I traveled to 80 cities in the US. Here's the top 20 cities I recommend you visit, and 20 other cities you should probably avoid.

# Top 20 cities to visit in the US<br><br>The cities below are listed in order of my recommendation, with the top 5 cities being must-visits and the remaining 15 recommended visits. I've been to every one of these cities except for Honolulu, but I've toured most of Oahu as part of my visit to Pearl Harbor.<br><br>1. **New York City, New York** - The city that never sleeps contains unparalleled entertainment, bright lights, and a diverse population.<br>2. **Las Vegas, Nevada** - An adult wonderland. Unlike other cities built for entertainment, Sin City brightens up the desert with endless ways to have fun.<br>3. **Miami Beach, Florida** - The beach is beautiful, the parties are endless, and the architecture is timeless.<br>4. **San Francisco, California** - A beautiful city surrounded by nature. San Francisco has plenty of iconic attractions and a thriving LGBTQ+ community.<br>5. **Boston, Massachusetts** - Boston contains a rich history that's brightened up with beautiful fall colors. Autumn is a great time to visit.<br>6. **Madison, Wisconsin** - An extremely charming city that's built around a giant lake. The capital is well-maintained and full of natural beauty.<br>7. **Chicago, Illinois** - A fun city that's perfect for baseball fans. Chicago is built around their iconic stadium and has a bunch of different neighborhoods to explore.<br>8. **Honolulu, Hawaii** - I haven't been here, but based on my visit to the island, it's a great place to visit. With beaches, surfing, and a tropical climate, there's plenty to do here.<br>9. **Charleston, South Carolina** - The Civil War was sparked here, but now Charleston has grown into a thriving Southern city. The influence of Southern culture is strong, and there's plenty of historical sites to visit.<br>10. **Cincinnati, Ohio** - A small city that's built into a giant hill. The grandeur of the city is striking, and there's plenty to see in the city proper.<br>11. **Nashville, Tennessee** - A fun city for country music fans. Nashville is known for its music scene, but it also has a lot of historical sites to visit.<br>12. **Austin, Texas** - A fun city for music fans. It's becoming increasingly popular, but Austin remains a great place to visit, with plenty of outdoor recreation and bars to choose from.<br>13. **Minneapolis, Minnesota** - Minneapolis has plenty of lakes and parks to explore, and the city feels very clean and welcoming.<br>14. **Kansas City, Missouri** - Kansas City is an underrated city that's perfect for BBQ lovers. There's plenty of great food to eat, and the city has plenty of fountains and other attractions to explore.<br>15. **Memphis, Tennessee** - Memphis has plenty of music history and a fun city atmosphere. The city is surrounded by swampland, and the Mississippi River runs right through the city.<br>16. **Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania** - A steel city built into a mountain. Pittsburgh has plenty to offer, from great beer to natural beauty.<br>17. **New Orleans, Louisiana** - A city perfect for party animals. New Orleans has plenty of bars and clubs, but there's also plenty of historical sites to visit.<br>18. **Columbus, Ohio** - Columbus is built around Ohio State, but the city has plenty to offer. There's plenty of restaurants to choose from, and the city is very welcoming to visitors.<br>19. **Jacksonville, Florida** - Jacksonville has a fun atmosphere and a thriving downtown. There's plenty of nightlife, and the city is surrounded by beaches.<br>20. **Seattle, Washington** - Seattle has grown into a tech hub, but the city still has plenty of natural beauty to offer. From the Space Needle to Puget Sound, there's plenty to do here.<br><br># 20 cities to avoid<br><br>Below, I've included 20 cities that I didn't enjoy my visit to. There are many reasons why I didn't like a city, but I tried to keep my reasons fair. In general, I found these cities to have a mix of crime, poverty, and neglect. Some cities are also just too small or dull for a visit, and I've included those cities here as well.