10 Best Big City Downtowns in the U.S.

Countdown of the Top 10 big city downtowns in the U.S. I examine which cities have the most vibrant, walkable, livable, and most interesting and fun downtowns. I previously looked at the 10 Worst Downtowns, so this is a follow-up to that video.

10 Worst Downtowns in the U.S. video:

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Album displayed:
Idles - "Crawler" (2021)

0:00 Intro
0:41 10
2:26 9
3:37 8
5:13 7
6:40 6
8:37 5
10:01 4
11:37 3
13:30 2
14:54 1
16:15 Plot Twist
18:22 Outro

[ScottTooley]

I've visited Chicago, Detroit, and Pittsburgh in the past 13 months. Chicago obviously is god-tier for US downtown/urbanism (all good 80's movies prove this, I will not be taking questions). I was very surprised by Pittsburgh, I genuinely loved it. Saying "designed before the car" is spot on. Most streets are skinny, sidewalks safe, and tons going on. As for Detroit, we stayed in Corktown and did plenty in both Downtown and Mexicantown. Great trip, cannot wait to go back. All three of these cities will not disappoint.

[raidger]

All 4 Philadelphia teams play within a 1/2 mile of each other, however those venues aren’t downtown.

[rhettbuckley]

Hey Kyle, Chicago resident here, in the East Lakeview neighborhood. You don't need to live in the Loop to not need a car. A ton of us 2 miles north of the loop live a car-free life, walking to the grocery store, the Walgreens, doctor and dentist and therapy all within a half mile! Plus countless restaurants of all varieties. Next time you're in town cruise down Broadway between Belmont and Fullerton, it's a great stretch!

[chiefmonrovia]

Shocked to see milwaukee, but at the same time there's a reason it's so hard to move out of this city! There's so much to love, and in my opinion the most underrated part of Milwaukee is the true diversity of our buildings downtown from an architectural perspective. From old gargoyles or modern high rises, there's a lot to love for a city that didn't tear down every historic building in favor of a parking lot.

[lukasgestrine]

Your channel is way better than Briggs

[trinaderickson]

Shout out for calling it Sears Tower! (And no ketchup!)

[leonngumba]

Without NYC this list can never be complete. Honestly I don't even think any city comes remotely close. But I respect your opinion.

[stevenreichertart]

NYC, SF, and DC should be on this list IMHO. World class sophistication and culture.

[ernestabrogar]

Center City Philadelphia is the epitome of what a downtown should feel like in scale, walkability, and amenities.

[pcariola]

How is Philly not a top 5 let alone a top 10 downtown. Wow

[mileswithmallory]

So nice to hear your kind words about Cleveland!! 🙌🏼

[JXY]

I like Cincinnati more than Cleveland but both are really underrated.

[vopvoopone]

So glad to see a solid Midwest presence on this list! As a Chicagoan who moved to Cleveland and has spent a lot of time in Cincy, couldn’t agree more about them having great downtowns. All I have to say to folks is give Cleveland a shot!

[kigas]

As a Chattanoogan who moved to Chicago I am glad to see you've put it on top!

[patrickandrews]

How is Philly not in this list? It was just named the Most Walkable City.

Also, all 4 Philly sports teams are within a BLOCK of each other.

Kyle, I usually agree with you but you dropped the ball on this one.

[Glynn]

Today the new Seattle Aquarium opened on the waterfront and is spectacular. This is now connected to Pike Place Market by a winding staircase with multiple viewing platforms. 5 new light rail stations just opened up to the northern suburb of Lynwood. Downtown in coming back since Covid but had a rough couple of years. The surrounding neighborhoods of Capitol Hill and Queen Anne are very vibrant,

[johnpolese]

Agree with Boston’s spot. I was there in June and I just loved how compact and walkable the city is. I also loved the mix of historic buildings intermixed with European architecture. Then you walk into the north end and you are transported back in time. Such a fun city and I can’t wait to get back sometime soon.

[JASONLOTT]

You really are a nerd & I’m here for it. Thanks for your consistently excellent nerdy content.

[austinbecton]

Cincinnati has completely transformed! When I was a kid, we called it "Cinci-nasty" and as an adult, it's become so cool that I lived there for a couple years. Dayton, an hour north, is well-integrated and their downtown is massively transforming too. I'm hoping the state or fed gov will build a train connecting the two, so you could hop between them.

[harimohil]

Thank you for giving Chicago (and many other Midwest cities) the respect deserved