I'm a Texas County kid, and I'm still just hayseed enough to really be impressed by the big city. I've traveled very little compared to a lot of people, but here's my personal ranking of the larger, American cities I've visited during vacations, conventions, mission trips, etc.
1. Nashville... Country music and Southern Baptists. I totally get this city's vibe!
2. San Antonio... The riverwalk is too cool.
3. Denver... I could get used to seeing the Rockies out my window.
4. Fort Lauderdale/Miami... Great beaches, and how neat is it to have canals for streets?
5. San Diego... The perfect climate.
6. Tulsa... A small Dallas, or a big Springfield? Impressive skyline for a city its size.
7. Memphis... Can't beat lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe on Beale St. "Walking in Memphis" (Lonestar version) rocks my mp3 player.
8. St. Louis... Cardinals baseball under the arch on a steamy, summer evening is hard to beat.
9. San Francisco... Was only 14 when I visited. I remember it was beautiful. I also remember seeing some pretty freaky looking people. (I'm sure they thought the same of me.)
10. Dallas... Big, modern, and dynamic.
11. Tampa/St. Pete... Warm and sunny, but all the retirees give the city a sleepy feel.
12. Sacramento... Visited the same summer as San Francisco. Might be ranked higher if I remembered it a little better.
13. Kansas City... Where's the home state love? It's fine. It just doesn't ring any bells for me.
14. Oklahoma City... See Kansas City. (Marc Baker, I hope you are still my friend after this!)
15. Louisville... This one probably isn't fair, as I only spent a day there. Is it midwestern or southern? Either way, my first impression was just kinda dreary.
