Learning a New City

May 25, 2004 8:13 PM

If one is trying to get a feel for a city in just two or three days, what are the main things that one should see or do?

I done needs to find myself a place to live. I’m heading out west to see how I feel about it out there (I’ve never spent an appreciable amount of time on the west coast). I am planning on spending a few days in San Diego, San Francisco, Portland and Seattle. Any advice about something that is quintessentially one of those cities, or something in any city that could open a window into life there would be greatly appreciated.

posted by guyincognito to Travel & Transportation (12 answers total)

Visit the cemetery.
Seriously.
It's like a scale model of the city.
posted by signal at 8:46 PM on May 25, 2004

i try to either rent a bicycle or take public transportation and explore different sections of the the city.
posted by lescour at 8:57 PM on May 25, 2004

You don't have much time so you'll have to drive around a lot. Try to get off the beaten path and look behind the city that presents itself to tourists. Don't go to "attractions" instead drive through actual neighborhoods, residential areas where people live.

Here's a neighborhood guide for san francisco for example. Read up a bit. Drive to the ones that interest you. Stop and have a coffee.
posted by vacapinta at 8:58 PM on May 25, 2004

Strategy: go to a wide variety of nieghborhoods and a major city park.

SF - visit the Haight, the Mission, the Financial District and Civic Center, and go to Golden Gate Park.

Seattle - go to Pike Place, Capitol Hill, Fremont, and Greenlake Park.
posted by falconred at 9:04 PM on May 25, 2004

I second the bicycle/public transit thing. You see a lot more than if you're driving around, and you can actually interact with the folks that already inhabit the area.

For Portland:

* Wander around downtown near Pioneer Courthouse Square at noon. That's as fast-paced as it gets here.

* Powells books (on West Burnside) & the Multnomah County library central branch (on SW 10th & SW Yamhill) are both worth visiting

* Go to Washington Park (it's on the light rail line)

* Check out Forest Park, the largest urban park in the country

* Go to SE Hawthorne, around 39th and work your way west (downhill), the residential area around there is a fair representation of the inner southeast neighborhoods (the #14 bus will take you there from downtown).

* Go to the rose garden/park at Peninsula Park on N Ainsworth & N Albina (it's on the #4 bus line). Historic and pretty, the surrounding area has a surprisingly high crime rate, but is actually a really nice place to live.

* The Irvington neighborhood around NE 7th & NE Fremont is expensive, but has lots of shady trees on the sidewalk, and is a pretty nice, if gentrified, place to live (the #33 will take you there from downtown).

* One of the best Mexican restaurants in Portland is on NE 15th & NE Prescott (the #8 will take you there from downtown). The surrounding residential area is a decent representation of the northeast neighborhoods north of Fremont street.

* Get a copy of the Portland Mercury and go to a show that sounds interesting
posted by cmonkey at 11:28 PM on May 25, 2004

Ask a dozen different people for directions and see how nice/helpful they are/aren't.
posted by scarabic at 12:28 AM on May 26, 2004

wander around aimlessly without a map. one of my favourite hobbies
posted by gravelshoes at 12:29 AM on May 26, 2004

I'd be happy to point you to various Seattle resources and answer any questions you might have. If you're looking for a place to live, you're gonna want to do more than sightsee. Email me!
posted by black8 at 2:50 AM on May 26, 2004

I always go up the town's highest building [theres always one and it always costs money]. It gives a real sense of what you're about to go wandering through.
posted by meech at 3:51 AM on May 26, 2004

Try to hook up with a local for the day. Which is good advice in any town ;)
posted by luser at 9:10 AM on May 26, 2004

Watch some local news broadcasts - just flip around for half an hour in each place. The difference in the anchors, tone, and content is fascinating. I spent a few years on the road and I'm serious.
posted by rainbaby at 10:33 AM on May 26, 2004

At least 3 of those cities have an incredible beer scene. Take a map of the city to a bar, get a drink, engage the bartender in conversation.
posted by sixpack at 10:59 AM on May 26, 2004