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You might be wondering what we mean by the title of this post: Vacationing in a big city as opposed to what? As opposed to resort towns, beach towns, tropical islands, campgrounds, national parks, swamps, ski resorts, winter cabins, small towns built around gambling, and anyplace that isn’t on the same level as New York or Los Angeles? Yes, that’s exactly what we mean.
It sounds like a controversial topic, but let us explain. Here’s why we think you make a metropolitan center your priority this year:
Art & History Museums
When was the last time you saw a really, really major work of art? One of the pastimes in a big city is going to museums, and that’s for a reason. Art is important. And, while most cities have museums with great collections, the really big cities offer access to a seemingly endless number of unbelievably amazing collections. You could visit New York and spend your whole vacation visiting museums and still not see everything. The same could be said of Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, Paris, or Berlin.
The Lodgings Are Different
Your experience staying in a city like New York is going to be different than staying in Chicago, and that is going to be different than staying in Paris, which is going to be different than staying in Dubai. Big cities are uniquely themselves. You could stay in a high rise with an incredible view. You could rent a furnished apartment for a month – or more! – using a rental service like Zeus and actually live in a neighborhood like a local. You could stay in a building older than a hundred years. The options are limitless – and exciting!
The Food is to Die For
The big cities attract some of the finest talent the world has to offer, and that talent includes chefs. We’re not just talking about fancy restaurants, either. A hole in the wall could change your life. A family-run restaurant with a sub-$20 meal could be the best food you’ve ever tasted. And the expensive restaurants can be mind-blowing, too. It’s all there for you to try in the big city.
The Culture is Different
People in big cities will treat you differently than people in your hometown – even if your hometown is a big city. It’s good to step out of your comfort zone sometimes and become a truly small fish in a really, really big pond.
You Might See a Celebrity
Hey, not every reason has to be noble, does it? In New York and L.A. you are pretty much guaranteed to see a famous person. All you have to do is get into the studio audience for one of the late night talk shows! Even if you don’t spend the day in a TV audience, your chances of seeing movie stars are greater in the cities where they live, work, and play.
Brilliant Symphonies
Okay, time to class it up again. Your town might have an orchestra, but if you’re a fan of classical music, you owe it to yourself to see the London Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, or the Boston Symphony Orchestra at least once in your life. Don’t forget to pack something fancy to wear!
Really Good Public Transportation
Chances are, even if you live in a good-sized city, the public transportation in your hometown isn’t all that great. It might work, it might get you where you need to go, and it might even get you there in less than two hours. But you’ve never experienced real efficiency until you’ve taken public transportation in a town like Boston, London, or New York. It’s a mind-blowing experience, and maybe a little scary, but one that will leave you with stories to tell.
Okay, so what do you think? Our point isn’t that we want you to shun your favorite resort town, skip sunbathing on the beach, or pass on ski season. But if you plan a vacation to a big city this year, you’ll be sure to have an adventure that will do more than excite and entertain – it will give you a cultural experience that will become part of who you are!