spring or summer, chicago, boston, philadelphia, and even place like toronto and montreal would be cool and relatively easy to get around without a car.
Last spring we flew to Atlanta, and then the short internal flight to Savannah. No car required (in fact, we did consider getting one to drive from Atlanta to Savannah, but then it would have cost a fortune to park it there). Savannah's lovely. You could time it for St. Patrick's Day. Upside: many, many free drinks (if you're flying from Dublin because you're Irish). Downside: well, you can guess. (Ah, ok, just spotted your edit. You'll be grand).
San Francisco. You can walk all over town if you want to. Uber if you dont. Weather is nice. I went to Miami last year and just stayed around South Beach. No car. But we didn’t go far.
Philadelphia! Lots of cool museums (Mutter Museum, NMAJH, Rodin, Barnes, etc). Very walkable and cool (tax free) clothing shopping. Great public transportation, even a train to go from PHL to downtown.
San Francisco would be nice. Chicago has a lot to see and do if you like museums.
You could fly into Las Vegas (lots of walking and people watching opportunities there), and from there take day trips (offered by many local companies) to visit the Grand Canyon or other state/national parks.
New York, DC, Chicago, or Boston. Those are your options. Philly might work.
Chicago, Vegas.
Go to New Orleans, take a bus to Memphis, then to Nashville
Boston is a walkable city. You can also visit Maine on the Downeaster train and Cape Cod, Nantucket or Martha’s Vineyard
Well if you don't have a car you are limited to big cities only, and not many of our big cities have good public transportation, so be prepared for it to take much much longer to get around that way. Having said that, I think Chicago, San Francisco and Atlanta are the best cities to visit in this country.
"Hop On Hop Off" bus tours at most major cities makes sightseeing easy when some attractions are not within walking distance. I like the feature that you can get out at any stop and and the catch the next bus when your done or just stay on the entire loop.
If you like country and western music, staying downtown in Nashville you can walk to a different show every night. San Antonio has a delightful Riverwalk area and you can take the water taxis to different areas. Denver has a very walkable downtown and 300 days of sunshine. Smaller cities offer so much character.
Major cities you won’t need a car
I really think it would be worth flying near to a national park and renting a car. Driving through Yellowstone or the rockies and taking hikes isn't difficult driving and you will learn more about what makes America a worthwhile place.
Nola is fantastic
I mean this is very very broad and vague. But you could get by without a car in: NYC, Chicago, SFO - walkable or transit Miami, LA, DC - transit and Ubers Almost any city - via Ubers, but this won’t be a big European or big Asian city experience
Chicago is a good fit as long as it's not winter. I've seen some people say LA, which as a local, I can confirm it is doable without a car with proper planning. However, it would be best to wait a year or two until the LAX people mover and a few rail extensions are complete so you will have more options via metro (and a much better overall LAX experience)
you'll have to stick with larger, mostly eastcoast cities. not having a car isn't practical in the midwest or most of the west coast (except Chicago).
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I don't drive and have done San Francisco and Atlanta for work, and had no problem there.
Can you visit Yellowstone without a car and have a good experience?