Large cities offer culture, interesting people, and their own unique identity. Whether you are traveling for business, pleasure or are looking to relocate, these top big cities are worthy of consideration, according to Best Cities, the website of Resonancy Consultancy travel industry consultants
City trips grew 82 percent between 2007 and 2014 according to World Travel Monitor. Resonance Consultancy researches and scores cities based on several criteria, such as the quality of the city, reputation and identity for global cities using data, statistics and online ratings and reviews.
Best Cities provides information on urban tourism with news, inside tips and tools to match travelers with their next great destination.
These are the top 12 big cities, in ascending order, according to Best Cities:
12. Dallas
With a population of 1.3 million, the city offers a rich cultural and business environment. Home to the largest urban arts district in the nation, the Dallas Arts District stretches for 20 blocks and includes the Dallas Museum of Art. Dallas is also a major hub for business with 10,000 corporate headquarters located within its metropolitan area. It ranks third in the country for Fortune 500 headquarters.
11. Washington
The nation’s capital ranked high in the product category for offering free admission to the numerous museums in the city, such as the National Gallery of Art, the Lincoln Memorial and the new National Museum of African American History and Culture.
10. Boston
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation ranked Boston as the best city for entrepreneurial growth. the Boston Globe, Harvard, MIT and Hubspot sponsored Hubweek, which brings more than 100 companies from around the area to discuss new technological trends and innovations. In the last four years, the city reported that it added more than 60,000 new jobs and expects 724,000 resident to live in the city by 2030.
9. Seattle
The city ranked high in prosperity with the second-lowest unemployment rate in the country. Among the companies located here are Amazon, Microsoft and Starbucks. The city led in population growth in 2017 according to Moody’s Analytics. The report found that because of the city’s growth, construction of more apartments is helping to lower some rents for incoming residents.
8. Miami
Miami attracts a diverse population from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, Honduras, Columbia and the Dominican Republic, giving the city a unique cultural identity. In Miami, there are 100 languages other than English spoken at home, according to the latest census data. The city also offers beaches, ocean views and the tropical paradise that many travelers seek in a vacation getaway.
7. Houston
According to the latest Census report, 145 different languages are spoken at home in the Houston area. For those looking to relocate to the city, Houston’s average home price is $140,300. The study reported that Houston had 20 million annual visitors in 2016 and 3.2 million of those were international travelers.
6. San Diego
Visitors and residents enjoy 263 full and partly sunny days a year, plus 23 beaches within the city limits. Best Cities highlights San Diego’s proximity to Tijuana, with the creation of the Cross Border Xpress allowing for the exploration of wines and cuisine of the Baja’s Valle de Guadalupe.
5. Las Vegas
Sin City is known for its casinos and nightlife, but the city is also taking a spotlight for sports. The success of the debut year of the NHL Golden Knights and the new T-Mobile hockey arena has been a boost for the city. The new arena will also host concerts and other entertainment acts. The newest NFL team, the Las Vegas Raiders, will start their season in 2020 at the $1.9 billion, 65,000-seat Las Vegas Stadium.
4. San Francisco
The city ranked second in household income in the country, according to Resonance’s report. Because of the higher incomes, the city has attracted a global workforce. The research indicated that San Francisco had the fifth-most foreign-born residents and the second-best educated workforce in America. Nearby Stanford University and the University of California at Berkeley also attract many students and professionals to the area.
3. Los Angeles
People and prosperity are giving Los Angles a boost. The city is home to about 12,000 manufacturers and suppliers in industries from space and special effects to food and fashion. Programs such as Make It In LA and LA Original are the newest initiatives driving creativity in the city. T-shirts, phone cases, bags and other products featuring the LA Original logo is designed, produced and assembled in L.A.
2. Chicago
The Windy City ranked highest on Resonance’s product category for the second year in a row. The criteria for the category include airport connectivity, convention centers, museums, university rankings and sports teams. The city’s culinary, shopping, nightlife and culture did well in the ranking. Chicago has had James Beard Foundation winners in 23 out of 24 years, and will host the Beard Awards until at least 2021.
1. New York
With 63 million visitors in 2017 was a new record and averages out to more than 1.2 million people in the city on a weekly basis. Due to the large number of visitors, the promotion category was evident with Facebook Check-ins, TripAdvisor Reviews and Instagram hashtags of what New York has to offer, according to Resonance. Expanded ferry service and airport transportation services for both Kennedy and Newark international airports has made getting to the city more convenient.
The full report can be viewed here.