<br><br>Also note that every city has its bright spots, and it's unfair to call a city completely bad. Instead, I recommend avoiding these cities if you can, or finding specific places to visit that are safe or welcoming. Many of these cities are worth a visit if you know where to go, and I've included some recommendations below.<br><br>1. **St. Louis, Missouri** - St. Louis was the first city I visited where I felt unsafe. I was told not to walk alone at night, and the city feels neglected.<br>2. **Detroit, Michigan** - An abandoned city. Detroit was once a thriving metropolis, but its decline is evident in neglect and decay.<br>3. **Philadelphia, Pennsylvania** - Philly is a historical city, but the city feels dirty and neglected. The city has a lot of homeless people, and I didn't feel very welcome.<br>4. **Portland, Oregon** - Portland is known for its vibe, but the city is overrun with homeless people and crime. Many locals were unfriendly, and the city feels dirty.<br>5. **Indianapolis, Indiana** - Indianapolis has plenty of historical sites, but the city is just too dull and small to visit. I didn't feel very welcomed, and the city feels neglected.<br>6. **Albany, New York** - Albany isn't bad, but there's not much to see. The city feels very small, and there's not much to offer other than educational sites.<br>7. **Baltimore, Maryland** - Baltimore is the most crime-ridden city I visited. Many locals recommended staying indoors at night, and I witnessed plenty of crime during my visit.<br>8. **Milwaukee, Wisconsin** - An extremely neglected city. Milwaukee feels dirty, and locals seem to have given up on cleaning up the city.<br>9. **Louisville, Kentucky** - Louisville has plenty of historical sites, but the city is just too small and dull to visit. It feels neglected, and the city's layout is very confusing.<br>10. **Kansas City, Kansas** - Kansas City makes the list because of its confusing layout. The city is overrun with strip malls, and it feels neglected and dirty.<br>11. **Durham, North Carolina** - Durham is a small city that's very boring. There's not much to offer, and the city has grown into a college town.<br>12. **Sacramento, California** - An extremely neglected city. Sacramento feels dirty, and the city is overrun with homeless people.<br>13. **Oklahoma City, Oklahoma** - Oklahoma City is a small city that's frankly just boring. It's very flat, and there's nothing bright or interesting about the city.<br>14. **Birmingham, Alabama** - Birmingham is very boring, and the city has a very confusing layout. It's hard to navigate, and locals seem to be fleeing the city.<br>15. **Greenville, South Carolina** - Greenville has grown into a college town, but the city isn't very welcoming. Locals seemed to be very cliquey, and there's not much to do other than visiting the downtown area.<br>16. **Boise, Idaho** - Boise is just too small to visit. The city has some natural beauty, and the downtown area is nice, but locals were very unfriendly.<br>17. **Omaha, Nebraska** - Omaha has plenty of historical sites, but the city is very dull and feels neglected.<br>18. **Wichita, Kansas** - Wichita has grown into a college town, but the city is very boring. There's not much to offer, and the city itself has very few attractions.<br>19. **Fresno, California** - Fresno has a very confusing layout, and the city feels very dirty. Locals seem to have given up on cleaning up the city, and I witnessed a lot of crime.<br>20. **Baton Rouge, Louisiana** - Baton Rouge is very dirty, and the city has grown into a college town. The city has plenty of historical sites, but the city's layout is very confusing and frankly boring.<br><br>Of course, every city has its bad parts, and it's unfair to call a city completely good or bad. I've included my rankings to help you decide where to visit, but I recommend doing your own research before visiting any city.<br><br>I've been to 80 of the 100 largest cities in the US, and I've toured many other cities as part of road trips. I've had the opportunity to explore almost every region, and I've traveled to cities in every state except for Alaska and Vermont.<br><br>I've tried to make my recommendations fair, but I recognize that every city is different depending on the location. Many cities have unsafe areas, and I've tried to stay neutral to those issues. However, if you have specific questions about visiting a city, I'd be happy to chat with you!<br><br>If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.